BRAKES

All N-Series Tractors - Ford-Ferguson 9N, 2N, and Ford 8N

There is a right and a wrong way to putting the brake shoes back on. Make sure you don't get the shoes or springs reversed or the cross shaft facing 180 degrees off.

It is almost impossible to actually wear out a set of brake shoes on one of these tractors. The Number 1 problem with brakes is getting them covered with hydraulic fluid from the transmission/hydraulic sump. It is very easy to overfill the sump. This will cause leaks at the ends of the axles and the excess fluid soaks the brakes.

If your brakes on one side keep getting wet, look at yoru parking spot. Is it level? If you park on a side-hill the fluid in the sump can overwhelm the axle seal on the down hill side. It shouldn't leak, but if parking on level ground fixes the problem, why take the tractor apart?

The correct level for the sump can easily be determined by removing the bottom bolts in both inspection covers. Let the excess oil run out and then check the level with the dipstick. The level you now see on the stick is the correct level, regardless of what the marks on the dipstick may indicate. First, make sure your engine oil and hydraulic dipsticks have not been swapped, then go ahead and make a new mark if yours is still wrong.

Brake shoes and drums can be cleaned with brake cleaner. Spray them down and wipe them off, then spray them again and let them air dry. If you have solved the leak problem, you should be rewarded with much better brakes.

If correcting the level in the sump does not solve your leaking axle seals, you may need to replace the seals. First, make sure your axle nuts are good and tight. The big nut on the end of the axle should be tightened to 400 ft.lbs. Put 100 pounds of effort on the end of a 4-foot breaker bar, then re-attach the retainer clips.

If the hubs have been run loose they may be too worn out to stay tight. You might be able to fix them with some shims in the grooves but you really need new hubs to fix it right. The hubs are made of softer metal than the axles, but in extreme cases the axle splines may also be worn. Now you need new axles too. It's much less expensive to fix small problems than wait until they become big problems.