RockBand Mods.net

Plain and simply, Rock Band drum pedals break.  If your pedal hasn’t already broke or started to crack, it’s not a matter of if it will, it’s a matter of when it will.  The Pedal Metal Billet reinforcement plate tries to remedy the situation by preventing a broken pedal from ever happening or fixing one that already has.

The Pedal Metal product line consisting of the original diamond plated plate, a carbon fiber plate, and the aluminum billet plate are all available for sale at Amazon or ebay.  An optional aluminum billet hinge plate, used to prevent cracking at another common break point, the pedal hinge, is available seperately for all models or can be purchased as a bundle with the aluminum billet pedal plate.

With the proper tools, this mod can be installed in about 10-15 minutes.

Tools Required

• Screwdriver (Phillips)
• Hammer
• Punch/Awl

Package Contents:

The Pedal Metal Billet w/Hinge package consists of the following:

• 1 x Aluminum billet foot plate
• 1 x Aluminum billet heel plate
• 1 x Plasitc hinge
• 1 x Self-tapping screw
• 3 x Short countersunk screws
• 6 x Long countersunk screws

  

Installation:  

Step 1 - Remove Foot Pedal

To install the Pedal Metal Billet Reinforcement Plate, you first need to remove the foot pedal from the base.  Using a hammer and punch on the smaller diameter side of the hinge pin (right hand side), tap out the pin.

 

Although the pin will not be used again in this mod, you shouldn’t need to use much force as it should easily come out with a few good taps.  In otherwords, don’t destroy it!

Step 2 - Install Foot Plate

To install the foot plate to the pedal, you will want to align the plate with the pedal starting with the top edge.  For best results, you will want to use a vice or some tape to keep the two pieces from sliding apart as you install the screws.  Starting with the hole at the top of the plate, use the self-tapping screw to create a pilot hole for the top screw. 

 

Remove the self-tapping screw and install one of the smaller countersunk screws into the hole that was just created.

Create pilot holes for the six remaining screw locations, starting at the bottom.  If the bottom of the plate is not aligned with the pedal, lossen up the top screw and adjust as needed. 

 

Install the two remaining smaller countersunk screws into the two holes you just created at the top of the plate.

Step 3 - Install Plastic Hinge

The plastic hinge is installed between the aluminum Pedal Metal plate and the original plastic Rock Band pedal. 

 

Line up the top four holes of the plastic hinge with the bottom four holes of the aluminum plate.  Use four of the longer countersunk screws and install them in the bottom four holes of the plate.  Ensure that the plastic hinge is fully aligned before completely tightening the screws.

Step 4 - Install Heel Plate

The aluminum heel plate is installed with the top edge of the plate aligned with the bottom edge of the base opening. 

 

Use the self-tapping screw to create the pilot holes for the heel plate and the plastic hinge.

Note - Before starting the pilot holes for the heel plate, take the time to ensure that the bottom holes of the plastic hinge line up properly with the holes of the heel plate as the plastic hinge may be cut slightly crooked, like the one that we received.

Step 5 - Final Installation

You should now be able to install the pedal back into the base, making sure that the orange sensor and spring are in the correct places.  Align the bottom holes of the plastic hinge with the pilot holes created in step 4 and place the aluminum heel plate on top of the plastic hinge piece.   Ensuring that all pieces align correctly, install the two remaining countersunk screws into the heel plate. 

You should now have a fully functional, much stronger, and longer lasting Rock Band drum pedal.

Rating:

Pros:

• Works on all pedal versions (V1 or V2)
• Fixes broken or cracked pedals
• Reinforces pedal to prevent flex breaks
• Replaces hinge pin to prevent breaks at the second most common break point

  

Cons:

• Voids warranty
• Plastic hinge durability not completely known
• Plastic hinge may not be cut squarely 

  

Overall:

The Pedal Metal reinforcement plates are a good solution to the cracking problem inherit with stock Rock Band bass drum pedals.  By adding the reinforcement plate to the pedal, it eleminates the flex of the pedal, which causes the majority of broken pedals.  The plates are easily installed, as long as you have the right tools, and the package contains everything you need to get the plates installed.  When you add the optional heel plate and hinge to the package, it can prevent breakage at the second most common locaton, the hinge.

Along with preventing any cracks from occurring, the Pedal Metal reinforcement plates are a great option to fix an already broken pedal.  By securing the reinforcement plate with the provided screws, the two halves of a broken pedal can be mended together forming a rock solid pedal that shouldn’t give you any further cracking problems down the road.

The biggest problem with the Pedal Metal reinforcement plates is the fact that installing the mod will void the warranty of the pedal.  That means if you have any other problems, such as a bad sensor, you’ll be SOL.  Also, the heel plate/plastic hinge optional components look to be a great solution to the craked hinge problem, but the durability of the plastic hinge needs to be further tested.

(5/5)