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So me pedal box is shot and I have the funds to get it replaced. I am gonna be buying an OEM replacement but I dont wanna replace it ever again. So I am gonna have it reinforced before installation.

What are the key/crucial places to reinforce so that the pedal box can last longer? What are the normal areas that are stressed and tend to break?

If anyone has welded one up before and has some pictures of a beefed up/reinforced unit?

Thanks everyone! I will post up pictures of mine this week once it is all welded up.

Do a search with the handy search button above. This issue has been discussed, including pictures and even diagrams of where to reinforce. Make sure you buy from DPP. I think that the part is less than $50 from him.

Got it, tried searching but didnt find much.

I shall try again.

Check out this thread.

The second photo in the response shows the bracket upside down. You see the rectangular patch in that photo? That's where the usual failure is. The failure is usually a straight fracture crack running along the top edge (in that photo) of the patch. It starts at the upper right corner and runs to the left, until it gets to the plate that mounts to the firewall.

When I replaced the bracket, I had the new one reinforced. I asked the welder to thicken the edge of the sheet metal about a 3/4" inch in either direction of where the crack starts. Basically, reinforcing the metal at those tight radii.

I came across that picture earlier but I dont really see whats going on. Once I get the bracket in Ill compare and figure it out.

Thanks, Bookmarked that link.

RonW wrote:Check out this thread.

Now maybe you and I will not be the only ones to know this thread exists.

Thanks for posting this thread picture again.

Is that reinforcement patch to "thicken the edge of the sheet metal" a similar gauge of sheetmetal welded to the bracket?

More importantly how has this worked for you guys? No more cracks and failed clutch cylinders?

I just had the pics, my pedal bracket is still original for a little while longer at least.

Ron W

What has your experience been?

Mab1957 wrote:Ron W

What has your experience been?

My experience is that the bracket splits as I described in my earlier post. It broke in my 535is that has only 100k miles. It broke (more than once) in the 535i with over 400k. Here's hoping the reinforced brackets last longer. Once they break they shorten the life of the clutch master cylinder, and can also cause the over-center helper spring assembly to break. (That happened to me too. Replacement was not fun.)

My replacement pedal bracket and clutch cylinder are on the way from DPP. I'll weld in a reinforcement plate as shown and start my own evaluation. Thanks for the visual aid.

Definitely a helpful link. My bracket should be here tomoro as well as some other maintenance goodies.

Ill post up some pictures after I get it welded up this weekend.

Replacement pedal bracket is punched with a square hole instead of round hole where the electric switch mounts at the clutch pedal. Anyone else run into this, and if so how did you mount the switch?

new

original

My old bracket was cracked about 11/4 inches along the break in the clutch master cylinder side.

Mab1957 wrote:Replacement pedal bracket is punched with a square hole instead of round hole where the electric switch mounts at the clutch pedal. Anyone else run into this, and if so how did you mount the switch?

Washers. Actually it was that way when I bought mine, when it was time to replace it I didn't realize it was as cheap as it was and I got a used one out of an eta that was an exact replacement. Regardless, fender washers is the answer.

Never updated this after all. Clutch master cylinder literally broke in half with the new bracket and MC in the trunk. Due to time constraints of a car no longer driveable, I just got it all done and moved on lol

Mike W. wrote:

Mab1957 wrote:Replacement pedal bracket is punched with a square hole instead of round hole where the electric switch mounts at the clutch pedal. Anyone else run into this, and if so how did you mount the switch?

Washers. Actually it was that way when I bought mine, when it was time to replace it I didn't realize it was as cheap as it was and I got a used one out of an eta that was an exact replacement. Regardless, fender washers is the answer.

Will do! Thanks, Mike

Slow Ballin' - Glad you found someone to do it for you. On the road again

Was bleeding the clutch and the overspring pushrod broke!! Aaargh

Looking for another one now - BRIAN help!



Hope to be able to still bleed it all down and slip in the replacement afterward. Wow it is hard to work up in there!

Anybody got any helpful tips, or one of these assemblies in the DC Metro area I can come get now????

Take out the front seat. It doesn't take all that long and will save your back. Plus with all the change you find down there it'll pay for the job

Thanks, Xeno, did that at the beginning of the job!

I'm still not getting any pressure to the clutch. Have pumped/bled the clutch through the MC/Slave. I don't have a pressure/bleeder to speed the process, but it seems after 30 of forty times that I ought to have more pedal pressure.

We used the new pressure bleeder ($55 BavAuto) to ensure the Master and Slave bled properly. Pedal firmed up and continues to work nicely. Finished about midnight prior to our Thursday morning departure for The Vintage. After 3 weeks we're still functioning properly but I do need to adjust the brake pedal switch as the lights stay on sometimes.

Mab1957 wrote:Was bleeding the clutch and the overspring pushrod broke!! Aaargh

Looking for another one now - BRIAN help!



Hope to be able to still bleed it all down and slip in the replacement afterward. Wow it is hard to work up in there!

Anybody got any helpful tips, or one of these assemblies in the DC Metro area I can come get now????

Late-- but that unit is not broke, if you didn't lose the tiny circlip that holds the plastic seat (shown in pic) at the end of the stud (also shown, circlip grove at top) you can repair it in a few minutes.

Mab1957 wrote:Was bleeding the clutch and the overspring pushrod broke!! Aaargh

Hope to be able to still bleed it all down and slip in the replacement afterward. Wow it is hard to work up in there!

Anybody got any helpful tips...

In response to the helpful tip request: I know you've completed your install Matt, but thought I'd add this for future seekers.

With the MC body bolted to the bracket and its' push-rod still unattached, raise the pedal as high as you can.
To raise the pedal you must also unbolt and remove the small bracket that holds the cruise control clutch release switch.
Unbolt the broken over-under spring from the mount, and bolt on the new one*.
Be sure the fins on the spring side are perpendicular to the mounting bolt hole so they will sit solidly in the bracket groove.
Now lower the pedal placing the fins in the groove and bolt the MC plunger to it's respective mounting tab*.

* Both the MC and Spring bolt to the right sides of their clutch pedal tabs.

U R done!

nnarth212 wrote:

Mab1957 wrote:Was bleeding the clutch and the overspring pushrod broke!! Aaargh

Looking for another one now - BRIAN help!



Hope to be able to still bleed it all down and slip in the replacement afterward. Wow it is hard to work up in there!

Anybody got any helpful tips, or one of these assemblies in the DC Metro area I can come get now????

Late-- but that unit is not broke, if you didn't lose the tiny circlip that holds the plastic seat (shown in pic) at the end of the stud (also shown, circlip grove at top) you can repair it in a few minutes.

The missing circlip isn't the problem represented in that pic.

Mab1957 wrote:Was bleeding the clutch and the overspring pushrod broke!! Aaargh

Looking for another one now - BRIAN help!

[img]picture%20of%20over-center%20pushrod[/img]

Hope to be able to still bleed it all down and slip in the replacement afterward. Wow it is hard to work up in there!

Anybody got any helpful tips, or one of these assemblies in the DC Metro area I can come get now????

IDK if by BRIAN you meant me (probably not!), but when mine broke I made one out of tool steel; didn't care for a precision cast component there. I had access to machine tools at the time, but I don't right now. You could really use any kind of steel you want, I just had some tool steel just the right size to make mine from. It's not tremendously difficult to install/remove so you could replace with stock if you need to get back on the road right away, but I like not having to worry about this part anymore. I don't think it would be very expensive if you know a machinist with time on his hands.

Hope this helps!

What is the time frame for a job like this? Bad pedal bracket/master.

I feel mine is on the way out.

if you are a first timer, expect it to take an entire afternoon