165 brake job

[dozerboy450]

My 165 brakes are terrible and need some work. I'm wondering if I have a bad oil seal that is leaking oil onto the pads. I have good pedal play and don't think it's a matter of linkage or adjustment. My question is how hard is it to get at them. They are the 7" disc type. Do I need to split the tractor to assess them? Do I need any special pullers or is anything pressed in? I have the the factory and IT service manuals. The IT manual makes it sound fairly easy and straightforward but the factory manual makes it sound like it could be a HUGE undertaking. I'm up to the task either way but I don't want to tackle it right now if it's going to take me a week to finish it. Any advice or tips on doing it or thoughts on how long a job it is. I want brakes but I can't have my tractor in pieces for a month while I'm waiting to get special tools or parts I didn't know I'd need. Thanks for your help guys.

 

[DavidP, South Wales]

Hi,
For someone familiar with the job it is no more than a small routine repair. There are no pullers etc required but it is essential to have a safe means of handling each axle housing. Having the axle resting on a trolley jack even if there are two of you is a recipe for disaster. If using a trolley jack some means of holding the axle on the jack is very advisable. The photo shows the splitting rail kit that I made some 30 years ago. The axle is attached to the mobile stand with a strap in the balance point. The amount of work required to remove the housing will depend on what is fitted to the tractor cab/loader etc. With the housing removed and safely supported you can remove the inner disc to gain access to the discs and actuator. If you have failed seals the discs will be shot anyway. Remove the springs and seperate the halves of the actuator and examine the ball ramps VERY carefully. Look for any pockets where the balls could catch as they roll. Check the balls as well.
If you have everything to hand and assuming that no loader or cab is fitted the job should be done comfortably in 4 or 5 hours per side.
There is an adjustment procedure. Please come back when you are about at that point or before if you have any problems.
DavidP, South Wales

 

[dozerboy450]

Thanks David, I was hoping to hear from you. Good to know it's nothing too major. I'll certainly need to figure out some means of handling the axles. I do have a loader and a ROPS bar so I'll also have to contend with those as well.

 

[504]

At the dealership we ran a chain through the rim and one more to the housing and pulled it with a cherry picker. Just take you time.

 

[Aaron Ford]

I pulled the fenders, wheel and tire and used a cherry picker the second time. Worked great. I used a floor jack and a 2x12 the first time and it did work. Just wasn't as smooth. It will take a while but it is totally worth it. My 65 can be parked on any slope in neutral, even uphill with a 7K GVW trailer behind it. Looking back I wonder why I ever put up with poor brakes on my tractors. The job did take a few days and everything short of the friction surfaces was coated with dry graphite. I also replaced the carrier bearings and seals while I was in there.

Aaron