Handbrake in an MJ?

[summerinmaine]

Has anyone converted the footbrake pedal to a hand lever for the parking brake?

 

Maybe it's just the vehicles I grew up on, but I find a hand lever far more useful than a foot pedal, particularly with a manual transmission.

[Pete M]

I know a couple guys have talked about it (including me). A search through the projects forum brought up that rockhardzj seems to have, but he didn't have any pictures.

http://comancheclub.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=5110

[Akula69]

I was gonna try it due to the console mod...but I realized several problem points:

 

1) The current pedal to adjustment plate cable is wrong length, and the XJ cable is also not correct. The last post I saw the guy talked about a cable from a Dakota that was still not right (too long) and had to looped around various things under the vehicle.

 

2) The adjustment plate (I call it the concentrator for lack of a better term), is mounted off center and would need to be moved as the handbrake lever does not work well unless the cable is pulling along the long axis of the vehicle. Moving it to the needed position places it directly under the drive shaft.

 

3) The older handbrake units use a threaded bolt from the handle back to the concentrator. There is no clearance for this in the MJ (to mount the plate in the correct position) so you would have to either weld an extension onto the bolt or use a cable (see #2).

 

I decided to put the console in with the over handbrake cup holder in place, (which covers the slot where the handbrake would exit) and just leave the foot pedal.

[comanche87]

I'm gonna do that conversion hoping this coming week or the week after. i got most of the stuff i think i need. once i start on it ill take pics and figure out how to post them on here.

[Jiffy]

I've also considered the conversion, mainly because my park brake pedal is so loosy goosy. If you just touch it with your toe getting out of the Jeep it releases and takes some jiggling around to set it.

Like wise my clutch and brake pedals are very loose on their pivots, wobbling around when using. Probably will replace the pivot rod and those plastic bushings.[/img]

[summerinmaine]

Thanks for all the great replies. Very valuable!

 

There's nothing wrong with my existing footpedal, and I'm not particularly looking to change the console unless i must, so I'm going to weigh your comments carefully (and probably wait until some brave soul does the job, and is then willing to share the experience).