Thread: Brake petal too high

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51 3600 V8 with all wheel disc brakes and 700R4 tranny. The original brake petal sticks up at least 3/4 inches too high. I figure to cut out the length needed and weld it back together. Does someone have a better idea or warning for this operation?

Just so long as you maintain at least a 5:1 pedal ratio, should be ok John. A shorter pedal will increase the pedal effort a bit, usually not a big deal shortening it only 3/4".

Originally Posted by Dave Severson

Just so long as you maintain at least a 5:1 pedal ratio, should be ok John. A shorter pedal will increase the pedal effort a bit, usually not a big deal shortening it only 3/4".

Dave, what's a 5:1 pedal ratio?

slide your seat back one notch

Originally Posted by John Brian

51 3600 V8 with all wheel disc brakes and 700R4 tranny. The original brake petal sticks up at least 3/4 inches too high. I figure to cut out the length needed and weld it back together. Does someone have a better idea or warning for this operation?

John, what do you mean by "too high"? This is a pedal coming through the floor, with the MC mounted below on the frame, right? Are you concerned with the measurement from the flat floor section to the pedal, or from the angled floor section that the pedal penetrates, and the pedal being too close to you?

My seat is all the way back. My MC is in the original location. The petal will go down about 4+ inches before the brake lights go on. It's like play in the steering wheel, wasted motion and slows down the brakes time to engage.

INTERIOR 1 :: Carpet1.jpg picture by BIGCHEVY3600 - Photobucket

so its how far the pedal travels, not where its at rest???????

Actually it's both. It takes a split second longer for my foot to reach the petal and then longer to depress the petal than it would if it were shorter.

WELLLLLL--ITS PROBABLY BECAUSE YOU HAVE A RETURN SPRING TOO LONG/STRONG AND IT IS PULLING THE PEDAL BACK FROM AN INPROPERLY ADJUSTED LINK to the master(endplay on pedal push rod)
Make a stop for whereever you want the pedal to rest at top of stroke and then adjust the pushrod length to have the proper free play on the master-----

Good idea, I'll try that before I cut and weld.

The pedal goes down 4" and the brake light comes on?
Do you have any brakes?
This is manual brakes right? The pedal length from the factory will give you the right ratio, i wouldn't mess with it. There must be too much freeplay. The light shouldn't come on unless you don't have fluid or the emergancy brake is activated.

ojh, I don't think he meens the warning light as a 50 chevy won't have that. He's talking about the rear brake lights. The rear brake lights on this one is activated by a fluid pressure switch unless it's been modified. Jerry is right on about the pedal stop and seems to me those had a rubber bumper stop under the floor board that may be missing.

with 4 wheel disc brakes, its probably had a different mastercylinder installed and has a mismatch of necessary components/hardware

Originally Posted by HWORRELL

ojh, I don't think he meens the warning light as a 50 chevy won't have that. He's talking about the rear brake lights. The rear brake lights on this one is activated by a fluid pressure switch unless it's been modified. Jerry is right on about the pedal stop and seems to me those had a rubber bumper stop under the floor board that may be missing.

Yup, you're right. I was exhausted yesterday when i read the OP and for some reason i read it as the 'warning light' in the dash.