Having trouble with clutch and brake pedal pads not fitting?

[Kern Dog]

I sure have.
Ever since I did a 5 speed Tremec swap in my car in 2021, I’ve dealt with poor fitment of the pads and yes, they have slipped off a few times too.
A short time back, @DeltaV pointed out something in a picture that I posted in a thread about my tilt steering column project…

I responded that when I converted the car to the manual transmission, I didn’t think to add the decorative trim on the new pedals. He got me thinking though. I pulled the trim off of the gas and parking brake pads and decided to address the crappy fit of the pads on the pedals.
I ordered a pair from PG Classics.

They arrived looking exactly like the ones that came in the Silver Sport transmission kit.

But are they the same? These feel softer.

The one above the new ones is an original.

This dude is rigid and does not like to bend at all.

The new ones feel like marshmallows in comparison.

 

[pnora]

Through the years I have seem many people have a hard time keeping the pads on. This is on new cars and trucks from the factory. I also have seen many that never had an issue. The problem ones I cleaned up and used 3M weatherstrip adhesive to set them in place. Contact cement works just as good.

 

[Kern Dog]

The Silver Sport pads were still soft and pliable but not as much as these new ones. That could be due to 4 years of use. They look the same to me.
I toyed with fastening the pads with screws but I didn’t like the way it looked.

The car is a Dodge, not a boy racer Subaru WRX. I peeled off the pads.



You can see remnants of an adhesive that I tried awhile back. Yeah, it barely helped.

I started wondering about fitment. I grabbed a pedal I had in the shed. It was originally an A/T pedal that I cut down to manual transmission pad size.

I had modified the pushrod hole up higher to alter the brake pedal ratio. I later switched back to the Silver Sport pedal.

The pad seemed to fit fine on this one.

It lays flat and just looks right.

Part of it could be the shape of the metal….

The pad does not have to curve as much to fit the metal. Now look at the dramatic bend of the Silver Sport pedals.

 

[kiwigtx]

Have you considered starting the same topic on multiple websites to see if there are any other suggestions?

 

[pnora]

About the only way a pad can come off is by being pulled up and off. The side of a boot or shoe against the side will pull it up and off. Driving with work boots seem to be the main cause. Lots of other cars besides mopars get them pulled off. Clean everything well, coat the surfaces, stick them together, pull them apart and let the glue flash and stick them back on.

 

[Kern Dog]

Is the shape to blame for the pads slipping off?
Maybe to some degree. There is another thing though.

The height of the metal pad in the original A/T pedal was just shy of 1 and 3/4”. The SST pedals…

Just a hair over 1 and 15/16”. Here is a view of the fit from the back side….

I don’t know if in a perfect world this would fit and stay but it wasn’t working for me. What to do?

I was careful… I had a moving blanket to catch sparks and such.
I cut both metal pads down by approximately 1/8” and drilled 4 holes in the face of them so this stuff…

…could seep through a bit to better anchor the pads.

I’ve had good luck with that adhesive with weatherstrips.
Hopefully this will hold together. I have a road trip next week of approximately 850-900 miles so that ought to be a good test.
I think the combination of the curve of the pads along with them being slightly too big was the problem. If you’ve had this problem, cutting the metal pads may help you.

 

[eldubb440]

black wire ties!

 

[Kern Dog]

If this were the ratty Charger, I would have done just that!

 

[Kern Dog]

Have you considered starting the same topic on multiple websites to see if there are any other suggestions?

I did that ONE TIME and can’t seem
To live it down…..

 

[MarPar]

black wire ties!

 

[Runner 68]

Epoxy man, epoxy.

 

[1 Wild R/T]

I added stainless trim to the clutch & brake pads... Haven't had any issues at all.... Then again I'm using original E body pedals so they are the correct size & shape...

 

[1 Wild R/T]

68-70 Mopar A and B Body Brake Clutch Pedal Bezel Set | eBay

 

[Kern Dog]

I damaged the gas pedal trim when I removed it so I'm leaving the pedal pads plain as they are.
I actually like the look. I painted the console lid matte black in 2021 to tone down the chrome flash in the interior.

 

[AR67GTX]

I’ve had good luck so far with 3M weatherstripping adhesive.

 

[DeltaV]

I did that ONE TIME and can’t seem
To live it down…..

View attachment 1843287

THREE TIMES, but who's counting?

 

[toolmanmike]

Have you considered starting the same topic on multiple websites to see if there are any other suggestions?

 

[DeltaV]

I wouldn’t be surprised if the originals were attached to the steel pedal arms using a vulcanizing process.