removing master cylinder on a 53 Plymouth

[austinsailor]

I'm trying to get it off to put on a new one. I guess this is the time a factory service manual would come in real handy, but I haven't found one yet.

The pedals rotate on a shaft through the forward end of the master cylinder. The right side has an E-clip,I had hoped the shaft would just push through leaving the pedals and all the hardware behind. It hasn't worked.

Is my shaft just stuck, is there more to it, is there a secrete way to do this? Removing the top of the pedals doesn't help, the arms are too long for it to go down and remove as an assembly.

Any pointers?

[Dodgeb4ya]

The shaft is a press fit in the MC. Somertimes they are loose from previous poor disassembly and re-assembly.

I always leave the pedals in the car. Remove both clutch and brake pedal push rods from the pedals. Knock both "C" clips off with a 13/16" open end wrench. Disconnect both lines @ back of the MC. Remove the three 9/16" hex mounting bolts on the MC.

By wiggling the M/cyl and pedals you will be able to slide the pedals off the shaft and slip the cylinder out of the car leaving the pedals in place and also not having to deal with the floor panel removal. 20-30 minutes to do it this way if you are skilled at this stuff all day long!

Bob

[austinsailor]

So is there another e-clip on the other side I can't see for the clutch? Remove it and slide the clutch pedal to the left?

And below the brake pedal swivel point is the rod into the master cylinder. I've got to clean it up some more, but I assume it has a keeper of some sort and it gets freed to allow the brake pedal to slide to the right to come free? Or can I remove it completely before removing the pedal as your description sounds?

Not a lot of working room there - wish the engineers had to work on this stuff!

[Dodgeb4ya]

You do need to completely remove the brake pedal push rod from the MC and the pedal. Take it completely out of the car. You probaly will need to free up and clean the adjustment threads on it anyway. Same goes for the clutch fork adjustment rod-completely remove it and clean it up too. The C clips are easier to get at with the master cylinder unbolted and loose-more room to see and get at the clutch pedal C -clip. Once the clips are off and the MC is loose, this will enable you to slide the pedals off to the sides of the shaft. This act will require figuring out the correct position of the master cylinder (twist to the Rrt or Lft ) forward or back ect. The pedals have Min movement because they still go throught the floor boards. This way works and is a timesaver. Kinda like removing a starter from any new 4 wheel drive car or truck-figure the right turn twist angle and then it drops right out!

Edited April 1, 2012 by Dodgeb4ya

[austinsailor]

thanks. Something just came up and I won't be able to look at it again until Friday night or Saturday, but at least I know what should move and what shouldn't.

[austinsailor]

You're a better man than me. I got it out, but nowtwithout removing the floor panel. I'd removed most of the shifting rods, twisted the thing all around and finally figured I'd better just go at it from the top.

Wasn't too bad after removing the panel in the floor.