Manual pedal assembly differences?

[Chuck W]

Is there a difference between the years on the clutch/brake pedal assemblies?

Looking at one (an '86) and trying to decide if it will work ok in my Scorpio, or whether I might need a later one for whatever reason.

[anglin]

Is there a difference between the years on the clutch/brake pedal assemblies?

Yes, there is a difference. The difference lies in the amount of bend in the brake pedal. For the earlier narrow tunnel cars, the brake pedal was shifted to the right. For the later cars with the wider tunnel, the arm on the brake pedal was straighter, moving it back toward the left side of the car. The change obviously corresponds with the tunnel change.

I did a "Tech Article" on this a few years back on MTech. Here's a direct link:

http://www.merkurtech.com/merkurtech/te ... tem013.php

I'm not quite sure if this is the information you were after. I'm just done with everything for the Carlisle trip, excepting loading the car.

[Chuck W]

Thanks Chris..exactly what I needed!

[Sock]

This might explain why my foot hits two pedals when I attempt to hit the gas.

Oh well.

[thesameguy]

I assume this means that earlier pedals cannot work (or shouldn't be used) on later cars, but there is no problem using later pedals on earlier cars?

[MerkXRTurbo]

This might explain why my foot hits two pedals when I attempt to hit the gas.

Oh well.

I wear a 14, so I don't do the early ones so well, either.

[Merkenstein]

I have 13 size shoes and I can push the gas and brake pedals at same time with my right foot, which everyone can probably do with the amount of space between the XR's pedals.

[anglin]

I assume this means that earlier pedals cannot work (or shouldn't be used) on later cars, but there is no problem using later pedals on earlier cars?

I use the early pedals on later car without problem. The picture of the close pedals in that link is of my car. Since you guys seem to be associating shoe size with the ability to drive the car properly, I'll mention that I wear size 11. Big, clunky boots won't fit in there, but regular shoes will work. The key is being aware of where the pedals are and where your foot needs to be.

If you use the late pedals in an early car, you'll just end up with a larger gap between the brake and gas pedal. That may not matter to most folks, but since I heel-and-toe continuously while driving, the pedal spacing is very important to me. If they are too far apart, I may not be able to work the gas properly while on the brake pedal. I should say they I've never had any problem heel-and-toeing in any car with the stock gas and brake pedal.

[DPDISXR4Ti]

Chris- Is it easier to heel-toe with the early pedal cluster in a late car? My instructor tells me I need to learn to heel-toe, given my abruptness on corner setup.

[anglin]

Chris- Is it easier to heel-toe with the early pedal cluster in a late car? My instructor tells me I need to learn to heel-toe, given my abruptness on corner setup.

I feel as though it is a little bit easier, but I don't think it matters if you have early pedals in a late car. I can heel-and-toe just fine with the stock pedals in my road car (late pedals in a late chassis). The one thing I have learned is you have to have a firm brake pedal. If you get your foot too far past the gas pedal while braking, it becomes difficult (for me, at least) to properly modulate/blip the gas.

I don't heel-and-toe strictly speaking, I left-side-of-my-foot-and-right-side-of-my-foot. I should try to get video of my heel-and-toe method sometime.

Getting the heel-and-toe down will REALLY help your smoothness into the corner. Once you start that car turning and use up your traction circle with lateral acceleration, you'd better having nothing else going to the driveline/brakes. If your problem is in the braking zone, then heel-and-toe will help make sure the car is settled before you have to turn in.

[Merkur]

Chris - I was experimenting with this at the Glen too. Do you heel & toe to keep the revs high while breaking so the boost is there when you need it? OR, do you heel and toe to double-clutch?

There are a lot of ways to do this and if you mess up, you never end up going too slow! The few times I messed up (missed a shift) made for some very exciting throttle-steer situations at high speed!

I found left foot braking works well to plant the front end in a corner while my right foot is on the gas so I am on boost.

PS: Rolex sports cars at the Glen today on Speed channel at 10am and 2:30.

[anglin]

Chris - I was experimenting with this at the Glen too. Do you heel & toe to keep the revs high while breaking so the boost is there when you need it? OR, do you heel and toe to double-clutch?

I heel-and-toe strictly for the purposes of utilizing engine braking and being in the proper gear for corner exit. I guess this applies to boost response too, but I think more about the best gear than I do about boost, since the two go hand in hand anyway.

A lightweight flywheel will enhance the engine braking effects and your ability to match revs during the clutch release in a heel-and-toe. Blip the gas a little too much and you'll add a little thrust during braking. That can feel really unsettling. A light flywheel reduces the number of errors you'll make while heel-and-toeing since the engine is rpm is more easily changed (has a lower moment of inertia).

Feathering, or slipping, the clutch is a really aggressive way to keep the boost high, but that's more of a I-don't-have-another-gear-lower-than-this-one-to-downshift-too trick for slow corners, or corners up hills (like in hill climb situations).

There are a lot of ways to do this and if you mess up, you never end up going too slow! The few times I messed up (missed a shift) made for some very exciting throttle-steer situations at high speed!

It can certainly be scary when you unsettle the car like that. It take some practice to get any technique right. So it's funny that you mention...

I found left foot braking works well to plant the front end in a corner while my right foot is on the gas so I am on boost.

I've heard that the easiest way to beat your competition is to convince them that they need to be left foot braking. Seriously though, if your car is pushing, getting a little bit of the weight back to the front end with left foot braking can make a big difference. I'm terrible with left foot braking, but even I can make that work to some degree.

[DPDISXR4Ti]

I found left-foot braking very effective at the Glenn, and eventually I was using it on 4 of the final 5 turns (all but the heel of the boot, where 4th was needed). I really should have practised that a bit before arriving. I found after trying it the first time, my feet were suddenly "confused" and for a brief second I didn't know which pedal was which. "Muscle memory" is really a very strong mental function.

Speed Channel is on - damn, I want to go back to the Glenn!

[Colin]

Waitaminute... the close-spacing pedals came on narrow tunnel cars?! My car is some kind of a hybrid or something. Narrow tunnel 85 with the wide pedals and a late dash...

And I can drive in size 14 Caterpillar steel-toes.