P15 Brake Pedal Draft Seal (Grommet?)

[kbuhagiar]

Hello Folks,

 

 

Can someone please confirm that the brake (and clutch) pedal "grommet" on a P15 isn't really a grommet, but a draft seal which is fixed to the pedal arm and moves with the pedal arm under the car, thus creating a seal when the pedal is at rest (not activated)? I was operating under the (apparently) mistaken impression that the seal was actually a grommet that was fixed to the floor and the pedal lever slid through it.

 

Thanks in advance.

Edited January 12, 2018 by kbuhagiar

[Niel Hoback]

It's fixed to the pedal arm, not the floor.

Learned the hard way.

[FlashBuddy]

Bought a couple, from DCM If memory serves. Sorta helps. Quiets down releasing the clutch or brake. After heating in very hot, near boiling water, and wearing gloves, you can actually stretch the things over the tops of the pedals.

[Niel Hoback]

You can take the pedals off with one but each.

[TodFitch]

32 minutes ago, Niel Hoback said:

You can take the pedals off with one but each.

 

Probably true on later vehicles but on my '33 the pedal pad area is part of the arm forging.

 

My pedal dust seals are failing (installed 20 years ago). I might try that hot water trick that FlashBuddy mentions (last time I sliced them and then glued up the slice after putting them around the arm.

[FlashBuddy]

I had read about the cut and paste method and thought I would use that as a fallback if my hot stretch over the tops of the pedal pads failed. Starting with fresh pliable rubbers recommended. 

[desoto1939]

you unbolt the pedal fromthe rm and then pullthe seal down over the arm under the floor board. you might have to unbolt the floor board.

rich hartung

[Don Coatney]

Easiest to do with the master cylinder removed and viced up on the bench.

 

 

 

[DonaldSmith]

Gee, checking my foggy memory, and my photos, I have the grommets on the pedal shafts below the floor, and another set as carpet grommets.   For the carpet grommets, I thnk I cut out the inner, lower parts so that the shafts would move freely.   Here'a a separate floor for my Jiffy Jet and brake light switch. The underfloor grommet for the cluch pedal is peeking out from the edge of the panel.  

 

 

Here's a carpet shoe with the grommets on the carpet. 

 

[TodFitch]

2 hours ago, desoto1939 said:

you unbolt the pedal fromthe rm and then pullthe seal down over the arm under the floor board. you might have to unbolt the floor board.

rich hartung

 

On some years it is not possible to unbolt the pedal from the arm.

 

 

[knuckleharley]

6 hours ago, FlashBuddy said:

I had read about the cut and paste method and thought I would use that as a fallback if my hot stretch over the tops of the pedal pads failed. Starting with fresh pliable rubbers recommended. 

I would be afraid of getting the rubber too hot and stretching it too much,so that it didn't seal like it is supposed to seal.

[kbuhagiar]

 

I got my pedal draft seals from Andy Bernbaum. They are of a very high quality.

 

After removing the pedal pad from my brake arm I was able to stretch the seal enough to get past the threaded portion. It requires some effort but it's not too bad. Running the seal under some hot water prior to the installation helped a bit. Afterward, I was able to maneuver the seal past the floorboard to its intended location at the base of the pedal arm.

 

After observing it in operation from down under, I am quite surprised at how effective it appears to be. It is firmly gripped in position on the arm, and yet is pliable enough to form a surprisingly good seal on the floorboard. Two thumbs up.

 

Thanks again to all for the input and observations.

[Dozerman51]

Hello Kubuhagiar,

I had a hell of time installing those draft pads on my WC-12 Pick Up. I just cut them enough so they would slip on the pedal shaft and wrapped them closed with some very small gauge plastic coated wire. They seem to be holding up well. Say, I see you and I live close by. I’m down here in San Carlos. I know SSF well. I worked for the city for 28 years. It is a great city to work for.  Maybe some day we can get together with our vehicles. 

[FlashBuddy]

On 1/12/2018 at 12:49 PM, DonaldSmith said:

Gee, checking my foggy memory, and my photos, I have the grommets on the pedal shafts below the floor, and another set as carpet grommets.   For the carpet grommets, I thnk I cut out the inner, lower parts so that the shafts would move freely.   Here'a a separate floor for my Jiffy Jet and brake light switch. The underfloor grommet for the cluch pedal is peeking out from the edge of the panel.  

 

 

Here's a carpet shoe with the grommets on the carpet. 

 

Your a genius. I've got an extra set and will be stealing your stellar idear, thank you.

[Jerry Roberts]

It seems that not all of the draft seals are of equal quality . The seals in Don C ' s photo look very thick and sturdy . The seals that I bought for my truck were much thinner and stretched over the pedals easily. My pedals looked like Tod F ' s  welded on pedals . My thin seals wore out very quickly . 

[61farnham]

On 12/01/2018 at 12:09 AM, Niel Hoback said:

It's fixed to the pedal arm, not the floor.

Learned the hard way.

 

 

Another thing learned, when i pulled my floor panel to change the master cylinder i noticed a previous owner had used sealant to stick them to the floor so that's the way i put them back.The floor panels currently out again though waiting for me to change a leaky core plug in rear of the block so i'll replace the draft seals properly this time.

Edited January 14, 2018 by 61farnham

[Jerry Roberts]

On 1/13/2018 at 7:42 PM, Jerry Roberts said:

It seems that not all of the draft seals are of equal quality . The seals in Don C ' s photo look very thick and sturdy . The seals that I bought for my truck were much thinner and stretched over the pedals easily. My pedals looked like Tod F ' s  welded on pedals . My thin seals wore out very quickly . 

I just bought a pair of pedal shaft seals from DCM Classics and they are nice thick rubber . To stretch them over my non-removable pedals I warmed them up in the weather and coated them inside and outside with plumbers grease , the grease that is used for o-rings . I also greased the pedal itself , top and bottom , and made sure that there were no sharp edges on the pedal to tear the rubber . I had to use a putty knife to help slide the first one over the pedal , it provided some leverage and the putty knife was also without sharp edges .  The second seal I was able to put on without the putty knife for some reason .  I half expected the seals to tear during this struggle but they went on O K .  At some point during assembly the seals were at least partially inside out so greasing both the inside and the outside is necessary .