4400 wheel locked

GB4400 · Nov 22, 2017

Morning,

I have a 2001 4400 hydro with 410 hours. The left rear wheel is dragging real bad. The left brake pedal is "lowered" and "floppy". Do you think this is the same corrosion issue i have read about with the 4300's? I have tapped on the pawl that the linage connects to at the real axle. I don't want to BEAT on it until I can hopefully get some input from someone that experienced this.

Thanks
Greg

pmsmechanic · Nov 22, 2017

To me it sounds like there is corrosion on the brake actuating shaft where it goes into the rear transmission axle housing. It's probably a pain to get to but here's what I would do. I would liberally spray the area around the shaft with a penetrating fluid like WD-40. Let it sit for a bit and then work the lever back and forth. Spray lots of penetrating fluid and use it like a mini varsol gun to wash the corrosion out. Keep working the lever back and forth and eventually you should have rotation again.

You could also look at the brake setup on the other side and get an idea of where the lever should be.

beenthere · Nov 22, 2017

WD-40 is about as poor a penetrating fluid as one can get (my opinion). Kroil is better, but the best I've discovered is BlueCreeper. Hands down, BC is best I've found. Not a product commonly found on the shelves.

And the 4400 has the same parts as the 4300.. just different power plant. Have not experienced the brake problem with my 4300.

rgr33 · Nov 22, 2017

This same thing happened to my buddies 2001 4400 last spring. We used copious amounts of penetrating oil and a dead blow hammer to loosen it. Took about an hour or so, but works fine now.

As a side note, while working on the brakes, we noticed the bolts holding the wheels on were loose on both sides and badly corroded from leaking calcium carbide

stingray1 · Nov 22, 2017

Working with this problem on my 4200 right now. I've been spraying with several types of pen.oil but they are still sticking. Hoping they will stop sticking after I drive it some.

dfkrug · Nov 22, 2017

The brake actuating lever on the "trumpet housing" is steel and has to pivot inside
an aluminum casting. On one of my 4300 rebuilds, that lever was VERY hard to
remove. Corrosion in there is quite likely and hard to avoid.

beenthere · Nov 22, 2017

dfkrug
Would that be the cam "shaft" key 4 part that is circled in red on both right and left housings?
I will see about lubing those shafts if so. And hope lube will help keep them free to move.
tks for the heads up.

pmsmechanic · Nov 22, 2017

stingray1 said:
Working with this problem on my 4200 right now. I've been spraying with several types of pen.oil but they are still sticking. Hoping they will stop sticking after I drive it some.

I wouldn't bother driving it. Just wash the junk out around the shaft with a penetrating fluid and have someone sit on the seat and push on the brake pedals a few times. Wash it out again. Repeat untill the pedals move freely.

I've done this several times on hydraulic levers that wouldn't move any more and also a differential lock lever. The diff lock was so tight I had to pry it up and down for over an hour before it loosened up. I'd pry on it and then use the hose on the WD-40 can to direct the spray so as to wash the rust out of between the shaft and the housing.

dfkrug · Nov 23, 2017

beenthere said:
Would that be the cam "shaft" key 4 part that is circled in red on both right
and left housings? I will see about lubing those shafts if so. And hope lube will help keep them free to move.

Yeah, looks to be #4, BT.

There is also an O-ring in there, which keeps the inner part of the shaft lubed. Outside of where the
O-ring is is where you get corrosion. Keeping it lubed with some kind of oil and using your brakes
often is helpful. Getting fertilizer, road salt, and livestock effluent on the housing is a recipe for
corrosion.

Note that WD-40 evaporates, so it may help with loosening up the shaft, but you really need oil
in there.

stingray1 · Nov 24, 2017

pmsmechanic said:
I wouldn't bother driving it. Just wash the junk out around the shaft with a penetrating fluid and have someone sit on the seat and push on the brake pedals a few times. Wash it out again. Repeat untill the pedals move freely.

I've done this several times on hydraulic levers that wouldn't move any more and also a differential lock lever. The diff lock was so tight I had to pry it up and down for over an hour before it loosened up. I'd pry on it and then use the hose on the WD-40 can to direct the spray so as to wash the rust out of between the shaft and the housing.

Thanks,I've been working on this by myself so I'll wait until I get some help.