Z-bar

[Ed51]

Saturday while I was out enjoying the warm afternoon in my 63,all of a sudden the clutch would not release causing me to drive home about 5 miles stuck in second and not able to stop! :doh Anyhow I got into it this morning and discovered my z-bar cracked next to the frame side ball stud causing big time flexing.I found reproduction z-bars at Year One for $37.95. Is this a good price,and are they any good? Do these things crack a lot or am I just lucky? Does any body make such a thing as a heavy duty Z-bar? So many questions..so few answers..... :confused:

[jester]

Saturday while I was out enjoying the warm afternoon in my 63,all of a sudden the clutch would not release causing me to drive home about 5 miles stuck in second and not able to stop! :doh Anyhow I got into it this morning and discovered my z-bar cracked next to the frame side ball stud causing big time flexing.I found reproduction z-bars at Year One for $37.95. Is this a good price,and are they any good? Do these things crack a lot or am I just lucky? Does any body make such a thing as a heavy duty Z-bar? So many questions..so few answers..... :confused:
I've never heard of anyone breaking a z-bar before. I'm sure someone will have a difference story to tell. I think $37.00 is a fair price for that piece However there is a difference in the bar for each engine. The angle of the arms are not the same for the 09 cars as they are for the small blocks. I guess I need to start watching the linkage when I side-step that clutch pedal.. :rofl .

[real61ss]

That sounds very cheap, I think I've paid in the neighborhood of $75 for 61 Z bars. They were NOS, not repo.
I've broken several over the years. I bought a new L-79 Nova in 66 and the Z bar broke twice under warranty

Tommy

[Ed51]

The $37.95 is for 62-64 only. A 61 z-bar is $$99 bucks! :cuss

[hrlykngt]

weld it back and put a couple of small gussets on it, ran into this before racing a fourspeed in my camaro, made it heavy duty, I put the gussets in and didnt have anymore troubles.

[Ed51]

I've been thinking about doing just that. Where did you locate the gussets? By the way mine is cracked on the main round tube,the arms are OK.

[hrlykngt]

just made a triangle gusset out of a piece of 3/16 inch flatstock, bout 1 1/2 inch tall, weld arm back in place , weld gusset on each end of arm sticking up and to round tube then make a piece to lay across the top on 1 end grind a half moon too fit round shaft on other end and weld the gussets,arm and round shaft together.

[MRHP]

This Z-bar problem was discussed this winter I believe. I too had mine break off at the tube. I removed mine, ground down the welds and re-welded the arms back on. I was horsing on mine pretty good when mine broke. My fault? I don't know but I hope it doesn't happen again! :doh

[Ed51]

The arms didn't break off on mine,the tube itself cracked in the axial plane halfway down the length of the tube in two places.Very Spongy result! And I wasn't even banging gears! I'm going to chalk it up to metal fatigue after 42 years of use. :dunno

[walkerheaders]

ed, if you wanna mail it to me, i'll tig weld and brace it for you.

[Ed51]

Check your private messages. Ed

[twoteam]

I had this problem twice with a 1964 Chevelle. Check and be sure that rod from clutch pedal is straight a Z Bar. Some were sent through so they mounted a slight angle. Angle causes breaks over time. Either do as others say and brace or buy updated Z Bar for 1965 up with one arm on Z bar bent to right to align with pedal rod. Solved my problem and this was drag car, 11 second range.

[Ed51]

A word about the replacement z-bar from year one,first,it is from Taiwan and second it is about 7/8 inch longer than the original and the angle between the bars is a little different but it will work. Had to make it the same length as the original to get it in.
Here is a picture of the crackage.... :eek: :eek: :eek:

[jim_ss409]

It always surprizes me how a Z-bar can break so easily. I tried to drill a hole in one once to put a grease fitting in. The drill bits would barely scratch the surface. I had to give up.