Brakes are the most important safety system to keep in tip-top shape on your Bugeye. Oftentimes, this means replacing all of the hydraulic components in the system, ensuring that the master cylinder, wheel cylinders, calipers, hoses, and lines are all functional and leak-free. Other times, pads, shoes, rotors and drums are worn and need replacement. While all of these components are all critical elements to a critical system, there is a part of the system that is sometimes overlooked… the pedal to master cylinder interface. Here, wear creates lost motion and this diminishes the fun (and braking performance).
No one wants a sloppy pedal.
The push rod fork (and its companion part, the clevis pin) are not pieces the average classic British car owner realizes are as important as they are. The push rod fork and clevis pin represent the sole mechanical link between the driver and the braking system. If it fails, you have a runaway Bugeye. Failures are unlikely, but no one should have to live with a floppy pedal.
After 60 years of stopping and constant pedal travel back and forth, the clevis pin gets deep grooves worn into it where the pin rides inside the push rod fork. As you can see in the above photos, this creates a situation where the hole in which the pin rides actually elongates, as well, which creates play in the link, which means more motion is required to stop, which means even more stress on the already worn parts.
We have all of the parts you need to refresh your brake system in our parts catalog. One of these push rod forks and clevis pins is also present on the clutch side of the master cylinder, so make absolute certain you check them both the next time you are doing routine maintenance on your Bugeye.
If you’re looking to upgrade your brake system, click on the pictures below to get the parts that you need!
