Maximus

This may sound totally wierd but does anyone know about some kind of extension kit/assembly for the brake and cutch padels; like a thick rubber padel or something that you can put on the current aluminum padels so as to make them reachable for shorties? :-) I stand 5'7" above mean sea level :-)

I am asking this because the driving postion in RX8 doesn't feel comfortable to me viz. if I pull the seat forward in order to have my feet resting comfortably on the padels the steering comes too close to my body .... if I adjust the seat to have the steering wheel at a comfortable distance from my body I find the padels too far and in that position I can just barely press the clutch padel all the way to the floor.

This has never happened to me before and I have been driving manual transmission cars for a long time. May be I feel this because I am not used to driving postion in a sports car.

eccles

A simple Google search for "pedal extenders" returns over a thousand hits. You might start with http://www.pedalextenders.com/

Spin9k

I don't think it's weird, I'm 5'8" tall, and I also have been driving manuals for several decades, and this is what I wrote on my first post-pickup RX-8 post (on 07-19-2003 06:09 PM) outlining a number of points, both pro and con:

"2. Speaking of adjustments, I'd swear one of my legs is shorter than the other... all of a sudden since yesterday when I got the car. When the accelerator is just right, I can't push the clutch in easily all the way, sort of have to push it with my extended toe, if you know what I mean. If I move the seat forward so the clutch is OK, I feel cramped up against the wheel and accelerator. Maybe a little block on the clutch, or my left shoe! It's the strangest thing."

So Digisan sent me a link to brush up on getting comfortable at Jonny O'Connell Driving Tips (http://www.johnnyoconnell.com/tips1.html) and it seems to help.

Still I'll have to say I agree with your, and my, initial feeling although I've compensated for the difference mostly.

Ike

Have you tried wooden blocks, or maybe a phonebook? :p

Spin9k

Also notice (from another thread) TJRX8's comment #4 "I also have to have the seat up close to be able to engage the clutch."

missinmahseven

Try this for setup. It's how I do any car I drive.

1. Seat all the way back. Put foot on clutch and slide seat forward till clutch pedal is all the way in, plus a slight bend at the knee.

2. Tilt seatback back or forth till you have a slight bend at the elbows with hands at 3 and 9 o'clock on the wheel.

That's my basic setup, then I tweek an inch here or there. It may feel a bit weird having the arms out that far, but once you get used to it, you'll find it quite comfortable, not to mention you'll have optimum reach to everything including the wheel and shifter.. which is essential if you drive it like you stole it :D

At 5'7 you shouldn't need extenders. You're right down the middle of the 'band' engineers use to design cabins.

downshift

Pretty big name for a small guy
Anyway, would leaning back further away from the steering wheel work for you?

OmegaBob

I'm 5'6 and had no problems at all during my two test drives.

Squidward

I tend to just push the seat forward until I can depress the clutch all the way down with comfort.. As for being close to the steering wheel, it's a good thing -- it allows you to respond more quickly to situations.. If you want some room, tilt your seat back like the above poster said, and adjust your steering column to match your visual height (if it's in the way)...

8_wannabe

I followed this tip back when I first got the car. The close-in position felt weird at first, but I'm used to it now and it's very comfortable and natural. Basically, you need to sit close enough that your wrist can rest atop the steering wheel without your shoulder blades coming off the seatback. Read the link. BTW, I'm 5'7" with proportionately short legs and longer torso.

Maximus

You guys are amazing! Thanks for all the info.

Maximus

Hi again. Did anyone find something new to raising the clutch pedal position? I still feel that the clutch is way too deep for me compared to the accelerator, brake and footrest.

Tried all seating positions described above but didn't work. Also looked for pedal covers in local stores and on the internet but cant find anything custom made for RX8. Please post if someone has come accross a good solution.

Thanks,
Max.

B-Nez

Check out this thread by Omicron. He posted a very nice how-to make a clutch pedal extension.

Maximus

B-Nez,
Thanks for posting. I checked that one earlier but trying to figure out something readily available.

regards,
max.

FirstSpin

This may be a bit off-topic but it's not worthy of a new thread. It does have to do with pedal-related comfort issues and if any of you have had the same problem, I'd love to know that it's not just me. If any of you have a solution, that'd be great too.

I have an MT, my first. I'm 6'1, and I sit back far enough that the heal of my hand rests naturally on the 12 o'clock position of the steering wheel. I have no trouble reaching any of the pedals but, especially when I'm driving any distance in slow bumper-to-bumper traffic, the clutch wears me out. Not only that, but my accelerator foot wants to cramp.

Specifically, I get to the point that my left foot is so sore I'm looking for a new spot on the foot to use to depress the clutch pedal. It's always better by the next day but good god, I'd hate to think I had to ride that pedal for 4 or 5 hours.

The gas pedal thing has me mystified. As far as I can tell, it's the same basic arrangement as any other car. But for some reason, I find that I do not relax my gas-foot. Instead, it remains taut and over time tends to try to cramp in the arch of the foot.

This is nothing that I can't live with because protracted periods in bumper-to-bumper traffic are not that common. The gas-pedal foot cramping is more persistent but I also can live with that. I just wanted to see if anyone else had incurred anything similar and if so, what they did (or are doing) about it.....

Spin9k

As it was getting too cold to work upside down inside my car to fix the problem, I came up with a 'quick fix' that will eventually be turned into a permanent one. I searched long and hard for an extender that would be just thick enough, right size, etc., but couldn't find one.

So it's not pretty, but it does the trick amazingly well. Got a 3M sanding block, used my power saw to cut the ends of as shown (just be sure not to saw the nails that hold the sandpaper down), removed the existing pretty clutch cover pad, then using aluminum tape from Home Depot, taped the sucker in place.

IT WORKS!! It turned out to be just the height of the multiple spacers I had been adding during my testing earlier, it's cheap ($3), it fits nicely the metal exposed pedal on the back side, and it has a nice rounded side to place your foot on. You can see the curvature in the pic I think.

Next spring, by drilling a couple of hoes in the block and the metal pedal, and using a couple bolts, I'll be able to make it permanent, if not pretty, for pretty much nothing.

Best of all, my accelerator foot is now extended and comfortable, my clutching has gone from, " what's wrong with me, or is it the car?", to "Now this is more like it!". :D

The 1st oil change, the mazda mechanic sheepishly asked me what it was for. He was embarassed I could tell, but got only, "so I could drive the thing right!", and seemed satisfied.

Rotary Nut

I duuno dude! I'm 5'4" and I have the seat jacked all the way down and find it just right. This is the first car that I actually feel comfortable in.

SCiMMiA

I don't understand why some are saying that the gas pedal is too close. I even read this in the USAToday writeup before I tested the car in July.

Speed Racer

I had the same problem and I'm also 5'7". If I moved the seat forward until I could push the clutch in without pointing my toes, my right leg would be so bent that my knee hit the steering column, and with the seat back at a normal angle it felt like I had the steering wheel in my face. It was also awkward to shift because the seat was too far forward.

It took a while before I eventually found a position that I could live with. Try this out and see if it helps.

• Start by raising the steering column, sliding the seat back, decreasing the lumbar support, and moving the seat all of the way down to give your knees more clearance.
• Slide the seat forward slowly until you can just push the clutch in fully. This is going to be a compromise and I find that I have my seat positioned so that my right knee just clears the steering column and I have to angle my foot slightly to get the clutch all of the way to the floor.
• Tilt the seat back until you can operate the shifter and steering wheel comfortably. Once again this is a compromise and you will probably feel like the seat is reclined farther than normal and that your elbows only have a slight bend to them when holding the wheel.
• Lower the steering column until you have a clear view of the gauge pod.
• Raise the front edge of the seat slowly and stop when your thighs are supported.
• Slowly increase the lumbar support until your lower back is supported.

This position may feel odd at first but you'll begin to appreciate it once you take the car around the block a few times and notice that you can now operate everything smoothly/comfortably. Don't worry, you will get used to the position after a few days behind the wheel.

Maximus

Listen up Mazda:

Your car needs a telescopic steering column and adjustable pedals !!!! Meanwhile we'll keep looking for a solution.

romulus

I am 5'10" and I also noticed the same thing. If I have the clutch the right way, my accelerator pedal seems a bit too tall to the point that my right leg does not confortably rest on the seat. I will also experiment with the cluch spacer. So far I have 1/2 " rubber. I will zip tied to see if the height spacer works for me. If it so then I will make a permanet fixture as well with screws and use the same aluminum trim. By the way, another tip that I am using is to put a piece of tape (other than black) in the seat rails so that I can find my seat setting faster in case I move my seat. You can use paint marker as well. Now adjusting my seat quicker is just as aligning the marks.

Maximus

romulus, what is this exactly? where did you get it? any pics?

romulus

I am sorry, I was thinking too fast. Anyway, I got a piece of rubber 2” long x 1.5” wide and 1/2 “ thick. Normally you get the material from an industrial supply company like Mc Master-Carr. I was going to try the rubber sanding idea but since I saw a scrap piece at work, I took it (with consent of course) and cut it to the size I mentioned. I will try it once I get home. I will try to get some pictures. Again, this is just temporary

romulus

Well, I tryed the piece of rubber extension in the clutch pedal. And I have to say that it did not worked for me. So I took it out. Either I got used to the pedals or I just found out the right seat position that works for me since I was adjusting it several times. Anyways, good tips for anyone who needs it.
Cheers