T56 Clutch Pedal mod
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Car: 85 Trans Am
Engine: 98 Vortec 350 LT1 Cam w/ TPI
Transmission: T56
Axle/Gears: 9 bolt 3:27
T56 Clutch Pedal mod
This is a pretty popular subject these days. I have read the best option is to purchase 4th gen pedals and hack off the gas pedal. I was a little more budget minded and opted to modify my original clutch pedal. The point of the pivot bolt is to make it adjustable so it can be fine tuned. I got lucky and where I put it is right on the money. I planned on welding it solid after I found the sweet spot. I hope this helps some people.
This is how it is stock.
Drilled a hole through it to make it pivot
Cut it off
Pivot bolt
Grade 8 bolt with shoulder cut to length and drilled for cotter pin
Welded it to the arm from the backside. My first time welding so it looks like crap but it is plenty strong.
I realized my pivot bolt head would be in the way of the master arm so I ground it flat and tacked it to the pedal
Installed in car.
This is how it is stock.
Drilled a hole through it to make it pivot
Cut it off
Pivot bolt
Grade 8 bolt with shoulder cut to length and drilled for cotter pin
Welded it to the arm from the backside. My first time welding so it looks like crap but it is plenty strong.
I realized my pivot bolt head would be in the way of the master arm so I ground it flat and tacked it to the pedal
Installed in car.
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Car: 85 Trans Am
Engine: 98 Vortec 350 LT1 Cam w/ TPI
Transmission: T56
Axle/Gears: 9 bolt 3:27
Re: T56 Clutch Pedal mod
I can get that when I pull it back out to weld it permanently.
Last edited by LilSki; 03-21-2012 at 12:01 PM.
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Car: 85 Trans Am
Engine: 98 Vortec 350 LT1 Cam w/ TPI
Transmission: T56
Axle/Gears: 9 bolt 3:27
Re: T56 Clutch Pedal mod
Had the pedal out today and took some quick measurements. Stock looks to be around 2" and after the pivot I have it around 1 1/2". There may be an issue for some with contact with the pedal bracket with the pedal all the way up. I had to shave a small amount off for clearance.
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Car: 1988 Camaro Convertible
Re: T56 Clutch Pedal mod
Any updates on how this turned out seems to be the easiest way to get around this problem. I may jusr do this if all is well with yours thanks
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Car: 85 Trans Am
Engine: 98 Vortec 350 LT1 Cam w/ TPI
Transmission: T56
Axle/Gears: 9 bolt 3:27
Re: T56 Clutch Pedal mod
with about 6000 miles since this mod I have had no issues. I did fine tune the position a bit when I first did it. With it all the way up you had to go almost all the way to the floor to release fully which I didn't like. So I rotated it down a little at a time until when it was all the way to the floor the clutch fork just barely starts to hit the pressure plate. But while driving I almost never depress the clutch more than half way.
Every car will be a little different and may need more or less adjustment. That is what I liked about this mod is you get the adjustability of an adjustable master without paying for one.
Every car will be a little different and may need more or less adjustment. That is what I liked about this mod is you get the adjustability of an adjustable master without paying for one.
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Car: 1988 Iroc
Engine: 5.7L
Transmission: '96 T56, Hurst Shifter, Mech VSS
Axle/Gears: 3.45 9 Bolt
Re: T56 Clutch Pedal mod
Where does this engage the clutch, is it almost all the way out like it was with the pedal stock?
I have been working on a "fix" to get the clutch to engage exactly like a 4th gen will, and have come to the realization you actually need to move the pivot (for the MC) out a little to accomplish this.
I have been working on a "fix" to get the clutch to engage exactly like a 4th gen will, and have come to the realization you actually need to move the pivot (for the MC) out a little to accomplish this.
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Car: 85 Trans Am
Engine: 98 Vortec 350 LT1 Cam w/ TPI
Transmission: T56
Axle/Gears: 9 bolt 3:27
Re: T56 Clutch Pedal mod
You can set it any way you want. You can have it so far that it grabs just off the floor or all the way up and anywhere in the middle. I have fiddled with mine some since this thread and it is fully released just past half way and no contact with pressure plate at full pedal.
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Car: 1988 Iroc
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Re: T56 Clutch Pedal mod
You can set it any way you want. You can have it so far that it grabs just off the floor or all the way up and anywhere in the middle. I have fiddled with mine some since this thread and it is fully released just past half way and no contact with pressure plate at full pedal.
What I am thinking of doing to prevent that is lengthen the pin in the x and y axis (away from the firewall and toward the dash so as to keep the geometry with the MC true while also lowering the engage point.
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Car: 85 Trans Am
Engine: 98 Vortec 350 LT1 Cam w/ TPI
Transmission: T56
Axle/Gears: 9 bolt 3:27
Re: T56 Clutch Pedal mod
The master does not have to be in perfect alignment. In fact in many factory setups they are slightly out of line. The ball socket in the master can deal with a pretty steep angle. As for my setup the added angle has not seemed to have any ill effect on the master. I can take a picture to show what it looks like.
As for moving the pivot back you don't have alot of room to move it back without modifying the pedal bracket. As the stopper for the pedal will be in the way.
As for moving the pivot back you don't have alot of room to move it back without modifying the pedal bracket. As the stopper for the pedal will be in the way.
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Car: 85 Trans Am
Engine: 98 Vortec 350 LT1 Cam w/ TPI
Transmission: T56
Axle/Gears: 9 bolt 3:27
Re: T56 Clutch Pedal mod
Just took some quick pictures. Should give you a good idea of how straight it actually is.
Hope that helps!
Hope that helps!
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Re: T56 Clutch Pedal mod
Thanks, it helps out.
When i said "pivot" i meant the one that the master cylinder mounts attaches too. NOT the pivot that mounts the whole pedal to the bracket.
Here is what Im working on.
I found out that between the 4th gen and 3rd gen pedals, the difference between where they engage is 1 5/8". I made a jig that allowed me to figure out where to mount the MC pin if I wanted the 3rd gen clutch pedal to be fully out 1 5/8" sooner. Here are some pictures since it is easier to explane that way.
diff between 3rd and 4th gen pedals
pin at stock position
pin at 1 5/8" sooner
If the pin is moved this distance, you have less "throw" on the MC therefore an earlier engagement and no chance of "over extending" the slave.
When i said "pivot" i meant the one that the master cylinder mounts attaches too. NOT the pivot that mounts the whole pedal to the bracket.
Here is what Im working on.
I found out that between the 4th gen and 3rd gen pedals, the difference between where they engage is 1 5/8". I made a jig that allowed me to figure out where to mount the MC pin if I wanted the 3rd gen clutch pedal to be fully out 1 5/8" sooner. Here are some pictures since it is easier to explane that way.
diff between 3rd and 4th gen pedals
pin at stock position
pin at 1 5/8" sooner
If the pin is moved this distance, you have less "throw" on the MC therefore an earlier engagement and no chance of "over extending" the slave.
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Car: 85 Trans Am
Engine: 98 Vortec 350 LT1 Cam w/ TPI
Transmission: T56
Axle/Gears: 9 bolt 3:27
Re: T56 Clutch Pedal mod
I knew what you meant about the pivot I guess I didn't explain it well on my part. What I meant was when the pedal is at rest it comes back to a rubber stopper that the welded on extension rests against (see last picture of my first post). So if you were to say cut it off and move it back you would essentially move the pedal further forward and possible negating some of the change.
In the end I believe what you are proposing will work just as well. And I believe both methods essentially accomplish the same thing. I just liked the ability to adjust it with the pivot. And I have found no need to weld it as it does not move.
In the end I believe what you are proposing will work just as well. And I believe both methods essentially accomplish the same thing. I just liked the ability to adjust it with the pivot. And I have found no need to weld it as it does not move.
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Car: 1988 Iroc
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Re: T56 Clutch Pedal mod
Thanks for the info, i forgot about the stopper, i will have to keep that in mind when i do my mod.
I guess you and i were trying to acomplish the same thing, but by different methods, the goal is to shorten the radius of the arc from the main pivot to the mc pin.
I guess you and i were trying to acomplish the same thing, but by different methods, the goal is to shorten the radius of the arc from the main pivot to the mc pin.
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Re: T56 Clutch Pedal mod
Another option you could do is to make the rod on the master adjustable. I went to the hardware store and got I believe a 3/8 coupler and a couple nuts. I already had a tap and die set. Cut a small piece out of the rod, but making sure with the coupler its about the same length. Thread both ends and put on the nuts and coupler. The coupler acts as the adjuster. I got mine to act great. The only complaint I would have is that is does release a bit high for my tastes, about in the middle.
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When you said moved it down a little bit to fine tune it to say 1 5/8" -1 3/4"center to center.Doing the mod today and just wanna be as close as possible if I could thanks
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