# 454 International Tractor Brake Problem



## rthomp454 (May 19, 2011)

My 454 has lost brakes right and left. This happened after I replaced the Loader control valve. Both master cylinders were replace last year. Bleeding has not helped. The strange thing is I can lock the two petals together and it will stand you on your head but when individual petals are mashed they go all the way down, no resistance as all. Anyone have any ideas?


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## RC Wells (Dec 26, 2008)

My assumption is that power steering, pto and three point are fully functional.

The brake master cylinder is fed from a T on the oil cooler return line. Older models had a direct feed to the master cylinders and the later models had a plastic master cylinder reservoir that was fed by the return line.

There should be a restrictor and screens in the lines that feed the master cylinders, make sure the oil is flowing through those.

When bleeding the brakes pinch off the return line beyond the brake master cylinders to force all the oil through the brake system to eliminate trapped air. You will see two small steel hydraulic tubes by the right hand side of the battery box, identify the one with about two inches of rubber hose connecting the 2 sections of the steel tubing. This is the return line from the brake master cylinders.

Find a wood clothes pin and clamp it on the rubber hose to pinch the return line. Take a pair of Vice-Grips and use them to tightly hold the wood on the hose such that the hose is firmly pinched shut.

With the tractor running open the bleeder screws. The pinched hose will force all the return oil through the brake system. Once the oil is flowing and free of bubbles close the bleeder screws and remove the clothes pin and Vice-Grips.

If you do not get oil out the bleeder screws be sure they are not plugged. If there is still no oil after assurance the bleeder screws are functional it will be necessary to check the oil flow through the oil cooler.

The reason you have brakes when the pedals are locked together is the system relies on the constant oil feed from the oil cooler return line when only one pedal is depressed. When both pedals are depressed the oil in the brake cylinders does not bypass through the return line and no longer rely on the hydraulic system for a constant feed and you have both acting from stored oil.


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## rthomp454 (May 19, 2011)

*454 tractor brake problems*

Thanks RC, your assumption about the PTO, power steering and lift is correct. Everything else works perfectly. I will check out the items you mentioned and let you know. Thanks very much.


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