working out stiff clutch pedal on 68 barracuda

Shocks, Springs, Brakes, Frame, Body Work, etc

Moderator: Team

Post Reply
bill jones
Guru
Guru
Posts: 2649
Joined: Sun Sep 05, 2004 6:38 pm
Location: salt lake city, ut
Contact:

working out stiff clutch pedal on 68 barracuda

Post by bill jones »

-I have 68 Barracuda project that has a local clutch rebuilders high performance Borg & Beck pressure plate rated with a 3200# spring load.

-the clutch pedal is way stiff--and doesn't pull back up into the freeplay range----meaning it's riding on the throwout bearing unless you reach under and pull the pedal up with your toe.

-I wondering if anybody might have a link to and/or pictures or schematics of the pedal & pedal hanger assembly, and know something about the functionality of the pedal assembly and cross bar from frame to the engine etc.
--------------------------------------------------------
-seems like on some of the older Chevelles of that era they had a rear stiff spring that was mounted to a pivot down onto the pedal arm a ways.

-then had another pivot a shorter distance above the pedals pivot arm bushing.

-this spring would be mounted in line with the pedal arm, so that when the pedal was positioned to apply the throw out bearing to the clutch fingers the three pivot points would all be in line.

-this would then pull the pedal upwards during freeplay---and very much help pull the pedal downward during the time you'd be pushing against the stiff clutch.
------------------------------------------------------------
-this car has been modified somewhat in the pedal mount & pivot area.

-I'd like to know if the Barracuda was or can be "power assisted" by a stiff cam over spring like the older Chevelles--and if so maybe get an idea of that power assist spring's rate and length etc----and if that spring might be available somewhere.
numboltz
Member
Member
Posts: 153
Joined: Tue Feb 28, 2012 3:54 pm
Location:

Re: working out stiff clutch pedal on 68 barracuda

Post by numboltz »

I heard there was a prize who whoever resurrected the oldest topic here, so send me the
pot of gold :D

Anyway, spotted this while wasting time generally and on the assumption that others might
actually find this useful...A bodies around this vintage used an E ring to hold the entire
clutch-brake pedal assembly together, where earlier they had used a nut on the end of the
shaft. The clutch pedal has a long shaft on it that the brake pedal also pivots on plus it also goes
through the sheet metal brackets from the firewall that encompasses the whole assembly.

Anyway, that E ring can and will pop off [had one pop off and go right out the open pass
side window] and soon after it does the clutch pedal moves left and starts hanging up, then
if it's not fixed that shaft will bend. Disconnect the lower clutch linkage at the release fork and
move the clutch pedal through it's range [allowing for the strength of the over center spring] of
travel to to feel and listen for it hanging up. If it's just grinding, bang it to the right with a long
screwdriver and hammer. If it's still hard to move through it's range of travel and/or it was hard
to drive to the right, the shaft is probably bent. Time to convert it to an automatic :mrgreen:
User avatar
panic
Guru
Guru
Posts: 2295
Joined: Sat Dec 11, 2004 12:04 pm
Location: Ecbatana
Contact:

Re: working out stiff clutch pedal on 68 barracuda

Post by panic »

Depending on the pedal leverage, the torque shaft may need both stiffening and lever re-clocking to restore the "swing through 90 degree angle" relationship to both levers.
If the clutch travel is acceptable (no drag, no slip) a new link hole slightly closer to the fulcrum will increase pedal leverage with minimal fabrication. New ratio advantage: exactly proportionate to old length / new length.
Post Reply