Help Clutch Pedal Went To Floor

[We1969knight]

When driving yesterday, pushed in clutch to downshift and clutch pedal went to the floor and stayed right there!
Any idea's on what broke - recoil spring??
How do I repair?
Thanks,
Chris
Edgecomb, ME

[Y-Blockhead]

Check the clutch release lever connected to the pedal underneath the floor. The adjustment connects to it. Mine cracked in half. Real fun driving home with no clutch. I had to shut off the engine at stops and restart in second gear when it turned green. Having 12v really helped.

I'll post a picture of mine...

[Tom Wesenberg]

Yes, I've seen several cracked arm for the clutch shaft.

[Y-Blockhead]

Here ya go. I hear this is a fairly common thing. The vendors sell a stronger one that is a little shorter to make pushing in the clutch easier.

[1955cj5]

Here is a picture of the location...

Also a picture of a (poorly)repaired lever and a new one....

[We1969knight]

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Thank you very much for the reply's.
Sure enough the clutch release lever is cracked
Should be pretty easy to replace.

[Synchro909]

Originally Posted by Y-Blockhead

Here ya go. I hear this is a fairly common thing. The vendors sell a stronger one that is a little shorter to make pushing in the clutch easier.

What am I missing? Wouldn't a shorter arm make releasing the clutch more difficult?
BTW, this is another part not available in RHD. I have to buy the not correct fabricated steel one and cut it up - usually make it a little longer too.

[SeaSlugs]

Originally Posted by Synchro909

What am I missing? Wouldn't a shorter arm make releasing the clutch more difficult?
BTW, this is another part not available in RHD. I have to buy the not correct fabricated steel one and cut it up - usually make it a little longer too.

I get your thought process and thought the same till I sat down and really thought about whats going on. Its not the mentality of using a longer wrench to break a nut free - its the exact opposite. I understand the reasoning behind a shortened pitman arm and clutch arm but dont have a good way to explain it... trying to think of a basic real world experience but coming up empty....

Alright here goes nothing:

Imagine there is 2 guys. One is holding onto a shaft (ie: clutch shaft /steering box shaft) with his hands while the other guy (ie: the front wheels/pressure plate) tries to turn it with a long wrench. The guy with the wrench can turn the shaft with ease due to his longer wrench giving him leverage while the guy holding the shaft is having a hard time and using every bit of force he has to prevent it from turning. Swap the wrench out with a short one and the guy with the wrench lost his leverage and now has to work harder to try to turn the shaft while the guy holding the shaft doesnt have to use as much strength to do so.

In the case of the steering arm your going against your long wrench force of the cars wheels wanting to repel your input and track straight. Easiest way to make it easier to turn? Take away some of its leverage.

The clutch arm is the same way, the pressure plate force isnt going to change and is repeling your foot at a constant. A longer arm would make it harder to move as you just gave the pressure plate more leverage against your foot to repel you. Make it shorter and it cant push your foot as hard as it has no leverage anymore so it appears easier to your foot.

In both cases your the nut that doesn't want to be broken free instead of the force turning the wrench that DOES want to be free.

There I tried haha the rest of you keep your dirty minds out of the gutter!

[1955cj5]

This was making my head hurt...

So I looked up the part..

https://www.brattons.com/clutch-release-shaft-arm.html

The description reads that the arm is a little longer to reduce clutch pedal force....

[Synchro909]

Seems Mr Bratton and I agree except on his company not supplying them in RHD.

[J Franklin]

Originally Posted by Synchro909

Seems Mr Bratton and I agree except on his company not supplying them in RHD.

Surely there must be a foundry over there that could run a bunch for you, and you could wholesale to Bratton's and the other parts vendors.

[CarlG]

I haven't done it yet, but I have been told that this is one part one should have stashed under the seat.

[Y-Blockhead]

Hmmm, I can't delete a double post...

[Y-Blockhead]

Originally Posted by Y-Blockhead

Here ya go. I hear this is a fairly common thing. The vendors sell a stronger one that is a little shorter to make pushing in the clutch easier.

Originally Posted by 1955cj5

This was making my head hurt...

So I looked up the part..

https://www.brattons.com/clutch-release-shaft-arm.html

The description reads that the arm is a little longer to reduce clutch pedal force....

I apologize guys. Please don't beat me up too bad. It is indeed longer than stock. I just crawled under my car and measured it. I could have sworn when I installed it, it was shorter. One of those old man brain farts again...

Thanks for keeping me honest 1955cj5.

[1955cj5]

I just had to figure it out for myself....

I don't think I've ever reached for a shorter wrench to loosen that stubborn bolt....

[Synchro909]

Originally Posted by J Franklin

Surely there must be a foundry over there that could run a bunch for you, and you could wholesale to Bratton's and the other parts vendors.

I've considered making a few parts and wholesaling them as you suggest but it just isn't viable. As has been mentioned here many times, freight between our two countries is stupidly expensive. Likewise liability insurance and it's all looking even worse if you guys impose a tariff on imports as has been promised by your new President.
I have a good working design for a water pump with a modern ceramic seal. All of the same issues apply with it .... and an extra one. Buying imperial sized bearings and seals here is not so easy and they are expensive. We converted to metric in the '60s. Guess I'll continue just doing these things for myself.

[1955cj5]

Thinking out loud here..

Wouldn't the left hand drive version also work on right hand drive A's?

Just from the pictures it appears that the pin hole is perpendicular to the actuating arm....

It the short/standard arm a different part #?

[abachman3]

I believe that the shaft for this is a different diameter for right hand drive vs. left hand drive.

[Synchro909]

Originally Posted by 1955cj5

Thinking out loud here..

Wouldn't the left hand drive version also work on right hand drive A's?

Just from the pictures it appears that the pin hole is perpendicular to the actuating arm....

It the short/standard arm a different part #?

The problem is the arm is "cranked" in the opposite direction and by the wrong amount so it is not just a matter of turning it over.

[Synchro909]

Originally Posted by abachman3

I believe that the shaft for this is a different diameter for right hand drive vs. left hand drive.

You are almost correct. The pedal shafts are different diameters for left and right cars. On a LHD car, the shaft is 7/8" - 1" on a RHD. I think the reason for that is because more pressure is put on the brake pedal , especially in an emergency stop than on the clutch. On a RHD car, the brake pedal is right out at the far end of the shaft rather than close to the bell housing where it is supported. They must have found that a 7/8" shaft would bend. The diameter of the lower shaft is the same. We have to improvise for bushes for the pedals - none marketed. Gudgeon bushes work well.