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BRAKE PEDAL HEIGHT ADJUSTMENT.
Author: andy1canada (Show all albums)

I know there's lots of you out there who, like me, find the brake pedal height on your coach inordinately high. I my case I nearly kneed myself in the face each time I lifted the ole' right foot up onto the brake pedal; moreover, a dozen years ago or so when I had a buyer - with deep pockets and a buggered knee - out on a test drive in #509 - I lost the deal as he couldn't reach the pedal without a seriously painful jolt from his knee.

As I've mostly ironed out the post Cummins swap kinks out of #846, I found time to address the brake pedal.

This is what I did and so far after a trip to the lake and back, I'm extremely happy with the improvement in drivability and haven't detected any overly 'hot' brake drums with my IR gun yet.

DISCLAIMER: If anyone reads this and decides to follow any or all of the methods I'm sharing or describing here - do so at your own peril. I take no responsibility nor will incur any liability henceforth.

Feel free to email me with any questions, or, join the thread commentary in the OG Mechanical forum if you please.
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Here you can see how crazy this situation really was. The top of the pedal sits at close to 10.5" off the deck.

After playing with the pedal - gently moving it up and down by hand - I discovered that I could lower the rod nearly 2" closer to the deck before the rod-end (pedal to master cyl) touched the MC-piston. WTF? I checked it then rechecked it and for the life of me I couldn't figure why it was set up this way.

IIRC: I read a service bulletin from years ago where they mentioned something about carving off some of the lower dash where the brake pedal was contacting it in order to increase the up-travel of the pedal to alleviate any residual pedal pressure on the MC. Again - IIRC. Here you can see where I drilled a 1/4" hole through the little triangle shaped gusset on the pedal arm. I determined that the much shorter upper swing-arc distance only needed to be bridged by about 1/4" or so to keep the pedal almost 2" lower without putting ANY pressure on the MC rod. I messed with some extra washers for a bit to get it just right. I left about 1/2" of pedal travel before the MC-rod tip makes contact.

Not sure if the pedal stop (the funny looking bent finger shaped prong sticking out) was RVS's work or a PO. I suspect the former. The shim-nut on the pedal I installed contacts it firmly and it's important that it does not jam up pedal travel in any way. If it contacts it squarely, it shouldn't.


Don't forget to adjust your brake-light switch afterwards and put a little Vaseline/grease on the pin contact plate while you're in there.

Better 'head on' angle of the hole placement in the gusset for the 1/4-20 bolt. A round headed carriage bolt would also work here I think. Good luck!		  
Show Newest Photos First | Show Oldest Photos First6 Photos - Page : [1]

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