Electrathon America Forum

Date: Nov 9, 2009

Foot pedals or start button?

radigan · Member

I am unclear what you mean by start buttons but I believe you have to have a 5k potentiometer to control your acceleration from your controller. This can be done with a twist grip throttle off your steering or a foot pedal. We adapted a electric hand truck throttle from a local forklift repair place for our foot pedal and it works well. Pick which one will work better for your situation.

-- Edited by radigan on Monday 9th of November 2009 10:00:39 PM

Kyle Keenan · Veteran Member

We use a twist grip throttle we bought off of a site and I would not suggest it. From about 3/4 throttle on there is no difference in output.

electrathon · administrator

We have had best luck with hand controls. When the track is rough and you have foot controls it is tough to hold the throttle constant and not sit there bouncing.

mhodgertt · EA President

--The Willamette team varies. We have kids who swear by a foot throttle, others like a pot mounted on the steering wheel, others love a twist throttle or even a brake handle attached to the pot.

--I myself like a foot throttle and think it is easier for students. They seem to change throttle when turning if they are steering/braking and trying to run a throttle at the same time. With my foot throttle I can rest my foot against the inside of my nose cone and that holds my foot pretty stable and I can hold the throttle fairly steady.

--The other teacher loves his hand throttle on the steering wheel. It is just a bare pot mounted with a lever that he controls with his thumb and he is able to hold it in place as he turn by having it at about 3/4 throttle at a comfortable grip on the steering wheel and having to change his grip to go faster of slower.

--Some students will use a brake lever on their steering wheel and connect with a cable system to control the pot.

--We have ordered some twist grips that have a pot built into them and have also use some twist grips that operate a cable to run to the pot.

I feel that any system will work well if it is durable and the driver feels good using it.

Mike Hodgert

bd64 · Senior Member

We purchased a 10K audio tapper pot and made our own mount and stops. We then mounted it on the steering system, T bars, H bars and levers but never a wheel and it was always operated by finger or thumb control. The hand never left the steering system and if the driver took their hand off the steering control the spring loaded throttle cut power to the controller.

Date: Nov 11, 2009

I have been using a thumb throttle, and it has been working great for me... you can tell how much your accelerating, and your thumb is more responsive, and you keep it more steady when you hit a bump.

Zaine Stapleton · Senior Member

The finger throttles are nice, its more comfy for me. Plus, it works for how my car is set up, one double pull brake on one side, and the throttle on the other side of the steering wheel. Before, it was a nightmare using a thumb throttle because it wears your thumb out thirty minutes into the race.