Deep Woods Tractor Repair

[8ntruck 8,155]

We are in our Ky. location for a few days.  Major goal is repairing the brakes on EJ the 8n.  So, Welcome to Deep Woods Tractor Repair:

 

 

I was expecting to find maybe worn splines on the hubs and bad axle seals.  The splines don't seem to be too bad, and the axle seals appear to be in fine shape and to be relatively new.

 

The source of the puddles of gear lube in the brake drums appears to be that the last guy who assembled this thing failed to put the cork gaskets behind the axle seal retaining plates!  This let the 90 weight drip out between the axle flange and the seal retaining plate.  The brake shoes look to be relatively new as well - ought to, they have been well coated with oil.

 

The brake drums didn't want to come off until I backed off the adjusters A LOT.  Both drums have a shoe track worn in them about .040 to .060" deep.  Might as well replace the drums while I'm at it.  Got to source some, though.

 

One big oopsie, though - the box of brake parts didn't get packed into the truck for this trip.  Worst case, I'll replace the missing axle seal retaining plate gaskets with some Form A Gasket, and clean the gear lube off of everything as good as I can get it, then put it all back together.  That ought to get me some brakes - for a little while, anyhow.

Edited October 8 by 8ntruck

[ri702bill 10,070]

Ah, the smell of fresh brewed coffee, with a hint of bug spray......

[8ntruck 8,155]

6 minutes ago, ri702bill said:

Ah, the smell of fresh brewed coffee, with a hint of bug spray......

Yup.  We've got a camping version of an espresso maker.

[Handy Don 14,658]

47 minutes ago, 8ntruck said:

The brake drums didn't want to come off until I backed off the adjusters A LOT.  Both drums have a shoe track worn in them about .040 to .060" deep.  Might as well replace the drums while I'm at it.  Got to source some, though.

Depending on how much metal is still there on the drum, it might be worth having them re-cut. Back in the “drum days”, this was a fairly common repair many shops were equipped to handle. A truck service center on the other side of the county were I live still does this. 

[ri702bill 10,070]

But you can't just slap on a set of new brake shoes under those freshly cut-oversize drums. Why??... the radii do not match. Only a small percentage of the friction material will contact the drum. The result is brakes that actually perform worse than you started..... Hard to find a relining shop that arc-corrects shoes anymore.... Old School.

[Pullstart 68,183]

Meh.  Just slap some duct tape on it!  

[1mor Project 96]

Gear lube on Ford N brakes is a pretty common problem over the years in my "collection". Since my hobby tractors are users, not show pieces, stuff happens. I am seldom on the road or even in high gear, so "perfect" brakes are not needed. Having said that my answer to thick pads that have become oil soaked is to get out my cutting torch and warm the face of the shoes, boiling the oil soak out to the surface. I repeat a couple times, wiping excess each time, then sanding the last time with 36 grit sandpaper. This is not as good as new shoes, but I can still lock up the wheels. I'm not recommending this, just telling you what I have done. It works for me at the speeds I use mowing or plowing snow.

[ebinmaine 74,575]

At one point there was a place up here around New Gloucester Maine that was selling parts for the older Fords

[1mor Project 96]

If you are looking for parts, this is where I get some things. Derick restores the N's and knows his stuff. They have a great online catalog too. Stiener's is another source.

[1mor Project 96]

Woops! Forgot address.

Redbelly Tractors - Restorations | Just8N's

[8ntruck 8,155]

Brake shoe cleaning day at Deep Woods Tractor Repair:

 

 

No local source for drums, I found one cork gasket at the Ford New Holland dealer, need 2. 

 

So on to Plan C.  Clean everything as good as I can, then use Permatex Right Stuff to replace the missing cork gasket.  Ought to get the brakes good enough for what I need to do with the tractor.  I just need to hold it still on a hill.

Edited October 10 by 8ntruck

[SylvanLakeWH 29,340]

Sounds good enough for the girls we date... 

[CCW 1,442]

10 hours ago, SylvanLakeWH said:

Sounds good enough for the girls we date... 

 

You still dating girls?  Hoe do you get away with that? 😁

[oliver2-44 10,978]

On 10/8/2025 at 7:43 PM, ri702bill said:

But you can't just slap on a set of new brake shoes under those freshly cut-oversize drums. Why??... the radii do not match. Only a small percentage of the friction material will contact the drum. The result is brakes that actually perform worse than you started..... Hard to find a relining shop that arc-corrects shoes anymore.... Old School.

I’m old enough to have had drums machined  and replaced drum brakes on older vehicles in the 70’s. Took auto shop in High School. I hung out in the back of the 2 auto parts stores in town that cut drums. Never heard of anyone having a machine to arc-correct the shoes. 

[ebinmaine 74,575]

6 minutes ago, oliver2-44 said:

I hung out in the back of the 2 auto parts stores in town that cut drums. Never heard of anyone having a machine to arc-correct the shoes.

 

 

I worked in auto parts starting in 1992. Did that off and on up until about 15 years ago.

I've operated several of those drum lathes over the years.

To the best of my recollection I never saw anybody that arc-corrected their shoes either. But on some of the older drums with a lot of meat on them, I can definitely see the logic. Particularly on vehicles made before the days of front disc.

 

 

 

[ri702bill 10,070]

3 hours ago, ebinmaine said:

But on some of the older drums with a lot of meat on them

Correct, mostly heavy trucks. For those you need full shoe contact for optimum braking. We used to have an independent Brake Relining facility in a very rural village in the neighboring town - Rice City Engineering. They cur drums too. They would arc cut the new shoes  if they did the drums for a little extra $$. I remember going there with my FIL to pick up parts for a customer's car. As I recall, that place smelled pretty bad of the bonding glue....

[8ntruck 8,155]

The New Holland dealer came up with another cork gasket today, so I didn't need the Permatex.  Everything cleaned and back together.  Still have a mix of bolts holding the brake backing plates on, and the right hand hub did not seat well on the axle taper.  Going to be good enough for now.  Will start looking for drums and a hub, and order a bolt kit for the backing plates, and axle nuts from Steiner.

 

When I hit the starter button, nothing happened.  Volt meter read 10 volts and the starter switch has been flakey last time I ran the tractor.  Pulled the switch and put a VOM on it.  Seemed to work 2/3 of the time.  Also showed the battery at 11.5 volts.  The battery came with the tractor.  It is old with an unknown history, so off to the auto parts store for a new switch and battery.  Hopefully, that will get me going tomorrow morning.

 

Oh, I added a parts washer to the Deep Woods Tractor Repair facility:

 

Edited October 11 by 8ntruck

[8ntruck 8,155]

Well, old EJ the 8n seems to have won this round.  The new battery and starter switch got him cranking, but no fire.  I ran out of time on this trip and patience. 

 

I have power to the coil, but don't seem to have any spark.  I pulled the distributor out and took a look at the points - something looks wonky there and it does not help that the distributor bushings are worn.  The Deep Woods Tractor Repair shop is not up to addressing that issue.  Choices are:  installing new bushings, installing a new distributor, or converting to a new distributor with an electronic pointless system.

 

I'm kind of liking the electronic option.  I need EJ to run dependably so we can get work done on the property instead of tinkering with the tractor.

 

One of the jobs this week was to unload some 1300 pounds of cut sandstone off of the trailer.  Had planed to use the lifting boom and EJ to do that.  Instead, I went Egyptian - levers and inclined planes.

 

[ebinmaine 74,575]

8 hours ago, 8ntruck said:

.  Choices are:  installing new bushings, installing a new distributor, or converting to a new distributor with an electronic pointless system.

 

I'm kind of liking the electronic option.  I need EJ to run dependably so we can get work done on the property instead of tinkering with the tractor.

 

I'd agree with this option given that it's a reasonably easy conversion. 

Also, is your tractor a 6V or 12V system? 

If it's a 6 I'd seriously consider the value of time in changing to a 12V. 

 

 

 

 

 

8 hours ago, 8ntruck said:

 

One of the jobs this week was to unload some 1300 pounds of cut sandstone off of the trailer.  Had planed to use the lifting boom and EJ to do that.  Instead, I went Egyptian - levers and inclined planes.

 

 

 

Efficiency in time is absolutely valuable and I'm not discounting the amount of work to being done with a tractor vs without. 

That said, your physical health and mental health was maintained this past weekend. 

I'd call that a win.  

 

 

 

[8ntruck 8,155]

16 hours ago, ebinmaine said:

 

I'd agree with this option given that it's a reasonably easy conversion. 

Also, is your tractor a 6V or 12V system? 

If it's a 6 I'd seriously consider the value of time in changing to a 12V.  

 

 

 

It has been converted to 12v.  

 

After some interweb study, I've decided to go electronic, and to have as a back up, rebush the original distributor.  We will be back in that neighborhood at Thanksgiving time.

 

The sandstone unloading?  Very successful - no mashed fingers or toes, no pulled muscles, and none of the stone was broken - the pieces were 4" thick, 10" wide and varied in length from about 5' to 2'.  But when EJ gets running, the stone will need to be moved deeper into the property.

 

I'm also considering moving Pack Rat, the AC B-110, to have one more option. 

Edited October 13 by 8ntruck

[8ntruck 8,155]

Back working on EJ the 8n this week.  New electronic distributor, new fuel line and gas shut off valve were installed.  Even applied a grease gun to take zreks that I could find.

 

That Pertronix electronic ignition system works well - it makes a world of difference.  With the old points system in a worn distributor,  there was an intermittent miss under load.  That has gone away with the new distributor and electronics.  

 

The clean up I did on the brakes has worked as well.  I actually have brakes that will hold the tractor on a hill and work as turning brakes.  Time will tell if I stopped the oil leak in the axle.

 

Got a slow leak in the front left tire and a drip at the elbow flare fitting at the carb that won't respond to tightening.  Probably have to put another elbow fitting on.

 

The new battery makes a difference as well.  The volt meter is now reading 14 volts, where it was only reading 13 volts on the old battery.