9N ford tractor

SURE SEALS are the only way to go. Don't even bother trying to replace the factory seal. You thought getting to the shoes was a lot of work, the seal requires bearing removal which is not a job for the weak of heart.

Don't forget to grease up the bearings. This will be their only lubrication from now on, if you install a good set of sure seals. Zane on the N board has a way of packing the axle housings to really keep the brakes dry, you might search teh archives.

GET That Manual yet?

2 remove wheels

3 place rear of tractor on suitable stands. ( I might have this step out of order;-))
4 at the wheel end of the trumpet you will see some nuts.If memory serves me correctly they are 11/16 and there are 6.Take these off, and 5 remove axle, brake drum, and backing plate with brake linkages and pedal all at once. 6 after you recover from the hernia operation, you can slide the backing plate and attached brake shoes off the axle. Now you are down to standard brake repair techniques.
7 Good time to install sure seals is before reassembly!
8 Get the FO-4 manual before you start. It is kinda helpful when you have a N.
9 Don't overfill the gear lube or you'll be doing this again, and again...
Good luck! It's been a coupla months since the last time I did this so I might have left out something here or there. THe guys over on the N board would know for sure what I left out.