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Author
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Topic: Brake pedal bushing & spring ???
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steve'66
Gearhead Posts: 2291
From: Sonoma,CA,USA
Registered: Mar 2000
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posted 06-18-2001 12:43 PM
   
Anyone rebuild their brake/clutch pedal support yet? Ours is not returning well, and ocassionally the brake lights stay on! This job doesn't look like fun at all.  What's involved? TIASteveW
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Moneymaker
Administrator Posts: 8482
From: Lyons, IL, USA
Registered: May 99
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posted 06-18-2001 12:49 PM
It's not bad at all Steve. You can get all of the parts from NPD. Do yourself a favor and take out the seat first to give yourself some room to work.  ------------------
Alex Denysenko
Co-Administrator and Moderator
NHRA/IHRA/SRA member
NHRA and IHRA SS/LA National Record Holder '00 & '01
Fleet of FoMoCo products
Moneymaker Bio
US Class Nationals link
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mvierow
Journeyman Posts: 51
From: Bay Area, Ca
Registered: Apr 2001
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posted 06-18-2001 01:00 PM
Hey Steve, I just started this project this last weekend. My support was actually bent, which was causing my master cylinder rod to be pushed into the master cylinder at an odd angle. I bought an entire support and pedals from a pick-and-pull for only 25 dollars from a striped '66. Sure beats buying one new. A little sand blasting, replacement of all the plastic, and a little bit of paint and I'll be set.
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steve'66
Gearhead Posts: 2291
From: Sonoma,CA,USA
Registered: Mar 2000
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posted 06-18-2001 01:07 PM
Alex, Thanks!
Mike,
You found a '66 in a pick and pull! 
Should I pull the whole assly, so I don't have to work on my head under the dash? I hate that! And I always get footprints on the headliner.  SteveW
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JAAZZY
Gearhead Posts: 171
From: Bay Area, CA
Registered: Apr 2001
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posted 06-18-2001 03:29 PM
I did this just a couple of months ago Steve. My friend who is 6'6" got a little stuck getting in my car and accidentally pushed the brake pedal sideways and it broke the mount on the support on one side. I'm guessing it was already weak from years of use. Anyway, I purchased a new support arm, return spring and bushings from from NPD. The pedals are not remanufactured and are almost impossible to mess up so you won't need those. I removed the steering wheel, front seat and the steering column to give myself more room. I left the steering shaft alone. I also removed the guage cluster so I could place a light up top to see what I was doing. After you take that stuff out it's not so bad. Make sure you put the spring in before bolting everything together because I couldn't think of anyway to stretch it into place. I think you'll need 4 bushings for the pedals and two little busings for the return spring. For me this was a tough job because of the location but maybe you are more agile than I.
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kcode
Gearhead Posts: 1391
From: alvaton,ky,usa Suburb of Bowling Green, M&M #79, MCA #29208
Registered: Jun 99
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posted 06-18-2001 10:29 PM
Steve,
If you have to replace the cast pot metal bushings, its alot easier to remove the complete assembly. If you still have the clutch spring in place, wait till you get it on the bench to remove it. When replacing it, unbolt the clutch stop from the side so the clutch arm can swing beyond its original postion, makes the spring go on easier.Mike
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steve'66
Gearhead Posts: 2291
From: Sonoma,CA,USA
Registered: Mar 2000
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posted 06-19-2001 12:45 AM
OK,My turn to ask a "dumb" question. Is there even a brake pedal return spring under there? I checked NPD's cat and don't see one.  The brake light switch went out last w/e so I put a new one in, and I lengthen the brake pushrod while I was at it. I have brake travel now. But once every 10 times the brake light stays on, unless you lift the brake pedal with your foot. I really don't want to do this if I don't have to.  Does anyone really know how that switch works? Could the switch be hanging up? I'm still running the dyna-bat (tiny dry cell battery) and I don't want to kill it by having the brake lights on all night. I'm also thinking of powering the brake light switch from the ignition switch, so it will shut off when the engine does. Any ideas are welcome. Thanks again, SteveW
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JAAZZY
Gearhead Posts: 171
From: Bay Area, CA
Registered: Apr 2001
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posted 06-19-2001 11:30 AM
Steve,I don't believe there is. The return spring I'm referring to is for the clutch pedal. Maybe the spring in the brake switch has gotten weak and isn't releasing all the way. I would replace it before getting into anything deeper. How did you lengthen the brake rod? I need to do this as well.
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steve'66
Gearhead Posts: 2291
From: Sonoma,CA,USA
Registered: Mar 2000
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posted 06-19-2001 11:44 AM
Jas,I cut the two I had and welded them together then welded a sleeve over the first weld. I lengthened it 1/2". The brake pedal has about 1" of free play, but maybe I'm too high now. If you do it just lengthen it 3/8", I may be a little too high. I'm gonna take a close look at the rod and switch tonight. I'm thinking maybe my weld/sleeve is hitting the brake lever and sticking the switch on?!? It's worth a look. OK Steve, back on your head... SteveW [This message has been edited by steve'66 (edited 06-19-2001).]
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JAAZZY
Gearhead Posts: 171
From: Bay Area, CA
Registered: Apr 2001
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posted 06-19-2001 01:04 PM
Sounds like a plan. I'm going to get around to this eventually. When I replaced the pedal support it raised the brake pedal up a bit so I have a little more room than before. quote:
Originally posted by steve'66:
Jas,I cut the two I had and welded them together then welded a sleeve over the first weld. I lengthened it 1/2". The brake pedal has about 1" of free play, but maybe I'm too high now. If you do it just lengthen it 3/8", I may be a little too high. I'm gonna take a close look at the rod and switch tonight. I'm thinking maybe my weld/sleeve is hitting the brake lever and sticking the switch on?!? It's worth a look. OK Steve, back on your head... SteveW [This message has been edited by steve'66 (edited 06-19-2001).]
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mvierow
Journeyman Posts: 51
From: Bay Area, Ca
Registered: Apr 2001
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posted 06-19-2001 02:22 PM
Steve, there isn't a spring on the brake pedal, but there is one on the switch which should easily be strong enough to make sure the lights don't go on simply by the weight of the pedal. I remember I tried to compress mine in my fingers and wasn't able to push to far, if at all.The pick and pull I went to was over off Hegenberger in Oakland. It was the ONLY pre-75 ford I found the entire day, and it was the third yard I went to. I can't recall which one it was, but I can get the name if you need it from a friend that goes there constantly. I doubt this particular car had anything you'd be interested in.. though I do recall some decent looking floors.
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kcode
Gearhead Posts: 1391
From: alvaton,ky,usa Suburb of Bowling Green, M&M #79, MCA #29208
Registered: Jun 99
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posted 06-19-2001 11:06 PM
Steve, it sounds like a combination of the increased pedal heighth weight of the pedal assebly, and a weak spring in the brake light switch is keeping the micro switch made at all times. I had a problem just the opposite, I really had to stand on the brakes before the lights would come on. You can take the switch apart by bending a couple of metal tabs and stretch the spring a little to add more pressure to make the switch. I cut a coil off mine to make it work. Then I bought a replacement for $7 and it works fine. Just a thought. Mike
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steve'66
Gearhead Posts: 2291
From: Sonoma,CA,USA
Registered: Mar 2000
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posted 06-19-2001 11:28 PM
Thanks everyone for the feedback! It really helps to have some knowledgable people to bouce things off of. I was guilty of not looking at the last modification for the cause. It turned out to be that my modified pushrod isn't perfectly straight and it put the switch in a bind against the rod and the post on the brake lever. I just rotated it 180* and put it back on and all is well in the world. At least the world under the dash of the '66! Had to wait 'til 8:15pm for it to cool to 90* outside, man it's been hot here. Thanks again, SteveW
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