A wood block under the pedals

rixm37 · Post by **rixm37** » Tue Jul 22, 2008 8:05 am

I am wondering why my truck has a wooden block under the floor so the clutch and brake pedal have a bump stop. It has been there since I have owned the truck and looks like it was put there years ago. Has anyone else found this setup? Should it be taken out or is something set up wrong with the pedals? I am in the middle of putting in a dual m/c and disk brakes so if it needs to go now would be the time.

rixm37 · Post by **rixm37** » Tue Jul 22, 2008 2:37 pm

I'll reply to myself. I think the only reason that block is there is to act as a stop for the pedals so they don't hit the floor. Isn't that what the draft pad does? It seems to me that it keeps the pedal from striking the floor board. Oh well that piece of wood has been in there for a really long time but it's coming out.

knattrass · Post by **knattrass** » Wed Jul 23, 2008 9:00 am

They are the oddest lookng things, but my vehicle has 2 of them as well. Definitely provides the up stop location on the pedal. Looks like something added after the fact but now I've seen 4 vehicles with them.

Two cents Worth · Post by **Two cents Worth** » Wed Jul 23, 2008 10:20 am

I believe the stops were to prevent the rubber pedal seals from getting to squashed, causing them to crack and fall apart.

rixm37 · Post by **rixm37** » Wed Jul 23, 2008 10:29 am

That's what I figured it was for. The rubber pads are great but they must wear out pretty fast. I think I am going to make a couple new blocks and put them back in. The block in mine is so old that it is 7/8 in thick todays 1 inch lumber is 3/4 thick.

monkeymissile · Post by **monkeymissile** » Wed Jul 23, 2008 12:57 pm

can anyone post an image of these blocks? Thanks

MSeriesRebuild · Post by **MSeriesRebuild** » Wed Jul 23, 2008 2:02 pm

Wooden blocks aren't needed if the pedals & floor boards are rebuilt & installed correctly. We've seen blocks many times, they are usually installed when the floor boards have a worn place that lets the pedal stop come up through the floor. Rebuild the worn spot & toss the blocks is best.

monkeymissile · Post by **monkeymissile** » Wed Jul 23, 2008 2:13 pm

I am just curious, can't quite visualize their installation. Mercifully my truck doesn't need them.....

rixm37 · Post by **rixm37** » Fri Jul 25, 2008 2:39 pm

Thanks Charles I know you are right. I thought that the block would keep from wearing out the draft pads.

Monkemissle the block was bolted to the floor board that angles up behind the pedals so the pedal hits the block when it is in the up or release position and not the floor board.. I believe the draft pads act as the stop and as a seal in the floor board. I guess that it was easier to put in a block than replace the pads..I don't know for sure.

monkeymissile · Post by **monkeymissile** » Fri Jul 25, 2008 3:05 pm

rixm37 wrote:Thanks Charles I know you are right. I thought that the block would keep from wearing out the draft pads.

Monkemissle the block was bolted to the floor board that angles up behind the pedals so the pedal hits the block when it is in the up or release position and not the floor board.. I believe the draft pads act as the stop and as a seal in the floor board. I guess that it was easier to put in a block than replace the pads..I don't know for sure.

Thanks! makes sense

Lifer · Post by **Lifer** » Fri Jul 25, 2008 5:12 pm

rixm37 wrote: I think the only reason that block is there is to act as a stop for the pedals so they don't hit the floor. Isn't that what the draft pad does?

Actually, the only thing the draft pads are for is to reduce the amount of air/exhaust gases/dust/fumes, etc. that make their way into the cab. They do provide a cushioning effect when the pedals are released, but that's not their intended purpose.

rixm37 · Post by **rixm37** » Fri Jul 25, 2008 5:54 pm

How do you adjust the pedal stops on the brake and clutch?

Lifer · Post by **Lifer** » Fri Jul 25, 2008 8:45 pm

I don't know about M37s, but in the "olden days," most cars and all trucks had the same type of pedals we have. Back then, there were two methods of dealing with the problem. The main one was just to leave 'em alone and live with it. Some of the real persnickety types insisted on having them "fixed," though, so the mechanics heated 'em up and bent 'em down until they cleared the floor boards.

Carter · Post by **Carter** » Sun Jul 27, 2008 7:32 am

Of the m37s I've owned half have had pedal blocks and the other half have not. The truck I own now has a block installed apparently from Letterkenny Arsenal where the truck was rebuilt in 1968. The truck was purchased from the Army by a local fire company and was used as a parts doner truck and was never on the road so no private owner installed the blocks but maybe there was a MWO issued that covered installing blocks as a retrofit pedal stop. The only info I could find on adjustments is in TM-9 8030 copied here:

rixm37 · Post by **rixm37** » Sun Jul 27, 2008 9:30 am

Thanks Carter. Now it makes all the sence in the world If the clutch and brake free play are correct then the pedal height is correct!! Thanks for posting the manual info and pics.