# MF65 brakes (dry style)



## HermitJohn (May 10, 2002)

Redoing brakes on one of these is a big undertaking and I've procrastinated all summer. Have steep drive and need to be able to use tractor to blade it. Not going to do that without good brakes. 

Looked and looked to figure how to adapt some old truck front disks and calipers to avoid having to pull axle housings but they designed rear wheels so there isnt enough space (would have been easy to do this workaround on my old MH444 but factory brakes on it werent that hard to do). 

Anyway ready to bite the bullet, but looking for cheapest place to get brake parts. The disks are available many places for $14 and up each (need 4) but the other parts arent so easy to find, meaning the actuator and/or balls between the actuator disks and couple handfuls of little springs. Then there are 3 oil seals each side and couple gaskets. Apparently the actuator stuff is pricey as people on tractor websites have quoted prices from $120 for parts for complete overhaul job upto over $400 if you buy from the dealer. The guy who mentioned the $120 didnt give a source though. Anybody here know of website or mail order catalog with all parts available for reasonable price? Only one I found on web that had and showed all parts didnt give prices, you had to call them which usually means high prices. The only other place with all parts and prices was in UK.

I probably should pull the housings and make sure exactly what is needed, but hate to do this cause then I have to scramble to get parts before rain or dirt gets inside the assembly or small parts get lost. This really is a big royal pain to do. Amazing how engineers who design these things go out of their way to make life difficult for mechanics. Same genius must have designed the steering linkage on this thing. Its also overly complex.


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## John Hill (May 12, 2002)

HJ, does that little tractor have a ground pto? You could mount a brake on the PTO to augment the weak wheel brakes. (Just a maybe silly idea before I think about it too much)


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## HermitJohn (May 10, 2002)

John Hill said:


> HJ, does that little tractor have a ground pto? You could mount a brake on the PTO to augment the weak wheel brakes. (Just a maybe silly idea before I think about it too much)


This isnt such a little tractor. 50+hp diesel and 38inch rear wheels and I think around 4000 pounds though it is fairl compact. And it does have live pto. Actually one of those two stage clutch setups. If you push in clutch partway, tractor stops but pto and hydraulics continues. If you completely push in clutch, tractor and pto and hydraulics all stop.

I've just decided that brakes on this thing need to be fixed, no ands ifs or buts. And its such a pain in rear job that needs to be done correct and complete. Dont want to tear it apart again anytime soon. No more than I use a tractor, new brakes on it should last 10 to 20 years. Probably the life of the tractor unless I or somebody else wants to rebuild whole thing. That would depend on parts availability when that time comes. This is like a '62 model year tractor.


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## Ross (May 9, 2002)

Any Ag dealer can oder you parts through the A and I catelog, (pretty much the universal after market source) an Agco Dealer can likely get you the Massey version though they'll be no better or much if any different. Do the brakes work at all? If they do you likely just need the discs. Guess its a square axle 165?


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## John Hill (May 12, 2002)

OK HJ, I understand, I was assuming that axle brakes meant small tractor, obviously yet another incorrect assumption on my part! :monkey:


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## HermitJohn (May 10, 2002)

Ross said:


> Any Ag dealer can oder you parts through the A and I catelog, (pretty much the universal after market source) an Agco Dealer can likely get you the Massey version though they'll be no better or much if any different. Do the brakes work at all? If they do you likely just need the discs. Guess its a square axle 165?



No its a 65 not a 165 though early 165 used same inboard dry brakes I think. 

The only difference in brake disks is there are Kelvar lined disks available. They are like $50 apiece compared to the standard ?asbestos? lined disks at around $14 to $20 apiece.

From what I've read, the minimum on any MF65 brake job is new disks, new spings, new balls, new seals, and new gaskets. Wear on actuator decides if it needs to be replaced. We are talking 40 year old machine so my guess that unless its been replaced before, it will need to be.

I have so-so brakes on one side. Assume oil soaked. I really have to stand on the pedal to get significant response. No brakes on other side. Looked and some idiot had even disconnected little pull rod on the side that doesnt work and rod itself is missing. There may or may not be disks and actuator inside the housing on that side. 

I am really wanting mail order place where I can compare prices without driving to every dealer in 200 miles to see which will sell generic parts with least markup. Walts Tractor (mail order) does sell disks, balls, springs and maybe seals/gaskets. They dont seem to have the actual actuator. If my actuators are still good, then that would be good enough Have ordered from Walts in past.


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## Ross (May 9, 2002)

Oh so it is a 65............. they should use brake pads not discs no? I thought all round axle Masseys used pads over discs! 
Try http://www.thesmartfarmer.com/default.asp I've delt with him on a few Massey parts, everything went smoothly!


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## HermitJohn (May 10, 2002)

No, 65 highboy uses 7 inch dry disks. Early 165 uses 8.8 inch dry disk then went to wet disk system. And lowboy utility 65 used outboard drum brakes.

Just been looking. Actuator assemblies run about $70 each so not absolutely horrible. Still guess I need to pull my tractor apart and see if actuators are both there and both are reuseable. Guess at worst be like $250 for all new parts. At best if actuators reuseable maybe around $100. Take it that guy on other forum saying $120 got to reuse both his old actuators.

People did at least mention that once rebuilt the disk type brakes on a 65 are quite effective. For replacement purposes, I imagine the outboard drum brakes on utility 65 were lot nicer, but that these disk brakes give more positive braking. Still think if I were designing a tractor I'd go for outboard external rotor/caliper system like on modern cars/trucks. Be effective and easy to service. Shouldnt even have to remove rear wheels.


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## agmantoo (May 23, 2003)

Hermit,
Could one not build up weld to correct the wear on the actuators?


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## HermitJohn (May 10, 2002)

agmantoo said:


> Hermit,
> Could one not build up weld to correct the wear on the actuators?



Hmmm, could tell for sure when I get one out in sunlight and look it over. Once built up, might need some fancy machining. If so a new one for $70 might well be a bargain. Sometimes just much easier to pay the man $70 and move on.


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## seedspreader (Oct 18, 2004)

You need to contact Big Dean. He is the MAN for all things MF.


http://hometown.aol.com/daustin62/Bigdeantipindex.html


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## ozarks58 (Jun 7, 2005)

T.H.E. company in Iowa has a nice catalog. I've bought alot of stuff from them. You might get by with just doing one side right now and see how it goes. I've got alot of tractors with just one real good brake and never have aproblem, even here in the hills. Unless you have locking pedals its hard to use both at once anyway. That would cut the cost for the moment. I was told by a clutch rebuild shop they could reface my disc if I sent it in. No cost was given. ????


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## len (Dec 24, 2003)

A and I ?
T.H.E. Company?

any links or contact info?

thanks,


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## Ross (May 9, 2002)

Len your in Ontario you could try central east. A&I is an after markets company that sells wholesale through dealers, so is Central but if you have a mechanic he should be able to get you the parts. http://www.cefs.com/ They're supposed to have a USA partner but the link got me no where


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