I just got mine yesterday and tried to install, but I am having some trouble getting the plastic panel off. I'm trying to be careful as it is below freezing and I don't want to snap the plastic when doing the surgery to remove the panel. That fact that I was doing it after dark in a snowstorm outside probably didn't help either

I got the top rubber plug off and the panel apart from the from the front molding, but can't seem to get the right motion to get the inside mounts disconnected properly. Once I have that off, it looks bone simple.

1) Do you need pivot the panel up at all towards you, to free the the topmost mount (the one you remove the plug for), before you begin disconnecting the panel, or do you pull straight towards you, disonnecting the top mount after the other connectors are free?

2) Do you need to pull the hood latch to allow it to go thru the hole?

Any more detailed tips on the panel removal would be very helpful.....

ps- I have to echo the others on the Zeta pedal. It appears to be perfectly fitted for its task and is made of really solid metal. They didn't skimp on ingredients with this one......

 

RedAndy-

My own installation of the dead pedal was done quickly because it was raining (and I was feeling sorry for myself because of the rain). I'm glad that I don't have your weather to deal with. As I recall, the hidden interior fastener around the center of the kick panel is kind of slotted. After you pull off the rubber plug at the front edge of the panel, you have to stretch the panel forward to pull it off the plastic post that the plug used to cover. Then work the rear edge loose from the rubber molding around the door frame with a small flat blade screwdriver. Both of these suggestions will be difficult in cold temperatures.

Yes, you need to pull the hood release to get the panel to pass over it, but first, with the front edge and back edge free from their trapped state, pull the panel backwards to pop the hidden center fastener off.

I may have mis-remembered some things because I did this in a hurry, and I probably would not have even attempted it outside in Minnesota in the winter. But that's a spoiled Californian for you. Good luck!!
Dave

 

Thanks - that helps a lot - so the order is (let me know if I missed it)
1) Remove top rubber plug (had no problems there) ;
2) Free panel from front molding (ditto) ;
3) Push towards the front of the car to free top connector from post that the rubber plug was on (source of confusion - not sure if this was last step or not)
4) Pull straight towards rear of car to free the last 2 inside connectors - don't pivot panel as the connectors disconnect horizontally from front to back....
5) Panel is now not connected to anything, pull hood release and remove panel.

Thanks again for all your help - I sure didn't want anything to snap!

 

Andy-
Getting the front edge of the panel over the post and pulled off to the right of it requires considerable flexing of the panel, and this is probably where the warnings come from about breakage in the cold.

Once both the front and back edges are free, you need to pull the hood release and pull backward on the panel at the same time. I also might have pulled outward on the whole panel to free the interal fasteners, but I am not sure about that. Rearward motion of the panel requires that the hood release is as horizontal as possible so that the hole for it passes over it as you pull backwards to pop off the internal fastener.

Merry Christmas!
Dave

 

The two hidden connectors face in different directions. The lower one is open at the front (C shape) so is freed by pulling back (towards the door). The connector that is higher and further forward is open at the top (U shape) so is freed by pulling down. Not easy to do this because the hood release is in the way. Seems you should be able to do it by rotating the panel clockwise around the hood release, but it wasn't that simple.

It probably took me about 45 minutes to do the whole thing, stretched out to two days because when I tried to remove the upper bolt holding the hood release, I rounded off the hex head bolt with my 12 point socket wrench! After a trip to Sears to buy a set of 6 point metric sockets and a set of bolt extractors (just in case), I stopped at the Honda dealer to see if they had a replacement bolt. No sense in putting back the rounded-off bolt, I thought. No luck, though, they don't carry bolts! Didn't want to put in something from a hardware store (avoid different metals because of possible corrosion). I got the rounded-off bolt loose with the 6-point socket, so ended up reinstalling it.

I'm not really sure how much the Zeta dead pedal improves the driving position. It is very solid and well built, no question about that, but the angle is pretty steep and it's not comfortable to plant my foot flat on it. Just placing the ball of my food on the dead pedal is OK, but I didn't have a big problem with placing my foot on the wheel well anyway.

I bought the dead pedal before I actually got the car, since there seemed to be almost unanimous opinion that it was needed, but I guess I must be at the tail end of the bell curve! I had a list of other interior add-ons that I planned to purchase, but now I'm going to drive the car for a few months before making a final decision. Except for the passenger-side sun visor with mirror. My wife made it clear that she wanted that, and it is already wrapped up and under the Christmas tree!

 

I also have the Zeta dead pedal and agree that the angle is somewhat aggressive. Kind of forces your left knee to cant outward. Ideally, I'd like an angle about half way between the little protrusion on the stock FIT and the Zeta. But to be fair, I haven't used it on a long trip yet, so I'll reserve final judgement until then. On the postive side, the Zeta construction and appearance is top-notch - no problems there!

 

After about one month using the Zeta Dead Pedal, coloradocraig has written exactly my own opinion of this product. Though very well made, this product is not as comfortable as it could be. I guess that I like it better than driving without it, but the angle is too steep. I suppose that the intent was to duplicate the geometry of the accelerator pedal, which of course changes in use unlike the rigid dead pedal.

 

Just curious, but how tall are you guys that are commenting on the angle? I am 6'1" so, it doesn't seem to bother me, but I do have the seat back pretty far.

The accelerator pedal still drives me crazy though. Makes for some uncomfortable long trips.

 

I am 5'-11", and my legs are relatively short for my height, 30" inseam. I initially had the seat far back (before I installed the dead pedal), but the reach to the steering wheel was too far for comfort for more than 15 minutes or so, even though I normally drive with my arms fairly extended, always two hands on the wheel at 9 and 3 o'clock. I had arm rests in my Isuzu Oasis (1st gen Honda Odyssey rebadged) by rarely used them.

I've been gradually moving the seat forward, and getting used to sitting with my knees farther apart than in the Oasis. I'm beginning to get used to the Zeta dead pedal, too, but I'd still prefer it at a less steep angle.

 

Thanks for all your help folks. I got the dead pedal in with no problems once the orientation of the inside clips was straightend out.

My thoughts are the same as the others here - the pedal is a bit too steep (vertically) for my tastes, but at least it keeps my ankle straight...

I'm about 6 feet w/ a 32" inseam. I've always been a sloucher in most cars, but I find that a pretty upright position in the Fit works best for me - I don't like to stretch to reach the wheel, and since it doesn't telescope, I sit pretty close. If you sit further back, the pedal my be just fine. IMO, the closer you are, the steeper the pedal will feel.

Right now, I pretty much just put the ball of my foot on the pedal, but I do think that it's better than what it was without it there. If I feel ambitious I may take it off in the spring and see if I can recalibrate the angle a bit......

 

My boyfriend gave me the dead pedal for Christmas... put it in yesterday morning and I love it. Yes, the angle is a bit extreme, but I'm used to actually putting my foot up on the edge by the hood release. Go figure. I'm 5'8", 34" inseam, so my seat is pretty far back (granted, that means the seat is pretty much straigh up - no slouching for me!).

Wheeee! Dead pedal rocks!

 

That is the most bone simple idea I've ever heard. Here I had visions of taking the pedal off and bending the (very) sturdy and strong metal, and worrying that I'd get the alignment off, scraping paint, breaking the pedal, etc, etc.

Sometimes the simple ideas work best - thanks!

 

I just installed the dead pedal and both my wife and I like it. As others have pointed out, it kind of forces your left leg to cant out a little too much, but it is still an improvement and looks like it came with the car. It's also a little pricy, but I still recommend it.

One suggestion on putting the plastic kick panel back in place. If the white plugs stayed in the body (as mine did) when you removed the panel, pull them out with a pair of pliers and slide them into the slots on the plastic kick panel. After sliding the kick panel back over the hood release, hit the panel with the palm of your hand over the where the plugs are to lock them into place in the body. The instructions from Zeta say you can't get both plugs back in place after installing the pedal, but I didn't have any trouble at all. If the hood release isn't centered in the cutout of the kick panel, both plugs are not properly set.

 

Sort of a bump here for a great product. Got mine yesterday and installed it today. Nice to deal with a product and vendor that does just what it promised and better than expected. Thanks Zeta.

 

Thank you for the support! Enjoy the ride...

 

Hi.
New site seems to no longer have the aluminum pedal covers are they still still available for the dead pedal as welll?

Cheers.

 

You are right! I am working on adding them ASAP. I should have some items up this afternoon. Our old site "Blew Up" and I am trying to piece it back together. Please be patient.

 

Agreed. I added a wider plate to make the dead–clutch distance about the same as the gas–brake distance. Before that, I tended to have my foot right on the edge of the dead pedal, which actually got painful.

 

Should be simple to lift the floor mat and epoxy a mounting plate to the floorboard. Then attach the deadman rest to it.

 

Think I'll make my own....