Alright so I feel stupid now, but I don't know how to replace these. I've tried searching for a walk-through on how to do it but everything I come across has no information on how to replace them!

There has been some play in my clutch pedal for a long time now, and occasionally an annoying squeal when I press/depress the pedal. When I inspected what was going on, I saw that the rod that the clutch/brake pedal is attached to has some movement on the right where the bushing is kinda near the master cylinder, so I know the bushings are messed up.

I purchased a bushing kit from ford and went to replace the bushings... but I have no clue how to get to them.

Do I have to take the whole pedal assembly off? I am in the middle of trying that now, but I don't know how to take it off and my chilton manual has nothing on it. I have disconnected the brake sensor, and unbolted 4 bolts on the firewall and two up above on the assembly bracket, but I don't know how to detach the clutch pedal spring.

I don't want to break anything so if someone has replaced these bushing before, please let me know how!

 

The clutch pedal spring is a pain in the butt, but not hard. Remove the big 18mm bolt up on the end of the clutch pedal rod next to the kick panel, and then the whole rod will slide out. If you remove the clutch pedal arm on the other end (which I don't recommend), you can slide the whole rod out without removing the assembly and then just drop the pedals.
Alternatively, (recommended), you can unbolt the whole assembly from under the dash (as it sounds like you've done), and then slide the clutch pedal rod out and drop the pedals down. You don't have to take the whole assembly out, just get it loose enough so you can slide the rod out into the open.

The reason you don't want to remove the clutch arm from the end of the rod is that you have to replace it once it's been removed. It's just better to remove the whole bracketry so you can slide the rod out with the arm still attached to the rod.

Once you have the clutch pedal loose, you can wiggle it around and the clutch spring will pop off. It's strong, but isn't the kind that's going to fly out and take an eye out.

After the rod is slid out, you can replace the bushings.


The real pain is getting that spring back in.
I used a vice to compact it and then wrapped it in wire to keep it compressed while I put it back in place.

1981 Ford Bronco NP435 Swap pictures, videos, and sounds | SuperMotors.net

There's some pictures of my ordeal with the clutch spring in my NP435 swap pics.

 

Thank you, I just got home from work so I'm going to give this a try. I did unbolt the 18mm bolt near the kick panel and managed to get the bracket assembly loose. The bracket assembly won't pull down far though, it is getting stuck on what looks like a bolt holding tab for some electronic box thing high up in the dash right in front of the assembly...

I couldn't slide the rod out but I was being stupid trying to slide it out on the kick panel side .... frustration can make you not think some times!

Well I'm going to try and slide out the rod the proper way now and see if I can get these new bushings in. I had no idea getting these bushings in would be so exciting!

 

Well the thing in the way of the bracket I think is actually just a tab for a bolt for the dash. Anyways I got that out of the way and now have enough room to slide the rod out, however it won't budge..

Do I need to take out both 18mm bolts on both sides of the rod? Or just the one on the kick panel side? I would think the rod could just slide out towards the passenger side, but it doesn't seem to want to budge at all and I don't want to try and pry super hard unless I'm supposed to. It feels like there is something else holding the rod in but I don't know what.

 

Alright I give up... I can't get this rod out... there has to be something wrong I'm doing but I have no clue what. I would try and take out the whole pedal assembly, but the steering column linkage is in the way and I don't know how to remove that (and my manual doesn't cover that either...)

Even if I got the pedal assembly out.. I don't know how to slide this stupid rod out to replace these bushings! Hopefully someone will know what I'm doing wrong!!

 

I swear each thing I do gets me more frustrated than the last...

Am I missing something here?





Does that middle rod come out at all or do I have to shoot it? I tried hitting the clutch pedal end of the rod with a hammer trying to knock it out but it won't move. I have no idea how to replaces those bushings in this assembly, and I probably need to get a metal washer on the arm side because I feel there is extra slop. I don't think getting a metal washer will be too hard if I could just get this POS rod out of the assembly.

I have to go to work again so my truck will be sitting in the driveway until I figure this *%$! out. Maybe I'll just buy a whole new pedal assembly and waste $180 because this one seems like garbage.

 

PHEW! Alright I had my dad help and we hammered off the clutch pedal from the left side and the rod slid right out! Not knowing the smallest things can put you far behind!

Good news too is that the bushing was bad but the metal bracket was completely fine and there is no slop in the pedal anymore. I have to install it now but that shouldn't be too bad! If I have to do this again It should only take like 40 minutes instead of 7 hours!

I may make a writeup with pictures too since I had trouble finding any detailed information on this (even though its pretty straightforward)

 

I just had to post how excited I am, the new bushing makes a HUGE difference in the clutch pedal. The old bushing was definitely worn out but not disintegrated, but wow it feels like a new truck! Now I just have to work on the slop in the steering wheel.

Thanks a lot Abandonedbronco for the help!

 

Glad to help. Sorry I didn't get back on it sooner (was driving home from Montana) but glad you got it figured out!
A write-up would be great, especially for your year truck when (I believe) automatics are much more common and information on manuals can be difficult to find. Not only that, but your bracketry is a bit different than mine, so I don't even know if it works the same

I love how different things feel when you get them all freshened up and back how they should be. It's so rewarding!

 

Sounds like a fun drive! Don't be sorry I'm glad you helped!

Anyways I'll probably have that write-up today and post it if I have time. I'll have to work on my girlfriends car though, she is getting codes P0303 and P0316 on her 2004 v6 mustang. I'm hoping its just wires (I replaced the plugs about 3 months ago) or maybe the ignition coil. I guess I'll find out more but I'm going to get some sleep before I work too much on it because I stayed up kinda late working on my fish tanks!