Slightly Off-Topic: Potentiometers For Pedal Unit

I've been looking into building my own wheel for a while now. I figure it's a lot cheaper than buying a TSW, and I'd get exactly what I want. I've been working out some conceptual designs for the pedal unit, and I'm looking for some advice on which type of potentiometer to use. One idea was to use a pot with a servo arm attached to it, and have the pedal linkage connected to it. But I got to thinking and I wonder if a carbon slide pot would be better? The advantage here would allow me to do away with the "foot board" section in favor of all wood or weight, and have the pedal pushing towards the back instead of pulling a spring connected towards the front. Does anyone have an opinion on this? As I was looking around the internet for a wheel to use (I've personally decided on using the 15" economy, due to size constraints on my desk), I came across a website that sells stock car steering wheels. Here's the URL for anyone who is interested: http://www.stockcarproducts.com/steer6.htm -Will

Hi Will, William Bradshaw wrote:

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> I've been looking into building my own wheel for a while now. I figure > it's a lot cheaper than buying a TSW, and I'd get exactly what I want. > > I've been working out some conceptual designs for the pedal unit, and > I'm looking for some advice on which type of potentiometer to use. One > idea was to use a pot with a servo arm attached to it, and have the > pedal linkage connected to it. > > But I got to thinking and I wonder if a carbon slide pot would be > better? The advantage here would allow me to do away with the "foot > board" section in favor of all wood or weight, and have the pedal > pushing towards the back instead of pulling a spring connected towards > the front. Does anyone have an opinion on this?

I think you'll have trouble getting a sliding linear pot. I toyed with this in the beginning, but found the availability of standard pots the deciding factor. There is quite a range of quality around in the 100K linear variety. As for the pedal action, I built mine with the pedals going through a slot in the base... they still link to the front, but I put in a heavy bit of angle iron to beef it up, thus allowing stronger springs and bungee. Have a look at my setup at www.southeastweb.com.au/racingsim There are photos showing the underside and the aluminium strips with a groove in them, which are attached to the pot spindles and allow for more travel on the pot than the pedal stroke would allow. The whole thing was built in a box so that I could use it before I finished the cockpit, then just screw it down to the floor once it was complete. > > As I was looking around the internet for a wheel to use (I've personally > decided on using the 15" economy, due to size constraints on my desk), I > came across a website that sells stock car steering wheels. Here's the > URL for anyone who is interested: If you don't want to build your own wheel, I would suggest a go-kart type yoke. Can't refer you anywhere off the top of my head, but i have seen them and they are quite cheap and resemble an F1 style wheel. Glenn ---------------------- Remove NOSPAM to reply

Hi William I used slide pots on my RRC units but found they worm out very quickly. Their rating was 100k if I remember correctly. I now use rotory pots with the servo or tiller arm as you have suggested Good luck Nigel Redline Race Controls http://www.wave.co.nz/~lakewood/Redline2.htm William Bradshaw <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]...

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> I've been looking into building my own wheel for a while now. I figure > it's a lot cheaper than buying a TSW, and I'd get exactly what I want. > > I've been working out some conceptual designs for the pedal unit, and > I'm looking for some advice on which type of potentiometer to use. One > idea was to use a pot with a servo arm attached to it, and have the > pedal linkage connected to it. > > But I got to thinking and I wonder if a carbon slide pot would be > better? The advantage here would allow me to do away with the "foot > board" section in favor of all wood or weight, and have the pedal > pushing towards the back instead of pulling a spring connected towards > the front. Does anyone have an opinion on this? > > As I was looking around the internet for a wheel to use (I've personally > decided on using the 15" economy, due to size constraints on my desk), I > came across a website that sells stock car steering wheels. Here's the > URL for anyone who is interested: > > http://www.stockcarproducts.com/steer6.htm > > -Will >

Careful Hack wrote:

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> Hi Will, > > William Bradshaw wrote: > >> I've been looking into building my own wheel for a while now. I figure >> it's a lot cheaper than buying a TSW, and I'd get exactly what I want. >> >> I've been working out some conceptual designs for the pedal unit, and >> I'm looking for some advice on which type of potentiometer to use. One >> idea was to use a pot with a servo arm attached to it, and have the >> pedal linkage connected to it. >> >> But I got to thinking and I wonder if a carbon slide pot would be >> better? The advantage here would allow me to do away with the "foot >> board" section in favor of all wood or weight, and have the pedal >> pushing towards the back instead of pulling a spring connected towards >> the front. Does anyone have an opinion on this? > > > I think you'll have trouble getting a sliding linear pot. I toyed with > this in the beginning, but found the availability of standard pots the > deciding factor. There is quite a range of quality around in the 100K > linear variety. >

I've found a source for slide pot's, so it wouldn't be any trouble buying some. But per the other post, it seems it wouldn't be such a good idea if they constantly wear out. I'll make the design around rotary style pots.

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> As for the pedal action, I built mine with the pedals going through a > slot in the base... they still link to the front, but I put in a heavy > bit of angle iron to beef it up, thus allowing stronger springs and bungee. > > Have a look at my setup at www.southeastweb.com.au/racingsim > There are photos showing the underside and the aluminium strips with a > groove in them, which are attached to the pot spindles and allow for > more travel on the pot than the pedal stroke would allow. >

I took a gander at the pics, and they look pretty good. I may incorporate some of the ideas. :)

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> The whole thing was built in a box so that I could use it before I > finished the cockpit, then just screw it down to the floor once it was > complete. > >> >> As I was looking around the internet for a wheel to use (I've >> personally decided on using the 15" economy, due to size constraints >> on my desk), I came across a website that sells stock car steering >> wheels. Here's the URL for anyone who is interested: > > > If you don't want to build your own wheel, I would suggest a go-kart > type yoke. Can't refer you anywhere off the top of my head, but i have > seen them and they are quite cheap and resemble an F1 style wheel. > > Glenn > ---------------------- > Remove NOSPAM to reply >

Since I only play NASCAR sims (and sometimes LFS), I'm going to stick with a real wheel for realism's sake. F1 games aren't my bag. ;) -Will

Nigel Nichols wrote:

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> Hi William > > I used slide pots on my RRC units but found they worm out very quickly. > Their rating was 100k if I remember correctly. > I now use rotory pots with the servo or tiller arm as you have suggested > Good luck > > > Nigel > Redline Race Controls > http://www.wave.co.nz/~lakewood/Redline2.htm >

Man, I took a look at the pics at your site and I'm impressed. Those suckers look like they'd last forever. My plans are based around hardwood, since I lack any kind of metal working skills and a shop. :) I'm not entirely sure if it'll work, but I'd like to try using the push method instead of pulling, via springs. Using a rotary pot shouldn't be too much a problem. In the mean time, I've taken my Thrustmaster pedals and sawed 'em in half then glued 'em to a board. It may not be the prettiest, but at least I'll have something to use without the pedals being too close together and they won't move around. ;) -Will

William Bradshaw wrote: > > > Man, I took a look at the pics at your site and I'm impressed. Those > suckers look like they'd last forever. Ask any of Nigel's very satisfied customers :-) Nigel Nichols for president !!! Beers and cheers (uncle) Goy "goyl at nettx dot no" http://www.theuspits.com "A man is only as old as the woman he feels........" --Groucho Marx--