wardy18 33 1 Cars Posted June 29, 2008 Can anyone tell me exactly what is need to convert from a BE1 box to the BE3 box?! I have a very early BE1 box which has no lift mechanism to go into reverse so you have be very careful when selecting first, is quite annoying but i do have a good BE3 box lying around which i would like to fit but i know things needs to be changed for the selection of reverse Point by point instructions and parts needed would be great Thanx in advance Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hodgy 0 Posted June 29, 2008 Be3 clutch cable, phase 2 clutch pedal and thats it! a Be3 gear stick too Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wardy18 33 1 Cars Posted June 29, 2008 whats the differences with the Clutch pedal and gear stick?! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jackherer 543 Posted June 29, 2008 The clutch pedal has a different fitting for the cable and as the cable is different on the gearbox end you need the pedal too. Not a phase two one but a 1990 or thereabouts onwards. The later gearstick doesn't have a lift up reverse cable but you don't really need to fit one, just tie the lift up cable out of the way. Its nice to have the right gear knob insert to show the revised reverse location but thats obviously optional. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
steve@cornwall 100 Posted June 29, 2008 Are you sure the problem is not with the lift cable on your be1 'box? Quite often the plastic case snaps where it enters the 'box and holds it in the open position. I'd guess that a kink in the cable anywhere along its length would do the same? or does it not have a lifter at all? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wardy18 33 1 Cars Posted June 29, 2008 if you look inside the hole where the cable screws in on the gearbox u can see where the pin usually hits the selector and stops it until the cable is lifted but on this one there is nothing, its just a smooth bar, i enquired and someone said that was a very early BE1 box, ive tried it with a brand new cable and still was the same, its definitely the box so yeh the gear stick isnt essential, i can just get a knob from a BE3 and fit it on can the BE3 cable not be adapted at all to the BE1 pedal?! ill have to have a look my original biggest concern was the actual gear rods that join the stick to the actual box, will these be the same for BE1 and BE3, in other will these be able to select reverse under 5th instead of alongside 1st?! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jackherer 543 Posted June 29, 2008 The cable fittings are totally different on the pedal end but I think some people have managed to modify the gearbox end but I haven't done so myself. Gear rods are the same, the H pattern is the same, its the gearbox that allows you to select reverse in the new position. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
steve@cornwall 100 Posted June 29, 2008 The cable fittings are totally different on the pedal end but I think some people have managed to modify the gearbox end but I haven't done so myself. Gear rods are the same, the H pattern is the same, its the gearbox that allows you to select reverse in the new position. BE1 pedal has an "eye" fitting where the BE3 is a hook. I have tried cutting a section of the eye away to leave a hook for a BE3 cable, but without success. IIRC the be1 cable has less free travel than the BE3, hence the BE3 cable can be used with spacers over the adjustment threads on a BE1 box, but the BE1 cable can't be used on the BE3 box Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wardy18 33 1 Cars Posted June 29, 2008 yeh i have seen cables that have been adapted to the BE3 box, they simply weld a threaded bar to the end so a couple of nuts can be fitted, will have to take a look as this one i saw was real gash and the clutch was rubbish is a clutch pedal an easy swap?! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
steve@cornwall 100 Posted June 29, 2008 yeh i have seen cables that have been adapted to the BE3 box, they simply weld a threaded bar to the end so a couple of nuts can be fitted, will have to take a look as this one i saw was real gash and the clutch was rubbish is a clutch pedal an easy swap?! Piece of cake to swap a pedal, only one bolt- just note the position of the return spring when taking it out! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jackherer 543 Posted June 29, 2008 One thing to remember with a modded clutch cable is that if it gives way the nut and washer can be catapulted into the radiator, I've seen standard cables snap and take the rad out more than once. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wardy18 33 1 Cars Posted June 29, 2008 lol yeh i would go down this route anyway, just depends how easily i can get a Phase 2 pedal and how easy it is to swap over, well i suppose if i can swap gearboxes on these damn cars a pedal shouldnt be a problem Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
saveloy 8 Posted June 30, 2008 Wardy, if the car originally had a BE1 box, then the pedal box will differ too. The hole for the clutch cable is a twist fit on the BE1 and a push fit on the BE3. If you don't sort something there, you will end up wearing the clutch prematurely. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jackherer 543 Posted June 30, 2008 Wardy, if the car originally had a BE1 box, then the pedal box will differ too. The hole for the clutch cable is a twist fit on the BE1 and a push fit on the BE3. If you don't sort something there, you will end up wearing the clutch prematurely. Are you sure? I've never seen a reason to change a pedal box and its never caused me any issues. Also Servicebox lists the same part number for all years and all that I have here look identical. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
johnsimister 10 Posted June 30, 2008 The first cars with BE3 gearboxes had the old (BE1) type of fitting at the pedal end, so you can, or could, get BE3 cables with either type of pedal fitting. The BE3 cable (both types) has a rubber grommet on the outer cable where it fits into the pedal box, whereas (as Saveloy says) the BE1 cable has a twist-fit nylon fitting. With persuasion the rubber grommet might be squeezed into the BE1 pedal box's smaller hole*, but when I did this conversion on my old D-reg 1.6 I enlarged the hole slightly. *My current D-reg 1.9 has its original BE1 box and a non-genuine clutch cable which has a rubber grommet instead of a nylon twist fitting. This grommet does fit in the small pedal box hole but it might be a smaller grommet than the one on the BE3 cable. I can't quite remember. As for the gear lever, having removed the reverse cable I simply swapped the lift-up sleeve for a BE3's plain sleeve. John Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jackherer 543 Posted June 30, 2008 I've got two 1989 205s outside that I fitted BE3 boxes to as well as a '91 that came with one originally and I cannot see any difference in the pedal boxes and as I said before Peugeot only list one part for the entire 205 production run. You both seem pretty convinced of this though... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
johnsimister 10 Posted June 30, 2008 The hole in the early pedal box has two diametrically-opposed slots to take the locking bayonet-type arangement on the early cable, so it looks like the outline of a London Transport logo. I'm assuming that later ones have just a round hole of bigger diameter to take the rubber grommet but I can't check because I haven't got one. I just know I couldn't get the BE3 cable to fit my D-reg without enlarging the hole, which I did in situ using a rotary file on the end of a flexible drill shaft. But maybe I didn't try hard enough! John Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pug_ham 244 3 Cars Posted June 30, 2008 Isn't the hole in the shell / bulkhead & not the actual pedal box? Graham. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
saveloy 8 Posted July 3, 2008 Isn't the hole in the shell / bulkhead & not the actual pedal box? Graham. Nope. Graham, it's definately in the pedal box. John is correct. I actually swapped the pedal box on mine a few years back, after a period of custom made cables. BE3 at one end and BE1 at the other. The easiest option is to simply enlarge the hole, carefully. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ifcho 0 Posted July 3, 2008 I know from experience that you can just get a pedal from a base model TU engined 205 and use it for the BE3 box. I converted my 1.1 CJ to a 1.6 GTI engine with BE3 box and I have not changed any pedals... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TVH 0 Posted July 13, 2008 I know from experience that you can just get a pedal from a base model TU engined 205 and use it for the BE3 box. I converted my 1.1 CJ to a 1.6 GTI engine with BE3 box and I have not changed any pedals... 309 BE3 clutch pedal is ok, including the 1.6 litre base model. A lot easier to source than a BE3 205 GTI Actually I think the BE1 pedal is easy to modify for BE3 clutch cable, here's the differences: http://gti.205freaks.com/205others/be1vsbe3pedal.jpg Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dcc 855 Posted July 13, 2008 309 BE3 clutch pedal is ok, including the 1.6 litre base model. A lot easier to source than a BE3 205 GTI Actually I think the BE1 pedal is easy to modify for BE3 clutch cable, here's the differences: http://gti.205freaks.com/205others/be1vsbe3pedal.jpg i have this issue too. i need to make a be3 pedal from my be1 pedal, as i cannot find any be3 pedals to buy. ( if anybody has any for sale, please pm me) would the modded be1 pedal have the same length as the be3 pedal hook? if it were drilled out. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pug_ham 244 3 Cars Posted July 14, 2008 Go to a scrapyard, you'll find one within 10 minutes imo if they have a couple of 205's. If not drop me a pm & I'll get one for you for a finders fee on top of the price + p&p. Graham. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
