Making a bias box from a Metro pedal box..

Moderator: The Midas Forum Staff

Making a bias box from a Metro pedal box..

Postby Rich » Mon Feb 14, 2011 7:08 pm

By popular request....

Well almost, the recent failure of my master cylinder got me thinking about a more sustainable alternative. I'd seen the KAD version on Davids cars and looked at making something similar until I started to get the feeling that I was making life hard for myself when the standard pedal box probably had the potential to be converted without needing to move the battery.

As my car is a daily driver I put out an appeal for a pedal box to play with, a standard Metro one has turned up from APBellamy on the Metro Forum that I will use to chop about and potentially wreck in the process with another one kindly donated by Jon on here which has already had the pedals converted for use in a Midas.

So, this is what it's all about.. a standard Metro box with cable clutch.

Image

First off I removed the clutch pedal so it was one thing less to have flapping about, the bushes are fine so that's one thing less to do.

Image

Using a pencil in the clevis hole I marked the full travel of the pedal on both sides of the box.

Image

Image

Prodding around in the footwell of the Midas revealed that there's maybe an inch of travel at the clevis under braking so I used a 51mm hole saw to create a clearance hole on one side.

Image

... and then the other side

Image

The pedal stop that incorporates the brake light switch is held on with a couple of spot welds, you can see on the picture that this has already moved so the bracket will be welded on properly when I get the MIG out.

Image

You can see the problem with the length of the balance bar against the width of the pedal box itself.

Image

This is the tube that will need to be welded to the pedal for the bias bar. I have looked locally for an end mill to make a really clean job, but in the end I got a 32mm hole saw from Axminster Tools, the advantage of using this is that the saw is centered by using the clevis hole to locate the pilot drill for the saw.

Image

Image

Image

Now you can see how it all fits together, for the clevis to clear the side of the pedal box the bias tube will have to be welded in offset from the centre line of the pedal. In my eyes this is less than ideal as the load could be moved away from the main load bearing structure. I'll be welding in a web to reinforce the unsupported section.

Image

I haven't decided which way around I'm going to mount the longer end, this is the end the dash mounted adjuster fits to so I need to have a rummage around in the foot well to see which side will be best for running the cable.

Ok, back in a couple of days as I've got a short notice training course tomorrow.
Last edited by Rich on Mon Feb 14, 2011 10:44 pm, edited 1 time in total.
User avatar
Rich
 
Posts: 1283
Joined: Wed Dec 03, 2008 1:27 am
Location: Devon

Re: Making a bias box from a Metro pedal box..

Postby Alan D. » Mon Feb 14, 2011 8:41 pm

Right, off out to fulfil my Valentines duties..


Lucky Man!!!
User avatar
Alan D.
 
Posts: 944
Joined: Fri Dec 05, 2008 10:34 pm
Location: Newcastle upon Tyne

Re: Making a bias box from a Metro pedal box..

Postby Geoff Butcher » Mon Feb 14, 2011 9:02 pm

Good old APBellamy! I had a master cylinder and reservoir off him!
Geoff
User avatar
Geoff Butcher
 
Posts: 752
Joined: Fri Dec 05, 2008 9:10 pm
Location: Braintree

Re: Making a bias box from a Metro pedal box..

Postby Rich » Mon Feb 14, 2011 10:07 pm

Alan D. wrote:Right, off out to fulfil my Valentines duties..


Lucky Man!!!



What, buy dinner and drink coke?

Ohh, I know what you mean....
User avatar
Rich
 
Posts: 1283
Joined: Wed Dec 03, 2008 1:27 am
Location: Devon

Re: Making a bias box from a Metro pedal box..

Postby Alan D. » Mon Feb 14, 2011 10:19 pm

I never considered you would be doing anything else, knowing you to be a perfect gentleman!!

The pedal box looks good as well!

Will we be seeing you at race retro, there are a few of us coming from the frozen north.

Regards Alan
User avatar
Alan D.
 
Posts: 944
Joined: Fri Dec 05, 2008 10:34 pm
Location: Newcastle upon Tyne

Re: Making a bias box from a Metro pedal box..

Postby Rich » Mon Feb 14, 2011 10:45 pm

Is that the one at Castle Combe Alan?
User avatar
Rich
 
Posts: 1283
Joined: Wed Dec 03, 2008 1:27 am
Location: Devon

Re: Making a bias box from a Metro pedal box..

Postby manifold » Tue Feb 15, 2011 9:46 am

looks good rich. keep the photos coming!
Midas Cars Forum Founder & Midas Facebook Group Page Founder (personal facebook account deactivated)

Midas Gold Convertible: 1380

Midas Gold Coupe: 1380
User avatar
manifold
 
Posts: 1818
Joined: Tue Dec 02, 2008 7:34 pm
Location: Lancaster, Lancashire

Re: Making a bias box from a Metro pedal box..

Postby Rich » Mon Feb 21, 2011 10:52 pm

Ok, one course out of the way so I've had a bit more of a play today. The Midas modified box has arrived from Jon so from now on I'll be using the pedals from that in the build.

Bias tube tacked onto pedal.. Obviously the welds you can see to the body of the pedal are from the modification to Midas spec.

Image

Web added to the other side for support and welded around. The edges where the two pieces join have been chamfered to allow greater penetration of the weld into the joint as my welder only runs up to 135 amps.

Image

The pedal complete with it's bias tube in situ in the box, you can probably see how little clearance there is for the right side clevis. For those of you viewing in black and white, that's the one on the left side of this picture... ;)

Image
User avatar
Rich
 
Posts: 1283
Joined: Wed Dec 03, 2008 1:27 am
Location: Devon

Re: Making a bias box from a Metro pedal box..

Postby manifold » Mon Feb 21, 2011 11:26 pm

is their any value in cranking the tube over to centralise it (a bit of a faff I know)...and make equal spacing? Just a thought.........
Midas Cars Forum Founder & Midas Facebook Group Page Founder (personal facebook account deactivated)

Midas Gold Convertible: 1380

Midas Gold Coupe: 1380
User avatar
manifold
 
Posts: 1818
Joined: Tue Dec 02, 2008 7:34 pm
Location: Lancaster, Lancashire

Re: Making a bias box from a Metro pedal box..

Postby Rich » Mon Feb 21, 2011 11:34 pm

manifold wrote:is their any value in cranking the tube over to centralise it (a bit of a faff I know)...and make equal spacing? Just a thought.........



Not now it's been welded.......

Do you mean centralise the tube on the pedal?
User avatar
Rich
 
Posts: 1283
Joined: Wed Dec 03, 2008 1:27 am
Location: Devon

Next

Return to Mk 3 Convertible

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 3 guests