Clutch Equalizer Safety Issue

[FLYER15015]

Some time ago I posted in the buy/sell forum my request for a "Clutch Equalizer" for my '40 series 90 Buick.

Thanks to the prodding by Jolly John, I purchased a manual AND a parts book.

These told me that The part I should look for was only common to the 80-90 series cars in '39 &'40, as P/N 1308581, and is to be found in section .806 of my parts book. It' been a year now, and no luck in finding this rare part.

After a great summer of driving and car shows here in Colorado, with 2 best of show awards, and 2 best in '40's restored awards, I decided to give the baby a grease job.

While greasing the clutch/brake pedal shaft, I looked in horror at the clutch equalizer which was within a sixteenth of an inch of blowing out, where the rod comes down from the clutch pedal to the equalizer.

The other lever, that holds the rod going back to the clutch throwout lever (with the clevis) was not much better.

So night before last I pulled the equalizer down, as it's only 2 bolts and a couple of cotter pins, brushed it clean, and pulled the 4 half cup brgs out of the ends, removed the cotton spacer from the center section, and gave the whole assembly a good washing in petrol.

To my surprise, after a spark test on the grinder, the equalizer was cast in mild steel, not Iron as I had suspected. So.....

We toddled off to the local welding shop ( as I don't have a TIG welder), welded up solid both bosses at the ends of the levers, re drilled them to fit the "slightly" worn pins and rod from the clutch pedal, and reinstalled the whole assembly this morning. Cost @ the welder was $50.00.

Now I can sleep better, knowing that this often overlooked part is better than new and fit for another 70+ years of service. For if it had failed out on the road, you would be stuck in what ever gear you happened to be in at the time, with no way to disengage the clutch, or stop the car, short of turning off the key and jamming the brakes. Then comes the tow home from where ever.

So......... My question to all is; How's your clutch equalizer ? Have you checked it lately ? Do you know where it is ?

Sleep Well,

Mike in Colorado

P.S. If you look in the buy/sell forum, I posted pictures of the offending part.

Kind of makes you want to run out to the garage and look, doesn't it ?

Edited August 31, 2012 by FLYER15015 (see edit history)

[Guest Grant Magrath]

Damn!

Good tip Mike! I'm going to have a look today. Got some gearbox issues, but only minor.

Cheers

Grant

[Ben Bruce aka First Born]

Nice going, Mike!! Mine is not worn that bad, but do need the "half cup" pieces.

Ben

[FLYER15015]

Ben,

They are out there. Check Kanter, Cars, Bob"s etc.

I forgot to post above, that I found an old firewall rubber grommet that was just the right size for the equalizer. I cut it in half at the center depression and used each half on the ends (where the balls go in) as a kind of dust seal. Seems to work fine.

Best regards,

Mike in Colorado

[1939_Buick]

Nice going, Mike!! Mine is not worn that bad, but do need the "half cup" pieces.

The stud and bearings cups are common to several years

Stud

Group 0.796 part 1308543 1939 S40 S80 S90 1940 S80 S90 [outer]

Group 0.796 part 1309583 1939 S60 1940 S40 S60

Bearing

Group 0.851 part 1310245 1936-37-38 S40 1939 to 1941

Try ebay seller: Riddle017 allamericannostalgia at yahoo.com

1928-52 Master Parts Book of Chassis Parts: Image is for 1940 series 50 page 65-A part

Edited September 3, 2012 by 1939_buick
formatting (see edit history)

[FLYER15015]

'39 Buick,

Thanks for posting the layout.

Item "D" is the little bugger.......

Thought it was Iron, found out it is Steel, so very repairable.........

Mike in Colorado

[Ben Bruce aka First Born]

The stud and bearings cups are common to several years

Stud

Group 0.796 part 1308543 1939 S40 S80 S90 1940 S80 S90 [outer]

Group 0.796 part 1309583 1939 S60 1940 S40 S60

Bearing

Group 0.851 part 1310245 1936-37-38 S40 1939 to 1941

Try ebay seller: Riddle017 allamericannostalgia at yahoo.com

Image is for 1940 series 50

Thanks, Allan

Although mine is a 1950, series 50, all looks the same. I need E. Also, how does one install AE?

Mike I apologize hijacking your thread, but looked like a good place to ask without starting all over.

Ben

[FLYER15015]

Ben,

AE is the dust seal that bumps up against the outside of the firewall.

I slit mine at the bottom, slipped it over the pedal shaft, where the 2 bumps in the casting are, and tied it back together w/ 2 loops of stainless safety wire.

But that's just because I'm lazy, and did not want to pull both pedals off the shaft.

Mike in Colorado

[1939_Buick]

Ben

Although mine is a 1950, series 50, all looks the same. I need E. Also, how does one install AE?

Hard to know what image is showing [image is from 1928-52 Master Parts Book of Chassis Parts]

Part E is

group 0.817 packing clutch release; part 1299212 for 1937-38 S40 & 1939 S40 (felt)

group 0.817 seal, clutch release equalizer; part 1299212 for 1937-38-39 S40 felt 5/8" x 4 3/8"

group 0.817 seal, clutch release equalizer; part 132001 for 1941 to 1952 Incl (3/8" ID x 1 1/64"OD x 1/8")

AE is grommet on 1940 S50

Also have a similar on page 66A Flywheel housing, Pedals & linkage 1941 to 1952

You can download the 1952 shop manual from www.teambuick.com from the reference tab,. You may need to register for access to that part of site

http://www.teambuick.com/forums/view.php?pg=reference_index

Edited September 4, 2012 by 1939_buick (see edit history)

[Dynaflash8]

On 8/31/2012 at 11:40 AM, FLYER15015 said:

Some time ago I posted in the buy/sell forum my request for a "Clutch Equalizer" for my '40 series 90 Buick.

Thanks to the prodding by Jolly John, I purchased a manual AND a parts book.

These told me that The part I should look for was only common to the 80-90 series cars in '39 &'40, as P/N 1308581, and is to be found in section .806 of my parts book. It' been a year now, and no luck in finding this rare part.

After a great summer of driving and car shows here in Colorado, with 2 best of show awards, and 2 best in '40's restored awards, I decided to give the baby a grease job.

While greasing the clutch/brake pedal shaft, I looked in horror at the clutch equalizer which was within a sixteenth of an inch of blowing out, where the rod comes down from the clutch pedal to the equalizer.

The other lever, that holds the rod going back to the clutch throwout lever (with the clevis) was not much better.

So night before last I pulled the equalizer down, as it's only 2 bolts and a couple of cotter pins, brushed it clean, and pulled the 4 half cup brgs out of the ends, removed the cotton spacer from the center section, and gave the whole assembly a good washing in petrol.

To my surprise, after a spark test on the grinder, the equalizer was cast in mild steel, not Iron as I had suspected. So.....

We toddled off to the local welding shop ( as I don't have a TIG welder), welded up solid both bosses at the ends of the levers, re drilled them to fit the "slightly" worn pins and rod from the clutch pedal, and reinstalled the whole assembly this morning. Cost @ the welder was $50.00.

Now I can sleep better, knowing that this often overlooked part is better than new and fit for another 70+ years of service. For if it had failed out on the road, you would be stuck in what ever gear you happened to be in at the time, with no way to disengage the clutch, or stop the car, short of turning off the key and jamming the brakes. Then comes the tow home from where ever.

So......... My question to all is; How's your clutch equalizer ? Have you checked it lately ? Do you know where it is ?

Sleep Well,

Mike in Colorado

P.S. If you look in the buy/sell forum, I posted pictures of the offending part.

Kind of makes you want to run out to the garage and look, doesn't it ?

The clutch equalizer for a 1941 Buick fits all the way through 1949.  Part number is 0.806, part #1393327.  There is a casting number on the part that doesn't match the one in the parts book...beware of that.  Anybody have a new one?  I have two new ones for a 1939 Series 40 if anybody has what I need and prefers to make a trade.  The weld-up and redrill is something I've heard from old friend mechanic's who have gone on to the old cars in the sky club.

Edited July 15, 2018 by Dynaflash8 (see edit history)

[Frank DuVal]

I have never driven a 40 Buick Limited (or any 1940 Buick), but I have driven most of my cars without using the clutch, either to see if I could, or because I HAD to. Starting off is the hardest, as you have the engine off, put in first gear and hit the starter. Buick having the accelerator start might even be trickier, and the weight of the Limited is great. But, my 1970 Estate Wagon would do it. Yes, it is a 3 speed. In the Corvair community, they use clutch cables that fatigue, we tell new owners to practice driving without the clutch so they can get home after the cable snaps.

 

I would not suggest this for everyday driving, but it helps when thing go wrong out on the road. Sort of like using the starter with transmission in first to get out of an intersection when you run out of gas. Yes, many old cars in my life had inaccurate gas gauges.?

[Cesar Garcia]

Dynaflash8, i found myself reading all the comments you had and you are right. Though I just got my Buick 2 months ago, I'm starting to see a lot of little things come up. I just took the equalizer  (clutch slave cylinder) out and the bushings are in really bad shape. Do you know where I can buy a kit to rebuild mine?

 

thanks!.

[Ben Bruce aka First Born]

Cesar, I am a cheep skate shade tree kinda  guy. So when I found the bushings in mine worn, I MADE one. From PVC pipe. I don't recall what size,  3/4"I believe.  Has worked for several years.  I expect it will work several more.

 

  Ben