There is a question that every new car owner may have considered: do I need a set of pedals? As an experienced car owner, I would like to give my own advice today.
Who are the suitable car owners for installation?
1. Car owners with elderly people and children as the main passengers
The essence of pedals is to solve the problem of small children or elderly people who have difficulty getting into a car. Therefore, if children and elderly people are frequent passengers in the family, installing pedals will improve their experience of using the car.
Especially for the ideal ONE model, the chassis is slightly higher (the minimum ground clearance is 180mm when empty), plus the threshold, which is equivalent to about 1.5 general staircase steps (about 140-160mm/steps). It is difficult for elderly people and children to get on the car, which will be more convenient with pedals.
2. Car owners who already have the habit of using pedals
Using pedals is essentially a habit. For car owners who are not accustomed to using pedals, they usually step off the car directly, and if there is a pedal during the process of touching the ground, their legs may be bumped. If there is mud or dirt on the pedal, it will also stain their pants (I did not buy it because I am not used to stepping on the pedal before getting off the car, plus my height is 185cm, but I asked a car friend who installed the pedal about his real experience for everyone’s objective presentation).
If you are accustomed to using pedals, then every time you get off the car, you will step on the pedal first and then get off the car, just like going down the stairs, step by step, so there will be no leg bumps.
Therefore, whether the family needs it and whether you have the habit of using pedals are the primary criteria for choosing pedals.
Other changes after installing pedals
In addition to the reasons for purchase selection that I just mentioned, installing pedals will also bring some other changes.
There is a certain chance of preventing other cars from opening the door and scratching the side. Everyone will encounter the situation of other adjacent vehicles opening the door and scratching their own car. Pedals can play a protective role in some scenes, especially when the adjacent vehicle is a lower and flatter sedan in terms of door shape. When the door of this type of vehicle is opened, the door sill may hit our pedal first.
In special cases, pedals can be used as temporary footholds. For example, when it rains heavily, the roadside is prone to water accumulation, and the pedals can be used as temporary footholds, making it convenient for both getting off and getting on the car; or in the case of a particularly crowded parking lot where the door cannot be opened, a gap can be opened and standing on the pedal to move is also effective.A certain probability of preventing lateral obstacles collision. Low-slung lateral obstacles can easily appear in blind spots. If you don’t pay attention when turning, it may cause a side collision. The pedal can help to reduce some of the damage caused by a minor collision.
What should be noted if you really want to install it?
If you have considered all of the above issues and have decided to purchase pedals, it is still recommended that you choose official pedals with guaranteed workmanship and quality, which are also more secure. However, there are also some precautions that need to be reminded.
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The official pedals are a damaging installation. During the installation process, some of the side skirts will be cut off for bracket installation.
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When washing the car, use clean water or neutral acid/alkali washing liquid for cleaning. Don’t use “front water” and other strongly corrosive solutions, which may cause traces that are difficult to remove on the aluminum alloy surface of the pedals.
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If the vehicle encounters an accident after modification, the insurance company may not be able to compensate for the modified part in accordance with the original vehicle’s claims range, and the modified part needs to be repaired at your own expense.
Q: Will the width of the ideal ONE change after the pedal is installed?
A: After the fixed pedal is installed, the width of the entire vehicle will not change. The widest point after installation is basically the same as the width after the outer rearview mirrors are folded.
Q: What is the weight-bearing capacity of the official rear pedal of the ideal ONE?
A: A single-side pedal can bear 200kg.
Q: Will installing the official rear pedal of the ideal ONE affect its passability?
A: After the pedals are installed, the minimum ground clearance of the vehicle body is still in its original factory state (the minimum ground clearance when empty is 180mm), and will hardly have any impact on passability.
Q: How long does it take to install a fixed pedal?
A: The installation of a fixed pedal is more complicated and is expected to take about 3 hours. Installing a fixed pedal does not involve changing the circuit, nor will it affect the circuit warranty. As for the warranty of the pedal itself, the metal part has a three-year warranty and the rubber part has a six-month warranty.
Q: Is the installation of the pedal free of charge?
A: The pedal is priced at 1999 yuan/set, and the PLUS member price is 1699 yuan/set. The selling price includes installation time. PLUS members can also enjoy free pick-up and delivery service for installation (if the location is within the free pick-up and delivery service area).
The above is the introduction of pedals. So, based on personal needs, everyone should consider it on their own.
This article is a translation by ChatGPT of a Chinese report from 42HOW. If you have any questions about it, please email bd@42how.com.