word of warning - Ford Forums - Mustang Forum, Ford Trucks, Ford Focus and Ford Cars

rsgerry · 07-25-2004, 06:59

i made a really silly mistake yesterday that lead to a real brown trouser moment.

i have a set of aftermarket alloy pedals fitted to the RS. this is the car that i have spent lots of $$$ and even more time and love on building over the last 4 years. needless to say, i love this car. anyway, i wasnt happy with the position of the accelerator pedal, so i repositioned it yesterday morning and went out for a drive. what i had effectively done was to make the pedal CLOSER to the brake pedal. anyway, i had a bit of fun and decided to head for home. i cam off the freeway and approached a set of lights with 3 cars already stopped. i braked gently, felt the nrakes bite but the car surged forward. i lifted off and tried again, only harder. the car took off straight towards the back of one of the stopped cars. i did the only things available, i clutched to prevent any more drive (and watched the tacho swing past 7000rpm) and grabbed the handbrake.

i pulled up in a huge cloud of tyre smoke and got some nasty looks from those around me. one truck driver even started to have a go until i told him the throttle jammed. in fact it hadnt. when i pressed the brake pedal, i also pressed the accelerator. the harder i braked, the more juice i was giving it.

so, if you do fit new pedals to your car, take care that they line up similar to the old set up, or get some time to get used to them.

BTW, i missed all the other cars and the RS is home all safe and well.

the undies.....well.....

EB-maen · 07-25-2004, 07:09

sounds like a hair raising experience. had a similar altercation but it was my sandles' fault. was sitting on an onramp to some dodgy road behind this random van, and was watching for an opening, and a 50m gap appeared behind a truck so the truck goes past, i turn back around and the van in front of me starts off so i accelerate but then the van stops almost instantly. why, i dont know. so i go for the brake but i went for it before i got my foot off the accelerator, so my foot was still on the accelerator but i had moved it across under the brake pedal which obviously isnt going to work, especially since it got hooked under there somehow. so i had to slam the brake with my left foot which kinda hurt my right but meh. i swear i heard a loud 'clunk', like one would expect to hear when say, the front of their car hits the back of a random van, although when i got to ford to buy my indicators (the original reason for the trip, although thought I might be buyin a bit more after that) the front was undented and unmarked, bar this gouge in the paint on the underside sort of area of the bumper. couldnt have been the van cos the position was all wrong, but i still dunno what the clunk noise was. i was angry more angry than worried.

Steve · 07-25-2004, 07:09

Skid marks all round?

MaD_WoG · 07-25-2004, 07:31

my throttle cable jammed wide open in my old v8....... car was dong 160 kays plus before it "unjammed" **** it was scary, i went to take offand when i lifted my foot, the car kept on going and going.... i shit myself.... it was bloody scary, having no controll over it, i kicked the F out of the pedal.... and 1 miracle kick made it spring back...

davway · 07-25-2004, 08:10

i too had after market pedals on the meteor and have done the same thing but wasnt in danger of hitting anything.
the scariest thing though was when i was driving it i would put my left foot right up the side of the clutch pedal so i could stretch out my leg that little bit further for some extra comfort, only problem was that the shoes i was wearing had a big rip in the top seam (the seam where you put your foot in) and was sticking out. anyways im coming up to stopped traffic, at speed, go to put my foot on the clutch so i can change down gears and i couldnt get it out from the side of the pedal as the rip had caught on the bolt from the after market pedal. ok now its time to shit!!! with my right foot on the brake, i managed to rip the whole side of my left shoe off and jump on the clutch pedal just in time to stop before i hit the car in front.
needless to say i went and got new shoes that day!!

thek · 07-25-2004, 08:42

I had a moment because of an empty 1.25 litre bottle. Must have somehow rolled out from under the seat and got lodged behind the brake pedal. Go to brake and im like wtf they wernt working hardly at all. Had a look down and saw what it was, and just pushed real hard and crushed it enough to get some braking.

It wasnt an emergency situation so I was lucky. But I always have a quick look for any potential obstructions when I get in the car. Especially when driving my gf's car; usually a few pairs of sandles or thongs to remove.

The MaDDeSTMaN · 07-25-2004, 16:09

Sh*t mate, glad to read that the RS made it home without damage after all. And, more importantly, that YOU made it home in one piece. As much as I can understand you wanting to avoid damaging your pride and joy (and if I had an RS even 1/2 as good as yours, I would be worried about driving it anywhere), the car can be replaced, but you can't. And with you seeing the tacho swing past 7 grand, it must have been doing a decent speed at that particular point in time.

My girlfriends sisters sh*tbox Auto Corolla Hatchback has the smallest accelerator pedal I have ever seen, as well as the largest brake pedal I have ever seen. Problem is, unless you have TINY feet, because of how close the brake and accelerator pedals are, it is almost impossible to not hit the accelerator as well as the brake when you hit the anchors. Thankfully, it is a true gutless wonder (0-100km/h time would have to be at least 15 seconds, probably higher), so the brakes easily overpower the engine, but still, the first few times it gives you a bit of a fright to hit the anchors and hear the engine revs go UP.

HOTDBZ · 07-25-2004, 16:48

The important thing was that the RS got home safe and well. Thanks for the reminder.

XD 351 Ute · 07-25-2004, 23:07

Hmmm, I've always had doubts about those pedal jobbies......

I do happen to have one on the accelerator pedal of the 351,
but it was in it when I got it.
I checked the fitment of it, and the bloke before me has fabricated a
couple of steel brackets and welded them to the steel shaft of the old
assembly.

This means that the aluminium pedal has no chance of moving anywhere!
The kits I've seen have nothing but dodgy 'slip over' type aluminium strips and the
fasteners provided leave a lot to be desired, even after you've adjusted the
thing to suit.

Best you get the adjustment right, and locktite the thing in place.......

Ed :)

svo347 · 07-25-2004, 23:57

Good to hear you are safe mate but ally pedals..........RICE