Clutch/brake pedal assembly removal

[Elp_jc]

Wish the tranny forks were welded like that too . Hey gang, so the welds on 2019+ cars any better? Haven't heard of a 2019 failing yet, but maybe they haven't been driven enough miles. Who knows. Just hope I don't have to deal with that PITA.

Finally, most of the welds I saw on the pedals did NOT fail. The freaking metal broke around the weld instead. We all know a larger weld would fix the issue, but Ford must have calculated that weld was enough. So the only logical explanation for the failures is the metal is crap for that small of a weld. So Ford has to buy better metal, or just make a larger weld, which would be the most logical solution to me. Hopefully they did something to avoid that failure on my late 2019 Bullitt .

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[tevaburns]

Ok guys, I have everything back together and the car thinks the brake pedal is being pressed. If I PULL the brake pedal back the brake lights go off. I double-checked that the rubber pad that engages the brake position sensor is present.

Is it possible that the brake booster and pedal assembly aren't "together" enough? Do I need to pull all the insulation out from around the pedal assembly before tightening stuff? Any other ideas?

 

[OrangeCrush5.0]

Ok guys, I have everything back together and the car thinks the brake pedal is being pressed. If I PULL the brake pedal back the brake lights go off. I double-checked that the rubber pad that engages the brake position sensor is present.

Is it possible that the brake booster and pedal assembly aren't "together" enough? Do I need to pull all the insulation out from around the pedal assembly before tightening stuff? Any other ideas?

If I remember correctly, isn’t there an adjustable plastic plunger on the sensor? Can you adjust that?

 

[tevaburns]

If I remember correctly, isn’t there an adjustable plastic plunger on the sensor? Can you adjust that?

You were on the right track. Removing and re-installing the brake position (stoplamp) sensor reset it. Fixed.

 

[cop on my back]

I had same problem, but I had broken a mounting tab on the brake switch. Rock Auto was like $3.

 

[Elp_jc]

You have to be careful removing that stupid brake switch; you have to twist it to the RIGHT, which makes no sense, as it's the opposite of basically every other such switch on earth. Ha ha. Fortunately, I read about that before attempting to remove it. I replaced all of those yellowish pads right away, since they eventually dry off, and just crumble at the worst possible time, leaving engine in 'limp mode'. It takes a few years for that to happen, but it eventually happens, so be aware of that. I bought Toyota (black) ones. Left the 3rd on the clutch (not used) in place as a spare, and bought a 4th as a real spare, which I store in the garage.

Finally, I noticed the adjustable plunger on the brake switch, but does anybody know how to adjust it if needed? I don't think I'm going to mess with it, but the Toyota rubber pads are a hair thicker than stock, and you can actually touch the brakes to stop the car with a super minor incline, and the switch is at the threshold engagement point, where it can flicker. I just press the pedal a bit harder, to avoid early brake light failure. Maybe it was like that before; not sure. But I don't think the plunger has that fine of an adjustment, no? That's what I'd like to know . Thank you.

 

[OrangeCrush5.0]

Just out of curiosity, how many of you had the stock Clutch Assist Spring when the welds broke?

I didn’t have the stock spring installed.

 

[Elp_jc]

That's a good question. Even though the stock springs is stronger, maybe somehow it helps put less stress on the area that is failing. Let's see what the affected owners say . I have the stock spring, since the spring has nothing to do with how the clutch operates (how it bites, etc).

 

[GT Pony]

That's a good question. Even though the stock springs is stronger, maybe somehow it helps put less stress on the area that is failing. Let's see what the affected owners say . I have the stock spring, since the spring has nothing to do with how the clutch operates (how it bites, etc).

Or the super stiff stock clutch spring puts more stress into the pedal welded joints.

 

[tevaburns]

I had the Softer Steeda Spring in. The guy who welded my pedals said "These stock welds are SO BAD, it's only a matter of time before they all fail."

 

[GT Pony]

I had the Softer Steeda Spring in. The guy who welded my pedals said "These stock welds are SO BAD, it's only a matter of time before they all fail."

What mileage was on the car when you put the soft spring in? Maybe there were crack already started due to the super stiff stock spring - ??.

 

[tevaburns]

What mileage was on the car when you put the soft spring in? Maybe there were crack already started due to the super stiff stock spring - ??.

Probably about 10k when I swapped out the stock spring. Car has 14,900 on it now.

 

[OrangeCrush5.0]

My pedal cracked when I was over 45,000 miles.

I drove my car off the dealer lot new. I stopped at a Lowe’s store on the way home and grabbed a set of vice grips and removed the spring in the parking lot. That thing felt god awful, I couldn’t even continue driving it home with the stock spring.

 

[Elp_jc]

Or the super stiff stock clutch spring puts more stress into the pedal welded joints.

I don't think so man. Every person with a broken clutch pedal (there are not that many, by the way) so far has said he removed the stock spring. You'd have A TON of pedal failures already if you were right.

And again, it's not the welds that are failing (look at them); it's just that the cheap metal Ford used needed more.

 

[GT Pony]

I don't think so man. Every person with a broken clutch pedal (there are not that many, by the way) so far has said he removed the stock spring. You'd have A TON of pedal failures already if you were right.

And again, it's not the welds that are failing (look at them); it's just that the cheap metal Ford used needed more.

Regardless if they crack through the weld and/or metal at the pivot (it happens in both places), the fact is there is too much stress on that area of the pedal for the design and/or manufacturing technique - there isn't enough weld (it's not all the way around the pivot tube). The stress goes through the weld and the immediate area around the weld. Sure the metal is probably crap too which doesn't help with a small weld area, and welding it may make it even worse and more prone to failure depending on the type of steel.

What's the root cause that's putting too much stress in that area? I'm sure not everyone is slamming their brakes on constantly and locking up the brakes, and not everyone has an aftermarket clutch that takes 3x the clutch pedal effort to operate. I'm betting the super stiff OEM clutch spring doesn't help this situation. Has anyone who took out the OEM clutch pedal spring with super low miles have a failure? - I see OrangeCrush5.0 mentioned in post #73 that he took his out when new, but took 45K for his to fail, and just how crappy were the welds on his pedals compared to others?

And I'm betting some pedals are welded better than others knowing Ford's "QA consistency".

https://www.mustang6g.com/forums/threads/clutch-brake-pedal-assembly-removal.104338/#post-2262113

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