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Topic: A Closer Look at Foretravel Driver Pedals (Read 1813 times) previous topic - next topic

A Closer Look at Foretravel Driver Pedals

In removing my carpeting for new flooring, I got an up close look at the driver pedals. I am documenting what i discovered here, so you don't have to crawl around to find out what is there. In my case, I am adding 3/8" plywood over the existing plywood floor. Although not a pedal, I have included the steering column in the picture, because I have to cut out for it, too.
 
Steering Column:
There is a small metal plate installed around the large gasket at the base of the steering column. To enable it to be removed, my 3/8" plywood will be cut out about a quarter inch around this metal plate so it can be removed, if needed. I will put two pieces of plywood inside that cut out that can be lifted out to access the metal plate.
 
Brake Pedal:
The base of the brake pedal is triangular shaped and will remain attached as is. My forum search found several warnings against removing it when replacing the flooring. It seems to have three large bolts at the corners, and two smaller ones on the two sides. I do not know their actual function, but will not mess with them.
 
Accelerator Pedal:
The accelerator pedal assembly is bolted to the floor with three large screws; one at the front, and two at the sides. I have removed it and will put it down over a cut out in the flooring surface. For some reason, one of the back screws was bent below the head and extremely difficult to remove. I will replace it.
 
Hope this information is useful to someone,
 
Trent

Re: A Closer Look at Foretravel Driver Pedals

Reply #1 –
Trent,
On my coach I ran the new floor all the way into the cockpit area.  I unscrewed the plate on the steering  column and unscrewed the accelerator.  Don't try to unbolt the brake pedal their isn't much slack to pull it up.

I laid the floor around the column and brake pedal.  I replaced the plate on the column and made a plate to cover the cuts around the brake pedal.  Remounted the accelerator on the new floor.

John M.

Re: A Closer Look at Foretravel Driver Pedals

Reply #2 –
Depending on what shoes I was wearing my brake pedal seemed real slick at times.  I solved the problem by covering the entire top part of the pedal (from the divider up) with a single piece of 3M Safety Walk Tread, actually wrapping the pedal around the sides and top.  Now when I hit the brake my foot stays put.

Re: A Closer Look at Foretravel Driver Pedals

Reply #3 –
shoes? in your foretravel? its not a manure spreader

Re: A Closer Look at Foretravel Driver Pedals

Reply #4 –
I will post a few pictures of my cockpit flooring installation to add to the knowledge base for those want to tackle this project. I put a layer of 1/4" plywood consisting of 1 full sheet with cuts to fit around the stairwell, seat bases, steering column, and pedals. The full sheet extended forward to about halfway across the pedal and steering column cut outs. Then I pieced in a complimentary strip  of plywood to fit in front of the pedals with cutouts to go around the protrusions. The brake pedal itself is easily removed from the base, which makes it a little easier to make a template for the rounded triangular shape of the brake pedal base. I used a layer of 5/16"s sheet rubber that is quite dense and used in gyms under weight machines on top of the 1/4" plywood which made the finished flooring level with the previously installed bamboo flooring from the edge of the couch on back. I wanted something to create a sound barrier to replace the old removed lead/vinyl foam, which I considered too soft to be used under the floating luxury vinyl tile I used. Like Trent, the material I used is specified to be installed over a hard subfloor. The rubber sheet I used seems firm enough to prevent much flexing that might damage the click lock joints between the tiles.
Don

Re: A Closer Look at Foretravel Driver Pedals

Reply #5 –
Don,
 
Great pictures, thanks. Now that you have made me smarter, I have even more questions.
 
How did you attach the 1/4" to the existing subfloor? How did you attach the sheet rubber to the plywood?
 
What is the material behind the pedals?
 
How did you get that new cover around the steering column? Is that a new rubber for the steering column; how did you get it on? (I noticed mine had a couple of small holes in it.) Tomorrow, I will get my inspection camera down that opening and see if I can find the source of my hydraulic leak.
 
I am going to leave my accelerator pedal on top, because I want to experiment with some different positions.
 
Thanks again, for your continuing willingness to share your remodeling adventures with the rest of us.
 
Trent

Re: A Closer Look at Foretravel Driver Pedals

Reply #6 –
Quote from: TulsaTrent –
How did you attach the 1/4" to the existing subfloor? How did you attach the sheet rubber to the plywood?
3/4" long #10 Stainless Steel flat head wood screws around the perimeter of the stairwell, and along the edges and some places in the middle where the 1/4" plywood showed a tendency to arc. I started at the stairwell as that was the area that all the cuts were measured against. That set the placement of the large sheet, then I put weights in the center of the plywood to flatten it out against the subfloor (didn't take much as it was laying pretty flat just with its own weight). Then I did the rest of the perimeter, and then added some 3/4" staples along the front edge near the pedals and on the small piece of plywood. For the rubber, I used some Roberts double stick indoor/outdoor vinyl flooring tape, mostly just around the cutouts and on the smaller pieces in the front around the pedal cutouts along the seam. I underlapped the seam in the plywood with the rubber so that the seams didn't line up. You can see in the one close up picture that the plywood extends a bit further than the rubber on top. I did the same with the flooring above the rubber.
Quote
What is the material behind the pedals?
That is 1/4" Starboard marine lumber. It is similar in composition to a polyethylene cutting board. The 1/4" starboard is attached to the old plywood structure on the left side and along the bottom while the removable panel directly behind the pedals is just Starboard. The whole assembly is easily removable with screws. It is split on a miter right at the alcove to make the gap where it joins less visible. I also used Starboard attached to the old plywood behind the side console to give that sorry carpet coverd bit a makeover. In the process, I added a bit of storage. Picture below. One of these days I will post my "how I did it" in more detail for those might get something out of it. The oak quarter round molding is attached to the Starboard and the plywood behind
 with 23 gauge pin nails, but is not attached to the floor. The entire floor is floating and only elastomeric caulking on the edges keeps it from sliding. Well that and the fact that the rubber has a high friction quotient!

Quote
How did you get that new cover around the steering column? Is that a new rubber for the steering column; how did you get it on? (I noticed mine had a couple of small holes in it.) Tomorrow, I will get my inspection camera down that opening and see if I can find the source of my hydraulic leak.
I never removed the rubber boot, I just zip tied it up out of the way while working around the steering column. The trim piece around the steering column is the same 1/4" starboard. I used the thin sheetmetal trim that was on top of the carpet around the column as a template to cut the hole in the middle of it. The trim piece is slit in the back (on an overlap angle) and the quarter inch starboard is flexible enough to bend and slip it around the column. The screws don't go through the flooring, but through a spacer  I made that is the same thickness as the flooring so that the trim overlaps the flooring and the screws go through the spacer and into the plywood underneath.

Quote
I am going to leave my accelerator pedal on top, because I want to experiment with some different positions.
Thanks again, for your continuing willingness to share your remodeling adventures with the rest of us.
You are welcome!
Don
Trent


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Re: A Closer Look at Foretravel Driver Pedals

Reply #7 –
Don,
 
Thank you very much for answering my questions in such detail; you're my hero!  ^.^d
 
Never tried that starboard, but now I am going to  have to. It sure adds a professional finish to your project.
 
Yes, I think I can safely speak for (almost) everyone that we are looking forward to anything you are willing to share with us.
 
Thanks,
 
Trent

Re: A Closer Look at Foretravel Driver Pedals

Reply #8 –
Thanks to T-man, our brake pedal now has self-stick anti-slip abrasive.  Seems like a good idea with no down side.  Will test it in a few weeks on our way to Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta.