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Brake pads and rotor for 1992 Craftsman lawn tractor?

#1

B

Blaine B.

I am searching for the part number for the two brake pads and the brake rotor for a 1992 Craftsman lawn tractor, model 917.256820. I am not finding much information due to age. Possibly manufactured by Husqvarna? I have posted here about my great find when I bought this last October. I have replaced the spindels, belts, and blades, air filter, and oil, and have cut with it about four times so far. No problems at all but after 27 years I am sure that the brake pads are TOAST. I have the "clutch/brake" pedal adjusted tight but it just doesn't feel right - as if it shouldn't be adjusted quite so tight, and that I need replace the brake pads and lessen the tightness of the adjustment to achieve the best of both worlds regarding clutch engagement and brake efficiency.
Transaxle is a Spicer 4360-15. THANKS!

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#2

I

ILENGINE

Here is a parts diagram of your tranny, but looks like the parts that you want are NLA.

https://www.m-and-d.com/dana_foote_parts.html

And then scroll down to find 4630-15 and get the pdf for your tranny with part numbers.


#3

Fish

Fish

What exactly is the problem?
And how are you trying to adjust it?

Unless the pads are broken, or if something is broken or missing, then you should be able to adjust the brakes.


#4

Fish

Fish

Foote transmissions were made in Fredericktown Ohio, and were bought/absorbed by Dana/Spicer.


#5

B

Blaine B.

Thank you.

I am not really sure that I was having any problem - but when I got the mower it had very non-existent brakes unless you really mashed the pedal. So, I tightened the nut that compresses the spring on the break lever, that is connected to the brake/clutch pedal. This in turn DOES give me proper brakes, but then I do have a very firm clutch pedal at the same time. I also notice that I have to press the pedal against heavy resistance in order to start the mower, to engage the clutch but also fight the brake pad contact. I am not all that accustomed to lawn tractors but it just doesn't feel quite "right" with how firm the adjustment has to be for the brakes to have decent feel, yet have comfortable clutch engagement for shifting gears. Hard to explain really.

Since this is a shared function pedal I assume one would want it to not be too tight to make sure that the clutch was not slipping and to ensure 100% gear engagement. I would also assume that the original brake pads would be worn for all of the years that this mower was used. 27 years is nothing to sneeze at, I was only 3 in 1992!

If the parts are discontinued perhaps the best way would be to remove them and measure the dimensions of the two pads with a caliper, and then see if there is a suitable replacement out there for another make/model of lawn tractor.


#6

B

bertsmobile1

Blaine B. said:
Thank you.

I am not really sure that I was having any problem - but when I got the mower it had very non-existent brakes unless you really mashed the pedal. So, I tightened the nut that compresses the spring on the break lever, that is connected to the brake/clutch pedal. This in turn DOES give me proper brakes, but then I do have a very firm clutch pedal at the same time. I also notice that I have to press the pedal against heavy resistance in order to start the mower, to engage the clutch but also fight the brake pad contact. I am not all that accustomed to lawn tractors but it just doesn't feel quite "right" with how firm the adjustment has to be for the brakes to have decent feel, yet have comfortable clutch engagement for shifting gears. Hard to explain really.

Since this is a shared function pedal I assume one would want it to not be too tight to make sure that the clutch was not slipping and to ensure 100% gear engagement. I would also assume that the original brake pads would be worn for all of the years that this mower was used. 27 years is nothing to sneeze at, I was only 3 in 1992!

If the parts are discontinued perhaps the best way would be to remove them and measure the dimensions of the two pads with a caliper, and then see if there is a suitable replacement out there for another make/model of lawn tractor.
Click to expand...

That spring is to adjust the balance between clutching and braking.
If you can find the brake lever there is a nut at the bottom of the brake lever on the gearbox.
This is how you adjust the brake.
Take some photos then remove the brake caliper ( do not touch the adjuster nut yet )
When it is apart you will see how it works.
The pins rust in the caliper so do not release causing the brake to drag & the pads to wear.
Fairly sure current Tecumseh / Peerless pads will fit or can be made to fit .
You can also pack out the pads with some STEEL glued on with silicone.


#7

B

Blaine B.

Well, last fall I adjusted the SPRING tension. How should the clutch and brakes be balanced? I feel as if they are too tight now, although the parking brake is functional and the brakes do work. But the clutch pedal is somewhat stiff as I mentioned.

The entire reason I adjusted the spring (incorrectly, or so it turns out according to your information) is because using the parking brake was entirely worthless as the brakes would only have effect when mashing the clutch/brake pedal to the extreme length of travel.

Perhaps in a few days time I will be able to disassemble the brake assembly and find out what lies beneath. I have heard that the inner brake pad between the gear box housing and the brake rotor has a tendency to fall out if it is worn enough, although this applies to most garden tractors, not just this older model.


#8

B

bertsmobile1

Unless you have a shaft drive the same pedal that applies the brake also applies the clutch for the simple reason that it is hard to stop the mower if the engine is driving it forward.
It is difficult to describe clearly but when you get underneath it becomes very apparent as will how the brakes work.
And yes the fixed pads do tend to drop out so work over something that will not aid the pads crossing over to the third dimension along with all the missing left socks & car keys that vanish in the night.
The same pedal is connected to the spring that applies tension to the drive belt so if you are stretching that too far it can and will break.
If it is being stretched too far while driving it will tear the spring anchor point off the mower and promote premature belt failure.

Craftsman did not make your mower so if you want any more or better details e will need the model number from under the seat.
That will help identify which one of the 16 different 1992 craftsman mower you have as there are 4 different systems the mower should have.

The clutch should dissengage just after the brake starts to stop the mower ( great English expression ain't it ).
The bigger the overlap between brake & clutch the more the mower jerks when you let the brake pedal off and the more violent the brake action id.
FIW the parking brake locks the layshaft.
This in turn locks the diff so one wheel drives forward while the other drives backwards.
The P position on an automatic box works exactly the same.


#9

B

Blaine B.

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Here is the model number and serial.

I believe the parking brake actually just holds the clutch/brake pedal at a certain point. You push down on the pedal and lift up on the parking brake lever and it holds the pedal there. A very easy system but the brakes need to be adjusted properly because the parking brake lever does not hold the pedal down all of the way, nor is it a ratcheting style of parking brake. It is one fixed location and that's all.


#10

B

bertsmobile1

It is not a car that you paid $ 30,000 for.
It is a lawn mower that has to be the cheapest possible to make because people will not pay a fair & reasonable price for anything now days.
Thus there is only 1 ONE brake which you can see on the diagram that Ilengine directed you to in the 2nd post.
As you have already determined the parking brake is nothing more than a mechanism that locks the foot brake in the on position.
On the diagram that Ilengine directed you to you will see nut # 50 this pulls lever # 69 harder against pins # 67 which push the brake block # 65 harder against the brake rotor # 64 which floats on splines ( not shown ) on shaft # 44 and get sandwiched between the two brake pads.
Now shaft # 44 is the gear box layshaft.
What is not apparent from the diagram is the lever part # 69 has a longitudinal V bend which makes it a face cam.
The close it gets pulled in the more it pushes on the pins thus the BRAKE ALONE gets adjusted by turning the nut # 50

So take the right wheel off.
Remove the caliper by taking off the bolts , parts # 71 & # 72, note they are different.
Now remove the caliper part #66 and the rotor part # 64.
Clean the splines on shaft # 44 and coat it with a dry lubricant like white chassis grease or push bike chain / cable lube.
Remove the pins , part # 67 and polish them, reassemble with some never sieze or the same dry lube used on the shaft # 44 splines.
AFAIK , Tecumseh brake pads , part # 799021A will drop strait in.
Reassemble the entire brake & back off the nut you have overtightened by the same amount you overtightened it.
put the back wheels on , set the parking brake , put the trans in neutral and try to push the mower
Adjust the nut # 50 till the mower wheels lock up when you try to push it.
pop a brick in the mower then go to the steepest hill on your property.
Set the brake.
If the mower moves down hill. slip the brick under the front wheel and tighten nut # 50, one flat at a time till the mower no longer rolls


#11

B

Blaine B.

bertsmobile1 said:
It is not a car that you paid $ 30,000 for.
It is a lawn mower that has to be the cheapest possible to make because people will not pay a fair & reasonable price for anything now days.
Thus there is only 1 ONE brake which you can see on the diagram that Ilengine directed you to in the 2nd post.
As you have already determined the parking brake is nothing more than a mechanism that locks the foot brake in the on position.
On the diagram that Ilengine directed you to you will see nut # 50 this pulls lever # 69 harder against pins # 67 which push the brake block # 65 harder against the brake rotor # 64 which floats on splines ( not shown ) on shaft # 44 and get sandwiched between the two brake pads.
Now shaft # 44 is the gear box layshaft.
What is not apparent from the diagram is the lever part # 69 has a longitudinal V bend which makes it a face cam.
The close it gets pulled in the more it pushes on the pins thus the BRAKE ALONE gets adjusted by turning the nut # 50

So take the right wheel off.
Remove the caliper by taking off the bolts , parts # 71 & # 72, note they are different.
Now remove the caliper part #66 and the rotor part # 64.
Clean the splines on shaft # 44 and coat it with a dry lubricant like white chassis grease or push bike chain / cable lube.
Remove the pins , part # 67 and polish them, reassemble with some never sieze or the same dry lube used on the shaft # 44 splines.
AFAIK , Tecumseh brake pads , part # 799021A will drop strait in.
Reassemble the entire brake & back off the nut you have overtightened by the same amount you overtightened it.
put the back wheels on , set the parking brake , put the trans in neutral and try to push the mower
Adjust the nut # 50 till the mower wheels lock up when you try to push it.
pop a brick in the mower then go to the steepest hill on your property.
Set the brake.
If the mower moves down hill. slip the brick under the front wheel and tighten nut # 50, one flat at a time till the mower no longer rolls
Click to expand...

Thank you for a very clear an concise explanation that tells me my errors and how to adjust the brakes alone without fussing with the clutch engagement! I have also ordered a pair of those Tecumseh brake pads. When they arrive I will let you all know what I find. Thanks again!


#12

B

Blaine B.

I received the replacement brake pads today. To be honest, they are actually a little bit shorter than the old pads, but they do fit, as their width is the correct size. I actually found that the old brake pads were two different lengths - the length of the pad that sits in the transmission case is different than the pad that sits in the brake caliper. I also noticed that the brake pad that sits in the transmission case was more worn. So anyway, I installed the new, shorter replacement pads and everything seems to be good. The caliper pins were actually in very good condition without any dirt or rust to bind them up. I was actually surprised how clean everything was for being 27 years old.

I can't exactly tell where the jamb nuts were located on the shaft for the spring, as there is no difference in coloration of the threads. So, I backed them off, but the next time I cut I may have to adjust them.

I also have adjusted nut #50 in the past that tensions the cam for the brake pins before. However this time it seems to be more effective with the new brake pads. This is actually a very interesting system that relies entirely upon friction. Very simple, though.

And lastly, the shaft that protrudes from the transmission case is actually not splined on my model. It has a key and key way, very similar to the rear axle shafts. The rotor in turn has a slot for the key to fit in to.

So, I do plan on cutting tomorrow so may have some more adjustments to do. I will try to fine tune it so that there is not a harsh engagement between clutch and brake. As you mention it should be relatively smooth and not jerky. My transition was jerky before, unless I was very easy on letting off of the pedal. Sometimes it makes me wish I had a hydraulic transmission, but then again this is my first lawn tractor ever, and at that, a relatively inexpensive $200, 27 year old lawn tractor. :)


#13

B

bertsmobile1

because of the single pedal for both clutch & brake, getting them to stop & start smooth is never really going to happen
The older mowers from the 60's had both a brake & a clutch so are a lot easier on the back, but you should now at least be able to adjust the spring so your teeth stay in when you brake.
Expect to adjust the thing a dozen or more times before you get the brake : clutch balance to your liking .
If the back pad was very worn that show the rotor was not sliding freely on the shaft.


#14

B

Blaine B.

I would say that the rear pad was definitely worn more, IF both pads were originally the same depth/thickness. As I said one pad was shorter than the other by design of the "recesses" that they seat in to, being different lengths from gearbox housing and caliper.

However the caliper slid off of the shaft very easily, so I can't think it was ever seized on there or not moving freely enough? I did notice quite a bit of grass gets caked on the caliper/rotor, though, maybe that has something to do with it. Even after just one use as I do at least blow off the mower after every use, or rinse it off if I feel like it. I also use a power washer occasionally as well.

Nothing at all about this brake system was "stuck" to say the least. And the caliper pins are pristine. No rust at all on the shaft, rotor, pins, or caliper. Remarkable really, as I keep repeating I am shocked how clean everything is for being 27 years of age.

The engine doesn't even leak oil. It HAD a leak. Turned out all I needed to do was add some thread sealing compound to the dip-stick threads. No more oil leak! Yes, it was just that simple. Absolutely amazing.


#15

B

bertsmobile1

Leave the hose for watering the tomatoes.
Grass is best blown off.
I use a 5' ( got a bigger one now ) air duster that shifts all of the clippings from under the mower without me eating them.


#16

B

Blaine B.

I have used the mower twice since installing the brakes and can confirm that they are a definite improvement.

I also have the adjustment spring adjusted pretty far towards the loose side. Sometimes I still get a jolt when letting off the clutch and in to gear. I can't really "relieve" pressure on the pedal for the brake/clutch engagement, as I said, it is backed off almost as far as it can go. Should I back it off all of the way, until I run out of threads? Or am I adjusting it in the wrong direction?

Here are some photos after today's mowing. You can also see the wash out port that I added to the deck. Also found out that the crank pulley's bolt needed to be tightened. The pulley had about 3/4" play up and down, although the bolt wasn't loose, my thought was that it has been this way for quite some time. The only "bad" for me to deal with is that all of the tires leak air a little bit, especially the front tires. The front tires, although only a few years old in comparison to the most likely original rear tires, are leaking badly at the bead. The front tires lose almost 20 psi in less than 24 hours. The rear tires loose air, but not that extreme in just one day. I'm betting they leak through the sidewalls. I haven't sprayed them with soapy water to confirm my suspicions.

PS - You can see my "custom" mud flap side discharge block off as well.

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#17

B

bertsmobile1

Getting a balance between the brakes working and the clutch working without them fighting against each other is not easy.
You will need to tighten the spring a little & loosen the brake a little till you find your sweetest spot.
I have spent hours trying to get this balance acceptiable to the owners and it can be as fine as a 1/6th turn.
Good news is you are mowing and not hitting the house / fence etc.
With a mower that old you rally have no option other than fitting tubes.
Put up with it till the end of the season as better than average chance the rims will be very rusty inside and require repainting.
None of the "Flat fixing" goos actually work apart from the foam designed for ZTR's front casters and they will make the rears way too hard.


#18

B

Blaine B.

Thanks for the tips. I will have to play with the brake and tension adjustment for the clutch/brake a bit more in the future.

I tried to break the bead on the front tires, the worst offenders, but I couldn't do it. At minimum I would probably need one of those small equipment manual tire machines from Harbor Freight to help break the bead, and then apply bead sealer.

I'm not sure if the wheels will be rusty or not. I can tell you there are absolutely no rust pits coming through the wheels at any point, on the inside or the outside of the wheels, which is pretty phenomenal for the age. This machine definitely wasn't left outdoors.


#19

B

bertsmobile1

IT depends upon what the wheel was finished with and weather any of those "no flat" goos have been used.
Older mowers had either full baked or even better vitrious enamel on the wheels.
This will last forever as it chemically & physically bonds to the steel.
After that there was vitrious powder coat which again is chemically & physically bonded to the steel.
Finally we have gone to garbage powder coat.
At best it can be considered as shinkwrap it is neither physically nor chemically bonded to the steel.
Thus if it is punchured or scratched anywhere it will wick water between the coating & the steel which will start to rust,
usually this happens from the valve stem hole.

If done properly the powder coat will be a complete coating but in production painting most will have holes .

The HF small tyre changing machines are very good.
They are a knock off of a local invention for go cart wheels made back in the 60's but never really caapitalized ( like most things we design down here )
Just make sure you get the MOWER wheel one as the car or motorcycle ones will not change a mower tyre.

Forget bead sealer, like all of these goops it will seal the tyre, for a while then proceed to rust the wheel.
If a tyre will net seal then either fit a tube or replace the tyre


#20

B

Blaine B.

I'm not sure that I have ever seen an actual quality powder coating. I constantly hear how awesome it is but whenever I have seen it, it flakes away as how you describe it, an outer coating. Currently I am envisioning a slew of Smitty Bilt and other lower quality brush guards/push bumpers and side steps that have rotted through and through beneath the powder coated finish.

I am also not a fan of the tire sealing slimes due to the mess they create inside the tire but never had a bad opinion of bead sealer. I know the auto shops use them often. I used to have a Jeep years ago with alloy wheels. It had a bead leak on more than a couple wheels. The shop cleaned up the bead but then they also applied bead sealer. I was also not aware that bead sealant will cause rust and corrosion to metal?

By the way, Harbor Freight sells both the small wheel tire changer and then the full size one for automotive uses.


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