Foot Peg Widening For Dummies

[Ji Gantor]

There are plenty of solutions to this problem, this is what I have done.
After all the time effort and tools required I recommend you give GMC a call and purchase a set.
Geoff makes some really nice ones and sells them for a good price.

But if you want to have a go yourself good luck.

The foot pegs on some classic dirt bikes are no more than a pipe with 3 deposits of weld while others are small in surface area. The ones I am improving are 30mm wide x 67mm long. Modern pegs are 50mm wide x 80mm long.
This helps spread the load from your body through your foot when jumping. Also the larger surface area gives better grip in wet conditions.

I am using 304 stainless steel because it is easier to photograph.
Most foot pegs are made from 3mm thick mild steel.


Ji

[Ji Gantor]

I  have sampled all the foot pegs I have to find the best serration pattern.
They are
4mm with 8mm pitch,
5mm with 10mm pitch and
7mm with a 12mm pitch.

I have decided to use 5mm diameter holes 10mm a part.
This gives a fear amount of metal in the contact area.

Mark up the metal ready for cutting.
I could have scribed the lines but that is hard to photograph.

Ji

[Ji Gantor]

Place marked up metal plate into a drill press and start drilling.

Ji

[Ji Gantor]

After all the holes are drilled take a hacksaw, band saw or grinder and cut to shape.
The serrations will take shape.
After the teeth have been cut use a file to form the serrations to your personnel requirements.

Ji

[Ji Gantor]

Place serrated metal plate into a bar bender or a length of pipe into a vice.
Adjust until positioned correctly.

Ji

[Ji Gantor]

Once bent to required shape cut to length and fix to peg.
With a file level serrations and round to requirements.

Ji

[Ji Gantor]

This serration pattern gives good grip.

Ji

[firko]

Good subject Ji but perhaps it'd be a good idea to show how to bend the metal using a pipe in a vice for those readers who aren't lucky enough to own a bar bender, which I'd assume would be most of us. And before another bun fight starts mate, this isn't a pisstake, it's just a friendly suggestion .

[Ji Gantor]

Hi Firko,
This is a great suggestion.
I did show how to bend plate in a vice with two sections of pipe on another thread.
If I have time I will find the link.

Ji

[Ji Gantor]

If its done right both peg wideners should look the same.

Ji

[Ji Gantor]

I get the curve right then leave the legs pointing slightly inwards.
This helps when positioning on the peg for fixing.

Ji

[Ji Gantor]

To bend plate with only a vice and a pair of vice grips.
Get two sections of pipe that are the same diameter as the curve you desire.
Place the two pipes into the vice and clamp the plate to one of them with the vice grips.
Because this is only 3mm thick plate use your hands to bend the plate around the other pipe.
Keep it all tight and keeping going in one motion until the curve is formed.

Ji

[Ji Gantor]

Lets be honest though, give Geoff Morris a call or a PM and buy a set off Geoff he is selling them cheaper than you can make them and the quality is really cool.
The only reason you would make your own is because you can not afford $30.00 or you want to get a specific serration pattern or you just want to have a go at it yourself.

I wanted to make these wideners out of Ti but 3mm plate is hard to get I have 1.6mm and 5mm.
1.6 would be so thin it would act like a knife into your boot and the 5mm is just overkill.
I did some calcs on Al and it won't take the load.
S/S is to hard to fix to the old foot pegs so good old mild steel or low carbon steel is the way to go.

Ji

[firko]

I wanted to make these wideners out of Ti

Naughty boy. I think you're being a little cheeky Ji. It worked....I bit 

is to hard to fix to the old foot pegs so good old mild steel or low carbon steel is the way to go.

Presuming you're TIG welding the wideners to the old pegs, why is Stainless steel difficult to use?

[Ji Gantor]

No that was not bait.
I did intend to do them out of Ti but can not get 3mm plate.

Ji