spare leg or help!!

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Hi I dont suppose you no anything about trikes? well i no its a vw even beetle i think 1641cc,at the moment it has a cable clutch which i need to change to hydraulic, & change it from foot to hanle bars as only have one leg,unless someone has a spare kicking about, anyway i thought of putting a slave cylinder by the bell housing to push yhe lever instead of cable pulling it, & making up some sort of bracket,then getting a lever with master cylinder in it Any other ideas please or do you think this would work regards clive
 
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The problem with doing that sort of thing nowadays is finding the parts, most of the modern hydraulic systems are sealed units, you need one you can take to bits, I think you are only going to find the parts you need on elderly cars in a scrap yard. I'm sure you could make it work if you can obtain suitable bits.

Peter
 
Had a bit of a head scratch over this one.

The pedal that you are throwing away had quite a bit of travel, compared to the hand operated master cylinder you are going to use. This now reduced travel will restrict you in the amount of leverage you can obtain over the clutch pressure plate.
So if you get it wrong, it will be as light as a feather to use, but will not quite break the drive, through a lack of travel in the handle. Or, it will break the drive but you need three hands to operate the handle. We don't do spare hands or legs!!

So a bit of trial and error will be needed, moving/changing the diameter/stroke of the master cylinder and or slave cylinder. Ideally if you could see a successful conversion already completed and just copy the important dimensions.

Had a look and found some stuff that might be useful to you.
As Peter says, you may find it hard to get parts so if you know a good breaker, keep in with them.
http://www.sacoperformance.com/proddetail.php?prod=32-1001

https://www.google.ie/search?q=BEET...wKIa3hQeSzYGAAw&ved=0CHQQsAQ&biw=1366&bih=604

http://www.rallydesign.co.uk/product_info.php?products_id=4080

Car manufacturers are now using conventional clutch assemblies as automatic units with electric over hydraulic to operate the clutch mechanism (computer controlled). So if all else fails you might consider using a button instead of the handle? But, will need a small hydraulic power pack (ABS unit?) and some way to give "feel" to the button (restrict the return of fluid going back to the reservoir may help). Giving the button "feel" will allow you to pull away without stalling.

Alternatively you may consider an electric actuator?
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/6-inch-13...511?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item27c974e01f




Hope this helps, do let us know how you get on
 
Links in this post may contain affiliate links for which DIYnot may be compensated.
There's a huge travel issue involved with this one, which is why motorbikes often have multiplate hydraulic clutches......I guess for the first time in my life I would recommend automatic transmission if its available?
John :)
 
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Had a bit of a head scratch over this one.

The pedal that you are throwing away had quite a bit of travel, compared to the hand operated master cylinder you are going to use. This now reduced travel will restrict you in the amount of leverage you can obtain over the clutch pressure plate.
So if you get it wrong, it will be as light as a feather to use, but will not quite break the drive, through a lack of travel in the handle. Or, it will break the drive but you need three hands to operate the handle. We don't do spare hands or legs!!

So a bit of trial and error will be needed, moving/changing the diameter/stroke of the master cylinder and or slave cylinder. Ideally if you could see a successful conversion already completed and just copy the important dimensions.

Had a look and found some stuff that might be useful to you.
As Peter says, you may find it hard to get parts so if you know a good breaker, keep in with them.
http://www.sacoperformance.com/proddetail.php?prod=32-1001

https://www.google.ie/search?q=BEET...wKIa3hQeSzYGAAw&ved=0CHQQsAQ&biw=1366&bih=604

http://www.rallydesign.co.uk/product_info.php?products_id=4080

Car manufacturers are now using conventional clutch assemblies as automatic units with electric over hydraulic to operate the clutch mechanism (computer controlled). So if all else fails you might consider using a button instead of the handle? But, will need a small hydraulic power pack (ABS unit?) and some way to give "feel" to the button (restrict the return of fluid going back to the reservoir may help). Giving the button "feel" will allow you to pull away without stalling.

Alternatively you may consider an electric actuator?
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/6-inch-13...511?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item27c974e01f


Now all that is not as easy as i thought appreciate all your help cheers clive ill let you all no!!!

Hope this helps, do let us know how you get on
 
Links in this post may contain affiliate links for which DIYnot may be compensated.
There's a huge travel issue involved with this one, which is why motorbikes often have multiplate hydraulic clutches......I guess for the first time in my life I would recommend automatic transmission if its available?
John :)
Know that would have been,but this one aint im afraid!! next time for sure.
 
So a bit of trial and error will be needed, moving/changing the diameter/stroke of the master cylinder and or slave cylinder. Ideally if you could see a successful conversion already completed and just copy the important dimensions.

good.gif
I wish it was that simple, i changed the brakes round first but that didnt work,the only company to do brake or clutch conversion on this model is Germany,core do i wish i new that when i bought it,the old saying is right learn by yer mistakes cheers
 
i suppose it could be done with a quick servo motor or actuator and a pushbutton, or even an air operated cylinder if you could produce the compressed air
 
I was thinking, as its a stick shift, can you use the other leg for the clutch? Have it beside the brake pedal? Leave it that you could catch both pedals with the foot (tractor brake pedals are like this) when coming to a stop. But when changing gear you could use the clutch pedal alone. This would allow for car type master cylinders for both brake and clutch. Leave the front wheel on the original brake lever on the handlebars.

Where have you the accelerator, on the handlebars?

What was the problem with the brake conversion?
Not being noisy, just interested

We helped fix Beetles when at primary school and always had quads and bikes, any chance of a couple of pictures?
 
I was thinking, as its a stick shift, can you use the other leg for the clutch? Have it beside the brake pedal? Leave it that you could catch both pedals with the foot (tractor brake pedals are like this) when coming to a stop. But when changing gear you could use the clutch pedal alone. This would allow for car type master cylinders for both brake and clutch. Leave the front wheel on the original brake lever on the handlebars.

Where have you the accelerator, on the handlebars?

What was the problem with the brake conversion?
Not being noisy, just interested

We helped fix Beetles when at primary school and always had quads and bikes, any chance of a couple of pictures?
Hi both brakes are linked like a car & on right side foot,which is the problem,i separated them on a special twin lever but couldnt get enough pressure on the back,if it worked like it should have there would be no problem as the clutch i can use with my left leg cable no problem ill try put pictures on oh yes throttle on bars
 
That sounds like you have disk brakes on the back? And I'm guessing no vacuum servo unit working of the inlet manifold?

Which one is the dodgy one (leg I mean)?
 
That sounds like you have disk brakes on the back? And I'm guessing no vacuum servo unit working of the inlet manifold?

Which one is the dodgy one (leg I mean)?
thats right discs & no servo & thats on right & that is the right leg missing.well when i say missing it dont mean i need a search party out looking for it, :rolleyes:
 
To reduce the force needed to apply adequate brake pressure to the back disks a vacuum servo unit will be required. Some of the older vacuum servo units were separate from the main master cylinder allowing them to be fitted anywhere on the vehicle.

Failing that, increase the leverage you have over the master cylinder, but this will also increase the lever travel. And ensure all the brake components (disks pads calipers) are as new. Had you good back brakes before you installed the lever?
 
Avocet";p="2488552 said:
Some old black cabs used a remote servo, if that's any help?

Failing that, there are various electric clutch actuator kits that they sometimes fit to disabled persons' vehicles:

http://www.carfi.co.uk/html/autoclutch.html

http://www.apicz.com/en/products/hand-controls/automatic-clutch-system

http://www.alfredbekker.co.uk/hand-controls/auto-clutch-manual-car/

Last thought is that the Merc A-class used to have some sort of automatic (or semi-automatic) clutch didn't it?[/quote
Hi thank you all so very much taking the time and thought the only problem was with fitting a remote or any servo is the extra travel on lever .
 
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