L2RHD - bending the pedals

[lowact]

I’m converting from left to right-hand drive. SNGB’s price for RH brake and clutch pedals is monstrous, so I’m thinking to heat/bend my LH pedals to suit.
On LHD cars the pedals are at least 105 mm apart, including the accelerator.
On RHD cars the accelerator is 30 mm closer to the pedal box. So, to maintain the LHD spacing I would need to bend the pedals as shown in the following diagram; red = LHD, green = RHD. Trouble is, this would cause the clutch pedal to be 13 mm higher than the brake pedal (as shown).


Alternatively, I could leave the clutch pedal as is and bend the brake pedal half as much, to half-way between the clutch and accelerator, pedal spacing would then be 90 mm instead of 105 mm. The height difference would be negligible.
Has anyone else done this, did it work out ok? Also pls, what is the pedal spacing on RHD S3’s, between the clutch and brake and between the brake and the accelerator?
Thanks for any suggestion.

[tim wood]

On my series 1.5 I had the pedals bent by a local engineering firm. I don’t have the required equipment to heat them up.
I downloaded the diagram from the knowledge base here - Mike Cassidy RHD conversion. Took the pedals and the drawing to the guy. Can remember the cost but not a lot.
All fitted now and seems ok. No issues with spacing or pedal height.

[rswaffie]

As above, I downloaded the Cassidy pic and took it to a local blacksmith (they know how to heat metal to avoid cracking issues) and he charged me a tenner!

[johnetype]

As above I used the Mike Cassidy diagram from the Knowledge Section.

The brake pedal ends up effectively straight on a RHD car.

For the clutch pedal I made a cardboard template to the dimensions in Mike's drawing to offer up for quick check to see if it had been bent enough.

You may want to put an "S" bend in the clutch pedal so the clutch pedal pad ends up vertical.

If you want to do the job yourself clamp the pedal in a vice and using an oxyacetylene torch turn approximately 3 cms cherry red at the point you wish the bend to be, slip an appropriate length of steel tube over the exposed end of the pedal down to the bend site and bend - straighten - as appropriate. When done, allow to cool naturally.

I started with the clutch pedal as the material is thinner so easier and it's the less critical one to practise on.

Usual safety caveats apply and as others have said it's not hard to find a blacksmith or local garage to do it for you.

[angelw]

Hello Colin,
Brake Pedal RHD - Product Code: C25291 is exactly the same as the LHD pedal. I purchased a RHD Pedal some years ago and after discovering it was the same as the LHD unit it was to replace, I contacted the supplier suggesting that it may be a LHD unit incorrectly packaged. I had copious email exchange with the supplier, and it was confirmed that the one sent to me was correct. They even took the matter up with the manufacturer to confirm what was sent was correct. The RHD unit being supplied is a bronze casting and not very well made.

I can take pictures tomorrow of both a genuine RHD and LHD unit so you can make the comparison.

Simply move the whole pedal box assembly to the Right Hand side and be done, or modify to your liking. If you modify it yourself, after heating and bending to your requirement, polish the heat affected area, heat to a dark blue colour and allow to cool in hot sand. I don't believe there is enough carbon content in the steel to harden to a brittle state, but cooling in this manner will avoid the possibility of the area hardening.

Regards,

Bill

[sideways60]

The 105mm You Shown seems to Ring a Bell for me , i did this about 6mths ago so not 100% sure ,

Just Digressing Slightly if you have SU's like Me the Clutch Master Fowled the Underside of the Carb , and i had to have the New Clutch master Cylinder Milled where the Hose Banjo connects and reduced the Thickness of the Banjo and Shorten the Bolt Too . Russ

[lowact]

Thx peoples.
Mike Cassidy’s tracings show that the LHD and RHD pedals are different, different angles and lengths. The LHD brake pedal and the RHD clutch pedal are longer, I guess so that, despite their larger crank angles, all pedal pads will be the same level.
If unmodified LHD pedals are used on the right-side, the clearance between the brake and accelerator pads would be less than 35 mm, not enough imo.
LHD pedal spacing (105 mm) is optimal imo. RHD pedals (per Mike Cassidy) are closer together (95 mm). I guess this was because the right side footwell is narrower than the left side footwell.
If LHD pedals are bent for use on the right-side the pads will not be level; straightening the (long) LHD brake pedal lowers the brake pad while bending the (short) LHD clutch pedal raises the clutch pad. However, with RHD spacing (per Mike Cassidy), the net difference is only 5 mm:

I’ll get the local metalworks to do the bending. If they end up too uneven, I could modify the brake pad to compensate.
Not SU’s, efi. Hopefully no interference with clutch or brake …

[Gianni]

Hello, I’m curently restoring a rhd to lhd. I have Almos every part except the controles from the gas pedal. I presume you dont need yours enymore. Is there a possibility you Can sell me that one? Thanx

[abowie]

Hi Colin.

I've successfully done several sets of these, albeit on S1 cars.

I used Cassidy's drawings. I used an oxy/acetylene torch to heat them up and bent them in the vice. Plain propane wasn't hot enough.

This shows original pedals from both LHD and RHD cars. It looks like they used the same casting and bent them to shape, then drilled the locating hole for the pin on the footpad.

[lowact]

Can sell me that one?

Yep. Anything LHD u can have for the cost of the postage. PM me a parts list and I'll send u photos.

[lowact]

G'day Andrew, what you say makes sense, that Jaguar design would not have req’d different casting for LHD and RHD pedals.
On LHD S3 (and therefore S2 also?) the brake and clutch pedals are the same (centerline) length. Each is bent the same (mirrored) angle so originally they were the same height above the floor. RHD the bends are not equal (as u point out), brake pedal is straighter and the clutch pedal is bent further. Net result, LHD S3 pedals bent to RHD angles (Cassidy) are different heights above the floor, difference is 5 mm, here is pic of mine after bending and installation.

Probably as u suggest, RHD bedals are the same except maybe the mounting holes for the brake pads are drilled 2.5 mm higher and the holes for mounting the clutch pad are drilled 2.5 mm lower, that would level them out….
Looking at yr web site, trying to figure out which car started out as the rotting white carcass? And where is Jezza?

[abowie]

.
Looking at yr web site, trying to figure out which car started out as the rotting white carcass? And where is Jezza?

The rotting carcass is finished. Just need to register it.

Jezza is in hiding after my unpleasant experiences with the rego guys, but it looks like I'm probably gonmig to get him registered so watch this space.

[288gto]

You can tweak the pedals a little afterwards by making new metal rectangular pedal bits that the rubbers go onto and that bolt to the pedal arms. By moving or offsetting the threaded stud and locating pin you can move the pedal pad up or down or side to side by 15mm or more. You can also rotate it slightly back to the vertical. It doesn't sound much but it makes a big difference. I used the end of an old drill bit for the new locating pin. I pinched the idea from XKs Unlimited who sell ready made offset pedal pads.

Simon

[tinworm]

I have found original pedal pads with the mounting stud offset - don't know if this is a variation by model by Jaguar or what ?

Barrie
By the way thanks to Andrew (above) for putting up photos of the lhd/rhd pedals - I reckon you are right about the casting being the same.