Pedals hitting shins

Alexp1401

Member
Hey guys, I recently got some PDP DP402 Pedals:
616267_91_1_93_.jpg


And they are destroying my shins every time I use them, I have adjusted the chain fully and the problem still persists, if anyone knows how to fix this, whether they've used them before or can give a good suggesting please let me know :) Thanks.
 
Try adjusting the beater angle so that they're closer to the head. As far as I can see in the picture, it looks like this can be done by sticking an allen key and unscrewing a screw in the mechanism where the spring attaches to the drive shaft. Adjust the beaters, and then tighten it back up.
 
Try adjusting the beater angle so that they're closer to the head. As far as I can see in the picture, it looks like this can be done by sticking an allen key and unscrewing a screw in the mechanism where the spring attaches to the drive shaft. Adjust the beaters, and then tighten it back up.

I was going to try that before, but it's really difficult to get off, I'll just keep trying and let you know how it works out, thanks for the suggestion :)
 
I tried to adjust them, but they will only go straight up, which is useless as they already hit the bass drum.
 
Here are some pictures of my actual ones, hopefully give enough detail for you.

The chain:
kMRhiq.jpg


This is how far back it goes:
itT4rQ.jpg


Side view of main pedal:
AE99TE.jpg


Other view of pedals:
0RpCxj.jpg
 
Where do you place your feet on the pedal footboards? All the way up? In the middle? Does your feet loose contact with the footboards after a stroke?
 
Where do you place your feet on the pedal footboards? All the way up? In the middle? Does your feet loose contact with the footboards after a stroke?

Well, I usually use my toes, so the back of my feet is generally off of the boards, I've also changed it a bit so that the pedals aren't high up, they're as far down as they can be with out damaging the skin. The footboard, as you can see is about 3/4 way up.
 
Well, I usually use my toes, so the back of my feet is generally off of the boards, I've also changed it a bit so that the pedals aren't high up, they're as far down as they can be with out damaging the skin. The footboard, as you can see is about 3/4 way up.

So you play heel-up, but I think you misunderstood my question, where on the footbaord your toes are positioned when you use the pedal.

If you toes are all the way up the footboard, your shins are nearer the beaters, so when the beaters rebound from the batter heads, it could be the reason why you're hitting your shins.

You could also be seating too near the pedals as well, which can cause the same effect.

When sitting at the kit, your legs should not be less than a 90° angle.

Ideally your legs should have an 100-110° angle with your toes at 2/3 - 3/4 up the footboards.

Also the footboards and beaters angles should be "correctly" adjusted. An almost flat footboard angle with an excessive beater angle will cause the beater to hit your shins.
 
So you play heel-up, but I think you misunderstood my question, where on the footbaord your toes are positioned when you use the pedal.

If you toes are all the way up the footboard, your shins are nearer the beaters, so when the beaters rebound from the batter heads, it could be the reason why you're hitting your shins.

You could also be seating too near the pedals as well, which can cause the same effect.

When sitting at the kit, your legs should not be less than a 90° angle.

Ideally your legs should have an 100-110° angle with your toes at 2/3 - 3/4 up the footboards.

Also the footboards and beaters angles should be "correctly" adjusted. An almost flat footboard angle with an excessive beater angle will cause the beater to hit your shins.

I generally have my feet about half way on the foot board, although occasionally I'll slide them up to 3/4 way up when playing fast, however this doesn't matter if I'm playing fast as they don't bounce back in time.

I generally sit with my legs at about a 100° angle so I don't think that could be the problem, a new problem I have made by adjusting them is that, I fixed the hitting of the shins, but it now hits my feet as I lift them.
 
I fixed the hitting of the shins, but it now hits my feet as I lift them.

"as I lift them" means your lifting your feet/toes off the footboard? You should have your feet/toes in permanent contact with the footboards, to allow control of the rebounds of the beaters.

Check the footbaord angle, the beater angle, the beater height and the spring tension.

A nice "neutral" position would be that when you put your feet/toes on the footboard in a relaxed manner with no pressure on the pedal, the beaters should be sitting at half the total course of the beaters to hit the batter head.

At the end of a stroke you can also rest your heels at the base of the footboards, this will stop all pedal movements and provide welcome little "rests" for your muscles between strokes, obviously you don't do it for repetitive 8th or 16th notes patterns.
 
"as I lift them" means your lifting your feet/toes off the footboard? You should have your feet/toes in permanent contact with the footboards, to allow control of the rebounds of the beaters.

Check the footbaord angle, the beater angle, the beater height and the spring tension.

A nice "neutral" position would be that when you put your feet/toes on the footboard in a relaxed manner with no pressure on the pedal, the beaters should be sitting at half the total course of the beaters to hit the batter head.

At the end of a stroke you can also rest your heels at the base of the footboards, this will stop all pedal movements and provide welcome little "rests" for your muscles between strokes, obviously you don't do it for repetitive 8th or 16th notes patterns.

No, I always keep them in contact but as I bring it back up, the beater bounces so much and hits my foot even when I'm still on the foot board. I don't really know much about pedals, I've only ever had one set and I didn't have to adjust them much, I've also only been playing for about half a year, all self taught.
 
I've only ever had one set and I didn't have to adjust them much, I've also only been playing for about half a year, all self taught.

I see, you should get a teacher, he/she will show you the basic approach to the instruments.

Also you can have a look at Mike Packer's pedal lessons, they're well worth it to understand what's going on with all the settings and movements. Here's the links:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dPQqqf_-BSg&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tHbiwmttIAY&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ht2fEpEvkxw&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IcNZ6dYNZIA

Hope this helps.
 
I see, you should get a teacher, he/she will show you the basic approach to the instruments.

Also you can have a look at Mike Packer's pedal lessons, they're well worth it to understand what's going on with all the settings and movements. Here's the links:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dPQqqf_-BSg&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tHbiwmttIAY&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ht2fEpEvkxw&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IcNZ6dYNZIA

Hope this helps.

Thanks I'll have a look later, I might lower the foot boards with the chains to see if that gives any result too, I haven't tried that yet.
 
FWIW, my neighbor has PDPs, and when I played his kit, the same thing happened to me. Since I don't have a vested interest in his pedals, I never really looked to see why that was.

Now that I've seen your pics, it's obvious to me something's wrong, either with the design, or the setup, albeit I suspect you do indeed have them assembled properly. But, look at the angle of the footboard. That's awfully steep. Do a search for DW5000s, for example, and you'll see that your pedals' angles are easily much steeper, as is the beater "throw".

Based on the design, adding links to the chains would lower the footboard angles, yet likely do nothing for the beaters leaning so far back. It almost looks like to me like it's just a poor design, although if they're heavy, the weight of the beater heads could potentially cause the cross-shaft to rotate too far back. It looks like you have the beaters extended all the way out. What happens if you lower the beaters? Does it change that absurd "throw" of the beaters? I suspect not, but it's worth trying.

Also, just because you got them on eBay does not mean you cannot resell them on eBay, and get others, if you can't resolve this issue.
 
FWIW, my neighbor has PDPs, and when I played his kit, the same thing happened to me. Since I don't have a vested interest in his pedals, I never really looked to see why that was.

Now that I've seen your pics, it's obvious to me something's wrong, either with the design, or the setup, albeit I suspect you do indeed have them assembled properly. But, look at the angle of the footboard. That's awfully steep. Do a search for DW5000s, for example, and you'll see that your pedals' angles are easily much steeper, as is the beater "throw".

Based on the design, adding links to the chains would lower the footboard angles, yet likely do nothing for the beaters leaning so far back. It almost looks like to me like it's just a poor design, although if they're heavy, the weight of the beater heads could potentially cause the cross-shaft to rotate too far back. It looks like you have the beaters extended all the way out. What happens if you lower the beaters? Does it change that absurd "throw" of the beaters? I suspect not, but it's worth trying.

Also, just because you got them on eBay does not mean you cannot resell them on eBay, and get others, if you can't resolve this issue.


My brother was round yesterday so he had a look at them and he disassembled them and turned them around so that the holders for them are upside down, this makes them a lot higher up, so that they never hit my shins or my feet, and I recommend anyone that has these pedals to do it, although they are incredibly difficult to get off (Broke some of his strongest tools and didn't get them undone), so he noticed a split pin and took that out, then changed it all. Overall they're fixed now.
 
I was actually about the suggest the same thing. Glad that worked out for you.
 
okay, you need to shorten the chain by a couple links, there will probably be a small screw at the top of the cam, undo that , shorten the chain and refit. then compensate for that lift in the footboard after you put the chain back on the cam. where the spring connects to the shaft at the top, ther will be a allen key grub screw udo that push the beater forward around 3 " from vertical. whilst holding that spring mount in th same position . hope that helps
cheers wvg
 
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