Part of the work I'm doing on my friend's '72 F100 is to replace the sloppy pot metal bushings in the pedal support with a ball bearing kit from Mustang Steve. Worn out pot metal bushings generally aren't too prevalent on pedal supports with an automatic transmission but are fairly common on trucks with a standard transmission. This '72 has a 3.03 3-speed with the shifter on the column.

Pot metal bushings removed from the support. --I had already welded the bearing rings to the outboard sides of the support prior to this photo.



These two large washers (spacers) tack weld to the inboard side of the pedal support.













Mustang Steve ball bearing clutch pedal conversion kit.(also works on Bumpside pedal supports).

MustangSteve's Clutch Pedal Shaft Bearing Conversion for 65-73 Mustangs

Installation instructions.

MustangSteve's Clutch Pedal Shaft Bearing Conversion for 65-73 Mustangs

 

Well I'll be danged. I didn't know this kit was available. Good job posting Steve. I think you just helped countless future g**glers.

 

Nice job Steve. You work is impeccable.

 

I did this conversion on my mustang, but I didn't know it'd work on my bump.
It made a huge improvement on my mustang so it's definitely going on the list for my bump.

 

Thanks for the comments. Before I pulled the pedal assembly out from under the dash, I could move the pedals in a side-to-side arc, about half an inch, in each direction. That wouldn't do. I told Dylan about the bearing kit. He ordered the bearing kit and brought it to me last Friday.

This is what the pedal assembly looked like at the time I pulled it out from under the dash.











Next on the agenda is to build a set of clutch linkages with either Heim joints or ball joint rod ends and make an equalizer (Z-bar) with spherical pivot bearings to get rid of the nylon bushings.

This is a schedule 40 1-1/4" pipe nipple I had just to try and size things up --just preliminary ponderings at this point in trying to figure out what's needed. Looks like I'll have to have a piece of schedule 80 1-1/4" pipe to have enough wall thickness to turn the I.D. big enough to fit the spherical bearings into the ends.

 

Those pedal pads are still available form Ford. Both are part number B7A2457A.
You might think about making multiples of the clutch linkage parts you are making. I have an A/T in mine but I have a feeling you could sell them around here like you did your rear disc adaptors. AKA, "like hot cakes".


Here are the applications:
1967 F100/350,all engines...C6TZ7528G.
68/72 F100/350,except 302 and 1972 F100 with 302 after ser #N00,001.....C8TZ7528B.
69/72 F100 with 302 before ser #N00,001.....D0TZ7528A.

 

Well done, indeed.
There is a need for what you have done. You have the makings of a cottage industry. $250-300 with a core swap.
Think about it.

Semper Fi

 

I don't want to get too far ahead of myself. Currently, only the pedal support is upgraded. I haven't even figured out the final design/construction of the linkages and the spherical bearings for the equalizer (Z-bar, bellcrank or whatever you may reference it by). After a little more searching this evening, it looks like DOM mechanical tubing may be the best route to go for the Z-bar. Figuring out the appropriate I.D and O.D. of the tubing needed for the spherical bearings is the biggest hang up right now. After that, the next task is figuring out the materials needed for the clutch linkage rods.

I had made some ball joint rod end linkages for the mechanical clutch in my '68 Mustang back in the '90s, when I had converted from a C-4 to a Top-Loader 4-speed. I didn't put bearings in the pedal support or the Z-bar but, the ball joint rod end linkages did make the clutch action much smoother with just that modification alone.

 

This is like the ball joint rod ends I used on the linkages I had made for my '68 Mustang.



The ends of the stock mechanical clutch linkages pivot on thin nylon bushings inside the hole of the Z-bar and the arm on the clutch pedal shaft. This is a ****-poor setup since the nylon bushings wear through and then the friction of the metal linkage rod starts gnawing away at the hole and the ends of the linkage itself. Pretty soon, they look like this.


....an oval hole that's no longer round.



....notch worn into the pin on the linkage.



....pin notched on the Z-bar.



All because of some thin, cheap nylon bushings. This makes for sticky, sloppy engagement/disengagement of the clutch and obviously wouldn't present a smooth, linear action of the components.





With the ball joint rod ends, the pivoting action is moved outside of the holes in the Z-bar and the arm on the clutch pedal shaft. The (eventual) wear is on the rod ends themselves and not to the stock mechanical clutch components. The rod ends are less than $10.00 each --usually between $6-$8. The stud of the joint also has some degree of freedom to move (self-aligning to deflection), like when the engine torques over when shifting gears or when taking off from a standing stop.

Closest thing I can find to illustrate the degrees of movement the rod end stud has.

 

ultraranger thanks for posting this. i need to look at my pedals when i swap out my 240/tott for my 302/c4.

 

You are on to the solution.
I (foolishly) put a Muncie 4-speed in my '34 when I was building it. The clutch linkage vexed me for years. Eventually, Heim joints fixed the problem permanently.
I know why guys put automatics in street rods. Oh, do I!
Keep us posted. This is the best thread of the year.

 

The thin nylon bushings and people putting up with the squeak. In stead of looking to see why it's squeaking.


I like your idea with one thought of caution. I would be a bit worried that the ball pin would be too small of diameter and not strong enough for a truck clutch. The ball pin covered by a boot in the top pic and the arrow almost pointing straight at it in the bottom pic. It is going to have to push against the springs in the pressure plate.

 

The (gold) rod linkage is like the type I used in my '68 Mustang with a stiff performance clutch/pressure plate. I never had any problems with the fabricated linkages after their installation --it just made things smoother and non-binding.

However, one day, after a spirited run through the gears, I stabbed the clutch pedal shifting from 1st to 2nd. When I went to lift my foot off the clutch pedal to go into 3rd, the clutch pedal didn't come back up with my foot to make the next gear exchange. I eased off to the side of the road and raised the hood to find the uper arm of the Z-bar had twisted and bent over.

I limped the '68 Mustang home by putting my foot under the clutch pedal to lift it between gear changes. Once back at the shop, I removed the Z-bar and welded a 'back bone' out of 1/2" key stock along the top side of the upper Z-bar arm. That stopped all that foolishness from there on out.

....as I had said earlier though, the ends could be either the ball joint rod type or Heim joints.

Just one example of a Heim joint pictured below. There are many different styles available in male or female versions and with or without a stud in the head of it.

 

With the extreme pressure put on those joints, I would pick something strong. I used either 5/16" or 3/8" heims with a piece of 1/2" bar stock to replace the drop rod in my '69 25 yrs ago. I used to run some pretty stout clutches back in the day and it would snap those factory ends off pronto. Have not touched the heim joints to this day.

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/afc-10462
(what is wrong with FTE, it won't let me download any pics from other sites)

 

This is an awesome wright up Ultraranger. I can hardly wait to see the new Z bar set-up.