I’m Stuck! Help Me Stop. (advise Please)

I have the Jeep builders version of writers block.

Why do you folks use swinging pedals?
I also can’t seem to decide on GM or Geo disks. I’ve read plenty of how to on this forum, just not sure the why to...

Both of the above seem to have pros and cons. Do you use swinging pedals for leverage, or comfort? I plan to go dual reservoir MC, and am thinking heavily about front disk as I will use this Jeep at “higher” speeds. I have a swinging set of pedals out of my Jeepster Commando engine donor and a set of 10” drums that I plan to move to the rear. I don’t plan to use a brake booster. As always, I appreciate your thoughts.

 

I converted because I didn't like the floor vents around the pedals.

 

I was always finding it irritating to come down on a rock right on the clutch pedal pivot and the weight of the Jeep would hold my clutch in. It happened a lot. It would either take a group of guys to rock me, or if I was alone, I’d have to break out the hi-lift to get unstuck.

I levitate toward hanging pedals for two reasons. Ease of maintenance, and higher quality/more options for replacement parts. I could never find a reputable source for a master cylinder, and filling it through the floor with a Dixie cup was only something you want to do once.

I’m a fan of the OTC availability of the Chevy brakes, but people seem to like the Geo stuff.

 

I went Geo because I'm cheap. I hate adding brake fluid to the mc and replacement was painful. Everything I hated about the stock early jeep experience is getting addressed in my build.

 

I've got a little squirt bottle

 

geo cause of the size...they tuck in nice and fit behind a stock skinny wheel.

 

Swinging pedals out of a YJ because it has integral brake light switch. Swinging pedals for the power brake option. Never going back to manual. GM calipers and 77 CJ5disks because the calipers were 12 bucks a piece. It was by far the cheapest option at the time. Clutch linkage gets twisted up when its frame mounted and will NOT work. Went with hydraulic clutch with swinging pedals for this reason. Never going back. No regrets only, better drivability.

 

I went swinging brake pedal so I could add a booster. If my Jeep didn't have power brakes and power steering I probably would have sold it by now. Power brakes are a very worthwhile upgrade.

 

This

 

I have to jump on the bandwagon and say yes to booster, especially if you are going over 31" on tire size. I will even go a step further and say hydroboost all the way.

I originally built mine with a manual dual cylinder setup on 33" tires. I could stop pretty well, but I couldn't quite lock them up on the street and in a panic stop it was best to use two feet. On the trail manual was fine until I had to stop mid hill and hold for some other vehicles to get up the trail. Trying to hold it for more than a few minutes was a pain. Went junkyard hydroboost from an astro van and now I can stop when I want with one toe on the pedal.

 

As per hydroboost, did you have to do any modifications to the system? I had read that you may need to revalve or something. I looked to hydroboost as an alternate to power brakes because it may fit in the stock frame mounted location. Members here have mounted a frame mounted hydraulic master, so if that is the case, swinging pedals may not be required... In my case, 2a, the swinging pedals were not a bolt in procedure and required a ton of fabrication to make them work. Completely worth it though.

 

I didn't change anything on the hydroboost. I pulled the unit with the proportioning valve and ran it. The astro van is similar in weight as my jeep and it all worked perfect. I did change my power steering pump to a version that was in a hydroboosted application. The pressure valve in the pump may be different. I believe you can change out that valve on the pump for different flow and pressure. But i never messed with it. It is beneficial to have a reservoir with dual return so you don't have to tee the returns, but it isn't absolutely necessary.

 

I'm running stock 70 dual mc and upgraded to 11 inch drums all around. With 31 inch tires, it stops just fine and I've been happy it for many years, however I was recently diagnosed with arthritis in my knees and there's days its hard for me to stop now. I haven't decided what to do yet....

 

Like many others I went with hanging pedals for 4 wheel power disc brakes and a hydraulic clutch. Mine is a daily driver for my wife, so the little comfort stuff really matters.

Mike