Gas Pedal Bushing Upgrade

[roadhog0]

I thought about writing this a few years ago, but wanted to get some time on my initial setup before I told the rest of the world. Most of you have probably worn through the plastic bushing that goes on the gas pedal shaft behind the pedal. I know my car had long ago worn it flat. I did a little thinking and a little measuring and came up with this neat little trick! You can fit a couple bearings on there to replace it. Do not use just 1, it only works for a little while (why it took me a bit to write this) and the pedal flexes and rubs. I comfortably could stack 4 bearings on mine.

 

The bearing is an 8mm ID and 12mm OD. They are extremely common in RC cars, therefore they are readily available and cheap. I bought 10 for $10 bucks. You have multiple choices. These are what I purchased for reference.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/161451366080?_sp=p2488212.m41214.l9765

 

Happy '02ing!

 

 

 

[halboyles]

Very cool concept!

[jp5Touring]

Great idea, the pedal keeps them in place ? 

[M3M3]

another bearing option identified halfway down this article.

 

[Mike Self]

And one more thought (previously mentioned on the FAQ).  Use a 2 1/4" length of "Slick Tape" on the back side of the accelerator pedal to eliminate the need for any kind of lubricant (which will attract dirt).  Slick Tape is used by woodworkers to be placed on the slides that drawers bear against, to allow smoother movement.  Any woodworking store will have it by the roll--enough to do dozens of 2002s. 

 

Simply pop the pedal off its mount, clean the back side thoroughly and then stick the tape in the space between the two ears, and you're done.  Paired with Roadhog's little bearings, it should make accelerator travel smooth as silk.

 

mike

['76mintgrün'02]

Hey, I did that too, but then added an aluminum sleeve and piece of hose; skipping the pedal altogether.   

 

One of my friends that drove the car said the roller would take some getting used to.

Two other people said they had not even noticed the lack of a pedal when driving it.

 

The nubs were gone on mine, along with that little chunk of floor.

This was intended to be a temporary fix, but it's been in there for five years now.  

 

[Doug Riparetti]

Spend the money, and the time, buy the one that "Ireland Engineering" is producing. Well worth the effort. wish I would have done it SOONER………...

[iinca]

Nice find Road Hog'....I love it! Combined with Slick Tape this should make the pedal action  babies butt' smooth'

 

[roadhog0]

Yup, this idea hit me in the head a number of years ago. I have had zero issues with the nubs and factory pedal except the bushing and wanted a way to keep the factory pedal, but not replace that plastic bushing all the time.

As far as the slick tape, I wouldnt do that and a bearing personally. One or the other. The bearing needs something to "grab" on the back of the pedal such that the bearing does its job and rotates. 

 

 

18 hours ago, jp5Touring said:

Great idea, the pedal keeps them in place ? 

The pedal rod keeps them in place. They are 8mm ID and the pedal rod is 8mm OD so they very lightly press on. I ran just a single bearing for over three years and never had it slip off. I use an 8mm open end wrench to press them on.

[iinca]

good point. Slick tape is ridiculously slippery. So your saying the bearing are most likely

to 'drag' more than they will spin?

 

 i think people can do well with slick tape alone but to have 'actual' bearings should

be a better solution

 

So just to be clear you've never had a bearing slip off the pedal shaft?

 

I've got some slick tape Mike gave me this week. I'll order those bearings and do a comparison using my brand new OE tii gas pedal with and without slick tape. 

Edited October 8, 2019 by iinca

[roadhog0]

On 10/5/2019 at 10:35 PM, iinca said:

good point. Slick tape is ridiculously slippery. So your saying the bearing are most likely

to 'drag' more than they will spin?

 

 i think people can do well with slick tape alone but to have 'actual' bearings should

be a better solution

 

So just to clear you've never had a bearing slip off the pedal shaft?

 

I've got some slick tape Mike gave me this week. I'll order those bearings and do a comparison using my brand new OE tii gas pedal with and without slick tape. 

In theory yes, the bearings will slide over the slick tape instead of role as desired.

I've never had a bearing slip off. I had two of the brand new bearings disintegrate yesterday though.... So some bearings are better than others. I use to have only one bearing on there and it last a good three years. I wanted to go to more bearings to distribute the load. Now this.... So I would recommend another bearing manufacture than the one I linked.

[iinca]

yikes! that's a cheap ass bearing lol

[Vicleonardo1]

Just wondering if trying an RC or a Slot Car Racing (do those still exist?) wheel/slick might do the trick... It would look very close to what Mintgrun manufactured...

[iinca]

Once had a vw dunebuggy with a roller pedal like Mintgruns'. It worked but i remember it being awkward and super sensitive

 

so far my 1/2" wide piece of slick tape makes my pedal pretty damn smooth. Smoother than any 2002 pedal I've ever

used....but If I go with the multiple bearings I need to get a wider piece for more bearings though

 

I'm gonna wait till Roadhog's 4 bearing  test pans out

[iinca]

Once had a vw dunebuggy with a roller pedal like Mintgruns'. It worked but i remember it being awkward and super sensitive to my foot slipping off if I got too agressive

 

so far my 1/2" wide piece of slick tape makes my pedal pretty damn smooth. Smoother than any 2002 pedal I've ever

used....but If I go with the multiple bearings I need to get a wider piece for more bearings though

 

I'm gonna wait till Roadhog's 4 bearing  test pans out