Gas pedal ball joint replacement?

[coW52Dodge]

The gas pedal on my 52 B3B is attached to the bottom by means of these two studs that have balls on the end that seem to just have been pressed into a chunk of rubber. They have worn out, causing all sorts of sloppiness.

My pedal is also bent - someone must have literally had a lead foot.

Do I replace the pedal or do they sell that rubber ball joint mating end somewhere?

If the pedal indeed just needs to be replaced, which one is recommended? I see Roberts and Andy Bernbaum both sell one.

[MBF]

Can't speak to which pedal to use, but the ball type stud was used up through the late 70's Dodge pickups before they went to a fire mounted pedal. Mike

[Merle Coggins]

I got my gas pedal from Roberts. It works fine, but it's a bit flimsy. It bends easy. I believe Steele will vulcanize new rubber onto your original pedal if the base is good, but it's a bit more pricy.

As for the ball studs... I've seen similar ball studs used at the ends of gas struts like used on hatchbacks and etc. Maybe something like that could be found and used. Or, you may get by with a round head machine screw as a temporary fix until a suitable ball stud can be located.

Merle

[coW52Dodge]

I got my gas pedal from Roberts. It works fine, but it's a bit flimsy. It bends easy. I believe Steele will vulcanize new rubber onto your original pedal if the base is good, but it's a bit more pricy.

As for the ball studs... I've seen similar ball studs used at the ends of gas struts like used on hatchbacks and etc. Maybe something like that could be found and used. Or, you may get by with a round head machine screw as a temporary fix until a suitable ball stud can be located.

Merle

Thanks. The studs appear to be fine. The ball joint itself is just really sloppy. Maybe I'll do what you did and then later have mine reworked.

[grey beard]

My oldest son in Montana has an old B model Pilothouse grain truck that someone used a door hinge to repair the throttle. Mebby ingenuity is really the mother of invention?

My own Pilothouse has other throttle problems. The cross shaft at the back of the block - to which the gas pedal is attached on the left and the throttle rod goes up to the carburetor on the right side - appears to be twisted, or else the ends of this rod can move out of time. I have insufficient throttle travel to get wide open throttle. It's almost enough, but lacks just a small amount from going wide open, I'm against the floor with the rubber prdal, and the adjustment on the push rod up to the bellcrank beneath the carb is all the way forward.

Mebby I need to mig an extension on the short piece that fits into the throttle. Those ball studs are a sorry arrangement. Might have been okay back in the day when good replacement rubber goods were avaioable, but that $30 dollar repro piefe Roberts sells is pure junk. Mine bends quite often, whilst I struggle to get wide open throttle.

Then again, I guess I could always use the cruise control - that thing on the dash that says THROTTLE.

[Merle Coggins]

My oldest son in Montana has an old B model Pilothouse grain truck that someone used a door hinge to repair the throttle. Mebby ingenuity is really the mother of invention?

Ya mean like this? This is on one of our forum member's trucks, and I'll just leave it at that. Function over form in this case.

[Don Coatney]

I had a similar problem with my original gas pedal. The ball socket on the top

end where it connects to the linkage had rotted away. I found a old heavy

rubber grommet, cut it to fit, and used super glue to attach it. I did this 3-4

years ago and it still works great. I used two round head stove bolts for the

lower socket pivots where the foot feed attaches to the floorboard.

[coW52Dodge]

Ya mean like this? This is on one of our forum member's trucks, and I'll just leave it at that. Function over form in this case.

LOL!!! ^^

While doing a HomeDepot run over the weekend, I had a hinge in my hands but decided against it to avoid giving the purist a conniption. They suffered enough after seeing that one..

[coW52Dodge]

Okay, I got my replacement in yesterday from Roberts. It looks almost identical to my old one, with the exception that it seems to have an extra ball joint where it connects to the linkage. I suspect that's for some other truck or car.

It still wants to flop sideways a bit. I realize one isn't going to do any precision driving with this truck but can that be improved?

I see now I should have ordered a draft seal for the hole as well - would having one improve that situation?

Edited July 19, 2009 by coW52Dodge

[Reg Evans]

At the other end of the linkage that plugs into your gas pedal is a loop with a pin going through it. This area gets very sloppy over the years. If you remove those two parts and drill it out to a larger size and insert a bigger diameter pin you'll improve that side flopping situation a bunch.

[coW52Dodge]

At the other end of the linkage that plugs into your gas pedal is a loop with a pin going through it. This area gets very sloppy over the years. If you remove those two parts and drill it out to a larger size and insert a bigger diameter pin you'll improve that side flopping situation a bunch.

Thanks for that suggestion - I'll have a look at that tomorrow.