Park brake lever cover

Dr.Jeff

True Classic
Has anyone made a custom cover (boot) for the park brake (emergency brake, hand brake) lever assembly? I'm talking about this monster:
brake boot.jpg

The stock boot wraps around a second base plate that is bolted down with the whole assembly. The way it all bolts to the chassis, the rubber boot must be removed from that base plate before you can access the mounting or adjusting bolts. So how do you attach a leather replacement boot (cover), allowing you to still access the inside?

I see someone sells a leather replacement boot, but there is no information about it:

Anyone made something or installed something like this? Thanks
 
Has anyone made a custom cover (boot) for the park brake (emergency brake, hand brake) lever assembly? I'm talking about this monster:
View attachment 49801
The stock boot wraps around a second base plate that is bolted down with the whole assembly. The way it all bolts to the chassis, the rubber boot must be removed from that base plate before you can access the mounting or adjusting bolts. So how do you attach a leather replacement boot (cover), allowing you to still access the inside?

I see someone sells a leather replacement boot, but there is no information about it:

Anyone made something or installed something like this? Thanks
Hussein did buy one and it was a total horror show. I had suggested it and he likely still hasn’t forgiven me.
 
Hussein did buy one and it was a total horror show. I had suggested it and he likely still hasn’t forgiven me.
I remember something about that. Was it specifically intended for the X1/9, or something more generic?

@lookforjoe, please tell us your experience with the boot Karl made you buy. :p But seriously, how was it mounted to the frame?

I want to make a leather one so I threw together a mockup using heavy cloth. The overall shape is easy to do, but figuring how to attach it has me puzzled. I'm considering cutting off the bottom lip from a stock rubber boot and seeing if the new cover can be glued to it. Hopefully it would stay on and allow enough flexibility to be reattached over the stock frame in the stock manner.
 
I just noticed in the ad I posted a link to (for the leather boot) has the name of the maker. Google referred me to a eBay seller, which I'm pretty sure is the same one Hussein bought. The eBay listing says "no frame included", and "please note this item is for the leather part only that fits over the original rubber boot".


I wonder if it is intended to be glued to the rubber boot or does it have something like a drawstring to secure it under the rubber boot?

That is a pricey boot. Funny because the link I posted has it for a much lesser price ($26 USD) vs on eBay ($82 USD). But the first ad does not include shipping to the US. Does it cost $56 to send it here?
 
Looks good, right?

IMG-20200318-164732.jpg



No F'king way to actually install it - leather is bonded to a plastic plate that is intended to bolt in place of / with metal plate - not possible

IMG_20200318_164350.jpg
 
Looks good, right?

IMG-20200318-164732.jpg



No F'king way to actually install it - leather is bonded to a plastic plate that is intended to bolt in place of / with metal plate - not possible

IMG_20200318_164350.jpg
How would you have access to those bolts to install it? That's my delima.

Apparently they no longer supply that plastic base. Their listing now specifically states (in bold red print) it is only the leather cover. It also says it is intended to mount over the original rubber boot, but I don't see how that could be done either. Do you think the leather can successfully be glued onto the rubber and still allow it to stretch over the metal base plate?
 
How would you have access to those bolts to install it? That's my delima.

Apparently they no longer supply that plastic base. Their listing now specifically states (in bold red print) it is only the leather cover. It also says it is intended to mount over the original rubber boot, but I don't see how that could be done either. Do you think the leather can successfully be glued onto the rubber and still allow it to stretch over the metal base plate?

I highly doubt the cover would fit over the eBrake bellows. It would look pretty shitty if it did fit. Unless they changed the dimensions significantly, you can also note that it is too short to fit lengthwise
 
Has anyone made a custom cover (boot) for the park brake (emergency brake, hand brake) lever assembly? I'm talking about this monster:
View attachment 49801
The stock boot wraps around a second base plate that is bolted down with the whole assembly. The way it all bolts to the chassis, the rubber boot must be removed from that base plate before you can access the mounting or adjusting bolts. So how do you attach a leather replacement boot (cover), allowing you to still access the inside?

I see someone sells a leather replacement boot, but there is no information about it:

Anyone made something or installed something like this? Thanks
Mine uses a piece of wood/hard cardboard to fit inside. I am uncertain year yours is or if mine is the original style. But if its just got to slide underneath and remain "contained" think springy. Maybe the idea of those tents that you throw and poof it falls into shape, or a collapsible hamper thats always fun to play with. All you would need to do is give it a squeeze and it can slide underneath and into place.
 
Mine uses a piece of wood/hard cardboard to fit inside. I am uncertain year yours is or if mine is the original style. But if its just got to slide underneath and remain "contained" think springy. Maybe the idea of those tents that you throw and poof it falls into shape, or a collapsible hamper thats always fun to play with. All you would need to do is give it a squeeze and it can slide underneath and into place.
However the base plate would need to be tightened down before the boot was installed - in order to have access to the mounting bolts. So if the boot could be squeezed under that tightened base plate, then it seems it would easily pull back out from under it? I'm just trying to figure this out.
 
Another older thread started by Bobkat was just brought back up, it has some discussion on this same topic. To quote LookforJoe about installing the aftermarket leather boot he bought, "it can't be bolted to the metal plate location first because there is no access and it will simply snap, and secondly because the bolts have to be tight enough to maintain adjustment setting of base plate". This is exactly my issue.

I guess the most likely possibility might be to cut the lower edge off of the stock rubber boot and glue the newly made leather cover onto the rubber. Hopefully that will allow it to be reinstalled the same way as the original one; by stretching the lip over the edge of the metal base plate after the plate is bolted down in the correct adjustment position. Anyone have thoughts if that might work?
 
How about making a leather boot that has the edge wrapped under the lip of the metal plate, but then incorporating a snap or two at the back, close to the lip? You could slide the boot over the handle, under the lip, then close the snap to keep it in place.
 
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