1966 Big Block Clutch Push Rod and Bracket

[John M.]

Has anyone had to "trim down" their clutch rod to avoid having the rod and the pedal mounting bracket and attaching bolts from coming in contact? Right before my pedal hits the floor, one of the bracket mounting bolts and the bracket hits the clutch rod and tends to push it off the pivot point resulting in the cotter pin breaking over time. I took my bracket off today and it appears this has been happening for a long, long time with all the wear on the bracket!! I talked to someone locally and they had to do the same thing. They ground down their rod a bit. Is this "normal".

I also found in some of my research tonignt that there were two brackets used. One for small block cars and another for big blocks. My bracket appears to be the original with the mounting stud for the push rod in the upper hole.

[John H.]

Re: 1966 Big Block Clutch Push Rod and Bracket

Has anyone had to "trim down" their clutch rod to avoid having the rod and the pedal mounting bracket and attaching bolts from coming in contact? Right before my pedal hits the floor, one of the bracket mounting bolts and the bracket hits the clutch rod and tends to push it off the pivot point resulting in the cotter pin breaking over time. I took my bracket off today and it appears this has been happening for a long, long time with all the wear on the bracket!! I talked to someone locally and they had to do the same thing. They ground down their rod a bit. Is this "normal".

I also found in some of my research tonignt that there were two brackets used. One for small block cars and another for big blocks. My bracket appears to be the original with the mounting stud for the push rod in the upper hole.

John -

There was only one bracket used for all conditions. I think you'll find that you don't have the THICK special spacer washer that goes between the bracket and the pushrod; that spaces the pushrod outboard slightly so it doesn't interfere with the bracket bolt heads. See your Assembly Manual, UPC 7, sheet C2, item #4, P/N 3834560 washer. If that spacer washer isn't there, exactly the symptom you describe will occur as the bracket bolt head grinds on the pushrod every time you depress the clutch pedal.

[Joe L.]

Re: 1966 Big Block Clutch Push Rod and Bracket

John -

There was only one bracket used for all conditions. I think you'll find that you don't have the THICK special spacer washer that goes between the bracket and the pushrod; that spaces the pushrod outboard slightly so it doesn't interfere with the bracket bolt heads. See your Assembly Manual, UPC 7, sheet C2, item #4, P/N 3834560 washer. If that spacer washer isn't there, exactly the symptom you describe will occur as the bracket bolt head grinds on the pushrod every time you depress the clutch pedal.

John and John-----


The GM #3834560 was 11/16" OD, 11/32" ID, and 3/16" thick. If you can't find a washer of this size, you may be able to fabricate one using a different size washer as a starting point. After all, you only need one.

As it turns out, the 3834560 washer is still available from GM. Imagine that, 50 years after its release and first use, you can still get it from GM!