rec.autos.simulators

For about a year now i have been using my home made steering wheel and
pedals for gp indycar etc. I have found my wheel/pedal combination
very effective and recommend anyone willing to try it do so. Here's
what i did:
 Buy a steering wheel from the s***yard, i managed to get a little
mountney steering wheel off a mini. For the pedals i found Ford fiesta
accelerator pedals easiest to adapt, so get two of them whilst your
there. They have a flat base on the pivot assembly which you can
easily mount to a piece of vertical ply board.
Next go to your electrical store like Maplin or Tandy and buy 100k
rotary pot for the steering wheel assembly and two linear 100k
variables for the pedals. Finally you need two microswitches for the
gear change. Make sure you buy heavyduty lon leaver switches!
I attached the switches to the steering wheel behind the two stems of
the wheel with cable ties. Then wire them in as fire button 1 & 2. I
used an old joystick cable for the lead as you then know the wiring
configuration. I used a lathe to make the steering shaft so if you
have access to one great otherwise i suggest you need to use your head
on this one. I attached the 110k pot to the end of the steering shaft
to take my steering output and wire it to the left right axis.
For the pedals i lined up the linear resistors with the arch of the
pedal movement so as i depress the pedals the variables move
respectively. To get the accelerate brake effect from the pedals i
wired the two varibles opposing so as you push the accelerator pedal
down the total of the two resistors inceases and the opposite happens
with the brake pedal down, yes with both pedals down you get decreased
braking. Well thats how i did it if ythis helps anyone or if you need
more detailed info email me or reply to this thread.

Alan

The pedals I'm still working on, but they are wired in the same way as
Alan's and consisted of hardboard pedals attached to a chipboard base
by the use of hinges.

I have come across one problem with the steering wheel: the rotary pot
wears out very quickly. Mine lasted about 3 races! Have you had the
same problem, Alan. If not where did you get your pot from? Mine came
from Maplin.

I am working on the mark 2 version at the moment that will not use a
pot and will not wear out. I'll post up when (if :-) ) I've got it
working.

That's all for now,

Jon.

http://www.oz.net/~wottenad/wheel2.htm