Hello Folks. First post. I've been looking through the forum for months in researching brands to buy. Finally bought my first 4 wheeler for farm work. Ordered my swisher dump bauket today. Coming off of a Yamaha Tri-Moto 175.

Got a good deal on my 2004 Foreman 450. 100 hours. Trying to fix brake issues. The rear shoes stick. Brake lever would have to be hammered back to open position. Pulled the rear wheel and brake drum housing. The seal had been compromised with water - looks like many times. Common for these I see. Just trying to get the pads off. What's the secret? Can anyone send me a couple pages from the repair manual or some tips?

Looks like a "air line" had also broken and was filled with sand.

How about the lever bolt and seal????? Extremely hard to turn.

I intend on getting the manual ASAP but trying to get this done ASAP.

Oh and it appears to have air in the front lines like so many other people.
Have to pump them up every time to get any resistence.

Glad to be here and thanks for all the advise in the past and future. Good people and advice here.

 

Just try removing the red rubber plugs from the center of the front wheels, turn the wheel over to spot the adjuster wheel inside, there is an arrow on the cylinder which points in the direction of tightening the brakes. Adjust until the wheel has resistance from the pads dragging then back it off a few notches. Rotate the wheel 180 degrees and locate the other adjuster (each wheel has 2 adjusters) and repeat as described above. Do the same for the other side. Brake lever should be firm when done.

Most likely the rear brake cover seal went bad from something wrapped around it alowing moisture to get inside. The shoes will have oxidised to the pivots. A little rust penetrant and some heat may be needed to work them loose from their pivots. I would suggest replacing the shoes as if water werre in the drum they are most likely glazed. Take emery cloth and clean the pivot studs before reinstalling the new brake shoes. If the pivot for the brake arm is hard to return, remove the brake cable adjuster wing nuts, springs, cable guides and cables from it. Remove the pinch bolt that holds it to the shaft splines. A flat blade screwdriver can be used to open the end of the lever arm from its splines and easily slid off. Drive the pivot shaft through the brake panel toward the brake shoe side (I suggest a brass punch so splines are not harmed) Once removed, clean the pivot area with emery cloth and a small brake hone works good to clean the hole in the panel where the shaft passes. After cleaning and making sure the pivot is free for movement, reinstall all parts. There is a punch mark on the end of the splined shaft that should line up with a punch mark on the outside of the lever to line up the splines correct. Before installing cables to the arm, make sure they move freely and that the foot brake pivot is not frozen also

Hope this helps

-----gimpster-----

 

Thank you for the reply. I have applied some PB Blaster to try to break the oxidised shoes from the pivot studs. Only one question. Do the pivit studs come out of the housing? Screw out? The pads have a hold that the pivot studs go through. Looks to be no way to get them off without taking the studs off some way. Do not see how they are removed.

 

Studs are part of the backing plate assembly not removable

try to heat the shoe around the pivot and work them loose.

Rare, but I have had to use a small slide hammer on frozen shoes before

-----gimpster-----