Early Pedal Assembly Rebuild:

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How to Replace VW Clutch and Accelerator Cables and Pedal Assembly: A Complete Guide

Introduction:

While we were replacing the clutch and accelerator cables in our 1963 Beetle we noticed the clutch pedal cross shaft was worn. This gave us an opportunity to show you how to rebuild the pedal assembly. Today, we’re going to walk through the steps of replacing and upgrading the clutch and accelerator cables, as well as the pedal assembly, for your Volkswagen. While we were at it, we swap out the accelerator pedal for a roller pedal.

Tools Needed:

10mm Wrench
11mm Wrench
14mm Wrench
15mm Wrench
Vice Grips
3/8" Ratchet
6" Extension
17mm Socket
6mm Allen Wrench
Flathead Screwdrivers
Hammer
Punch
Chisel

Before You Begin

• Ensure the front wheels are chocked.
• Lift the back end of the car onto jack stands.

Adjusting and Removing the Clutch Cable

• Loosen the clutch cable adjustment nut from the cable with a wrench. Use pliers or vice grips to prevent the cable from twisting while you remove the nut.

Disassembling the Pedal Assembly Inside the Car

• Remove the two 17mm bolts holding the pedal assembly in place.
• Pull the accelerator cable off the linkage end.
• Pry up the brake pedal push rod clip with a flathead screwdriver to remove the push rod pin.
• Remove the push rod from the master cylinder and brake pedal.
• Pull the pedal assembly forward slightly to detach the clutch cable from the pedal hook.
• emove the pedal assembly from the car.

Preparing for a Roller Pedal

• If upgrading to a roller pedal, remove the stock accelerator pedal from the floor pan by pulling the pivot pin loose.

Disassembling the Pedal Assembly at the Workbench

• Remove the accelerator cable lever by pushing the pin out.
• Secure the pedal assembly in a bench vise and tap out the clutch pedal cross shaft pin using a hammer and punch.
• Reposition the assembly in the vise to remove the clutch pedal by tapping it off at the cross shaft.
• Take the assembly out of the vise and remove the cross shaft.
• Place the pedal base back in the vise to remove the snap ring from the brake pedal. Ideally, use snap ring pliers, but flathead screwdrivers can work as an alternative.
• Remove the brake pedal and return spring.

Reassembling the Pedal Assembly

• Clean and degrease all components before reassembly.
• Begin reassembly by placing the brake pedal return spring on the brake pedal and sliding it onto the pedal base.
• Secure the snap ring with the screwdrivers.
• Grease and insert a new clutch pedal cross shaft.
• Align the clutch pedal and hook to point in the same direction and secure with the pedal pin.

For Stock Pedal Setup

• Reinstall the stock accelerator lever and secure with the pivot pin.
• Slide the washer onto the push rod and connect it to the pedal lever.
• Mount the accelerator pedal to the floor pan with the pedal pivot pin.
• Place another washer on the push rod and install it into the pedal.
• Secure with the spring clip.

For Roller Pedal Installation

• Remove the stock linkage and install the roller pedal with the pivot pin, adding washers as needed to reduce wobble.
• Attach the clutch cable to the pedal hook.
• Push the pedal assembly base into the tunnel while holding the clutch pedal forward.
• Push the brake pedal return spring forward to position the pedal away from the firewall.

Final Steps

• Loosely bolt the pedal assembly to the tunnel, ensuring the clutch pedal stays up.
• An assistant guides the clutch cable end through the transmission clutch arm.
• Tighten the clutch cable adjustment nut to remove slack.
• Fully tighten the pedal assembly bolts.
• Grease and insert the brake pedal push rod into the master cylinder.
• Install the brake pedal push rod pin and secure with the clip.
• Connect the accelerator cable to the new roller pedal.
• If using a heavy-duty cable, secure it with a small bolt and nuts.
• For stock pedals and cables, attach accordingly.

Conclusion

Replacing your Volkswagen's clutch and accelerator cables, along with the pedal assembly, ensures reliable and responsive control of your vehicle. Regular maintenance and timely replacement of these components keep your Volkswagen in top driving condition.

Video Transcript:

Intro Hello, Sam again with JBugs.com In our last video, we covered replacing the clutch and accelerator cables. While the pedal assembly was out, we went through it and replaced the clutch pedal shaft and swapped out to a roller pedal. That process begins just like our last video, as it was all part of the same process, with our front wheels chalked and the back end of the car sitting up on jack stands. Vehicle Preparation The engine is out but this is not a requirement for any of this process. The clutch cable adjustment nut is loosened from the cable with a wrench. Holding the cable with a pair of pliers or vice grips is usually necessary to keep the cable from twisting while removing the nut. 1966 and later models have a wing nut and wouldn't need a wrench. Inside the car, the accelerator pedal linkage is disconnected so the pedal can be pulled away from the assembly. Pedal Assembly Removal The two 17 millimeter pedal assembly bolts are removed. The accelerator cable is pulled off the linkage end and the brake pedal push rod clip is pried up with a flat head screwdriver, so the push rod pin can be removed. The push rod is removed from the master cylinder and brake pedal. The pedal assembly can be removed from the pedal a bit so the clutch cable can be removed from the pedal hook and the assembly can be removed from the car. We're prepping for a roller pedal so the stock accelerator pedal is removed from the floor pan by pulling the pivot pin loose. Pedal Assembly Tear Down With the pedal assembly out, we can begin the tear down of the pedal assembly at the work bench. You can see here how worn the clutch pedal cross shaft hook is. First, the accelerator cable lever is removed by pushing the lever pin out of the assembly base. With the pedal assembly held in our bench vise, the clutch pedal cross shaft pin can be removed with a hammer and a punch. The assembly is re-positioned in the vise so the clutch pedal can be tapped off at the cross shaft with a hammer and chisel. The pedal assembly is removed from the vise and the cross shaft itself is removed. The pedal base is re-positioned again in the vise so that the snap ring for the brake pedal can be removed. Snap ring pliers are ideal but as we show here a couple of flat head screwdrivers can be used as well. With the snap ring removed, the brake pedal and return spring are removed and twisted off the pedal assembly base so that they and the rest of the pedal assembly can be cleaned and degreased before reassembly. Pedal Assembly Reassembly Reassembly begins by positioning the brake pedal return spring on the brake pedal. After light degreasing of the inside diameter of the pedal, it is slid onto the pedal base. The pedal base is then clamped into the vise so that the snap ring can be installed with a couple of flat head screwdrivers. A new clutch pedal cross shaft is greased and then slid into the pedal assembly and the clutch pedal is slid onto the other side. Make sure that the pedal and hook both point in the same direction. The clutch pedal pin is tapped into place with a hammer. We will be swapping to a roller pedal but we want to show the stock pedal linkage for those keeping the original set up. Stock Pedal Linkage Assembly The stock accelerator lever is placed into the groove on the pedal base and held in place with a pivot pin. A washer is slid in place onto the double bent end of the accelerator push rod and pushed into the pedal lever on the pedal assembly. The accelerator pedal would then be mounted to the floor pan with a pedal pivot pin with the spring set in between the two metal mounts. Another washer goes onto the opposite end of the push rod, and that end installs into the pedal itself. The spring clip is pushed over the rod and clipped into the groove on the rod. Here, you get an idea of how everything is mounted and how the stock linkage operates. We are going to be installing a billet aluminum roller pedal, so all that is taken off Roller Pedal Assembly and we will install the roller pedal with the stock lever pivot pin. The roller pedal lever isn't as thick as the stock lever so it will wobble a little bit side to side. A few washers that fit over the pivot pin are slid onto the groove to eliminate most of that play. Next, we will use the same method to remove some of the side to side play on the roller pedal itself. The roller pedal is unbolted from the lever, a washer is installed over the bolt and then it is bolted back to the lever. Pedal Assembly Installation Now, the pedal assembly can be installed by attaching the clutch cable to the pedal hook. The clutch pedal is pushed forward to the firewall and held there, while the pedal assembly base is positioned into the tunnel. At the same time, the brake pedal return spring on the bottom of the assembly must be pushed forward towards the front of the car so that it [can] push the brake pedal away from the firewall. The assembly can now be loosely bolted to the tunnel by hand while making sure to keep the clutch pedal from falling down. If the pedal comes down, the cable falls off and you'll have to pull the pedal assembly out and start over again. An assistant at the back of the car is now needed. While light pressure is still held on the clutch pedal inside, an assistant can guide the clutch cable end through the clutch arm on the transmission. The clutch cable adjustment nut is threaded onto the cable until the slack in the cable is removed and the clutch cable is pulled to a stop on the chassis and no longer moves freely. The two pedal assembly bolts can be fully tightened Brake Pedal Push Rod Installation and the brake pedal push rod can be greased slightly and slid into the master cylinder. The brake pedal push rod clip is positioned next to it on the pedal so the brake pedal push rod pin can be slid into place and seated with the help of a chisel. The clip is tapped down with a hammer and bent over the chisel to complete the installation. The accelerator cable can now be hooked up to the pedal. We now have a roller pedal and a heavy duty cable that require a small bolt and a few nuts to hold the cable in place. If [you're] using a stock pedal and cable, attach the cable to the push rod on earlier models or through the pedal lever on late models and the job is done. In our next video, we will cover the installation of a new bore master cylinder and some new steel brake lines but you'll have to wait for that. Thanks for watching. Head over to JBugs.com for all your vintage Volkswagen parts and accessories.