TR2/3/3A TR 3a brake/clutch master cylinders/pedal movement

[RonR]

Folks,

I have rebuilt the hydraulic systems for the brakes and clutch on our TR 3a but yet to bleed the systems. The master cylinders are the later dual Girling aluminum type.

I noticed that neither the clutch pedal nor brake pedal will travel to the floor board even without any brake fluid in the system. The master cylinders reach the end of the plunger movement prior to the pedals touching the floor. The gaps between the floor and bottom of the pedal are approximately 3-1/2 inches for the clutch pedal and 3 inches for the brake pedal Is this normal?

This is unlike any car I have ever owned, including my Austin Healey 3000 which shares the same master cylinders. I beleive i have adjusted the master cylinder push ropds and pedal stops correctly.

Perhaps this is a clever design by the British folks to accomodate their short-legged countruymen

Thanks for your help, once again.
Ron

 

[tdskip]

Hi Ron - sounds a bit high to me. Others will weigh in here.

 

[Geo Hahn]

I agree that sounds high.

The one adjustment that come to mind is the length of the pushrod which, if adjusted to the max, would make the pedal bottom higher, but probably not by much.

I assume you have the MCs mounted on the back side (outside) of the pedal box? I do not recall if it is even possible to put them in with the flanges inside the box but if one did that would certainly shorten the stroke.

 

[RonR]

The master cylinders are mounted on the back side of the pedal box. I have the push rods adjusted to the shortest length in order to lower the pedal closest to the floor.

My concern is that the master cylinder pistons, at least the clutch piston, will bottom out inside the cylinder at the end of the master cylider bore each time the pedal is applied. If this is not a problem, then perhaps it does not matter how high or low the pedals are when they reach the end of their allowable travel.

Ron

 

[TR3driver]

Could you have the wrong pushrods, or the wrong pedals? I just checked, and my clutch pedal can go all the way to the floor without the MC hitting bottom. And I have it adjusted fairly high.

Bottoming the cylinder shouldn't harm the cylinder, but I'd be worried about lack of stroke.