Brake and Clutch pedal shaft

[29spcoupe]

I need to replace the pedal shaft on my 29 Coupe. I plan to place rags inside the bell housing (like on a model t ford) and have a second pair of hand to grab the pin as it comes out. Do any of you guys have any other tricks to keep the pin from dropping into the bell housing? Regards, John

[Joe K]

Montanafordman previously opined that it is possible and the pin can be retrieved from the housing either using a magnet, or by fishing it out of the bottom with long forceps. Others have removed the front axle radius rod receiver and used a hammer to bounce it around inside the housing until it falls out.

Here is MFMs pix showing the inside view of the pin.



No I did not break the housing with my hammer.

3/4 or 1" pipe (forget which) and couplings can be used with a pipe wrench to "jack" the pin from the housing. (They're wont to stay where they are, of course.)

Joe K

[Tom Endy]

I have replaced countless numbers of pedal shafts, but never while the bell housing was installed in the car. I am sure it can be done, but I would never attempt it. You could very easily paint yourself into a corner.

You may be successful in getting the pin out, however, the next task is to get the old shaft out and they can be very difficult. Some people saw them off and drive them in and then try to fish the piece out. I always drive them out from the inside. For the stubborn ones I have a tool that clamps to the inside and presses the shaft out.

When you go to install the new shaft you have to very accurately line the pin hole in the shaft with the pin hole in the housing before driving it into place. If you miss there is no rotating it, you will have to remove it and start over. You also want to never hammer on the end of the new shaft to drive it into place as you will mushroom it and the pedals won't go on. Use a block of wood between the shaft and the hammer.

Best to wait until a new clutch is needed and you can put the bell housing on a work bench and replace both the pedal shaft and the clutch release shaft and install new clutch shaft bushings in the housing.

Tom Endy

[29spcoupe]

Thanks, Tom, for the advise, John

[mleder]

Good brakes require no worn parts to create looseness in any of the brake system. The pedal shaft is the first link to your brake system

My experience with changing the pedal shaft in the car went well provided the method and certain tools are used. I first removed floor board, opened the inspection plate cover over the throw out bearing. From the passenger side you can use your right hand and feel the bottom of the pin that holds the shaft in place in the transmission case casting. It has an upset on it's end and that's why you can't pull it out through the top. Here is what worked for me. I ground the head off the pin on the top with a small grinder making sure that the over size head was down to the straight pin OD. I then used a cutting torch to heat the existing pin getting it hot to slightly glow in the surrounding cast iron case. Do this two or three times but let it cool to room temp between each heating.On the last heating cycle take some used dirty motor oil and dab it on the pin while still hot. The oil will give the pin a darker hue when it cools down. Now get some Kroil or PB blaster (Not WD-40 ) and squirt it on over the course of a few hours, tap around it a little bit to give it a little vibration. I then bought a straight punch to fit a common air hammer and machined it down to an OD of about .247. (The pin is .250) so you need to be thinner than it. I only turned it down for about 3/4 of an inch running length. Next using an air source of at least 9o psi use ONE HAND ON THE TOP of the air hammer inline with the punch and press it firmly on the center of the pin . Press the trigger for just a short moment and the pin should move if your centered up on it. This punch will only drive it 3/4 of an inch. Add more Kroil or PB blaster on top of the pin that has moved. Next get a 3-5 lb. hammer and a good straight .250 punch and continue to drive it out. If your talented, drive with your left hand and with your right hand hold the pin as it moves down into the case or else clip a small vise grip on the pin and then just retrieve the vise grip. You should now remove the old shaft and slip in the new one. You can use some locktite on new retainer pin as upsetting the bottom would be difficult. I did not want to have the machined punch longer than about 3/4" for fear it might bend or break from the air hammer. I intend to give the punch I made to our Model A Club for it's tool collection that members can use.

[Joe K]

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So once the retaining pin is out - how did you remove the shaft?

It's obvious like a post adolescent me you were working with the transmission in place in the car - weren't you?

Today I would pull the engine and tranny - do the separation - and work it all on the bench. But that's what 50 years of hand wrenching and dollars burning in my pocket has done to my tool capability.

Joe K

[ctlikon0712]

I second Tom Endy's advice. Do this job out of the vehicle and don't mushroom the shaft like I did.......

[Hster]

How bad is the shaft? Rebushing the pedal might give you an improvement.

[29spcoupe]

I took the advice of Tom Endy and Joe K. I rebushed the pedal and got a satisfactory fit. I'll wait until the clutch needs to be replaced and then will replace the shaft. Thanks for all the help, john