Brake Housing stuck on IH 364 even though it initially pulls .5" away from the tractor quite easily

[Harvester364]

I'm trying to remove the left side brake housing / cover from the side of the tractor in order to get to the bottom of why I can't depress the brake pedals after 5 years of storage outside. The tractor starts runs and moves fine, but the pedals themselves don't budge. I started with the left one, but the same problem may be waiting for me on the right. The pedals rotate freely when I unhook them from the linkages under the tractor so something must be rusted frozen from the linkages to the brake actuating assembly on up.

The housing has 4 bolts (vs. the ones with 5) and the bolts themselves came out easy enough. The housing slides away from the tractor side about 1/2" all around using just my hands, but won't pull any further off the brake shaft. I can also rotate the housing 10 or so degrees using just my hands.

Using small prybars, some metal wedges and a hammer I can get the housing cover to move about 1" away from the sides of the tractor, but it wont go further. I can see the inner friction disc in the gap as well as the inner actuating disc and the balls. When I remove those wedges, everything flexes and slides back against the side of the tractor / transmission wall.

Before I try forcing it more, can anyone tell me what might be causing it to slide freely initially but then stick? I don't want to break anything or crack the casting of the housing.

Could the friction disc be rusted to the inner wall of the of the tractor / transmission wall and then the rest of the actuating brake assembly is rusted to that friction disc?

Perhaps everything is rusted to the spine of the brake shaft?

In either case, wouldn't I simply be able to lift the brake housing cover off and see the stuck components still on the shaft?

Thanks for any advice.

(I have pics, but can't figure out how to post them)

[snoshoe]

Unfamiliar with this model. From description appears to be mechanically operated dry disc brakes. Would assume outer disc rusted in splines. Would also assume linkage from actuator to pedal will not allow cover off of actuator. Normal removal outer disc and actuator come off with housing.

[HydroTek]

1 hour ago, snoshoe said:

Unfamiliar with this model. From description appears to be mechanically operated dry disc brakes. Would assume outer disc rusted in splines. Would also assume linkage from actuator to pedal will not allow cover off of actuator. Normal removal outer disc and actuator come off with housing.

Basically a 424 with the newer diesel engine

[HydroTek]

Cover should come off , since the slot for the controls is open on one side

then the disk and actuator will slide off the splines 

both actuator plates should float inside the cover
inner actuator should not be against the inner disk when you pull the cover away
maybe stuck to the disk ?

if you can get the pins out of the triangle plates -- the cover should come off -- then you can see what is stuck

[HydroTek]

I suggest leaving the rubber boots off , so air can get thru and dry the moisture out

Rust/water is a weakness on those type of brakes 

Cant remember if there is a place on the bottom of that housing to drill a hole to help with water removal or not
-- the boot may be enough on the bottom to do the job 

[Harvester364]

2 hours ago, HydroTek said:

Cover should come off , since the slot for the controls is open on one side

then the disk and actuator will slide off the splines 

both actuator plates should float inside the cover
inner actuator should not be against the inner disk when you pull the cover away
maybe stuck to the disk ?

if you can get the pins out of the triangle plates -- the cover should come off -- then you can see what is stuck

Yes. The slot for the controls/actuator arms is built into the side of the cover.

Also yes. From my own understanding and in the videos I've watched the actuator plates should float inside the cover, but the cover won't come off.

Not sure why it is stuck only that it is.

You must be right in that the actuator very well may be stuck to inner disc (and the disc is probably stuck to the tractor side/transmission wall), but what is actually holding the cover on? It doesn't even touch the spline. Could it not be coming off because the outer disc which is on the spline is rusted to the inside of the cover? The cover has that machined brake track so I guess that is possible. It's the only thing I can think of that even has the possibility of touching the inside of the cover. Nothing else does that I know of.

Generally speaking, do friction discs rust to their brake tracks or is there something that prevents that from happening? If they do rust and stick like that, do you have any suggestions on how to remove the one that may be stuck to the inside of the cover? 

 

[HydroTek]

Get the pins out of the triangle plates -- I think that is holding the actuator to the cover 

once you get the cover off , you can see the reason the disks are not coming off the spline shaft

since the tractor drives -- the disks are not stuck to the brake surfaces 

[Harvester364]

Ahh.

By triangle plates are you referring to #15 (Brake Operating Levers) in this parts diagram?

https://www.anglo-agriparts.com/image/catalog/blog post/IH brakes part1/05 Later brakes - exploded parts diagram.jpg

 

[HydroTek]

Yes, they are attached to the cover and to the actuator

remove the pins should allow the cover to slide off -- leaving the actuator behind 

[Harvester364]

On 9/1/2026 at 9:10 PM, HydroTek said:

Yes, they are attached to the cover and to the actuator

remove the pins should allow the cover to slide off -- leaving the actuator behind 

That worked! Thanks!

Turns out I couldn't get the cover off without taking that pin out you suggested as the whole actuator disc unit (#3 in diagram above) was blocked from being able to slide off the spline by the outer friction disc (2) which is well and truly rusted on. That also explains why I couldn't move the brake pedals at all even when standing on them. I suppose the brake on the other side is also rusted similarly.

I've tried freeing the friction disk prying it away from the actuating disc (#5) by wedging 6 flat head screwdrivers under it but even though the actuating disc unit spins easily by hand, the friction disc is frozen on. I've hit it with PB plaster where the spline meats the friction disc and tapped it with a hammer while applying the prying of the screwdrivers, but no luck getting it free yet. I only have small plumbing propane torches not a welders torch so I don't think I can generate enough heat to try and free it that way. Other than soaking it ever few days and tapping the screwdrivers occasionally to add force and repeating until something frees up, do you have any other suggestions I can try?

Thanks again for your help. I probably would have broken something without your advice. 

[HydroTek]

Keep the PB on the splines as often as you can
-- or FreeAll if that is available in your area 

I would tap near the splines on the disk to see if the disk will drive onto the shaft a little more
-- the "springiness" of the disk should push back and help break the rust bond

you could use a small flat file and scrape the rust from the splines
-- "square" the end of the file on a grinder , and use the corners of the file as a scraper on the shaft splines
-- files are made of some hard steel and make a good scraper , but keep the edge squared -- that rust will wear the file corners 

[Harvester364]

Thanks for the advice. Just bought a new can of PB this morning before seeing your comment. If I go through that before it breaks free, I'll track down some FreeAll.

Good idea to tap the disc near the splines. I may pull off the fender to allow me to give me more room for more direct taps.

Also good idea to use the file as a scraper to clean up the spines themselves.

This is the first time I've ever worked on an old tractor and your advice has been much appreciated. I'll report back when I get it freed up.

[HydroTek]

May be able to salvage the brake disks , if you dont get carried away with the screw drivers -- LoL

Moisture trapped in the brake housing is the main problem
-- this causes a rust coating on the brake surface that will not make any stopping friction
-- you can use the squared file to scrape the rust scale down to clean metal

then use 80 grip sand paper on the disks to get a fresh surface

the balls and pockets need to be cleaned up
-- use a wire brush on a drill for the pockets
-- springs prolly need replaced 

Light coat of anti seize on the ball pockets when you go back together
-- also on the 3 places on the outside of the actuator where it contacts the housing 

I leave the boots off and drill the housing at the bottom to let air dry the housing out 
-- the original asbestos linings (reddish/brown color) would hold moisture and help cause the rust
-- later "yellow" linings were better at the rust problem 

[Harvester364]

Got it off. A week of applying PB Blaster on the spindle and taking a file to splines themselves to file off the rust allowed it to walk off eventually. It sure doesn't really take much grit / rust on the spline to get in the way and lock it one there. I'll give them a really good clean up before I slide something back on. The inner friction disc came off easy. Thanks!

I still have a super corroded bolt to take apart the actuating unit (the other one was fine) before I can open up the actuating discs themselves to check out how badly pitted the inside and the balls.

From the outside, the springs look to be in good shape with no corrosion. You mentioned they probably need replacing, I'm assuming that's because eventually they fail so I might as well do it now when I'm in there?

Is the asbestos on the inside casting of the brake housing itself or does it line something else? All this time, I've been assuming its in the friction discs. I just want to make sure I know what I'm working with when I go to wire brush, clean everything up.

Once again. Thank you. This is the first old tractor I've worked on so I would have been scratching my head forever without that advice you gave me earlier!

 

 

 

[HydroTek]

pop the springs off , then you can get the actuator to separate
I never remove the linkage bolts 

stuff is in the brake disk -- you should be fine with a wire wheel on the housings

will likely need to "square" that file tip and scrape the rust scale from the surfaces tho