Ever swapped your pedals?

[mph]

Hello folks,

I'm now 1,000 miles into my Caterham ownership experience, and loving it. First trackday completed today — and I've got upgraditis.

One thing I'm contemplating is looking for an alternative pedal box. I just can't get on with heel-n-toeing the tiny accelerator. I'd like to be able to have all of the ball of my foot on the brake and simply roll my foot to blip the throttle with the side of it, not have to play some careful positioning game to use the ball across the two pedals.

Going down a rabbit hole I discovered these folks, who appear to have pedal boxes more like I imagine I am after.

Have you ever swapped out your pedal box for something like this? Ever used these folks? Have any other thoughts that might save me money and solve the 'problem' anyway? 

Thanks!

[Wrightpayne]

There was a post a few years ago where the owner found a certain size of plastic waste pipe was a tight fit inside the ring on the pedal. The accelerator pedal can be moved (3 positions) / bent to make work.

[Jonathan Kay]

As Ian says: there are various positions, and the accelerator pedal can be bent.

Let me know if you need the section from the Assembly Guide. NB how to set the clutch if it uses a cable.

But even with those I needed the accelerator pedal to be higher, so I have a mahogany block bolted on. Was supposed to be temporary until the shaft of the pedal is cut and shut...

Jonathan

PS: I think that a fully and easily adjustable pedal box would be a great option for the Seven.

[Golf Juliet Tango]

It is certainly the case that in the 21, I would like the pedals closer to me. I have relocated rhem from the central pivot point to the nearer one but, in an ideal world would like an extra step. Two steps towards the seat would allow me to push the seat back a step which would also be nice.

I think all cars should have adjustable pedal positions. In theory, surely there is an envelope of optimal head position and all controls & seat should adjust to fit that.

[pgm]

Regarding pedal positions and being able to heel and toe we have found it to be a very personal set up. Over the years we have often adjusted the pedals to suit individual users. The best way we have found is to have the driver in the car with the pedal box cover off so we can see exactly what is required. I think you will find that most of the specialists and of course competent owners should be able to offer to carry out these adjustments so where ever you are situated there should be help at hand.

Kind regards PGM

[timb2117]

Hi MPH,

I had the same issue but with some careful back and forwards (and a double hernia getting in and out of the car to set it! :)) I managed to adjust the brake so that at bite point it brought my foot just near to the accelerator, then also fitted some simple bolt on alloy pedal plates as per diagram, which got my foot perfect for heel and toe. as you describe.

[Shortshift]

It's not too difficult to add a throttle extension pad to the existing accelerator pedal:

James

 

[O.G.]

My plastic drain pipe option.

Works for me and CHEAP! Mine was left over from a very long ago plumbing project. I do have some left.
It is a perfectly tight fit, need no glueing or screwing. You can make it as long as you like.

The only down side is finding it. It's no doubt an old British standard.
Mine is OSMA 1 1/2 inch. 

Message me if you need anything further.

O.G.
 

 

[mph]

Thanks all! Some great tips. James — that 'plate' on the accelerator looks like a nice option. You don't recall where you got that from do you? 

My pedals are probably in the right alignment, it's just the accelerator sits near the top edge of the brake, so rolling my foot over to blip with the side of it isn't possible, because the side of my foot comes in under the accelerator. Hence wanting a 'longer' pedal.

PGM — thanks for the thoughts too. I'm reet norf', in sunny Yorkshire, otherwise I'd pop in for a chat. My nearest options are newbies Turn7 and the venerable (I'm led to believe) Dave Gemzoe.

--Mark

[Shortshift]

Replying to #9

I think the pedal 'plate' was a Sparco part, but you can get something like it from Halfords or ebay.  Back in the day the originals were 'Paddy Hopkirk' brand pedal extensions for Minis - you can still get them or similar on ebay. 

You will need to modify the exiting circular tube arrangement on the standard pedal to accept the plate (I opened mine out to provide two flat surfaces that the new plate could attach to) but it's all easy to do and, for me, this approach places the accelerator in the right position alongside and slightly lower than the brake pedal pad.

James

[Wrightpayne]

James,

Does your acc pedal have the normal bit of tube on the end? Struggling to work out how the plate is bolted on?

Ian 

Just spotted this...

https://caterhamparts.co.uk/pedals/4756-throttle-pedal-rhd-csr-adjustable-special-order.html

[Shortshift]

Yes, my pedal started with the normal tube piece.  I cut through that and folded back a section either side of the cut line so as to provide two planar tabs for mounting the new plate to. 

I suggest not to get sidetracked with the CSR adjustable pedal; it's quite a different animal!

James
 

[Shortshift]

Here's a better image of the installation and a crude sketch showing how to do it:

Step by step - well, something like this (I can't remember the exact detail but you get the idea):

James

[mph]

This has got me thinking. I wonder if something could be 3D printed? It's surprising how strong you can make a bit of printed PLA.

On the subject of taking the cover off of the pedal box to look down into it, mine appears to have lines running over it from the brake reservoir. Is that the 'normal' routing? It seems to make it awkward to take that top cover off.

[Wrightpayne]

Brake lines are normal - if you remove the screws the ally panel should slide out.

[mph]

Magic, thanks for confirming I'm still very much learning about Caterham ownership (and the more I do, the more I love the little thing )

[Nigel B]

Positioning the pedals for intuitive heel & toe is something I struggled with for quite a while with my 420R. 

My previous live axle seven had perfectly positioned pedals & I found heel toe was second nature, something I did automatically after a while, without thinking about it.

The pedals in the 420R were positioned in such a way that heel & toe was utterly impossible when I got the car. The throttle pedal was on the mounting point closest to the driver & was nowhere near the brake.

To cut a very long story short, by shortening the throttle cable to move the pedal towards the front of the car & fitting a high ratio ‘race’ brake pedal from Caterham, to reduce the brake pedal travel, the set up now feels perfect for me.

I think it’s well worth persevering with, as it feels SO much better when the pedals are positioned correctly for you. You say your foot ends up ‘under the throttle pedal’. Perhaps positioning the brake pedal a little higher when it ‘bites’ by adjusting the point at which the clevis connects to the master cylinder push rod might do the trick?

[mph]

I think having somebody able to look down through the pedal box whilst I attempt to get comfortable would help no end. This is the 'problem' as it feels and looks to me Nigel…

I can blip it like this, but it's really awkward and I don't like feeling the brake with pretty much my big toe only.

If I could just position my foot centrally on the pedal, then roll over to the right, that would feel much better. Only I can't, because the accelerator isn't long enough. James' extension plate would be a nice solution I think — possibly coupled up with some pedal height tweaking.

 

[Nigel B]

A ha! I see what you mean. By the looks of things, extending the throttle pedal laterally to the left might be the answer. Perhaps a length of pipe inserted into the pedal? (As Wrightpayne was suggesting).

[Molecular--Bob]

You can do proof of concept with a bit of wood, just to see if the extended throttle pedal works for you.

 

A bit of machined nylon rod might work if the pipe proves hard to come by?

[Molecular--Bob]

Would the nice man at Arch make a wider one? It looks like the loop is cut from tube, so a wider one should be trivial for them.

[Jonathan Kay]

"You can do proof of concept with a bit of wood, just to see if the extended throttle pedal works for you."

That's what I did. And still have!

Jonathan

[Wrightpayne]

I'm sure there was a post a while ago where an engineering apprentice had designed something and was manufacturing a solution - I'll see if I can find it! It may have been to fix something else on a seven 

 

Found it and seems to no longer be available and the bulk buy link doesnt work ! I wonder if anyone has a picture or can get to the bulk buy link?

https://www.lotus7.club/forum/techtalk/heel-and-toe-extension

[mph]

Wish there was still a photo in that thread

[7 wonders of the world]

 

There are different brake pedals too, mine was night on straight which meant it was too easy to catch the throttle when braking so I changed it for the later version which has a slight dogleg and moves the brake pedal toward the clutch, which affords a slightly bigger arena for your hoofs to dance in.

This is the one I fitted.

https://caterhamparts.co.uk/pedals/3106-clutch-pedal-de-dion-rhd.html

 

If you need more room you can remove the pedal rubbers and cut and secure skateboard tape to the pedals this trims about 4mm off each side of the pedal - perfect if you are fitted with barges for feet.