Welding a low speed pedal arm

[Bruce Compton]

I rebuilt a motor/transmission for my '25 and have now decided to put it in my '26 Coupe. I really don't want to mess with the nice original floor boards so I'll need to replace or bend the low speed pedal (rather than pull the hogshead and change the pedal and shaft). My question is; is it safe to mig or arc weld a correct pedal to the stub of the old pedal without affecting the magneto operation? Would a torch weld be strong enough? Bruce

[Mark Gregush]

Why not just make new floor boards if you don't want to pull and swap out the pedal? Seems to me that would be a lot easier then cut well and hope it does not break. That way you would not harm your originals.

[John kuehn]

I believe I would keep the original floorboards and make or buy some new ones. That would be easier. Use the original floorboards as a pattern and alter the opening on your replacement floorboards to fit your 25 engine pedal.
The 26-27 Transmission covers are a little harder to come by in original condition than the earlier cover. I think I would leave it alone.

[Norman Kling]

There is a pin which connects through the pedal and the transmission shaft. Why not grind off the end of the pin and push it out. Then use a new pin to fasten a 25 arm and pedal to the existing shaft. No welding necessary. This is the same thing you would do if you are replacing the shaft, however, you won't need to go into the transmission to accomplish this.
Norm

[DanTreace]

Easiest way is to remake the upper boards with the narrow pedal spacing. Wouldn't mess with changing pedal, the Improved Car pedals have different foot support shape and different bend in the shanks to fit the wider spaced big brake drum in the Improved Car hogshead.

Here's the spacing you can cut into new pair of upper boards.

[Bruce Compton]

Thanks for the advice guys; The rebuilt motor/trans is a 1926 that I intentionally put a 1925 low speed arm into to match the floorboards in the '25. I think I'll try removing the pin and swapping complete pedals as suggested, as I don't want to mess with the floorboards and I also have nice custom carpet cut to fit the '26 pedals.

[Stephen_heatherly]

Ir may be very difficult riveting the new pin over without pulling the hogshead. I'd just make new floor boards.

Stephen

[George Mills]

I didn't do it, but my 1919 Hack has a 27 engine and pedals and the narrow spaced floorboards applicable to year built. It came to me that way, pedals bent to fit.

It makes for close work, but the low pedal has the tab on the pedal that actually are used when bent close, you lean into it when depressing...I found I need a pedal extension on the reverse as every now and then with the bent low speed pedal, the car didn't know what way to go and I'm only a 9-1/2 D!

I thought it needed heat to bend the low out a bit and reform so I took the car to a local welder, he just reshaped it cold with a couple of mother of all pipe wrenches, right there in his parking lot!

[RGould1910]

I'm with George. I'd bend the pedal to fit. I've done it with heat but I wouldn't hesitate to try it cold. Only if bending didnt work, would I try something else. BTW its common procedure to have to bend foot pedals on a T. Most I see are not straight or aligned with each other.
Another thought. If you did replace the pedal, you might still have to bend it to fit.

[RajoRacer]

This is a Ford script Z tool for bending pedals - I highly doubt "heat" would be used inside the cockpit !