Let There Be Brakes!!!

[rip]

actually with the new seats in the pedals arn't that bad, i'm pretty tall with 12.5 size shoe.

but I was toying with the idea of simply extending the pedal surface a little bit lower. this is easier than the false floor. Not to mention ever try to get into a bug with a false floor? not to easy for taller guys. the steering wheel hits the legs when getting in.

But please keep us posted I was thinking of getting the reverse swing wilwood pedals but thought it would interfer with the steering column too much, that they would hit too low on the foot, and push the pedals too close to the driver. not to mention it seems like you have to build a semi cage to hold them. if you already got a cage no problem, but needless to say a few little things were discouraging me with that setup.

The problem with the firewall setup is like you mentioned the hieght. but if you build new pedals and just use the mount for the mc. you can increase the pedal ratio and drop them further. just gotta rethink the mc size then. but its all fun.

rip

[volkdent]

Here's the A4 racers pedal assembly with the 4" false floor below it. The driver is back a bit to help weight balance of the car.



Here's the reverse swing pedal assembly in position. It sits just a bit lower than the stock pedals, a position I prefer. I'm using my M3 pedal positions as a reference, and they are just about the same.



Here's the stock MkIII VW clutch MC after I removed the studs.



I had to grind off one of the mounting posts on the base for the pedal assembly. This area is where the assembly is right up next to the steering column. Everything just fits!

[volkdent]

This is the clutch MC in position



I may be using 2 of these guys to mount the assembly to the steering column. I might make a bracket that welds to these. There will also be a lateral load arm to preven the entire works for spinning on the steering shaft.



I talked to Wilwood again today. I'll be using 7/8ths MCs front and rear, the rear calipers are 1.38" diameter pistons and the fronts will be 1.75" diameter pistons. Those should be ordered up this week.

Jason

[rip]

other than the lateral support to prevent the twisting on the steering column, got any other supports?

me and some friends were talking about it awhile back, and because the top and bottom support of the steering column is supported between rubber grommets, we felt that this wouldn't be too sturdy. it may also fatigue crack

Not to mention in a moment of panic you can produce about 1.5 times your body weight at the brake pedal. I'm not sure that the steering column may be the best place to mount it.

have you seen these?





may be more work but it will hold any shear and moment forces. plus you can make it adjustable

[volkdent]

With the rack and pinion steering I have now the steering column is solidly mounted on the bottom, and I think I'll use the same bracket up top to solid mount as well. As long as the brackets and bolts are strong enough, I don't think the steering column will have any trouble with the loads. As long as it is relatively solid, I really like the idea of failure points too. When things are too overbuilt they stand up to an accident while you don't. It will be braced laterally enough to deal with any rotational forces, and the longitudinal load on that strong steering column tubing shouldn't create any troubles there. Also, because they are brackets, the whole assembly can be slid up and down the steering column to make the pedal assembly position adjustable as well!

Jason

[volkdent]

After much head scratching I think I came up with the most simple, lightweight, and straightforward way to mount this thing. I made the bracket out of light guage square tubing. Grade 8 nuts, bolts, and washers were used. The washers extend to the edge of the square tubing to resist it being squashed. I'll have to weld in crush tubes if I have any trouble.



There are 3 sets of holes so the pedal assembly can be adjust 2 inches forward or back. Note how offset the passenger side mounting bolt hole is at the end. It's over and forward that far because if it were centered the bolt would be going through a stiffening pleat in the body instead of the flat section.



I had to step the front down a bit to clear the base. The front will have some sort of support to close the ends of the square tubing and attach the front of the support bracket to the area under the dash, but I'll wait till the MCs come and are installed.

[volkdent]

Here it is mounted. Only 2 bolts are holding it in right here, up against the front bulkhead. The bolts run through the flat areas right next to where the vertical bulkhead meets the angled underdash area. Should be a very strong point, and the forces are spread through the bolts AND by the bracket just butting up against the bulkhead.



I did just a little more grinding on the pedal frame so it would fit up snug against the steering column



Here are the two bolts. Sorry they are too long, but I had planned on a thicker backing plate that I ended up not really needing. I'll get the correct length ones later.