torn clutch pedal box

[skyrocketeer]

The existing pedal-box has torn slightly where the bracket for the clutch cable is welded onto the main frame..

I collected a new pedal-box on friday, with the intention of changing it today.

But the weather, and the missus deciding she had to go to work didn't help. So now I might do it tomorrow if the weather lets up.

couple of questions for those that might have done this before me..

1. How much do I actually need to remove to get the old pedal box out?

2. Can anyone elaborate on they Haynes' 'special tool or bit of bent metal' required to release the brake pedal from the servo, and also that pesky spring on top of the clutch pedal?

 

[jaketalbot]

well can't really help you too much mate, all i will say is i got a local mechanic to do mine as its a bloody hard job! costs a lot less then a seat dealership will. so if you don't feel that confident stick it in the local garage!

 

[Red Ibiza VR6]

Its an arse of a job.

2 screwdrivers and two people is best to release the brake booster shaft. The plastic clip has 4 lugs, two each side and it helps if you are double jointed.

Good Luck

 

[skyrocketeer]

Lovely..

was watching 'the Incredibles' last night, and was thinking Elasti-girl would be just the person for a fiddly-arse sortof job like that

Is the plastic clip on the brake pedal simply really stiff, or is there something clever going on, could I not use a bearing puller to push the shaft end out?

 

[Red Ibiza VR6]

The ball socket on the booster fits into a rectangular clip which clips into the pedal with 4 tabs.

You need to get a screwdriver, or 2 between the clip and the pedal and lever whilst depressing the tabs.

Easier if you take out the front seat, but its hard however you do it.

 

[R French]

Just done my MKII pedal box over Christmas hols. It took me 3 lots of 3 hours to do and was a git: Would have been quicker if it was warmer outside Basically what I removed was: Airbag, Steering Wheel, Stalks, Clocks, Column Shroud, Lower dash tray. Make sure you unclip the airbag wiring on the column side before taking the steering wheel off & never turn ignition back on until finished.
Once you can see what you are doing you need a cold chisel about 350mm+ long to drive the sheer bolt heads round. Once it spins you can undo with fingers - or cut longitudinally with a hacksaw through the bolt to create a slot and use a slotted bit on an impact driver to remove.
Cloumn comes out easily and then you have the pedal box to remove. Disconnect clutch cable. Take spindle brace off and the brake pedal switch then once you are sure everything has been removed, sharply pull the pedal assembly back to you.
Be very careful not to push it forwards or you will bend the brakle pipes in the engine bay! Forget trying to remove the brake servo from the clip- the clip will break and is only £1.75+vat or so from SEAT. Pop the new clip in hot water for 5 mins just before re-fitting or this will break too.

 

[skyrocketeer]

So it's a long days work, assuming I've got all the bits and good weather. hmm. I can see why a garage would want a heap o cash for that. Given I'm dismantling pretty much everything..
She's going to love me for this one, we've hardly had the car a month and already I'm tearing it apart..
Cheers for the description, so my bits list looks a bit like this:

6K2 721 115D Pedal box.
6K2 721 335E Clutch cable
6K2 721 147 clutch cable plastic sleeve
N901 148 01 Airbag retaining screw(s)
N905 500 02 Steering colum end nut
N900 744 01 Steering column base joint nuts 2X req'd.
411 417 549 Steering column shear bolts
1H0 721 169A Brake pedal plastic clip thing

Obviously I can't re-use the shear bolts, but is there any point in paying over the odds for stuff that I'd usually re-use such as the steeringwheel centre-nut and the airbag screw(s)

I guess the long chisel is needed because of the location of the shear bolts? Could I drill em out instead?

Reckon I've forgotten anything? Don't really wanna have it all in bits to find I need a thingumy from the dealers who are hours away and shut

 

[Ben16v]

Hello there mate, Im new to the forum but iv had to do this twice in a year now!!

N901 148 01 Airbag retaining screw(s)
N905 500 02 Steering colum end nut
N900 744 01 Steering column base joint nuts 2X req'd.
411 417 549 Steering column shear bolts
1H0 721 169A Brake pedal plastic clip thing

I wouldnt bother with any of this, you'll need new steering colomn bolts but normal bolts will do otherwise you will have to drill them out again next time!! More expense. With a bit of tactful wiggling, if you take the bar for the clutch and brake pedal to pivot on out then you can wiggle the pedal box over the brake pedal, bit fiddly but u can do it!! You will need to move the fusebox a little to do this but its really not that bad. saves the clip and i couldnt even move mine it was so stiff!! You dont need to seperate the airbag from the steering wheel, just disconnect the plug and undo the two bolts at the bottom so you can slide out the whole lot leaving the stalks on there. I recommend getting that bracket thats broken welded up more so that it doesnt break again, its not a good design!

If your pedal is heavy get a clutch in there as well, thought mine was fine but it was heavy enough to break 2 boxes!!

Hope this helps.

Ben

 

[skyrocketeer]

Handy tip with the brake pedal. Might have to try that, but as I'm due a trip to the stealers again for a door hinge (probably) I might pick up a plastic clip thingy in case I loose patience and break it (quite possible).

I can understand the reason behind repairing the old bracket, but it looks as though it's had a redesign since it's original installation, so I'm hoping they've adressed this issue.

I don't suppose you remember what size the shear-bolts are? ETOS doesn't say (it sometimes does with standard parts) so I won't know until I've got it out, and by then it'll be sod's law I don't have that size in my bits-box..

Clutch is on the list, only a little lower down, hopefully the new pedal box will survive long enough for the drive to dry out before I spend a few hours on my back on it.

 

[Ben16v]

I'll give you a fiver if you break that clip off!!!

Just couldnt get it off!!

Give us 10 mins and ill pop out and check the size of them, sure they're 13s but ill go check!!

 

[Ben16v]

From what i can feel (its bloodey dark outside) its a 13mm. Most of the bolts are!! Some of the nuts on the back of the brake servo are a right pain in the buttocks!!

 

[skyrocketeer]

Cheers & beers!

So 13mm AF would give me an M8- reckon I got a few of them kicking around

 

[R French]

I used 2off M8x25mm Stainless Cap heads for the sheer bolts, and used 2xM8 S/S repair washers per bolt to copy the thickness of the origninals and you can drill them out if you want.

Be careful if drilling out - some sheer bolts depending on the year have the washer and sheer bolt head joined together (93-97ish) and some have a separate bolt and washer (96-99ish) but the dates are not gospel.

I only replaced the servo clip & sheer bolts on mine. Looks like a good tip for the pedal spindle removal. And you can deffinitely keep the steering assembly together but have to be more careful as you have less space.

I never worked out why you needed to take the clocks out either other than a little more space and light on the job.

Good luck!

 

[skyrocketeer]

Think I'll stick with standard steel bolts - stainless has a lower tensile strength than HT steel.. But I'll make sure I've got some capscrews as they'll probably be easier and tidier to fit.

It's a '99, so should have the later configuration, though I know what the manufacturers can be like with chopping & changing parts.

The more light and space the better - so the clocks will probably come out..

All I need now is some good weather at the weekend!

 

[Ben16v]

Good luck on the weather!!!!

Did mine at night, out on the monday, in on the teusday, was freezing (20th of december!!!) and to make matters worse, i snapped the key in the lock on the wednesday!!!

 

[Red Ibiza VR6]

Replace the sheer bolts with normal bolts. 13mm head is correct.

To get the old ones out I get a 1mm angle grinder blade and make one or twoi cuts in the old one, then turn it with a screwdriver. The heat from the grinder seems to loosen the threads. Just be careful with a grinder around the wires.

You are suppossed to disconnect the battery before removing the airbag and turn the ignition on before you reconnect the battery. This should mean that you dont have an airbag light when you turn it back on.

Why do you need to change the bolts that hold the airbag module in? They are captive in the steering wheel.

Makes me grin that you are waiting for a hot day. I did the last one in 40 degree heat and that makes it hard as the anger level is rising.

Good luck with the job.

 

[skyrocketeer]

Cheers for the tip on the airbag Haynes is the source of airbag bolt rumour..
I Ain't waiting for a hot day, just one where I can work with the car door open without risk of it filling up with rainwater!

 

[skyrocketeer]

Done it!

Started early saturday afternoon and got dash apart. Was then distracted by a mate turning up and we decided to remove the engine from my project-VW as he happened to have a host in his boot.
Sunday saw final disassembly and refitting. Took Ben16v advice on the brake-pedal - it does indeed fit throught the little hole in the pedal box, though nobody mentioned the evil little spring that hooks itself onto everything as you're trying to wiggle it free.

One of the shear bolts fell to the dremel and a large flat-blade, the other had to be drilled out, but once the head was off, came free easily enough.

The over-centre spring on the top of the clutch pedal was a pain in the arse, it came out rapidly enough, but getting it back seated properly was painful. a 12mm open spanner fits on it nicely enough to be able to compress it when it's 'nearly' in position, though be prepared for it to ping off a few times when you got to test the pedal action.

All in, a royal pain of a job, more because of access and silly little springy things than much else.

Notes for anyone else doing this:
1. make a note of which way round the little plastic tube goes, that the steering column clips on.
2. the pedal pivot shaft won't come out until you've loosened the pedal box fixing nuts enough for it to move so the shaft clears the heater matrix.
3. when re-fitting the pivot shaft, put the left-hand clip on first, the right one will pull the bar back into the clutch bushing as it's sprung.

 

[goble]

well done!
ive done loads of these and everyone is still a pig to do, and a job i wish i hadnt started

 

[e5sta]

anyone want to do mine?