Kama 454, "grindy" breaks

[Paddy]

Just noticed a sound I thought I'd run by you folks. We are building a house and while one of the guys was backing down a slope and breaking, I heard a grinding sound. Also most a gear box sound. I know, not much of a description. When I drive the Kama, I don't use the breaks much other than stoping to get it into a gear. When I was listening to the grind sound, the guy was backing down a hill riding the breaks. Again, I know this is not the way to safely operate a tractor. Always keep it in a gear and let the trany/engine set the pace! I have talked with him on "safe tractor operation" so now he knows. here in Southern Indiana, we have hills. It is very temping to drive up hill to a load of gravel and roll back with the clutch depressed, and keep going with out ever having to change gears. I DON'T do that, sounds like tractor "run away" about to happen. But back to the point; I have understood these KAMA 454 have 'wet' breaks. What is the best way to check them out? Is it common to be a bit noisey? One side has always been a bit sticky. That is to say grabs and won't let go until back in gear and under power...unless on a hill!

Thanks for any in put.

Patrick

 

[bluechip]

It seems to be a characterisitic of these tractors transmissions to be noisy in reverse. Another thought is if the engine is running and the guy was rolling backward down hill in a forward gear, the disks of the clutch will be spinning rapidly one direction while the flywheel and pressure plate are spinning rapidly the other. any incidental contact between the clutch disk and pressure plate or flywheel could make an unusual sound. Also the disk brakes behave a little different in reverse than forward and may tend to chatter a little. Of course it is possible to have a brake problem. With the inboard disks, you have to remove the trumpet section of the rear axle housings to get to them.

 

[greg_g]

Along the same lines of what Chip offered, there are very few tractors that are NOT noisier in reverse that they are in most forward gears. Witness the whine when you accelerate your car/truck in reverse. For the moment, I think it's something you can simply add to the "acceptable noise " list for that tractor

I too have tried to balance the "grab" between the two brakes - to no avail. One always seems to grasp first and/or harder than the other.

//greg//

 

[Paddy]

Chip/Greg,

He was backing in Neutral with the clutch depressed and breaking. As noted, I set him straight on "always in a gear!". The gear box does and has always wined in reverse. But as Greg noted, most gear boxes do. It does not bother me. The breaks are strong and work well.

As a side note; I have moved the Kama to my new home construction site. In just a few days of having her on site, we have moved much building material. Two semi loads of ICF foam building blocks and 20 tons of fill stone. Not bad for 4 gal of fuel. The Kama has been very good for the last two years. In the new house she will get her own garage.

Patrick T.