Extending Brake Pedal
Discussion
The pedal in the Formula Ford is too short for my feet and as a result I can’t quite get the ball of my foot on it without driving on tippy-toes, which causes other issues.
I need to extend dimension ‘A’- probably half an inch.
I can’t lower the floor to get more heel clearance so my first thought was to have someone chop the pedal and weld in a longer ‘B’.
However what I could do is unbend the pedal face like in the right hand sketch so that the contact point is higher. To my mind the problem with this is the point load is off-axis compared to the threaded rod which attaches it to the pedal. I don’t want to introduce a failure point! Also I will only be able to adjust the pedal face distance in full turn increments rather than half turn (I don’t think this will be a problem in practice).
Should I cut & shut the pedal or should I stop over-thinking it and just bend the pedal face?
ETA: In case not clear, my fear with bending the pedal face is putting a bending moment through the pedal face, threaded rod and jointing weld when braking which wasn't there before... I could maybe gusset it, but maybe the correct way to do this is finding someone who TIG welds well(!), buying some square bar and cut & shutting the pedal.
I need to extend dimension ‘A’- probably half an inch.
I can’t lower the floor to get more heel clearance so my first thought was to have someone chop the pedal and weld in a longer ‘B’.
However what I could do is unbend the pedal face like in the right hand sketch so that the contact point is higher. To my mind the problem with this is the point load is off-axis compared to the threaded rod which attaches it to the pedal. I don’t want to introduce a failure point! Also I will only be able to adjust the pedal face distance in full turn increments rather than half turn (I don’t think this will be a problem in practice).
Should I cut & shut the pedal or should I stop over-thinking it and just bend the pedal face?
ETA: In case not clear, my fear with bending the pedal face is putting a bending moment through the pedal face, threaded rod and jointing weld when braking which wasn't there before... I could maybe gusset it, but maybe the correct way to do this is finding someone who TIG welds well(!), buying some square bar and cut & shutting the pedal.
Edited by HustleRussell on Tuesday 4th January 13:39
Not very weight-conscious, but I'd make up a spacer the same shape as the pedal, then bolt it to the original pedal face.
If not a block of material, you could use a single skin of steel shaped the same way as the pedal, then use threaded bar to get it positioned just how you want it.
If not a block of material, you could use a single skin of steel shaped the same way as the pedal, then use threaded bar to get it positioned just how you want it.
I have spoken to a business who have helped me in the paddock before and they can fabricate new pedals and Nickel plate them nice and shiny for reasonable money.
I went and sat in the car yesterday and had a think. I reckon that the brake and clutch pedals want to be 1,1/4" longer so my initial guess was a bit off. The existing pedals are only 6,3/4" long from pivot centerline to the centerline of the pedal face boss so it's no wonder my size 11s and I have been struggling with them.
I went and sat in the car yesterday and had a think. I reckon that the brake and clutch pedals want to be 1,1/4" longer so my initial guess was a bit off. The existing pedals are only 6,3/4" long from pivot centerline to the centerline of the pedal face boss so it's no wonder my size 11s and I have been struggling with them.
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