Clutch pedal problems

[gto78]

We installed a 4 speed and ripped out the automatic on the 79 Grand Am. The main problem is getting the right angle with the Z bar and pedals. For some reason I can't find the right pedal setup to give me enough travel to completely release the clutch. It seems like the pedal is moving but the Z bar is barely moving, especially the last 2 inches of pedal travel. I've tried drilling holes in the z bar to change the ratio, which results in the pedal being rock hard and completely useless, and still doesn't fully release the clutch because the last 2 inches of pedal travel don't move the Z bar, because the linkage rod from teh pedal to the Z bar is aiming down at a very steep angle. I had it working for a few years on my 78 but it was kind of rediculous because the only way it would work was to have the clutch pedal about 3 inches higher than the brake pedal, to get enough travel

So does anyone have any decent pictures of the correct pedal and z bar for a 79 grand am? I'm about to scrap everything and start over with a hydraulic clutch instead.

Thanks!!

JOE

 

[anakputa]

Joe, I bought a complete kit off of ebay and clutch for has a different offset too. What kind of pedals are you using? A few people have done swaps and they might have answer. Look at this website http://www.montecarloss.com/ls1montecarloss/August.html

 

[Bonnewagon]

As far as I know there is only one pedal hanger and Z-bar set up for these cars. My pedal is a bit high too, and if I lower it to where the brake pedal is, won't release the clutch. The only way to get more travel at the clutch fork pushrod would be to lengthen the lower Z-bar arm so there would be more pushrod travel relative to pedal travel, but this is sure to increase pedal effort, though not as much as you found by shortening the upper arm for the pedal pushrod.

 

[anakputa]

I welded an extension on to my pedal if you using a hydraulic set up.Similar to this picture

 

[gto78]

Thanks for the links guys. I also looked on ebay and there's someone selling a z bar supposedly for this body style. If the picture is the correct z bar, then I need to swap in my other z bar I have in the garage. The picture on ebay shows a z bar thats about 4 inches longer on the top and bottom than the one I have installed now. If I make the top arm that much longer then it will be a much better angle with the pedal and allow the last 2 inches of pedal travel to keep releasing the clutch. Right now the last 2 inches of pedal does nothing.

 

[85olds4spd]

Have yo tried this link? It may help .
http://imageevent.com/weirtonspeedandma ... llhousings

This is a picture of my z bar

 

[Bonnewagon]

Very nice reinforcements on that one. Too bad the factory wasn't that smart.

 

[85olds4spd]

The one ear broke like 8 miles from where i was working. Had to drive the rest of the way with no clutch then 15 miles to get back home. No problems now .

 

[gto78]

I spent another 4 hours last night trying to make this thing work. I had a box with some other clutch parts my dad gave me he had been collecting from junk yard trips. In there was a Z bar with a much longer upper arm. I installed that which gave a really good angle with the pedal, plus better leverage. Then installed a pedal I found that was about an inch longer, plus at the top of the pedal it had a funny shape that allowed the linkage to get a complete swing, and gives me continuous clutch release all the way to the floor. It seems like I have it pretty close to working properly, however now the pedal is pretty high again. The pedal effort isn't hard though, and it releases if I push it to the floor.

I think I've got only 2 more obstacles: One is to make a pedal stop for when the pedal is in the released position, right now I can physically pull it backwards a few inches. The other step is to lengthen the lower arm on the Z bar. The lower arm linkage is at a really high angle to the clutch fork, I don't think it's moving the clutch arm 100% as much as the Z bar is moving.

That last picture is interesting, I wonder why my Z bar is no where near the steering arm? Yours is shaped around the steering arm, mine sits a few inches below it, so I just have a straight bar.

 

[Bonnewagon]

Either that steering shaft is hanging down because it's not connected to the steering box, or it's an illusion due to the straight on camera angle. My Z-bar is also several inches below my column shaft, and is a Z shape just like that one. I know GM dictated that the ball stud in the block must be at the same location so all motors would interchange freely, but the frame Z-bar and linkage are vehicle specific. F and B body parts look similar, but are actually very different, especially as model years changed. If you are going to lengthen the lower arm, that would be a good time to re-engineer it. I was running a RAM 3600lb clutch that broke the Z-bar at each weld so I reinforced both arms. I did that by cutting a piece of 1/4" steel plate in the shape of the arms, but instead of butt-welding it to the shaft, I shaped it to fully encircle the Z-bar and cut a hole for the Z-bar to go through it, and slipped them on from either end. I cut it so there was about 1/4" of metal encircling the shaft which I then welded it 360 degrees around, both sides, for a bullet-proof piece that has outlasted 4 motors.