MTFCA Forum

Can someone explain, preferably with photos, how to go about straightening the emergency brake lever. Mine on my Centerdoor chassis is bent towards the left side of the car and when released, it will not clear the cowl.

THANKS!

Hello, Will.

It would help to know how much the brake lever is out of line. But I estimate you are talking of less than 2" (50mm) ? I wonder how this could be bent at all, because this lever is very strong. Sadly the brake lever is riveted to the frame, so you need to do the correction inside the the car.

I would do it as follows, but always take care not to break it:

• Take out all wood from floor, so you get free access to the car's metal frame.
• You need to build a strong support. A horizontal steel bridge (i.e. a square shaped pipe of approx 1.5x1.5" (or more), to be clamped downto the left and right car frame.
• To this bridge weld another arm. This arm should support the brake lever directly above the radius bow from inner side (car center). This is absolutely necessary, otherwise you damage the radius bow in next step!
• Now you should be able to bend the lever towards the middle of the car. It will/should bend where the support is in touch with the lever. Apply the force approx. 1/3 below lever handle.
• Always watch and check if the bridge is sliding away on the car frame! If it does, you should weld a little metal nose to its lower side so it will hook into the frame and cannot slide away.

As said, cold bending always has the risk that the handle will break. On the other side... making it glowing hot burns the much higher risk that you damage or burn the inner body coverage, so I would try first with cold bending.

What I noticed at my Touring:
The steel frame is very flexible in point of twisting. Be careful to not bend the frame instead the lever! If it twists too much, you better weld another support for the frame to the bridge and tightly clamp the frame to it. This avoids a twisted frame.
In worst case, when all above doesn't work, you will need a welding torch to heat up the lever to dark-red color, then it will easily bend.

The correction method may vary according to where the lever is bent. I'd bend it cold, using two large crescent wrenches. Close one around the lever adjacent to the bend. Close the second wrench over the first so that it is at right angles to the bend you need, and haul away. These two wrenches make an excellent adjustable "bending "bar.

Allan from down under.

It might surprise you how easily it bends with the 2-wrench method.

Allan wrote: ↑

Mon Dec 19, 2022 3:33 am

The correction method may vary according to where the lever is bent. I'd bend it cold, using two large crescent wrenches. Close one around the lever adjacent to the bend. Close the second wrench over the first so that it is at right angles to the bend you need, and haul away. These two wrenches make an excellent adjustable "bending "bar.

Allan from down under.

I prefer large "auto" wrenches. (smooth jaw)Like bigger versions of the Ford tool kit auto wrench. A pair of these Ford wrenches might work with some handle extenders. A pair of medium sized pipe wrenches work with well protected jaws. The important feature is the jaws 90 degrees to the handle for secure leverage.
It will bend easily COLD.

it doesn't sound like anything that a good hard heave-ho will not solve

Is the brake handle bent, or is the brake control shaft running across the frame bent?

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If your lever is offset by bending toward the bottom just above the floor board and then the top part goes straight up, you could have the lever for a 26-27. Some of those later levers are bent to clear the wide low speed pedal on the later models. In that case, your best choice would be to look for an earlier lever for your year car.
Norm

Sounds like it is bent at the bottom. I’d remove the floor board and just grab the lever at the top with both hands and gently pull it toward the center of the car until it lines up with the slot in the floor. Pull and test, pull and test until the bend has been corrected. If needed, I’d also clamp the lever in place against the chassis with a wood clamp under the floor board to prevent the pawl portion from bending outward and the rivet from bending. Jim Patrick

The correction method may vary according to where the lever is bent. I'd bend it cold, using two large crescent wrenches. Close one around the lever adjacent to the bend. Close the second wrench over the first so that it is at right angles to the bend you need, and haul away. These two wrenches make an excellent adjustable "bending "bar.

Thats how I did mine, finer adjustments were made like this:

just grab the lever at the top with both hands and gently pull it toward the center of the car until it lines up with the slot in the floor. Pull and test, pull and test until the bend has been corrected. If needed, I’d also clamp the lever in place against the chassis with a wood clamp under the floor board to prevent the pawl portion from bending outward and the rivet from bending. Jim Patrick

Although gas was applied to one to heat red in order to make a 'kink' in it to fit a Colonial style body that had been grafted on from another 'non-T' car.

Will. Ed Baudoux. Duey C. Rusty Fords. Had a very through discussion about zee-ing the model T Break Leaver. Feb-12 & Feb 27th 2020 on MTFCA General discussion page complete with a number of pictures. Un-zeeing would use same technique just in reverse. Before You get carried away straightening your brake leaver check to see where You want the leaver. I had my zee-ed because it was right under my left knee and hard to operate and keep your left foot on the Clutch. Had to curl leg around the brake leaver to reach the clutch. Dangerous'

Jim, thank you. I found my pics about adjusting that lever.
Gentlemen, this was/is not a nice T. It's my Crappy '24 Runabout.
You should be able to adjust that handle exactly where you wish quite easily. I'd suggest the lever won't be mad at you either.
It sure does give more space. I tired of the handle poking at my leg. Did the same to the '18 Runabout. Ahhh.

Just grab ahold of it and bend it. That's probably how it got to where it is.

Yes. Years ago, some big owner got annoyed by the lever rubbing against his left leg so he just pushed it to the left, out of the way. Jim Patrick

It is indeed bent at the bottom towards the drivers side I just need to straighten it up so when it’s forward, it won’t strike the cowl on the inside.

Thanks

I tried to bend mine cold a few years ago based on advice from this forum and it snapped in half. I welded it back together and it has held ever since. Just a warning if you are going to try that.