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Thread: Why are the clutch and brake aftermarket bushing sold as different materials?

  1. #1
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    Why are the clutch and brake aftermarket bushing sold as different materials?

    In the process of swapping the stock clutch and brake bushings for a set from IE and I’m wondering that if the bushings are the same size for both pedals, why are the clutch bronze and the brake delrin? The bronze would be better on both I would think, and they went in much easier and are smother it seems than the delrin brake bushes, which were a pain to get the pedal back on the shaft and seem very tight to the shaft, the pedal does not move very freely. Both got a small amount of super lube of the shaft, but the bronze bushing seems to be a much better choice. Just thinking it would be best to have them both bronze. Any thoughts? Thanks.
    Larry

  2. #2
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    Quote Originally Posted by 76duece View Post
    In the process of swapping the stock clutch and brake bushings for a set from IE and I’m wondering that if the bushings are the same size for both pedals, why are the clutch bronze and the brake delrin? ...
    I think this is just a preference of IE, and you can use either material on either or both pedals. Most people are just interested in the clutch pedal bushing since it gets the most wear and can squeak.

    Last year for my Mason steel clutch pedal, I got all the bushing choices to compare -- IE's Oilite bronze, UUC's white UHMW plastic, Rogue's black Delrin plastic, and the stock black split plastic. I was concerned by some early bronze bushings not fitting well, but they all fit OK. The stock bushing looked thin and flimsy. I chose the bronze because it looked so good, but I am sure the white and black plastic would have been fine.
    BMW MOA 696, BMW CCA 1405

  3. #3
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    I used bronze bushings for both the clutch and brake pedals. When the oilite bronze bushings are press fit, the compression takes place mostly on the ID, which can make it impossible to install. If you try to press fit the bushings onto a hard steel shaft (the clutch and brake pedal shafts are both steel), it can smear the bronze pores closed, removing any benefit of the oilite bushings.

    You may need to polish the shafts down a decent amount especially the brake pedal shaft, constantly checking the fit with the bronze bushings before attempting to firmly seat them on the shaft. When installed in the brake and clutch pedals, they should slide off of the shafts without using tools in order to rotate smoothly and not bind or damage the pores.

    I needed to sand some of the paint off of the ID of the brake pedal (which is steel), in order to press fit the bronze bushings without compressing the ID too much. The stock clutch pedal is plastic, and the fit was a little looser so it didn't require any diameter changes.

    There is no way to remove these without destroying them (they are basically a soft metal sponge that is ~30% oil by mass), so you get one chance to get the installation right.

    I replaced all springs, rubber grommets, clutch master cylinder and hose, and any other wear items, as well as lubricated all the pedal switches and cleaned all the contacts while I had my pedal box out. The results are absolutely worth it.

    I had to take the pedal box out in order to remove the steering column while I was replacing/upgrading/repairing every component in the steering system anyways.

  4. #4
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    As impressed as I am with my roadster, it’s hard to imagine anything on it being flimsy. But, if I ever have to replace bushings, bronze sounds like a good choice.

    Good advice also on getting the fitup right.
    Last edited by Tigershark48; 12-11-2018 at 09:13 AM.

  5. #5
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    I did this last year, and used bronze (AKG oilite, probably same as the IE ones) on both brake and clutch pedals. I too felt it was a better choice than Delrin/plastic, but I couldn't get confirmation that the bronze would fit on the brake pedal so took a bit of a chance. Since the stock parts are all identical I figured it should work, and it did.

    I didn't have to press them in to the brake pedal, they just slid in, and they would be easily removable (if I ever wanted to, which I don't see why I would). For the clutch pedal, I replaced the plastic pedal with a Mason steel pedal and put bronze bushings in it also. I put lithium grease on the bushings (figured it couldn't hurt). Very solid, connected pedal feel now without the slop or creaky noises...

    If you do this, you'll definitely want/need to replace the return spring grommets because they've probably disintegrated. The springs on the clutch and brake pedals make noise without those rubber grommets.

  6. #6
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    Quote Originally Posted by Tigershark48 View Post
    As impressed as I am with my roadster, it’s hard to imagine anything on it being flimsy.
    Awww, just wait.

  7. #7
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    Quote Originally Posted by TommyMaddox View Post
    I used bronze bushings for both the clutch and brake pedals. When the oilite bronze bushings are press fit, the compression takes place mostly on the ID, which can make it impossible to install. If you try to press fit the bushings onto a hard steel shaft (the clutch and brake pedal shafts are both steel), it can smear the bronze pores closed, removing any benefit of the oilite bushings. You may need to polish the shafts down... I needed to sand some of the paint off of the ID of the brake pedal (which is steel), in order to press fit the bronze bushings without compressing the ID too much... There is no way to remove these without destroying them (they are basically a soft metal sponge that is ~30% oil by mass), so you get one chance to get the installation right...
    My IE bronze bushings dropped in and out of the Mason clutch pedal.
    I had heard the early bronze bushings needed their OD sanded to fit the pedal's bore. What year did you do this in?
    BMW MOA 696, BMW CCA 1405

  8. #8
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    2000 Z3. Kept the stock plastic clutch pedal, needed to polish both pivot shafts, especially the brake one, and remove the paint on the ID of the brake pedal.

  9. #9
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    Post #7 asked what year bronze bushing you used, not the year of your car.
    Because this 2016 Mason pedal review said the bronze bushing was too big:
    https://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/s...6#post29109396
    But in 2017 my bronze bushing fitted OK.
    BMW MOA 696, BMW CCA 1405

  10. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by Vintage42 View Post
    Post #7 asked what year bronze bushing you used, not the year of your car.
    Because this 2016 Mason pedal review said the bronze bushing was too big:
    https://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/s...6#post29109396
    But in 2017 my bronze bushing fitted OK.
    Oops, I misread. I did this two months ago (October 2018) using IE bushings I purchased in September or October 2018.

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