Hand lever for Low and clutch?

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Model T Ford Forum: Forum 2013: Hand lever for Low and clutch?
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Mack Cole ---- Earth on Tuesday, July 30, 2013 - 12:15 pm:

To explain this question briefly ,1 of the reasons I have not been active with my TT and such is my left hip and knee has been hurting bad since febuary.Everything I have tried for releif works for about a week and then I hurt again.Finally will be going to a orthopedic doctor thursday.The doctor I went to says ostioarthritis but wants me to go see a specialist to find out what the problems are.

In the mean time driveing my straight drive pickups and the TT has been very painfull working the pedals.
Has anyone ever put a hand lever for the low speed on a T or TT?
If so how did you do it?


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Cameron Whitaker on Tuesday, July 30, 2013 - 12:57 pm:

Hmm... I suppose it wouldn't actually be too difficult. I'd start with this: http://www.snydersantiqueauto.com/5726

Then I suppose that it would just be matter of making a linkage that operates the low pedal.

No sense in letting join pain keep you away from the hobby. I wish you well and hope that you get your pains worked out.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Jerry VanOoteghem on Tuesday, July 30, 2013 - 01:10 pm:

Mack,

I'm not really suggesting you do this but, in the case of a fellow club member who had polio as a child and who consequently has no use of his left leg, he reaches down with is left arm and works the clutch pedal by hand. Mind you, he is totally dependent on crutches to get around and has arms stronger than most people's legs.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Gary Schreiber- Cuenca Ecuador on Tuesday, July 30, 2013 - 02:08 pm:

Didn't someone post here recently about a T owner who has no use of his legs modifying his T to hand operation?


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Mack Cole ---- Earth on Tuesday, July 30, 2013 - 02:15 pm:

I hope to get some idea of what the problem is thursday.
The "dope" they give me has so many sideeffects it is about as bad as the pain.


Thanks,I hated to tie up forum space with this question but holding low for a long time aint no fun.
I dont think my arms are long enough!:-)


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Rob Heyen - Nebraska on Tuesday, July 30, 2013 - 02:26 pm:

Mack,

Our Tudor (gone now) was difficult for me to operate because there wasn't really room for both legs on the right side of the brake/high lever. I placed my left leg on the left side of the lever, between it and the door, and operated all three pedals with my right foot.

When I needed to brake, I just pulled the lever up to neutral with my left hand, while holding the wheel with my right hand and operating the brake with my right foot. It was almost like running an automatic (except I needed to remember to pull the lever up the small amount necessary to leave high and go apply the clutch), only using my right foot and allowing my left leg/foot to just "ride along". It took a little getting used to, but that's the way I drove it all the time.

Usually I would have time to "clutch" with the right foot, pull the lever up the few notches necessary, then run the reverse or brake with the right foot.

Otherwise, you could probably make the linkage work like pre T Fords, where the lever when back is low, middle is neutral, and forward is high. That would be very similar to the way it is now, just swap one of the pedals linkage to make it run the emergency brake instead of low.

Rob


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Andre Valkenaers on Tuesday, July 30, 2013 - 03:35 pm:

Mack,

I rebuild a few modern cars for one and none leg or paralysed people.
The ruckstell axle shift lever seems to be a good start but I didn't see one so I can't tell for sure.
Before starting to cut, weld or change something just have a seat behind your steering wheel and think about what you need to do by hand without your legs for driving the car in security.
A few things I was thinking about jet are:
-You need to keep the transmission in neutral and the brakes activated when you push the brake lever all the way forwards before getting the car running.
-You should be able to block the command lever in low speed for steep hills.
-If you have a ruckstell rear axle or an auxiliary transmission you need to keep one hand on the steering wheel and command both lever, axle/transmission and clutch.

I will try to think about it on my car and will keep you posted on my ideas.

Good luck.

Measure twice or three times and cut once.

Andre
Belgium


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Rob Heyen - Nebraska on Tuesday, July 30, 2013 - 04:34 pm:

I did a quick youtube video driving our 13 T with just the right leg. This is the way I drove our Tudor because the seat was narrow and there was more room for my left leg on the left of the E-brake than on the right.

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=LXzPsubdc84&feature=youtube_gdata_player&desktop_ur i=%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DLXzPsubdc84%26feature%3Dyoutube_gdata_player


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Rob Heyen - Nebraska on Tuesday, July 30, 2013 - 04:47 pm:

And a youtube driving our Model N with one foot:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V0kyGNO3FBY


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Wayne Sheldon, Grass Valley, CA on Tuesday, July 30, 2013 - 05:27 pm:

Mack,
I know from past reading that model Ts were often modified for handicap use. I can't find it, but there was a thread recently about a barn-find car that may have been one at one time. But it was messed up enough to not be of much help.

Some idle thoughts on my part to consider. A right-hand-drive brake lever and ratchet quadrant would make it easy. But our standard left side parts could be modified easily enough to work as well. A second handle could be mounted inboard from the frame on the brake handle shaft with a simple linkage to a modified low pedal to operate the clutch and band. The ratchet would have to be mounted inboard on metal blocks also to hold the band pressure. The nice thing about this, is that you could leave the brake handle connected to the clutch or not per your preference. One way you would only ever need to use one handle at any time. The other, you would need to use both under some circumstances, but could have the option of using engine compression and hand brake both going down hill.
I also have "right-footed" Ts a few times. Not difficult to do. Just takes a little practice.
Of course, I most hope you get your pain under control enough to enjoy your Ts without having to do a bunch of other work. Besides, chronic pain is not fun.
Drive carefully, and do enjoy, W2


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Bob McDonald-Federal Way, Wa. on Tuesday, July 30, 2013 - 05:41 pm:

Mack
I finely found this add, your not handicapped
but you might try to make something like this
(for low-High hand operated).

Bob


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Mike Walker, NW AR on Tuesday, July 30, 2013 - 06:24 pm:

Bob -- That ad shows a nifty product. It looks like something which would be easy to fabricate (Mack could do it! :-) ) and would work well.

Rob -- One of the first things I did to your ex-car was to bend the brake lever to the left, as folks discussed on another thread recently. Now there's plenty of room for Charlie to drive the car in "normal" fashion.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Andre Valkenaers on Wednesday, July 31, 2013 - 03:51 am:

Mack,

An other Idea:
- As you can use your right leg, just add a lever to the brake pedal to action it by hand and action the reverse and clutch pedal with your right foot.
- To add more brake safety, you may install the Texas T hydraulic brake system. For more brake pressure, Girling is selling a one line booster system. I installed it in a van for a tetra plegic person how drove the van for 150,000 miles(250,000km)without any problem.

Maybe this helps.
Just keep it simple.

Good luck
Andre
Belgium


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