The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Interiors Rubber pedal pad install tricks

Hey everyone, I hope you all had a great memorial weekend. I am getting ready to try and install the rubber pads onto my brake pedal. Are there any tricks to this? I searched but could not find anything on the topic.

The only thing I have ever tried is to use a bit of time in the sun to soften and allow the rubber to be more elastic when doing the install. Much less chance that you will tear the pad while pulling it around the metal plate.

Do you think that boiling it would work any better? I am not sure max temp is for the rubber but I would think that it would handle 212 degrees.

No idea on boiling them as I've never tried using boiling water to soften rubber items. I would think a lower temp might be better just to prevent possible rubber degradation. If you try it, let us know how it works out.

I just start at the top and work my fingers all the way around to make sure the lip of the pad is fully on the back side of the metal pedal. Are you gluing yours as well?

I put mine on without glue and they seem to be staying put just fine.

I didn't heat it or boil it or anything.

Thank you all for the advice. I was not planning on glueing them, but will do if they dont want to stay on. To be honest I have not tried to get them on, but did notice that they are fairly stiff and tough and I thought that they will be a real bear to get on the peddle. So started thinking of a solution to a problem that isnt really there...that is the engineer in me. I will give it a try and see how I go.

Do what Otto said.

How about using the rope-in trick like for windshield installation?

Wrap them in a couple of layers of old socks and tumble them in the clothes dryer for a little while, then use a small amount of brake fluid as a lubricant as you install them. A flat tip screwdriver makes a pretty good installation tool.

The last 2 sets of pedal pads I bought (from Classic Parts??) were slightly too small to fit properly on the metal pedals of my '52 GMC 3/4 ton. They'll go on, but won't lie flat. The back outside edge of the pad sticks up because the metal pedal is too big for the space allowed by the pad.

I'll take a picture and post it in the morning, but right now it is pouring down rain outside and the garage is 100 ft away.

When I put them on my '47 a few years back, I think I just worked them as Otto suggested.

I need to get some for the '59, but haven't pulled the trigger on it yet. If all I order is the two pads, the shipping charges are as much or more than what the pads cost!

I, like Otto and Rich, just worked it on. Wasn’t that hard.

I have had problems with getting them on easily due to stiffness as well as a problem of them falling of later. Go figure.
I leave them in the sun, then use black RTV to keep them on. They aren't made correctly in my opinion.

A lot of different places sell them. I wonder if they're all from the same factory or if different vendors sell different ones? Mine was very pliable and stays in place. Mine came from NPD.

I think thats exactly the case. Different batches or manufacturers. The last set I got fit perfect. There is a top and bottom.58/59