FormaCars

Visit our community sponsor

Thanks Thanks:  0
Likes Likes:  0
Results 1 to 8 of 8

Thread: Pedal Adjustment, again

  1. #1
    Junior Member
    Join Date
    Nov 2018
    Posts
    16
    Post Thanks / Like

    Pedal Adjustment, again

    I hate being that guy, but I've searched older threads and think I have a plan just need a reality check from those who have been there.

    New Mk3 owner with what appears to be stock pedal assembly (ford oem I suppose) with cable clutch. With 36" inseam I don't fit safely, even with the seat removed and my spine touching the rear bulkhead my toes are BEHIND the brake and clutch pedals when comfortable. I also can only drive barefooted as my right foot interferes with brake pedal with any shoe I own, although the depth of the accelerator is not as bad as brake/clutch. Things have to move.

    My Plan, starting with least intrusive:
    • Look at adjusting rod lengths, removing/adjusting pedal covers and perhaps pulling the arms and bend/cut/weld.
    • If oem pedal assembly mounting requires modifications, then it will have to come out.
    • At that point I'll consider Wilwood setup and other options.


    It looks like the pedal arms themselves can be removed individually? If the pedal assembly has to come out, it looks like a body off procedure...right? I'd like to avoid that. All comments greatly appreciated, especially those who have personally gone through this exercise.
    Thanks, S.
    Last edited by Sdb999; 01-20-2019 at 09:50 AM.

  2. #2

    Join Date
    Feb 2011
    Location
    Norton, MA USA earth
    Posts
    3,325
    Post Thanks / Like
    Not sure there is too much you can do to the stock pedals to get more leg length. Lots of people have bent the clutch and brake pedal to the left for more gas pedal clearance. Do a search for pedal bender. there are still some tools floating around to accomplish this without removing the pedals.
    Mike

  3. #3
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Nov 2017
    Posts
    765
    Post Thanks / Like
    Quote Originally Posted by michael everson View Post

    Not sure there is too much you can do to the stock pedals to get more leg length. Lots of people have bent the clutch and brake pedal to the left for more gas pedal clearance. Do a search for pedal bender.
    +1, not sure there is much you can do with *any* pedal box for more leg length. The steel oem pedals + boxes are easier to modify (cut, bend, weld) than the aftermarket aluminum.

    Mike is correct in that the most productive area to work in down there is bending the pedals so you don't "fat foot" two pedals.

    Another productive area is to do whatever it takes to get the pedal under the ball of your foot (raise pedal height off floor, careful not to overdo it + lose leverage).

    My pedals are about 8.5" from the front of the foot box - and you're going to need all that throw on the clutch pedal (cable or hydraulic) or you're going to end up with a really stiff clutch pedal.

    You don't need as much throw on the brake pedal, but how much offset between the clutch pedal and brake pedal can you stand? And you're also getting down there closer to the throttle if you go that route (how close can you stand it?).


    Talking about sitting flat on the floor pan - the most productive area for inseam length is going to be seat - look for a Kirkey vintage or pro-drag seat.

    Mount it as low + far back as possible (also leaned back) - it puts your butt low + as far back as possible and your thighs + knees higher - it's about as good as it gets / gives you all the room you're going to get.

    Good luck from a 31" inseam.

    For reference - my Kirkey drag seat has 3 more inches I could go back and I could probably move the brake pedal forward an inch (clutch would have to stay where it is for travel).


    The two popular oem pedal boxes are Fox body + SN95 (1994-2000+) - The SN95 you should be able to get out, don't know about the Fox (never worked with one).

  4. #4
    Senior Member CraigS's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2011
    Location
    Blacksburg, Va
    Posts
    4,707
    Post Thanks / Like
    An adjustable brake pushrod will help some but you have to be careful not to screw up the geometry.
    20190120_154338 by craig stuard, on Flickr
    Pardon the quick drawing. This is what you want where the pedal travel splits the difference front and rear of vertical. One could fudge it some pulling the pedal to the right (toward driver) but should not fudge it far to the left. If you can get the position you want w/ an adjustable pushrod while maintaining good geometry, that would be great. If you need more than that it should be cut and welded just below the pushrod pin. The clutch is easier assuming you have a firewall adjuster.
    https://www.americanmuscle.com/bbk-f...E&gclsrc=aw.ds
    Just keep loosening and loosening the adjuster until the clutch doesn't disengage any more. Then back up your adjustment until you can get it into gear. If you don't have the adjuster, either order one or order a cable w/ adjustment available at the clutch end from Forte. BTW use ONLY Ford cables as they are much smoother operating.
    FFR MkII, 408W, Tremec TKO 500, 2015 IRS, DA QA1s, Forte front bar, APE hardtop.

  5. #5
    Junior Member
    Join Date
    Nov 2018
    Posts
    16
    Post Thanks / Like
    Thanks all. Good comments on seat and pedal spacing left/right, and CraigS for the geometry reminder I would have forgotten that for sure.. I"m already too long with no seat installed, so whatever I do to the pedals will be undone to some degree when I add a seat. Had a head gasket blow last night on another car so I've got that to deal with now. I'll get under there and measure what I've got and work from there. One last question: If I go with a complete new Wilwood assembly, does the body have to be removed for install? I believe it does but I didn't build the car so .......
    Thanks, S.

  6. #6

    Join Date
    Feb 2011
    Location
    Norton, MA USA earth
    Posts
    3,325
    Post Thanks / Like
    The body will most likely need to be removed. I doubt you will gain any real leg length by going with the Wilwoods. I have cars here with both. I could take a measurement to se the difference.
    mike

  7. #7
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Nov 2017
    Posts
    765
    Post Thanks / Like
    Quote Originally Posted by Sdb999 View Post

    I"m already too long with no seat installed, so whatever I do to the pedals will be undone to some degree when I add a seat.

    To make my point about seat geometry clearer:

    Yes, your butt will no longer be all the way to the back of the sheet metal (with any seat) - I don't know what seats you have but there is a huge difference in the rear / lower thickness of a "standard roadster seat" and something like a Kirkey vintage seat.

    With a Kirkey seat your butt will be lower and further back, while your knees + thighs will be relatively higher (not lying flat on floor pan) and if you get the pedal height to the ball of your foot then you additionally have more play to work with there by flexing your ankle (toes toward body). The net effect is to get more bend in your knees (which is exactly what you need, and pretty much all there is to get without lengthening the roadster frame).


    I agree with Mike that I don't think you can gain much (if anything) by going to the Wilwood pedals - just aluminum that is more difficult to modify (easier to break than bend).

    Footbox + pedal box I spent a lot of time on with the body off - I wanted to be able to drive it with work boots on and not have trouble with fat footing two pedals.


    But there simply isn't much length you can gain in the pedal box for long legs.

  8. #8
    Junior Member
    Join Date
    Aug 2014
    Posts
    10
    Post Thanks / Like
    I have no idea how the Wilwood assembly fits in a Mk3 but in my Mk4 (with hydraulic clutch) i moved my Wilwood pedals 2" forward. At full depression the pedal now hits the front of the foot box. I had to modify the 3/4 tube that runs at an angle towards the front of the car and to the left of the assembly. As the pedal is depressed the pedal comes closer to the tube so when i moved the assembly forward a section of the tube needed to be cut out. I had to add a length of tube to the left of the existing tube to regain the integrity. The modification helped, but i might still need to look at changing out the seat. To gain some room between the brake and clutch, i played with the clutch pedal pad to pedal arm mounting (moved it left with mounting screws) to get some more room between the clutch and brake pedals. Vince. B.

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  

FFMetal

Visit our community sponsor