Converting to manual brakes/steering=dragtruck
09-25-2016, 04:48 AM
#1
Converting to manual brakes/steering=dragtruck
I am posting this here because I know this has been done by members and I want feedback/advice. My truck with current mods is a porky 4642 with me in it. I weigh 260. I am making good power, I just want to dramatically reduce weight! I have a might and tig welder and I am willing to work. Please advise experienced folk. Keep the manual stuff for a truck is dumb comments to yourself, I heard from you guys on Facebook already.
THANKS
THANKS
09-25-2016, 07:48 AM
#2
10 Second Club
iTrader: (18)
dirt track racer 81, Blown06... those two names come to mind.
Just my observation, you should be able to just remove the brake booster and shorten the rod from the pedal. And bend new lines. The steering, you could loop the lines and remove the pump. Fab up a bracket for the alternator, run a shorter belt. If wanting a manual rack instead... I swear Blown06 and dirt track racer both sourced one and fabricated new mounts.
HTH
Just my observation, you should be able to just remove the brake booster and shorten the rod from the pedal. And bend new lines. The steering, you could loop the lines and remove the pump. Fab up a bracket for the alternator, run a shorter belt. If wanting a manual rack instead... I swear Blown06 and dirt track racer both sourced one and fabricated new mounts.
HTH
09-27-2016, 03:09 AM
#4
I didn't pay mad man for mine. I bought an adapter from (BMR if I remember right).
Some things that need to be address on this conversion are firewall reinforcement from the extra peddle force. Also, the brake peddle ratio needs to be changed. I ended up replumbing the entire system in 3/16 hardline using all -3 AN flare fittings. I also did a fairly good right up in my build thread on everthing involved in changing the pedal ratio. At the time I was using Strange calipers in the back and the stock 2006 calipers up front. The thing did not have any issue slowing down after 150+ mph passes at the track. I used a Strange 1.125 bore master cylinder. I'm not sure that BMR or anyone else for that matter sells the easy adapter plates......so if you are serious, I can use mine to make you one, which would basically make it a bolt in deal.
Also, I wanted to keep the electronic brake switch installed so that I had an easy way to keep the brake lights working.
Regarding the fire wall mod, basically you need to run a brace from on the adapter bolt holes to a solid component in the dash (mine is bolted to the big aluminum piece that ties into the steering shaft and pars of the dash bracing components.
Let me see if I can did up the the wright up I did on changing the pedal ratio (which has to be done).
Here is the little write up I did on the brake peddle mod needed to get the ratio correct:
Some things that need to be address on this conversion are firewall reinforcement from the extra peddle force. Also, the brake peddle ratio needs to be changed. I ended up replumbing the entire system in 3/16 hardline using all -3 AN flare fittings. I also did a fairly good right up in my build thread on everthing involved in changing the pedal ratio. At the time I was using Strange calipers in the back and the stock 2006 calipers up front. The thing did not have any issue slowing down after 150+ mph passes at the track. I used a Strange 1.125 bore master cylinder. I'm not sure that BMR or anyone else for that matter sells the easy adapter plates......so if you are serious, I can use mine to make you one, which would basically make it a bolt in deal.
Also, I wanted to keep the electronic brake switch installed so that I had an easy way to keep the brake lights working.
Regarding the fire wall mod, basically you need to run a brace from on the adapter bolt holes to a solid component in the dash (mine is bolted to the big aluminum piece that ties into the steering shaft and pars of the dash bracing components.
Let me see if I can did up the the wright up I did on changing the pedal ratio (which has to be done).
Here is the little write up I did on the brake peddle mod needed to get the ratio correct:
I'm gonna do a mini write up on the brake switch thing incase anyone else wants to do the same (JASON26).
The brake switch works off of the stock rod that goes into the master cylinder. The hole in the rod is bigger than the stud on the brake pedal, which allows it to rock back and forth inside the switch housing. The Strange master cylinder comes with a piece of tubing with left and right rod ends on it, and due to the different pedal ratio required to use manual brakes you have to relocate the attachment point a little higher on the pedal. The easy way to attach the new rod is just to drill a hole in the pedal and attach the rod end with a bolt. The problem then is how do you actuate the switch??? Here is the fix.
Here you can see how madman attached the rod to the pedal:
Stock location of the switch on the stud:
Jason26 gave me an idea to relocate the factory stud in the pedal, take the rod end out of the tube and weld the end of the stock rod in its place. You can see this worked perfectly and reinstalled as if it came from the factory that way.
Got the stud out:
Drilled the new hole:
Stud slides right in:
Welded:
Here is the rod provided by Strange. I drilled out the threaded end to match the diameter of the stock rod and cut the rod to fit:
Fitment:
Welded:
Pedal assembled for test fit on the bench:
Installation: I think it looks pretty good
The brake switch works off of the stock rod that goes into the master cylinder. The hole in the rod is bigger than the stud on the brake pedal, which allows it to rock back and forth inside the switch housing. The Strange master cylinder comes with a piece of tubing with left and right rod ends on it, and due to the different pedal ratio required to use manual brakes you have to relocate the attachment point a little higher on the pedal. The easy way to attach the new rod is just to drill a hole in the pedal and attach the rod end with a bolt. The problem then is how do you actuate the switch??? Here is the fix.
Here you can see how madman attached the rod to the pedal:
Stock location of the switch on the stud:
Jason26 gave me an idea to relocate the factory stud in the pedal, take the rod end out of the tube and weld the end of the stock rod in its place. You can see this worked perfectly and reinstalled as if it came from the factory that way.
Got the stud out:
Drilled the new hole:
Stud slides right in:
Welded:
Here is the rod provided by Strange. I drilled out the threaded end to match the diameter of the stock rod and cut the rod to fit:
Fitment:
Welded:
Pedal assembled for test fit on the bench:
Installation: I think it looks pretty good
09-28-2016, 03:15 PM
#6
Thanks guys, I am very serious. I have heavy hydroboost now, I have a transbrake/two step. No need for all that braking power and ALL that weight. Ready to take it to the next level!
Blown06, you did use madman kit for the manual steering though correct?
Blown06, you did use madman kit for the manual steering though correct?
Last edited by slowec; 09-28-2016 at 03:22 PM.
09-29-2016, 02:09 AM
#7
Please don't read the above as a dig on madman. I'm very appreciative of all the help and work he has done on the truck. But some things like the manual brake conversion for example were not "done" by him. I bought a bracket from BMR to bolt on a Strange master cylinder. He just simply bolted it together. I plumbed all the lines, corrected the pedal ratio and and did the fab work to implement the factory brake switch. Regarding the bracket for the rack mount, yes he cut the two pieces of steel, welded them together and drilled new mounting holes, but upon getting an alignment done I actually had to move the rack from his mounting location and used an alignment rack to achieve the proper spacer needed to correct the bump steer.
At the time, the it was just more convenient for him to bolt these pieces in while he was doing the cage and the 4-link.
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09-29-2016, 02:17 AM
#8
Cool, would you share with me how to obtain the correct flaming river rack. I am sure I can weld the necessary brackets myself. Some pics of the mounting points you ended up with would be great. I will dig through your old threads , but dang they are soooo long. How is the man steering now? Thanks
09-29-2016, 02:22 AM
#9
I've actually got an appointment to do a front half job on a certain white nbs truck here in the not too distant future. Got 2 projects ahead of him and the truck is coming to my place for the "bolt on" madman drag break kit (which requires extensive modification to the spindle to work on a 99-06 truck, coil over conversion, manual rack conversion, manual brake conversion, custom radiator support, and on and on. These mods can easily get at or just over 200 lbs off the nose of one of these trucks.
As some have seen me post, my oil/gas business has all but gone under at this point and I'm pretty much making a living off of doing fabrication work. It's not a real good living cause I can only take one project at a time (working out of my 3 car garage until I can get enough cash together to officially "open for business" at an addequately sized facility......which at this point looks the direction my career is heading.
As some have seen me post, my oil/gas business has all but gone under at this point and I'm pretty much making a living off of doing fabrication work. It's not a real good living cause I can only take one project at a time (working out of my 3 car garage until I can get enough cash together to officially "open for business" at an addequately sized facility......which at this point looks the direction my career is heading.