9 replies to this topic

[KSTANDSTEVE]

1990 Mini Checkmate 998cc with servo fitted

Can anyone give me a run down on how to remove the pedal box.

Do I need to totally remove the steering column?

Cheers

[AndyR]

In theory you dont have to remove the steering column (i think) but it will make your life a millions times easier if you do, and considering the size of the task; removing the column is a fairly easy job.

Remove the clevis pins from inside the car connecting the pedals to the master cylinders
Remove the bolts securing the pedal box to the bulkhead
Then the worst job (in my opinion) is getting the shear bolts off that attach the pedal box to the dash rail

Then work the pedal box out

Taking the seats out will also make the job much easier as you will have more room to work

[Dan]

Yes you will have to remove the steering column, the bolts that hold the nose of the pedal box to the dash rail are also the bolts that hold the column clamp in place. TAKE A PHOTO of the arrangement at the nose of the pedal box before you start. People have been asking about the correct order to reassemble all this a lot recently as there a re a few parts involved. The yellow locking plate is more important than it might appear.

In addition to the above list you will have to remove the clutch master cylinder and servo bell crank box retaining nuts in the engine bay. Oh and the brake clevis pin is in the engine bay at the bell crank, not in the cabin.

Buy new shear bolts. Take care of the spring and the pedals as you remove it all, there's a fair bit of energy involved and the pedals are good at trapping fingers as they come out.

[AndyR]

My bad sorry - just thought that there was a big enough "U" undercut on the pedal box to shift it forward enough to drop the pedals out from the bulkhead.

And of course i did forget to add to the above that the master cylinders have to be removed.

But Dan as always never misses a beat

Andy

[Dan]

I don't know about that!

The box is too fiddly to get out by sliding it back and forward like that unfortunately, because the studs sticking up from the top of it have to come downwards before it can really move anywhere. You need to have it all free.

[flatline]

Ive just done this on my mini,1991 city.

Use a screw extractor (£4 from screwfix)to remove the shear bolt's and providing all of the nut's n stuff mentioned above are removed just tap the bulkhead bolt's and wiggle and it should come out.

[KSTANDSTEVE]

Cheers for replies - sounds a lovely job!

Only doing this as I have sheared one of the servo bracket studs off )

Do I need to do anything with the heater?

[KSTANDSTEVE]

OK what a job so far!

Steering column removed

Column top bracket with shear bolts removed.

2 x bolts to bulkhead removed

4 x nuts in engine bay to servo bracket and clutch res removed

Is there anything else? Do I have to remove any of the pedal pins? Servo is off so brake is disconnected.

What about clutch pedal?

Still seems rock solid in there at the mo?

Cheers

[baldric]

make it easy for yourself

steeringcolumn  out drivers seat out  its tight in there remove brake and clutch cylanders  the 2 split pins from pedal to master cylander pushrod are aquard to get at  (long nose pliersj job ) even then its not easy  theres also 2 bolts holding the cluster  at the botom of the cluster bracket to bulkhead  like wise under the parcel shelf   ,,, removing the steering colum complete  from the bottom splines from footboard ,,, the cluster bracket has to be lowered to clear the master cylanders  bolts from bulkhead  ,,, thats if the pedal pin has seized to the pedal bushes through lack of lubrication  (( there is no provision for oiling)) the pedal bracket is very flimsy and it takes a lot of weight  ,,, now the pedal cluster bracket should be inspected for broken welds also taking a good look at the large washer that has been spotwelded to the side of the cluster bracket , if the hole in the center has worn oval and the hole on the otherside has has worn oval , its pointless fitting a new pedal cluster bolt   , this means a new bracket  ,  or re engineer the old bracket and fitting oversize  cluster bolt and reaming out existing  bronz pedal bushes  if there is excessiv  slop in the pedal where the clevis pin fits through   the pedal clevis pin will haft to be reamed out something like 8.5mm  and new clevis pins made to that size also the master cylander  push rod end where the clevis pin fits through has to be reamed out to fit the new pin  (( i dare say those holes will be oval))  all this information  is  for the person  who has a lathe and a mill  he should be able to get out of it reasonably  cheaply  , reconditioning the whole cluster and turning down a new cluster bolt  ,,, but for the people who dont  have the right equipment  to do the job  i am afraid its a new pedal box and perhaps pedals  if the clevis pin hole in the pedal is excessiv ,the whole assembly is expensiv (pedals bushes clevis pins box bolt and pedals and master cylander push rods ,,,you will get away with the returne spring  ,,, i chose to go the enginering way  and recondition the whole system , i have the equipment to do it , and the cost for me to do it this way  was $7.88 for a grade 8  , 5/8 x 5 inch bolt to make one oversized pedal cluster bolt  the pedal box was rebuilt  also  ,  reason for doing this . i had clutch problems due to all the slack in the system/ware  over the years of use  ,,, some twit had fitted a oversized  pushrod from clutch slave cylander to clutch arm 4" 1/4"  inches long  compared to stock standard  3" 1/4"  long  ,,, you haft to reduce all the slack/worn  parts  in  the pedal box   

[Vipernoir]

If you undo the top column mount and leave the column in place, you will almost certainly bugger the steering rack  - the pinion will get levered every-which-way as you work and the unsupported column can apply a large amount of force on it.