Major Brake Drum Cover
Posted: Thu Mar 21, 2024 8:45 pm
I replaced the brake drum cover on my 54 Major today. Things didn’t go that smoothly.
It all started some time ago, when I renewed the oil seal inside the drum, got distracted and left the job unfinished. The cover has four slots to take the securing bolts into the backplate.
With the inspection window positioned to the rear of the drum - giving access to the adjuster - only two of the slots lined up with the tapped holes. After much fiddling, and a few naughty words, I discovered that the only way to fit more than two bolts was to turn the cover 90 degrees ‘forwards. ’ Unfortunately, this places the inspection window at the top, far away from the adjuster. Strangely, this appears to be the way the cover was designed, with the drainage slot now at the bottom.
A video on YouTube from Fixing Fordsons Australia shows a similar arrangement to mine, with the window uselessly positioned at the top. Anyone else noticed this?
It all started some time ago, when I renewed the oil seal inside the drum, got distracted and left the job unfinished. The cover has four slots to take the securing bolts into the backplate.
With the inspection window positioned to the rear of the drum - giving access to the adjuster - only two of the slots lined up with the tapped holes. After much fiddling, and a few naughty words, I discovered that the only way to fit more than two bolts was to turn the cover 90 degrees ‘forwards. ’ Unfortunately, this places the inspection window at the top, far away from the adjuster. Strangely, this appears to be the way the cover was designed, with the drainage slot now at the bottom.
A video on YouTube from Fixing Fordsons Australia shows a similar arrangement to mine, with the window uselessly positioned at the top. Anyone else noticed this?