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help with squareback pedal adjustment...please!
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rot8tor
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PostPosted: Tue Mar 08, 2005 3:58 pm    Post subject: help with squareback pedal adjustment...please! Reply with quote

Hey all,

New to this, just got a 72 squareback and I love it!!

I have a question about the pedals though. They seem to be leaning too far towards the drivers seat! The pedal pads are practically upside down and facing the floor, so I have to get underneath them with my foot to apply the brakes or engage the clutch which is making it difficult to drive...

Can this be adjusted? and if so, how??

Thanks a bunch for any help you can provide!
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vweater1
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PostPosted: Tue Mar 08, 2005 4:09 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

They should be leaning forward. As long as they are resting properly on the metal floor plate they are correct. You can adjust the brake pedal from the push rod that is connected to the pedal, to adjust the travel just screw in or unscrew a few threads from the push rod. Now for the clutch pedal you will have to adjust the clutch cable to allow about 1/4 to 1/2 inch of play from when you press the pedal. You will have to adjust the wing nut on the cable connected on the tranny arm until the pedal is just about right on the travel from the floor plate to the back of the floor wall. Hopefully this should help as I just did it this weekend. If not someone please hook him up.
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lapuwali
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PostPosted: Tue Mar 08, 2005 5:50 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

This is NOT correct. They should NOT be resting on the metal floor plate.

If you pull the carpet out of the way, you'll see a plate with two slots in it behind the pedals. There are one or two screws holding it down. Remove this, and in front of the pedals (front of the car), on the floor, should be a small bit of angle held down with one bolt in a slot. This is the stop for both pedals. Push the pedals forward, loosen that bolt, and slide the angle backwards. Make sure you still have plenty of freeplay in both pedals.

The pedals should rest with the pads more or less vertical.
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'71 914
'69 Squareback
'67 912
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rot8tor
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PostPosted: Tue Mar 08, 2005 11:41 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks for the tips...

no offense vweater1, but I tend to agree that they should be more vertical, for me to have to put my foot under the pedals to get them started is very dangerous and difficult to manage...that's why I was asking...

thanks, lapuwali, I'll try that out this weekend....
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vweater1
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PostPosted: Wed Mar 09, 2005 10:03 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

My bad I just described the plate incorrectly, but that is exactly what I'm talking about the metal plate behind the pedals. I just call it the floor plate, sorry if I confused you. Confused
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glutamodo Premium Member
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PostPosted: Wed Mar 09, 2005 10:31 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I'm surprised no one has said this yet:

It's usually bad practice to adjust the length of that brake pushrod unless it's been tampered with previously. VW set it up, and the pedal height, at the factory, and any adjustments were to be made ONLY by adjusting the pedal stop on the floor. But unfortunately, a lot of the pushrods have been messed with over the years. Once you get your pedal stop set up so your pedals are where you want them to be, you'll need to check for proper freeplay between the brake pushrod and its contact with the master cylinder. This is important. You have to have a millimeter or more of play there so the master cylinder comes to its proper "rest" position when your foot is off the pedal. This translates to about a quarter of inch of play when you feel it at the pedal itself.

As for the proper pedal height, in the Type 3 manual, VW states that you need to have at least 8 7/8" from the brake pedal to the cross panel on the frame ahead of the driver's feet, measured with the ruler held parallel to the ground.

andy
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rot8tor
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PostPosted: Wed Mar 09, 2005 12:21 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks again, all of this info is VERY helpful. I couldn't find any info about it anywhere in the other Forum topics. You would think this would have come up before!!

glutamodo - your tips about adjusting the brake pedal are great. Do I have to do the same type of adjustment to the clutch pedal by adjusting the cable attachment with the wing nut at the tranny??

Does anyone have a photo of how normal pedals are supposed to look??
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wynsquezr
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PostPosted: Wed Mar 09, 2005 1:00 pm    Post subject: clutch adjust Reply with quote

vweater1 wrote:
They should be leaning forward. As long as they are resting properly on the metal floor plate they are correct. You can adjust the brake pedal from the push rod that is connected to the pedal, to adjust the travel just screw in or unscrew a few threads from the push rod. Now for the clutch pedal you will have to adjust the clutch cable to allow about 1/4 to 1/2 inch of play from when you press the pedal. You will have to adjust the wing nut on the cable connected on the tranny arm until the pedal is just about right on the travel from the floor plate to the back of the floor wall. Hopefully this should help as I just did it this weekend. If not someone please hook him up.

When re installing my motor and trans(trans nosecone thread) I didn't hold the cable when making initial adjustment and twisted cable on my71 sb on the first roadtest after a number of shifts the last,a rapid downshift i got enough release on the cable for all of the twist to come out of the cable at once - push from left turn across thru lane - usual rude comments - hold cable - te adjust clutch laying on dirt and sharp rocks on side of road - go on home. Moral - much more confortable on smooth surface of driveway
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glutamodo Premium Member
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PostPosted: Wed Mar 09, 2005 1:05 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I'd set the brake pedal to the clearance from the frame support that I mentioned before and get the clutch even with it, then go back and adjust your wingnut on the tranny until the pedal has 3/8 - 3/4 inch of freeplay.

Oh, and time for Ye Olde Standarde Piece of Advice - buy yourself the Robert Bentley Official VW service manual for this car. It's a valuable resource.

As for a picture, I just searched the type 3 gallery here, and it seems like just about every one in with an interior shot shows the pedals at different height, with the brake pedal being further towards the rear of the car. I don't think that's right, i'm pretty sure they are supposed to be even with each other. I finally found this picture here that I think is about what they are supposed to look like:

-andy

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.
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lapuwali
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PostPosted: Wed Mar 09, 2005 1:45 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I found that on my '69, the brake pedal was always farther towards the rear, and the culprit was the shape of the lower section of the pedal (below the pivot), where the adjustment plate rests. This looked like it had gotten bashed in some, so the pedal sat back a good ways. This appears to be pretty common, given the number of cars that have the pedals uneven like this. The proper fix is to disassemble the pedal cluster and reshape the pedal, but an easy fix is to make a rubber bump stop that attaches to the angle. I used an old bit of door seal to make mine.
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rot8tor
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PostPosted: Wed Mar 09, 2005 4:51 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

over the weekend I went on eBay and purchased the above mentioned Bentley book as well as a few other obscure ones and the Muir book....but I haven't gotten them yet! Can't wait to start working on the old SB, so I figured I'd turn to you guys since you seem to know what's what...and sure enough you do!

I'll tackle this pedal project soon and take notes of anything that varies from what's been told here and add it in...

once again, thanks for all the valuable advice, I really appreciate it...
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EverettB Premium Member
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PostPosted: Wed Mar 09, 2005 6:45 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Yes, the pedals should be even but A LOT of cars are uneven. Another culprit is the actual nut welded to the floorpan. Sometimes the floorpan section where that bolt is gets bent from wear or damage or rust. This causes the brake pedal to go off more than the clutch pedal.

Another thing to check.
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