The Fordson Tractor Pages Forum

Just wondering why there was a need for an industrial rear axle, and how did they work? Why were the brake drums mounted on the rear wheel hubs, and what was the arrangement for the bull pinions? I can't see what advantage is gained from moving the brake drum/disc brake assembly from the bull pinions to the trumpet housings.
Best
Adrian

The Industrial rear axle was the basically the same as the agricultural one with adaptors fitted to the end of the half shaft for the brake drums. The brakes were operated by a single pedal rather than the two pedals. For reasons known only to them, councils required all their tractors to have outboard brakes rather than brakes on the bull pinion shafts. It got to the ridiculous situation with the '000nd series when the inboard oil cooled brakes on the 4000 had to be changed for outboard drum brakes for council operations.

Never was sure of the reason but could be something to do with having both brakes operate together from one pedal though I can see lots of ways round the problem of locking both pedals together. In the parts book the outboard brakes are called "brakes" and the bull pinion brakes called "steering brakes".

With the smaller tractors there was also the problem of not having the parking brake on the same shoes and linkage as the main brake. That led to the double shoe brakes on the Industrial Dexta. This was not a problem with the Major as it had the transmission hand brake available.

Thanks for the comprehensive answer, Brian. Makes you wonder why they didn't go for the single brake pedal option - a lot easier and cheaper. I wonder why the councils didn't want steering brakes. Even with council work they would have come in handy.

What was the arrangement for the bull pinions? Without brake housings how were they finished off on the outside of the rear axle housing?
Best
Adrian

Sorry Brian. You've already answered my supplementary question. Thanks again.

Not just Fordsons, But I have seen other industrial tractors the same way. With the pinion brakes, you had better stopping power as you had a leverage advantage though the gears. Maybe they thought that with the wheel brakes you had a softer stop as the wheels would not lock up as easy. Dandy Dave!

Good point Dave.