Does anyone have any data about building / buying Heim Joint equipped linkage parts for A-Body cars?

Any pointers appreciated.

Oman

yes there was a write up on this some where but not sure where so I wont take the credit but I will give you what I read.

Get two female end heim joints, 1/4 inch all thread, 5/16 hard brake line, 1/4 jam nuts

figure out the length you need the rod, cut it to length (make sure you have nuts on there to straighten out the thread) put the heim joints on to make sure you have the right length you want, then cut the brake line towhere it will cover up the all thread and now you have some linkage

I made my own main link using some male heims I picked up, connector nuts, and basic steel tubing. I filed/ground the connector nuts on one half to fit into the tubing tightly and put them with a bit of super glue :D Been working fine ever since, even with a really stiff or binding clutch.

I think the heims may have been 5/16" and I used grade 8 bolts to mount them to the clutch pedal and bellcrank.

oooh.....clutch my bad....I was thinking throttle linkage...well now you know

Buy this kit. You will be glad you did. It solved all my clutch linkage problems and make the whole system work very smoothly. It also helped with header clearance.

http://cmc.speeddirect.com/AMAZING/items.asp?Cc=RODLINKS&Bc

Buy this kit. You will be glad you did. It solved all my clutch linkage problems and make the whole system work very smoothly. It also helped with header clearance.

http://cmc.speeddirect.com/AMAZING/items.asp?Cc=RODLINKS&Bc

Kit!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

That was the word I wanted to hear. Gonna do some research at the listed site.

Thankyou

yes there was a write up on this some where but not sure where so I wont take the credit but I will give you what I read.

Get two female end heim joints, 1/4 inch all thread, 5/16 hard brake line, 1/4 jam nuts

figure out the length you need the rod, cut it to length (make sure you have nuts on there to straighten out the thread) put the heim joints on to make sure you have the right length you want, then cut the brake line towhere it will cover up the all thread and now you have some linkage

Yes there is a write up here. It is helpful but I hoped to find a kit that lets me do some one stop shopping.

Kit!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

That was the word I wanted to hear. Gonna do some research at the listed site.

Thankyou

I can attest to the high quality of the product they provide. It is all exceptionally well made and fits perfectly.

I can attest to the high quality of the product they provide. It is all exceptionally well made and fits perfectly.

Rich

That looks like a nice package. Can you tell me if there was any appreciable reduction in force required to operate the clutch pedal? I am on a "mission" as far as lightening the clutch operation as much as possible. BAD arthritis in my left ankle dictates that I have to lighten up the pedal effort or go to an automatic. I HATE AUTOMATICS!!!!!

I will be going to another clutch (McLeod dual dics most likely) but if the linkage helps ...well every little bit counts as they say. Sources here on this board tell me that the Dual Disc McLeod is "like the clutch in a Subaru" as far as pedal pressure.

Again my thanks for the tip.

The heim joints made no detectable difference in required pedal pressure when I converted.

What made a HUGE and I mean REALLY HUGE difference is changing to a different clutch along with aligning the bell housing. I had a Ram clutch and the effort was quite high. In the process of converting from Muncie to TKO-3550 I changed to a Centerforce Dual Friction and put in some .014" offset locator pins. I could not believe how easy that clutch was to push in afterwards. I cannot tell you for sure if it was a matter of the alignment being off before or the CF clutch though. But it is not softer than my DD Mustang. It *might* be a little stiffer than the used '06 BMW I just bought the wife though...

I didn't notice any reduction in pedal pressure, but the movement is more smooth.

I can attest to the high quality of the product they provide. It is all exceptionally well made and fits perfectly.

Well, maybe with stock exhaust manifolds or some header brands...

I ran the Speed Direct kit on my '66. i loved it, and I'd probably do it again ( unless it was 'stock" or i decided to go hydraulic ;) )...

I did have to ding one of the header tubes, but that was okay with me...

It worked great for several years (until i sold the car)...

It even saved me once... I had the ball-stud in the bell-housing come loose (Lakewood adjustible), which kept changing the clutch adjustment... Not only did I run out of adjustment on the lower rod, but I was tired of crawling under the car every hour or so (I was 130+ miles from home at a large, weekend-long car show, so nowhere to pull the trans out)... I ended up also using the upper rod adjustment to allow me to drive it home, stopping a few times to readjust under the dash...

Well, maybe with stock exhaust manifolds or some header brands...

I ran the Speed Direct kit on my '66. i loved it, and I'd probably do it again ( unless it was 'stock" or i decided to go hydraulic ;) )...

I did have to ding one of the header tubes, but that was okay with me...

It worked great for several years (until i sold the car)...

It even saved me once... I had the ball-stud in the bell-housing come loose (Lakewood adjustible), which kept changing the clutch adjustment... Not only did I run out of adjustment on the lower rod, but I was tired of crawling under the car every hour or so (I was 130+ miles from home at a large, weekend-long car show, so nowhere to pull the trans out)... I ended up also using the upper rod adjustment to allow me to drive it home, stopping a few times to readjust under the dash...

Just the other day I was looking at building these things myself...not hard I suspect but ya gotta get this and that and weld and measure and ........! I looked at Speed Direct based on Rich Cummings post up above. I think the kits is made by Steeroids? I was researching late last night and might have gotten lost in Cyberspace. Seems like a great looking product. A little pricy but......the convenience has to be worth something.

Just a thought on that Lakewood bell and adjustable stud. I could go off on a tear about those Lakewood bells but I am not gonna. Sufficient to say:

#1 Why do they always need dialing in with the silly offset dowels? I have swapped GM bells since I was a kid. They always work no dial indicators and rinky dink dowels.

#2 Same goes for the adjustable pivot. Sounds like a bandaide fix to me. If those dopey things work loose like yours did at minimum it is an R&R of the trans. It can also mean a flatbed ride home or worse a real disaster down there inside the bell. I know the block plate creates some changes in geometry inside the bell. Seems to me Lakewood could make a non adjustable pivot that compensated for the block plate. Considering they can't make a dimensionally accurate bell I guess a dimensionally accurate pivot is also outta the question.

I simply cannot bring myself to even think of using those Lakewood parts. Just would NOT go near them.

The heim joints made no detectable difference in required pedal pressure when I converted.

What made a HUGE and I mean REALLY HUGE difference is changing to a different clutch along with aligning the bell housing. I had a Ram clutch and the effort was quite high. In the process of converting from Muncie to TKO-3550 I changed to a Centerforce Dual Friction and put in some .014" offset locator pins. I could not believe how easy that clutch was to push in afterwards. I cannot tell you for sure if it was a matter of the alignment being off before or the CF clutch though. But it is not softer than my DD Mustang. It *might* be a little stiffer than the used '06 BMW I just bought the wife though...

The clutch is the real issue I agree.

I went from a GM 11 clutch to a Centerforce 11 single disc (not dual friction like yours) and the improvement was noticeable. The GM clutch was an absolute BEAR to operate, well suffice to say that anyone who drove the car said that "This clutch is awful stiff". It appears however that the improvement with the CF was not enough for my foot.

I hear wonderful things about the McLoed Dual disc....two guys here on the board run em and both say they are more or less equivalent to what you feel when driving a Honda or Subaru. I know that is gonna produce laughter, possibly even insinuations that such clutches are "girlie". Truth is I gotta get to that level of clutch feel or it is gonna be an automatic for me.

Something else to consider here. If you don't have the right height Pivot...GM makes 3 pivots I think (two for sure) Issues with pedal pressure can be caused by the wrong pivot. The height of the pivot determines how the fork / TO bearing combination interact with the linkage and with the clutch pressure plate. Leverage can be gained or lst depending on what pivot is in there. The difference in height is minimal between two of the pivots while the third is substantially longer relative to the other two. I am not sure that the 3rd height unit even goes in the Chevelles. I am gonna do some research in my parts book today.

Will report back later.

Coming back to this one...

You could steal some engineering from BMW and implement an over-center clutch assist. The basic idea is a spring that is normally compressed and pushing in line with the clutch pedal pivot. As the pedal is pushed down the rotation around the pivot takes the assist spring off center where it provides assist to the clutch pedal.

The affect is not unlike how a toggle switch works inside.

Coming back to this one...

You could steal some engineering from BMW and implement an over-center clutch assist. The basic idea is a spring that is normally compressed and pushing in line with the clutch pedal pivot. As the pedal is pushed down the rotation around the pivot takes the assist spring off center where it provides assist to the clutch pedal.

The affect is not unlike how a toggle switch works inside.

Leave it to those crafty Germans!!!!! Could something like this be "lifted" out of A BM'er at a wrecking yard?

I am having a brain lock here. Must be the FLU that I have had for a week and a half. Can you tell me a little more? I understand what you are describing...I think. At some point in depression of the pedal a spring "takes over and helps" the pedal head for the floor. Beyond that I don't have a clue what you are talking about.

Can you at least tell me what BMW models use this? Where is this "spring thing" attached...etc etc etc etc? This might be a good web research project as I try to crawl back from having the flu.

Any help appreciated.

In case the URL does not work... start with http://www.realoem.com/bmw/

Of course click on "Click here to enter".
On "Series" select "X3 E83 LCI" towards the bottom.
On "Model" select "X3 3.0si" on bottom.
On "Region" select "USA".
On "Prod Month" I select "07/2007".
Then "Browse Parts" button.
Main group "35 Pedals".
Subgroup "35 05 Pedals".

Or (if it works): http://www.realoem.com/bmw/partgrp.do?model=PC93&mospid=49511&hg=35&fg=05

And you will see a diagram. Clicking on the diagram brings up a larger clearer version. The helper spring is on the left side of the diagram. You can somewhat see the attachment pin on the clutch pedal under the pivot tube.

I thought of you and your knee when I saw the picture :beers:

Vroom

Ach Du Lieber!!!!!!!

Interesting......as I said "Leave it to those crafty Germans". How did you come upon this....are you a German Car afficianado?

Am I getting this right...operationally this spring assists in pulling the pedal down to the floor ( thereby depressing / releasing the clutch ) with less pressure than would be required W/O the spring?

I am wondering if these parts could be adapted to the Chevelle Pedal? Buy a BMW pedal, cut off the locator pin that the spring attaches to weld that to a GM pedal...then buy the spring and retainer and other goodies........... Hook it all together und WONDERBAR...no pedal pressure!!!!!!!!! The spring has to assist in depressing the pedal? I have to assume that the spring is not designed to pull the pedal back up off the floor. Thing is I don't yet see how all this plays together.

Now the issue is to figure out what the other end of the spring attaches to. The PIN (Reference #20....where does that little bugger go? I cannot figure where that end of the spring attaches. As I look at the diagram...the link worked great BTW..I think that the lowest end of the spring attaches to the "pin" on the pedal. Now once that end is hooked to the pedal where does the other end of the spring attach? Some little bracket on the firewall or on the pedal pivot? Hmmmmmmmmmmmm?????

Thanks for thinking of my ankle ( the knee is OK so far anyway but the ankle issue ain't helping the knee) !!!! My ankle says "Danka" Do we know what model BMW from Der Fatherland has this little spring thing in it?

Any ideas on how the hell this thing works beyond what I have already spelled out would be great.

I don't know if a Camaro link is similar to a Chevelle, but here's the basics.

http://www.pozziracing.com/first_gen_clutch_linkage.htm

A deep tap is not necessary.

I made my own a couple years ago,no problems at all.Actually they were easy to make using the stock linkages for length dimensions. I used Aurora heim ends with grease fittings .For the linkage from the Z bar to the clutch fork, I measured the original and then I cut it to length allowing enough threads for adjustment and used a female heim end (It is hardened steel so you have to use a cut off wheel). Then for the pedal to Z bar I measured the original and allowed for thread length and adjustment and tapped the tubing ends. For this bar I used male heim ends,also aurora with grease fittings.Use heavy wall tubing and you will need to put a small bend in the bar ,from the Z bar to the pedal.(Looks like I've got some cleaning and a little painting to do.)

Vroom

Ach Du Lieber!!!!!!!

Interesting......as I said "Leave it to those crafty Germans". How did you come upon this....are you a German Car afficianado?
Well... we have recently been bitten that way in the form of two new to us BMWs in the last month ;)

Am I getting this right...operationally this spring assists in pulling the pedal down to the floor ( thereby depressing / releasing the clutch ) with less pressure than would be required W/O the spring?
That is pretty much the deal. It does NOT eliminate all clutch pedal pressure. You still need some spring/force to return the pedal to the full upgright and locked position. With the pedal at rest the compression spring basically pushes against the pedal pivot. As the pedal rotates about the pivot when depressed, the assist spring axis comes out of alignment with the pedal pivot. The design moves the assist spring axis back so that it has leverage on the pedal pivot thereby adding force to help depress the pedal.

I am wondering if these parts could be adapted to the Chevelle Pedal? Buy a BMW pedal, cut off the locator pin that the spring attaches to weld that to a GM pedal...then buy the spring and retainer and other goodies........... Hook it all together und WONDERBAR...no pedal pressure!!!!!!!!! The spring has to assist in depressing the pedal? I have to assume that the spring is not designed to pull the pedal back up off the floor. Thing is I don't yet see how all this plays together.

Now the issue is to figure out what the other end of the spring attaches to. The PIN (Reference #20....where does that little bugger go? I cannot figure where that end of the spring attaches. As I look at the diagram...the link worked great BTW..I think that the lowest end of the spring attaches to the "pin" on the pedal. Now once that end is hooked to the pedal where does the other end of the spring attach? Some little bracket on the firewall or on the pedal pivot? Hmmmmmmmmmmmm?????

Thanks for thinking of my ankle ( the knee is OK so far anyway but the ankle issue ain't helping the knee) !!!! My ankle says "Danka" Do we know what model BMW from Der Fatherland has this little spring thing in it?

Any ideas on how the hell this thing works beyond what I have already spelled out would be great.
The mechanicals are simple enough that I would just fabricate up my own parts. The spring is much like a coil over spring/shock without the damping. A basic pair of telescoping tubes (or rod and tube) would serve fine and allow length to be configured to the application. The lower end would attach to a mount on the floor. Then the spring would push up to a pin on the pedal. I think there would be more leverage to the system with the pedal pin mounted lower rather than higher. In fact that is probably a fairly important measurement as it would tune the assist response. Just like a longer pedal makes it easier for the driver to push.

I suspect this setup is present on quite a few late model BMWs, at least those with manual transmissions. The diagram was for a 2007 X3 (or E83 as they are referred to).

Ankle you say? Well I was close ;-)

Check this out !


I have built a similar clutch linkage for My -69 Camaro (454c.i / TKO600)
Works great !

http://www.chevyhiperformance.com/te...ild/index.html (http://www.chevyhiperformance.com/techarticles/49878_clutch_linkage_build/index.html)

http://www.chevyhiperformance.com/te...ld/index1.html (http://www.chevyhiperformance.com/te...ld/index1.html)



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I was flipping through a book I found awhile ago at a local book store on chevelles, and it had a few pages on building your own Heim joint clutch linkage. i'll see if i can find the book again and scan the pages.

The heim joints are a great Idea. Slightly older FORD pickup trucks used the same over center spring trick to reduce clutch effort.