CC 149 Brake Bracket Alignment
 

I’m getting some of the repainted parts off the rack and back on the tractor and out of the way. I’m putting the brakes back together and it seems no matter how I switch parts around the main bracket is miss-aligned to the brake disc. One bracket is closer to the disc at the front than the back. The other opposite. Switching them side for side just moves the miss-alignment to being opposite.

Are they just warped that bad from the factory welding. Or just welded on that crooked? Is the off set for a reason. Or should I press them straighter?

Is the bottom bracket on that? You may have to twist it to make up the difference while tightening the bolts.

Because the axle and bracket saddle is a hex they sit right where they sit. I tried to align it with a bar, but as soon as the bolts start to snug a bit it settles solidly in the saddle. The miss-alignment can't be "adjusted" out.

Because they are identical pieces, but used as left and right, that makes me wonder if there is supposed to be some offset, and it doesn't matter whether the bigger gap is front or back. I think you'd almost have to try to get it this far out of wack.

Has anyone noticed this or know that it should be this way? I've been thinking hard as to what advantage there could be, other than keeping only a small contact point between pad and disc when relaxed.

Maybe it might be how you wrench the bolts to tighten the brackets, they are twisting with the wrench???

^^^^ No, it's impossible to make the saddle sit any other way than the way it sits. Rock solid in it's position. The run out on both brackets is almost 5/16" front ear to back ear. I did notice that when I was taking the second side off, but just figured I could straighten that out on assembly. Wrong.

But any way, ten minutes of careful tweaking under the press and they are about 1/32" out now. Now it feels very positive pulling the cam lever by hand, so I'm hoping the brakes will set up better than before.

The calipers have been disassembled before because one cam lever was backwards.

The caliper bracket does not have to be perfectly aligned with rotor because holes in bracket are oversized to caliper pins to allow caliper assembly to float with rotor. If caliper is binding on bracket the holes can be enlarged slightly. Hope this helps and good luck.

^^^^ No, it doesn't have to be perfectly aligned by its rather sloppy but entirely functional design. But this was excessive! Now everything is straight and looks like it will function well. The brakes never did set up great before. Too spongey. Hoping now I'll have better braking and a positive park brake.