5speed swap, airbag pedals help, rant

[NightKid]

Im 2/3 through my 5speed swap and I get to the pedals. I was told that could merely yank the pin the pedals pivot on and viola.

Reality is this

See that little shit? Hes not on any of the airbag assembly pedal boxes, according to real OEM. Theres only one pedal assembly P/N so where did the clutch pedal spring rest on airbag cars?


So i just wasted my f*cking time going the easy route I was told would work to find out I have to saw that little sh*t tab off the old box and WELD it onto the airbag car's? Anyone out there have a manual airbag pedal box with that tab on?

Any ideas?

(thanks M42 sport for the pics)

[nando]

as I said in my PM, that tab is only on early 5 speed pedal boxes. :)

[NightKid]

as I said in my PM, that tab is only on early 5 speed pedal boxes. :)

:bow:

[Teaguer]

You're welcome for using my pics .


Yes later cars used a return spring mounted directly to the upper clutch arm and was connected to the crossbrace under the dash above the pedals .
The area for the spring to sit is on all cars already .

Also some very late cars that used the plastic clutch pedal don't even use a return spring at all .

[nando]

yeah, some of the 318is's I've seen had the cheesball plastic pedals. mine thankfully does not.

[Teaguer]

yeah, some of the 318is's I've seen had the cheesball plastic pedals. mine thankfully does not.

I think they look pretty cool with the internal bracing/webbing and all but I'd rather not run one on my cars .


Also what the big deal with that tab ? If you now know that you can grind it off and weld it on your airbag assemble what is the problem with doing so ?

Just as I side note I will mention that those pics above are of my first air-bag auto-manual swap and I did just that ...welded the tab onto the airbag assembly .
Short while later I realized this was an unneeded step and have done others with the return spring mounted above .

Also M42Sport tells me that about 1.5 years later the spring has jumped out of the notch on the clutch pedal and his car has driven normally without any return spring for quite some time . :D

[nando]

I don't think it's even worth it. it's much easier to hook a return spring from the top than trying to weld inside your interior (or even worse, removing the airbag pedal box).

with one little pedal return spring, mine is plenty stiff - probably 2-3x as much as my GF's Sentra. I'm sure the sachs race PP has something to do with that though :p

[Teaguer]

^ Yes i agree that the top mounted spring is the way to go .....hell the last 4-5 swaps i've done have the top mounted springs and they are working as intended .

[NightKid]

I don't think it's even worth it. it's much easier to hook a return spring from the top than trying to weld inside your interior (or even worse, removing the airbag pedal box).

Exactly. I didnt want to either.

Can anyone snap a pic of the spring mounted from above? I know its cramped in there but it'd be much appreciated.

[nando]

I will try to tonight - car is going up on jackstands as soon as I get home for a suspension overhaul. :)

[NightKid]

Vundersexxx!

[///M42 sport]

Also M42Sport tells me that about 1.5 years later the spring has jumped out of the notch on the clutch pedal and his car has driven normally without any return spring for quite some time . :D

Haha, I even took my car on the track 2wks ago and its been fine. Interested in where to attach the spring on top though.

[nando]

sorry guys, got a bit caught up in my coilover installation - didn't get a chance to remove the knee bolster. I'll try to get to it tomorrow, time allowing.

[NightKid]

Time tonight?

[Teaguer]

Time tonight?

Seriously both of you guys can manage/figure this out without pics .
Just remove the kne bolsters and look up from the clutch pedal area, you'll see the cross brace that runs under the dash (its what the top of the pedal box bolts to) and there is a little spot with a hole in it for the end of the return spring to mount in .

Heres another one of my pics :


See the little lever/arm/tab that i just circled ?
That is where you mount the lower end of the spring .
Now I have noticed that some years/models don't have that lever/arm/tab on the clutch pedal and that some cars have it it but without a hole for the spring .
In that case just drill a hole in it for the spring or I have even just hooked into the upper end of the clutch pedal arm on the one case where there was no lever/arm/tab .

Seriously you need like almost noreturn force to have it working as intended , if you system is bled you can even run without NO spring like already stated .

And David , don't bother with doing it yourself, whenever you get your head out of your ass and head down here I'll do the reverse light and the spring . ;)