Are most foot pedals stiff in older cars?

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Dakota Smith

Dakota Smith

1976 340 Feather Duster
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I drove my 76 Plymouth Duster for the first time yesterday and the foot pedals, especially the gas pedal, were much harder to press down than newer vehicles that I am used to driving. My older friend said “that’s just the way older cars are.” Is that an accurate statement or is there anything I can do to improve the pedals? I may get used to it after a while, but so far it’s difficult to barely press the gas when switching gears. It’s floor it, or let it die.
 
Dakota Smith said:
I drove my 76 Plymouth Duster for the first time yesterday and the foot pedals, especially the gas pedal, were much harder to press down than newer vehicles that I am used to driving. My older friend said “that’s just the way older cars are.” Is that an accurate statement or is there anything I can do to improve the pedals? I may get used to it after a while, but so far it’s difficult to barely press the gas when switching gears. It’s floor it, or let it die.
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FYI, it is a manual transmission.
 
Got a photo of your carburetor spring setup?

Any kinks in the throttle cable?
 
The cable gets sticky, then someone adds a return spring to compensate instead of fixing the issue.
 
81F86F27-3456-43C5-95EF-B3CE021F4FA6.jpeg
Alaskan_TA said:
Got a photo of your carburetor spring setup?

Any kinks in the throttle cable?
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I didn’t even think about that. It would probably help if I lubricated the spring or the piece of the carb that the spring attaches to.
 
Most setups have a spring going forward from the U clip area of the post to a bracket up forward.
 
Your friend is right - older cars are more crude with less emphasis on ease of effort by the driver. But there are also other reasons why older cars will "stiffen up". Usually it's because they are not driven as much, and they may be stored in non-environmentally controlled areas, which can let corrosion build up. Plus over time the rubber and vinyl used can degrade, and the carburetors can gum up. I've also seem some really hokey attempts at repairs to return spring setups... So you need to figure out what it is causing the issues, and fix it.
 
Here is a custom setup with mixed OE & aftermarket parts. (automatic car, so ignore the kick down linkage)

throttle spring 1.JPG
 
Yup,your spring is stretched like E-flat piano wire.

Should go forward from where cable attatches.
I would remove whole cable assembly and try to get some lube through it too. As well as cleaning and lubricating mainshaft on carbletooter.
 
I disagree so far as throttle. I have a 95 Olds Cutlass, a 99 Dakota, and the White Whale III a 00 Dodge 2500. I would say the Dart "when it ran" had no more friction for the throttle than anything else

Clutches vary greatly. My old 86-87 Rangers, you could have pressed the clutch down with your hand. The "big" clutch in my old Road Runner required "real effort."

Brakes also vary greatly, depending on power or not, the type of lining, etc, etc. The brakes in the White Whale III I have upgraded to larger calipers and rear cylinders. It STOPS!!! But when cold youhave to be VERY VERY careful just BARELY touch the brakes.

None of the above has a thing to do with old vs new
 
Dakota Smith said:
View attachment 1715165224
I didn’t even think about that. It would probably help if I lubricated the spring or the piece of the carb that the spring attaches to.
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that looks like some cobbled together linkage. Normally, like others have said, the return springs are forward of the carb. I kinda doubt that is even the correct point to attach the cable end, which would affect the geometry, and mechanical advantage(feel) of the accelerator cable. I'd also confirm that that is a made for Mopar carb. Sometimes the more common aftermarket carbs are made to fit Ford or Chev, and you have to "adapt" them with accessory brackets, if that is even possible. The made for Mopar carbs are rarer, more expensive, and probably have to be special-ordered. That's why you don't see them that often.
One thing you got going for you is that your vehicle is a manual trans, so you don't have to contend with making the auto trans kickdown mechanism work properly which can be kinda tricky in itself.
 
I also noticed a kink in the cable just where it goes into the sheath. If you can straighten that out it will help. Also it isn't a straight pull to the carb, a little offset. That increases the effort to accelerate. Maybe you can adjust the bracket to get a straighter pull. When you get away from factory its all adjust as necessary.
 
That cable bracket is a custom cable bracket not made for that carb set up, It is to high and at the wrong angle, you need to lower it and it will take the bind out of the sheath and pull the throttle at the correct angle.

Oh yea and get rid of those springs and get a bigger diameter one made from smaller wire.
 
That will probably work, just use 1 spring if you can, If its not strong enough to pull it back something is binding up and needs to be fixed.
 
also notice how this is putting the cable close to the manifold and the cable is at a angle going up to the carb, this is what you need.
throttle-spring-2-jpg.jpg
 
Not to cause conflict but if you have ever had a return spring break you would use 2. Ask me how I know.
 
NAPA may have a few springs to choose from, the two in that kit look way too short.
 
Looks to me like the OP has "way too much" spring and possibly hooked to the carb in such a way as to cause leverage problems

It is really hard to beat the OEM springs.
 
I understand the need for safety with redundancy on the springs, but also remember there is a return torsion spring on many carbs. Perhaps when he gets the geometry right on his linkage, two stock like return springs will not prove to be too much pressure anymore.
That's one of the things I like about the TQ's, they have a good pedal feel to them. You know by the way the pedal feels when you are opening up the secondary butterflies, and of course that distinctive secondary air valve sound, too, hahaha
 
Haven't seen anyone mention why it's wrong to have the spring at the same side of the throttle cable; It puts a constant force against the throttle shaft, which wears it out quickly because of that.
 
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