hydraulic clutch pedals

[winky]

has anyone on here ever tried to find an original hydraulic clutch pedal for our trucks? (85+) I was lucky and bought a truck that had the set up in it and used it on my mud truck to avoid all the manual linkages etc.. Since then i have had a few people ask me for them or if i know where they could get one.  it seems that they hard hard to find and that when you do find one its $350+ for the assembly. A friend of mine put a 5 speed out of my old 90 model in an 84 and needed the hydraulic pedals and has looked everywhere besides buying some type of after market kit for them. My question is, if i could make a pedal for the hydraulic setup do yall think there would be enough demand for it to actually be able to sell them? i am possibly about to make one for my friend and while im at it i figure i might has well get a few more cut out?

My idea is to sell a replacement pedal, you take your pedal off replace it with mine and then just buy the clutch reservoir from a parts store and bolt it on. ideas?

[zieg85]

I think as long as it has the support rods and doesn't flex the firewall there should be a market for it.  I have a stock set out of a 1987 I have on a shelf and I do see them going for a pretty penny on eBay.  I was going to use it for my 85 but I am eventually going to sell everything and keep one.

[winky]

well Monday mine is coming out of the mud truck, depending on how busy work is possibly going to start a prototype and get a cad drawing of it.

[Captkaos]

It is possible.  You need to find a market though and determine if it is cost effective.  I plan to just convert mine, if I can't find one.
Keep in mind the hydraulic was only available starting in 1985.

[winky]

i need to do a little more researching on everything but i know the holes for where the reservoir bolts up are already on the 83-84 cabs or they are indented so you know where it goes. my mud truck is an 83 cab and the truck my friend is working on is an 84

[cwest]

I'm in the process of doing an auto to manual swap and just put one in my truck.  I did my research before I bought one so was scouring online for a while.  They show up on eBay fairly often in the ±$250 range.  There seems to be a market for them because during my search they would be posted and then taken down on eBay pretty quick, so I can only assume they were being sold quick. 

As far as the reservoir goes.. I couldn't find it at any parts store when I bought my clutch master cylinder.  I think a junk yard would be better for that.  Luckily the people I bought the hydro bellhousing from threw in a bunch of "reference" parts for me which included the reservoir.  So I was able to acquire one with zero searching.. Was pretty happy about that.   

[Captkaos]

I bought the hydraulic parts minus pedals from GM many years ago.  I can get them, someone will just need to remind me...

[winky]

sounds good. im going to do some checking on Monday for the actual pedal cost to make. once i get some things figured out i will post the info. I will Probably make 5 to begin with or so to see how it goes

[Engineer]

I have two complete sets of the hydraulic clutch pedals.

I saved them thinking I would use them, but now I doubt that I ever will.

I am fine using the mechanical linkage, but I have the 465 trans, and the mechanical stuff works fine.

I know a guy that has a 2wd ZF 6 speed out of a 2001. I have thought about buying that then I'll need the hydraulic clutch, but a thought was all it is........so who knows.........

[winky]

yup i think the majority of the people that will want the hydraulic clutch pedal are people who are swapping. in newer trans etc or are changing from automatic to manual.

[zieg85]

After having a juice clutch I wouldn't want to go back.  I remember my 79 in bumper to bumper traffic with the HD pressure plate in it, my left leg was throbbing when I went home.  My 85 is a breeze to push in...

[Blazin]

Years ago I modified a manual clutch pedal to work with the hydraulic clutch master cylinder rod.

[Captkaos]

Get any pictures of it Blazin?

[Engineer]

The biggest problem I see is the fact that the older cabs aren't shaped properly at the firewall to accept the master cylinder. It isn't as simple as drilling holes. The clutch m/c is at a downhill angle to clear the brake booster.

My son has a factory '85 handshaker and the firewall is different than my '77.

If someone had a work around for the firewall I'd be all in for it.

[Engineer]

One other thought.........

I seen a push rod for the mechanical linkage that replaces the crude bushing ends with a heim setup.

I haven't used it but I would think us guys using the older mechanical linkage could benefit from the reduced friction of the heims.

Definitely on my list of things to consider once my truck is back together.