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cgambino1018

Time to fix the brake

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cgambino1018

I decided today to start looking into why the brake lever doesn't hold on my 520.  Well, I didn't get far.  I couldn't figure out how to take the brake lever off (without breaking it).  Can someone tell me if the brake lever pin needs to be hammered out or does the pin screw off.  Or is there another way?  Since  I am most likely using the wrong terms see pic below.

Thanks

Chris

brake lever.GIF

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SPINJIM

Looks like the lever is held on by one of those PITA roll pins.   I think Wheel Horse had some sadists working for them when they assembled the tractors, and wanted us to suffer when we disassembled.    You might be able to fix the brake linage without removing the lever and side panel if you just remove the control panel / plate.   Or adjust the linkage rods after removing the LR wheel.   If you have to remove the lever, a replacement lever is probably still available from Toro.

   Good luck,  JIm   

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doc724

You do not need to remove the lever.  Adjustment of the parking brake is done from under the tunnel plate (what Jim called the control plate).  Adjustment of the actual brake (like when you want to stop the tractor when it is moving) is done from behind the left rear wheel, also as pointed out by Jim.

 

If you do not have one, I strongly recommend you download an owners manual from the Toro site or here.  It will tell you how to do these common maintenance items

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cgambino1018

My problem is when i press the brake pedal, and pull that black lever up it does not stay up, in a locked/braked position.  can that be fixed without taking the lever off?  

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EricF
5 hours ago, SPINJIM said:

Looks like the lever is held on by one of those PITA roll pins.   I think Wheel Horse had some sadists working for them when they assembled the tractors, and wanted us to suffer when we disassembled.

Roll pins are kind of a holdover from an earlier era, and Wheel Horse stuck to its roots even after then Ponds sold the company.

 

Actually, in all seriousness, roll pins are excellent for holding in spite of shock and vibration -- much better than set screws or screws on splined hollow shafts. There's a reason why roll pins are still the order of the day for holding semi-permanent assemblies together in firearms -- just no substitute for some applications. In the case of the Wheel Horse parking brake knob, it's just overbuilt -- typical Wheel Horse engineering.

 

As for why the parking brake latch won't hold, is the lever under spring tension? if the spring that holds it "down" is missing or broken, it will flop up and down and won't keep the parking brake pawl teeth engaged.

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gwest_ca

Try backing off the adjustment at the brake band 1/2 a turn at a time till it will latch. I find it is too easy to get the brake set too tight and the latch won't lock.

 

Garry

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cgambino1018

the brake lever has tension so the spring is pulling the lever down.  

i loosened the brake bolt (the bolt with the string around it) and it seems to work now... will try next week when i cut the grass again.

Once again, thanks

Chris

 

locked.jpg.967c648ea874a39dddf58a89a4d13860.jpgunlocked.jpg.e8dd93c8ea05f3546fa6df79f21351e2.jpg 

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