3520-Cab, Parking Brake Cable Jambed!

[tugboat-2]

B8Fish:...thanks for that suggestion, (good one) I have a very slow dial-up and JDParts was extremely frustratingly slow, but I do have the expensive manual with a diagram, . . . so,..I'll address this to ORLO,..(and anyone else who might be knowledgeable on this):

ORLO: re: your entry of 07-19-2008 @ 11:30AM: and your thumbnail of the Parking Brake Diagram. That is exactly as I have on page 723 of my manual. Geeeeeeeze ORLO, I hate to further bug you on this issue,...but you seem to have a grip on the topic so I'm hoping you'll stay with me a tad longer? (But, tell me to get lost if you like).

Is the diagram drawn correctly? OR, should item F (the pawl), be on the other side of item G? In other words should F be between G and H? Mine is EXACTLY as shown in the diagram, but TIGHT against G. So "IF", the bottom curved dog of F, is supposed to engage the teeth of G when red button is pulled, . . how is that possible IF the drawing is accurate?

Perhaps I misunderstand the whole thing,...but I can't figure how it could possibly work as shown. Is it possible mine was assembled wrong at the factory? Any help on this is greatly appreciated!!!
. . . Tug

 

[tugboat-2]

OK Boys and Girls,...I'm back: I have answers finally! First of all, I have no idea how to post photos, so I must refer you to the above mentioned item of "ORLO", posted 07-19-2008 @ 11:30AM, under I believe: JAMBED BRAKES, it is a thumbnail of the 3X20-Cab series Parking Brake "PARTS" assembly. It is exactly as shown on page 723 of the big expensive Shop Manual issued for my 2006 JD-3520-Cab tractor.

As you'll recall in my above entry: I ask a really stupid question concerning the "accuracy" of the parts "placement" in that official diagram (of page 723). On page 725, the working "Theory" of those parts is explained. Geeeze I wish I could post the photo here to refer to, (but I can't, thro' ignorance) But I'll explain briefly so the interested can check it out, if desired.

BRIEFLY: it says: you step down on the brakes and pull out the red dash knob and the red knob cable will cause the "PAWL" (F) to ROTATE forward and engage the teeth of the "LOCK-LEVER"(G) which will hold the brakes in the "ON" position.

To Release the brakes: you step down on the brakes and push the red knob "IN" causing the "PAWL"(F) to disengage from the teeth of "LOCK-LEVER" (G).

OK so far? It all makes sense right? The Problem: my brake assembly is exactly as shown in the diagram. So in that position, the "Rotating PAWL" could NOT possibly engage the teeth of the Lock Lever! It's on the wrong side and the bottom dog of the PAWL can't engage the teeth! Agreed?? (But even if it could engage the teeth, it couldn't hold anything! Examine it, what could it possibly do??)

So I dropped by my friendly JD Dealer,..showed him the page and asked if the drawing was accurate? Not just 1, but 3 experts studied it, scratched their heads and suggested they send a mechanic over to examine it.

The lad came next morning, examined it, said the cable was bent, ordered a new one, came back next AM, put it on and it works better than NEW!!!

THE ANSWER: Yes the cable was bent, NOT at the "end" as we all suspected, but in the middle, the outer casing and all was bent. BUT, the IMPORTANT part is that my Diagram "suspicion" was "not" so stupid after all,...BECAUSE, it DOESN'T work exactly as the BOOK explains!!!

The "Rotating-PAWL",...in fact, does NOT "rotate"! It really seems to be an UNnecessary piece,..because it is bolted solid to the Lock-Lever(G) and is "ONLY" a place to loop the cable to. They could have just as easily looped the cable end through the hole at the top of the Lock-Lever(G),...BECAUSE the cable actually "pulls" the "LOCK-LEVER"(G) back (toward the operator) where it engages a stationary "DOG" (which is just out of the picture, down near the lower-right corner of the diagram). If you look at the diagram you'll see the pivot assembly at the bottom of the Lock-Lever(G).

So, actually the diagram is, in fact, accurate. BUT, the "Theory of Operation" on page 725,....."IS QUITE WRONG" !!!

I'm not going to argue the point, but I suspect my cable was bent at the factory as it has "never" worked properly. I can't believe just how beautifully and smoothly it operates now!!! Perfect!!!

I do, once again,..want to express my apologies AND gratitude to those who came to my assistance on this matter. It could have been simpler, had the Book (bible) been accurate in its explanation. I wonder if they changed this mid-stream AFTER the book had "gone" to press? "ALL" my wasted HOURS spent studying the diagram and re-reading the THEORY OF OPERATION,..climbing under with flashlight, checking the book,...trying, TRYING,...in vain to figure it out,...AND,..asking you guys to sacrifice "your" time and effort to assist me with something that in the end,... was very misleading and inaccurate! (OH, I dislike it when people SHIFT the blame, but in this case,.. it's JD's fault,...not ours!)

Thanks again and CHEERS!
. . . tug

 

[jya]

Thought I'd chime in on this older thread since, although it did not solve my issue, it was re-assurring to know that this problem was not unique to me. Reading it helped me understand how this thing is tied together with the peddles. The first thing I learned is that I have been setting the park break on my 3320 incorrectly. I was merely pulling up on the handle. I would expect the majority of the time I had the brake peddles depressed since I had just stopped, but I imagine some times they weren't. I too had this sluggishness and as soon as I clutched in to shift gears the tractor would come to a stop! It wouldn't free wheel. The John Deere service guys recommended checking the hydraulic fluid level but it was good. It turns out as I was trying to figure out the linkage described in the thread, I found a small rock lodged at the end of the linkage which was preventing the brake to release. I simple removed the rock and voila...when I clutched in to shift the tractor would coast into the next gear. Problem solved, thanks fellas!