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Above: the Kit

The Bigfoot kit from Unique-Parts.Com is one of those rare win-win performance mods. It solves one big and one small problem with the VW Type 1 pedal cluster most VW owners have just had to live with -- until now.

The big problem is the hook on the clutch pedal shaft wears away and breaks, or the hook eventually cuts through the clutch cable.

The small problem is the spacing between the clutch and brake pedal on the Type 1 is close. Back in Herr Doktor's day, with slim leather wingtips and loafers, the spacing was just adequate, but with the wide running shoes and sneakers so many of us wear now, we need more room.

The Bigfoot kit allows you to connect a stock clutch cable to the new shaft with just a washer and nut. Not only can you reinstall the modified pedal assembly easily because the cable cannot fall off, but the new pivot action is smoother than the stock hook pulling against the cable clevis.

We swapped all of our race cars over to the Bigfoot system in 2007 when we had a clutch shaft hook break on the last day of the 7-day 2000-mile Carrera Panamerica road race in Mexico.

Here's a video of the install.:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Vo2U9XUYkY

I have. a slightly different problem.
A 13EEE shoe has problems on the accel/brake pedal side.
I wonder if that spacer can be placed to move clutch and brake outboard instead?
It would require addressing the master cyl rod and pedal linkage.

Good stuff, I upgraded my pedal cluster with the accelerator pedal and the stock width clutch setup. Very pleased with install operation of both.

Hi Helowrench,

The work to try and shift the brake/clutch away from the gas pedal would be considerable, but there is an easier way.

The brand name escapes me at the moment, but I have seen an accell pedal assembly with a relief cut into the pedal so it rides halfway over the hump!

Pedals, their placement, height and feel are a big deal to fast race drivers. We have a "pedal cluster policy" of absolute ruler-straight alignment of the clutch/brake pads, and have used bolt-on aluminum blocks to make the accell pedal exactly even with the clutch pedal for our heel and toe drivers.

FJC

FJCamper wrote: The big problem is the hook on the clutch pedal shaft wears away and breaks, or the hook eventually cuts through the clutch cable.

There's a better way to solve that problem. VW designed an upgrade and incorporated it in production, but they never publicized it for our older cars.
The upgrade is installing a longer arm at the gearbox. It reduces the tension in the cable so it reduces the stress at the hook making it last almost indefinitely. The reduced stress in the cable makes the cable last longer, something the design at the top of this page doesn't do. The reduced tension in the cable virtually eliminates breaking the welds that secure the clutch tube in the tunnel. Also, something the Unique-parts design doesn't do.
Setting all this reliability improvement aside, most people do the upgrade for the reduced pedal effort you get.
Here's a question nobody can answer, how long is the Unique-parts design going to last?

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/ ... ?id=801962

The late arm is of course a great plan, but the offset pedal setup is a good idea for those of use with big feet.
The bronze bushed pivot is almost worth it by itself, as you no longer need to do gymnastics in the foot well to hook it to the cable.
(I remember that was a lot easier when I was 18, last time I did it made me cuss profusely and threaten the square with an automatic... trans, not rifle)

I'll probably duplicate that myself the next time I have to change a cable.
(my 73 has the longer trans arm)

Ideally do both.

I have been thinking about this today while I lay around and do nothing but look at the thermo in the garage.
102F yay.
So, use this and space the clutch outboard, then leaving the brake pedal upright in stock location, cut and reweld (offset outboard) the pedal pad itself. Viola, more room between edge of brake pedal pad and tunnel.

I bet Piledriver could even do it in the car with his fancy fancy whizbamg Tig handspool...........

Maybe with the TIG, the spoolgun is MIG and I just use it because I like 25 feet of cable-freedom.
But the TIG cable is 25 feet too, and it has the pressure operated fingertip amptrol I made.
Much easier to use than a foot pedal when upside down and sideways.

My issue is with the shaft is brake pedal vertical shaft> foot <tunnel wedgie, not the brake pedal itself.
I have one pair of Nikes I simply cannot wear and drive the square safely IMHO.

The Bigfoot setup addresses that particular issue well.

My thermometer said 105--- I didn't even attempt go out until after 6 PM except to bring the dogs in to chill out at 11AM.

I finally managed to get my AC condenser mounted under the R front fender on the square.
Need to seal it up and cutout behind the bumper and get the system under vacuum and perhaps charged/wired tomorrow.

Just finished replacing a serpentine belt that had suicided (in the driveway, before I left for work, my cars are well trained) on the jetta by the light of my Li-Ion powered ~3W LED "head" light.

(In the amusement park of my mind (nods to George Clinton) visualizing one German engineer saying to another: "Hey, Lets mess with those Yanquees, make the serp belt tensioner "nut" 16mm, and no room for a socket, that'll teach them for avoiding the metric system")
...if it had been 18mm I would have needed to use a crescent wrench.

I do a lot of that in the summer, the only time its cool enough to actually work is well after dark.

I've used several Big Foot assemblies through the years and they have been great -- I haven't "lost" a clutch cable since changing over their style of cable attachment instead of the hook -- --

Hi Bruce2,

So, there is a slick-fix cable lever arm! Thank you for being part of the solution.

To give credit where it's due, the Bigfoot system wins me over with one feature, the fact that once you bolt the clutch cable to it, reinstallation of the pedal cluster is a breeze. No bailing wire or masking tape or whatever to try and keep the cable on the hook.

FJC

Long before the unique parts hook replacement appeared, I drilled a small hole in the tip of the hook and installed a small cotter pin. The clutch cable never comes off when installing the pedals. It's a lot easier to drill a tiny hole than to do a whole pedal assembly rebuild.

Bruce2 wrote:Long before the unique parts hook replacement appeared, I drilled a small hole in the tip of the hook and installed a small cotter pin. The clutch cable never comes off when installing the pedals. It's a lot easier to drill a tiny hole than to do a whole pedal assembly rebuild.

Agreed if you dont need the extra room for your feet.
That's the primary purpose of the "bigfoot" setup, the low wear cable attachment is just a bonus.

I actually drill a #50 or so hole on both sides of the opening, and use stainless steel safety wire to capture the cable on the hook

I've modified the pedal pads on my racecar to fit my Sasquach 14EE's a bit better.
I cut the pedal pad area off, and moved it over to the left a bit, and re-welded it. and added a little gusset to it for strength. I've also used the Unique pedal hook. It's worth every penny. Excellent product.