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Please educate me on how wet brakes work.

43K views 7 replies 7 participants last post by  donimbimbo 
#1 ·
My neighbor asked me to adjust the brakes on her Ford 1920. She is a widow and runs a camp ground and I help here out as much as I can. I adjusted the linkage on the right brake and it now works fine but when I tried to adjust the left brake it got plenty of pedal but zero brakes. Could someone give me the low down on how wet brakes work?
If I am correct the hydrualic/transfluid is also the fluid for the brakes correct?

Also, is there any internal adjustment? the local tractor dealer wants $300 per side for the brake discs?? :fing20:

ANY help you guys could give me would be great.
 
#2 ·
I am not an expert on brakes but have some limited knowledge on wet wheel brakes. Not sure about the brakes on the Ford 1920. You are correct that the brakes have hydraulic fluid flowing through them. Hence the name wet wheel brakes. Unlike a car drum brakes which could fail or reduce the stopping distance with oil or hydraulic fluid on the drum or pad wet wheel brakes are designed to have hydraulic fluid flowing through the discs. The design I am familiar with is that the brakes have a steel plate that compresses against a set of brake discs and plates with hydraulic fluid constanly flowing through the discs. The discs I have seen actually have fluid channels cut into the brake material to allow the flow of fluid. The fluid, among other things, helps cool the brakes too. The number of discs and plates will determine the stopping ability. You might check John Deere's website and search through their brake prints to get an idea of the wet wheel brake concept. The X700 Series and the 2305, I believe, have wet wheel brakes. Also, there are plenty of aftermarket companies that make wet wheel brake discs. Whether they make them for the Ford 1920 is the question.
 
#4 ·
My JDGX lists "wet brakes" in the hydro. However, every place you read says that the brake pedal on that tractor is just for "parking" and not for "stopping". I guess that's why I got them big strips of rolled turf the first time I tried out the brakes going down my front yard hill! I totally believe that using the foot brake would damage the transmission on pavement. I've tried to feather the pedal for a smooth stop and it's near impossible, especially on normal yard uneven surfaces. Coming off the "forward pedal" IS the "brakes" on a GX.
 
#5 ·
That is a good question[for me anyways],never had anything with wet brakes[don't think] till I got this kioti tractor,it says its got wet brakes,[even drained the hydro fluid out of them when I changed fluids out at 50 hour mark...],don't have a clue how brakes setting inoil could work??????

The one guy here gave us a vague clue,any wet brake experts can tell us [in plain english] about wet brakes? can tell you this,that tractor of mine has brakes that are better than most pickups I've driven,you lock brakes,you ain't going anywheres.
 
#6 ·
Brakes sitting in oil, work the same way clutches sitting in oil do... The pad material is made out of compounds that work when submerged in hydraulic fluid or oil or transmission fluid. Those fluids may even contain a "Friction Modifier" which does not impede the ability of the fluid to lubricate. It's all quite interesting and it does work well.
 
#7 ·
I have a Ford 1100 4wd, also a Shibaura built tractor like the 1910 and 1920. The brakes work great on all surfaces, dirt, grass and pavement. One advantage you have with 4wd is that the brakes will also "stop" the front wheels. I found this was especially helpful going down hills where the tractor weight shifts from rear wheels to front. I'll check my repair manual to see if it documents the procedure for replacing the brakes.
 
#8 ·
According to the repair manual for the 1100 Ford, the brakes are " internal expanding shoes' within a drum. The chamber above the axle is where they are located. Now the 1920 may be different from my 1100 because the 1100 has "dry" brakes and one of the troubleshooting tips is brakes with insufficient braking may be due to oil leakage into the brake chamber.
 
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