Imagine that you have decided to upgrade the interior of your car. We ordered seat covers made of genuine leather, pulled the front panel, ceiling, doors and even the gear knob. But your new interior will look unfinished until you change appearance steering wheel. The simplest and fast way to do this is to put on the steering braid.

Why do you need a steering braid

Surely you have repeatedly wondered: why do you need a braid at all, if the steering wheel can simply be painted in the desired color? To begin with, it performs a decorative function. You can choose suitable material And color scheme and refresh the interior of the car. The braid also has other useful functions. For example, it increases the thickness of the steering wheel, making the grip more comfortable. The material under your hands will be softer, and in cold weather, warmer than the original handlebar plastic.

In addition, the braid protects the steering wheel itself from mechanical damage: scratches, chips, scuffs. If the material has deteriorated during operation, it is easy to remove the braid and install a new one, while the steering wheel itself will have to be restored for a long time and carefully. If you got a used car, whose steering wheel can no longer boast of a factory look, such a cover will help hide all the flaws.

Another one important feature: The braid will provide a secure grip between the surface of the handlebar and your hands. Your palms will not slip off while driving, which means that your trips will be safer.

The appearance of the steering wheel has become much more expensive, it now looks like on cars of a higher class. I would also like to especially note that the steering wheel has become thicker, not as slippery as before, and most importantly - now it is pleasant to the touch. In a word, I am pleased with what happened, including the price tag and ease of installation.
Arseniyhttps://www.drive2.ru/l/3031715/

Kinds

When choosing a steering wheel braid, you will come across a wide variety of materials. Among the most popular types are the following:

braids made of natural and artificial leather;
fur braids;
wire braids;
silicone pads;
foam covers.

Useful braids can be distinguished as a separate category: in addition to their main functions, they have a number of additional advantages. These include, for example, heated steering wheel covers and massage pads. Let's consider each type in more detail.

Leather braids

As we have already noted, leather for the manufacture of braids is used both natural and artificial. Of course, genuine leather will be more durable, softer and more pleasant to the touch than artificial leather. However, its price can be 3-4 times higher, which makes it inaccessible to many motorists. Both artificial (it is also called eco-leather) and genuine leather have good performance characteristics. Such material will not fade in the sun and will not swell from moisture ingress. He is not afraid of temperature changes.

Usually, leather cases are chosen by male representatives. This material looks solid and expensive, fits into the interior of any car. A leather case can be a good gift for the holiday.

When choosing such a braid, give preference to perforated leather. It is softer to the touch and better breathable, creating a breathable effect.

Fur

The fur used for steering braids can also be artificial and natural. Natural fur retains heat better in cold weather. Although, if you do not ride in the cities of the Arctic, then artificial material will do just as well. Sheepskin is often used in the manufacture of covers.

Faux fur with long pile is often dyed in bright colors, complemented by fun elements. The use of such a cover will give out a cheerful and carefree personality in the car owner. Such braids are most often chosen by young women.

Wicker cases

Braided wire cases are also called retro braids because they were very popular in the middle of the last century. Now such braids are used by those who want to style their iron horse like a classic car from the times of the Soviet Union.

Wicker covers retain their main functions: protecting the steering wheel from damage and from slipping hands. At the same time, their price is much lower than that of leather and fur counterparts. The most popular material for making wicker covers is ordinary wire with insulation, which can be found in the garage of almost everyone. Some craftsmen make braids from stiff and thin clothesline.

Wire braid can be ordered in special workshops, or you can make it yourself using weaving patterns. Using different colors, you can create your own unique steering wheel design.

Silicone and foam cases

Often, silicone or foam rubber is used to make steering braids. Manufacturing technology helps to make covers made of these materials inexpensive, but perfectly coping with all tasks. The color scheme of such braids is very diverse: you can find both calm pastel shades and bright neon tones. Foam covers are often patterned with color, while clear silicone protects your steering wheel but reveals its original appearance.

Useful braids

Useful covers, as mentioned earlier, include heated braids. Any material can be used in their manufacture, but most often it is natural or eco-leather. It is enough to connect the wire from the cover to the cigarette lighter, and you are provided with additional heating of the palms.

Massage inserts on braids are usually made of rubber. A special relief affects certain points on the palms, improves blood circulation, thereby preventing fatigue and numbness of the hands.

How to choose the right braid for the steering wheel

When purchasing a braid, it is not enough to choose only the color and material. It is very important to define right size and the shape of the part.

By size

The cover must fit the steering wheel in size. If you choose too small, you will not be able to pull it on, and too large will dangle ugly and wrinkle. To find out the diameter of the steering wheel, use a meter tape.

The size range of steering covers is represented by the following types:

S - the smallest size, suitable for handlebars with a diameter of 35 to 36 cm, usually used on small cars like Oka or Tavria;
M- the average size for handlebars 37–38 cm, found on most modern foreign and domestic cars body type sedan, hatchback or liftback;
L - large size, designed for handlebars, whose diameter is 39-40 cm;
XL - steering wheel diameter 41–43 cm, usually found on UAZ and GAZelle cars
2XL - this size is found on some imported trucks, the steering wheel diameter of which is 47–48 cm.
3XL - for steering wheels with a diameter of 49 cm, found in domestic KAMAZ trucks.

It will be more reliable if you make a cover yourself or order it in a special workshop. Professionals will accurately measure the diameter of your steering wheel and prepare a braid that fits perfectly.

By car make and model

To find out the diameter of your handlebar, take a look at the owner's manual. At different models diameter may vary slightly. If you don’t want to take risks with the selection of a cover according to the size of the steering wheel, use a ready-made solution: on sale you can find special braids made according to the pattern for most popular cars. Enter a query in the search bar indicating your model and choose from the many options offered.

By purchasing a case in this way, you can be sure that it will fit not only the diameter of the steering wheel, but also the thickness of the rim, as well as the location of the spokes and buttons.

By type

Everything is simple here: we determined the size and model, then you can proceed to visual selection. First of all, decide on the material. Leather, fur or modern synthetic materials will create a radically different image for you and your car. Consider the color scheme of the interior: if it is completely sheathed in black leather, then hot pink long fur will look ridiculous. If there are inserts in red, beige, blue or other contrasting shades in the skin, the steering wheel in a similar range will support the color scheme.

How to do it yourself - instructions

If you do not want to spend money on ready-made braids, then you can easily make it yourself. To do this, you will need a standard set of sewing supplies, the braiding material itself, a pattern, as well as a little time and patience.

Materials and tools

Prepare everything first necessary materials and tools. These include:

selected material for the new cover;
old case (if any);
food film;
masking tape;
marker;
tailor's chalk;
sharp tailor's scissors and a clerical knife;
special threads for working with leather;
a sewing machine suitable for working with leather (or for the material of your choice);
glue.

The process of creating a cover for the steering wheel

The process for creating the steering braid will differ depending on whether you are going to cover the spokes. If not, then it will be much easier to make it.

With a meter tape, measure two main parameters: the circumference of the steering wheel (the future length of the product), as well as the circumference of the rim itself (the future width of the product).
Based on these numbers, cut a strip of leather to the appropriate length and width. If you are using leather that is highly elastic, step back about 1 mm into the part. This will allow you to better and tighter pull the resulting cover on the steering wheel.
Sew detail sewing machine at a distance of about 3 mm from the edge on both sides.

If you want the cover to cover the knitting needles, you definitely need to make patterns for the future pattern. This is done in the following way.

Wrap the steering wheel tightly with cling film.
Apply masking tape in several layers on top of the film. It should cover the entire surface of the steering wheel, with no gaps. Pay special attention to the knitting needles.
With a marker, draw a line along the center of the inside of the steering wheel rim. Now you mark the place of the future seam. Divide the steering wheel into sections from spoke to spoke. If you wish, you can make only one seam - the central one, but in this case you will have to try very hard when lacing.
Use a utility knife to cut the masking tape along the marked lines and remove it from the steering wheel. You've got some kind of patterns.
Attach the resulting patterns to the wrong side of the material from which the cover will be made. With chalk, carefully transfer the contours, observing all the bends.
Cut out the resulting piece. If you are using leather that is highly elastic, step back about 1 mm into the part. This will allow you to better and tighter pull the resulting cover on the steering wheel.
Sew the part with a sewing machine about 3 mm from the edge on both sides. If you wish, you can sew the parts together.
Coat the edges of the parts with a thin layer of glue and fix on the steering wheel. If you haven't stitched them before, make sure the seams are invisible.

Making a pattern for a steering braid

Sewing a braid with your own hands will be much easier if you already have an old cover. All you need is to open it at the seams and transfer the contours to new material, and then cut, stitch and put on the steering wheel.

How to dress and lace up a braid

Now you have to properly put on and lace up the resulting braid. This process will differ, although not drastically, depending on whether the cover involves closing the spokes of the steering wheel.

Ways to install on the steering wheel with and without spokes

The main difference is the need to dismantle the steering wheel. If the braid doesn't fit the spokes, you can secure it by leaving the handlebar in place. But to install a cover with material for the spokes, you have to remove the steering wheel in a regular way.

Be sure to disconnect the battery before removing the steering wheel. If it contains an airbag, wait at least 5 minutes before disassembling the steering wheel.

On sale there are one-piece covers that do not need to be laced. They are put on the top of the steering wheel, and then pulled with force over the entire wheel. It is desirable that at the same time someone helps, fixing the overlay in the upper part. Otherwise, it may slip. The edges of such a cover will close, and you do not have to waste precious time on lacing.

If you made your own braid, or bought a lacing option, you'll have to secure it yourself. This is a rather long, but completely uncomplicated process. You do not need to be able to sew and make beautiful stitches, because everything you need is already ready.

If your case is made of genuine leather, soak it in warm water for 15–20 minutes. This will increase the elasticity of the material.
Arm yourself with a sewing needle. It shouldn't be particularly thick, as you'll have to pass it under the threads.
You will not need to pierce the material with a needle. Pay attention to the line that you (or the manufacturer) made in paragraphs No. 3 and 7 of the instructions for making a pattern. Pass the needle under the stitches and tighten the material.
Start at the bottom of the handlebar and move counterclockwise. It is most convenient to make the first screed at the beginning of one of the lower knitting needles.
Carefully straighten and slightly stretch the material. Try to avoid wrinkles and distortions.
Treat the entire seam in the same way. On the knitting needles you will have to fasten and break the thread. You can estimate in advance the required length and number of threads by measuring the distance between the knitting needles.
When the braid is completely fixed, smooth it again and dry it. After that, the material will tightly fit the steering wheel.

If in some places it is not possible to perfectly stretch the skin, warm it up with a regular hair dryer. As the temperature rises, its elasticity increases.

I put it on the steering wheel, put the seam in the center, and began to deal with the thread. I decided to sew through one, just looked at how leather steering wheels were trimmed on cars from the factory. As a result, an hour and a half or two work and the steering wheel is ready. There is still a meter of thread left. Now he looks at all like a native, the whole village is on the steering wheel. I am very pleased with the result, the steering wheel has become more comfortable and pleasant to the touch.
Tyoma Vorobyovhttps://www.drive2.ru/l/422671/

Video: installing a braid on the steering wheel

Types of steering braid lacing

Lacing braid is not much more difficult than lacing boots. You can use threads to match the material. In this case, it does not make much difference which method you will lace up the braid. But if you want to give your steering wheel an unusual look, use threads in one or more contrasting colors. Bright threads can be used even at the stage when the part is sewn.

Braid screed can be done in several ways. Who is more comfortable and nicer. I used the simplest, when the thread is threaded into each seam, fringing the braid along the contour and pulling it together like a shoe lace. The thread was the same color, the solution was temporary - so I didn't show off. For the future, there were plans to use a red thread for the screed. But, for this, at least normal skin + additional trim is needed at least for the automatic transmission lever. So that the finish of the key elements does not differ from each other.
maahttp://mysku.ru/blog/aliexpress/17827.html

Some types of lacing involve the simultaneous use of two needles and threads. Study carefully and choose the scheme that suits you best.

Macrame lacing looks quite unusual, so it is often used when fixing the steering braid. The thread is passed under the stitch, pulled to the opposite side, and then passed under the stitch one higher. Thus, a diagonal lacing is obtained through every second stitch on both sides. The thread is tightly tightened and a seam is formed.

Video: macrame seam

In order to make lacing, called sports, it is necessary to start weaving with the previous method, and before the final screed, put in a second thread, which will pass under all the skipped stitches in the same way. Such a double macrame is considered sports lacing.

There is a second version of sports lacing. With it, only one thread is used, and it is threaded into each stitch, without gaps. After tightening, the seam looks very interesting.

Video: the second version of the sports seam

And there are also lacing methods that do not require an initial line. Thread holes are punched using a special device. These seams include a pigtail, herringbone and some others. You can understand weaving patterns by studying the following image and video.

Video: herringbone seam

Video: cross stitch

There is nothing difficult in the technique of sewing, first we hook a loop on one side of the braid with a needle, then on the other, then again on the first and so on. At first, I simply “laced” the braid, and after I “laced” everything, I already stretched the thread. I did this for several reasons. Firstly, it will not work to tighten from the first section, because the opposite end of the braid is not fixed, and, secondly, since the adhesive tape does not stick, the edges of the braid walked quite a lot along the steering wheel.
SC0RPI0Nhttp://mysku.ru/blog/aliexpress/34499.html

Remember that the sides of the fabric should only be tightened after you have passed the lacing thread under all the necessary stitches. So the formed seam will be smoother. In order to get better results, practice on the area of the braid before putting it on the steering wheel. If you are satisfied with how the selected seam looks, feel free to install the cover on the steering wheel.

Almost anyone can make a braid on the steering wheel of a car. If this is your first time doing this, opt for the no-knit case. If you already have experience in reupholstering other parts, you can choose more complex materials and methods. As for the lacing process, it takes more time than effort. If you or the manufacturer have bothered about the stitching on the details in advance, all you have to do is thread the thread under the stitches as if you were lacing your favorite sneakers. A variety of seams and weaves will help make your steering wheel different from others. And if it’s so easy to make a braid on the steering wheel, then why not save on the services of a car studio?

The potentiometer is attached to the base through a simple angle and connected to the shaft. The maximum rotation angle of most potentiometers is 270 degrees, and if the steering wheel is designed to rotate 350 degrees, then a gearbox is needed. A couple of gears from a broken printer will fit perfectly. You just need to choose the right number of teeth on the gears, for example 26 and 35. In this case, the gear ratio will be 0.75:1 or a rotation of 350 degrees of the steering wheel will give 262 degrees on the potentiometer. If the steering wheel rotates in the range of 270 degrees, then the shaft is connected to the potentiometer directly.

The base of the module is made similarly to the handlebar module from 12mm plywood with a hardwood cross bar (3) for attaching the return spring. The sloping shape of the base serves as a footrest. The pedal post (8) is made of 12mm steel tubing, to the top end of which the pedal is bolted. A 5mm rod runs through the bottom end of the post, which holds the pedal in mounting brackets (6) bolted to the base and made from angle steel. The crossbar (3) runs across the entire width of the pedal module and is securely (must withstand the full extension of the springs) glued and screwed to the base (2). The return spring (5) is attached to a steel eye screw (4) that goes through the cross member just below the pedal. This mounting design makes it easy to adjust the spring tension. The other end of the spring is attached to the pedal post (8).

The pedal potentiometer is mounted on a simple L-bracket (14) at the rear of the module. The rod (11) is attached to the actuator (12) on bushings (9, 13), allowing the resistance to rotate through a range of 90 degrees.

The gear lever is an aluminum construction as shown below. A threaded steel rod (2) is attached to the arm through a bushing (1) and passes through a hole drilled in the L-bracket on the base of the handlebar module. On both sides of the hole in the bracket, two springs (1) are installed on the rod and tightened with nuts so that a force is created when the lever moves. Two large washers (4, 2) are located between two microswitches (3), which are screwed one on top of the other to the base. All this is clearly seen in the figures below.

Wiring

A little about how the potentiometer works. If you remove the cover from it, you can see that it consists of a curved conductive path with contacts A and C at the ends and a slider connected to the central contact B (Fig. 11). When the shaft rotates counterclockwise, the resistance between A and B will increase by the same amount as it decreases between C and B.

The whole system is connected according to the scheme of a standard joystick, which has 2 axes and two buttons. The red wire always goes to the middle resistance pin, but the purple one (3) can be connected to any of the side pins, depending on how the resistance is set.

Since many games don't support dual axis, it's wise to assemble a switch (pictured below) that allows you to switch between single and dual axis systems with a switch installed in the pedal module or in the "dashboard".

Electrical components

Switches - any that are, but, as it was written above, they must have an instantaneous (that is, non-locking) type. These can be obtained from an old mouse.

A standard 15-pin D-type joystick connector is available at any radio hardware store.

Any wires, the main thing is that they can be easily soldered to the connector.

Connection and calibration

Attention!!! All tests must be carried out on a device disconnected from the computer.

First you need to visually check the solder joints: there should be no extraneous jumpers and bad contacts anywhere.

Then you need to calibrate the steering potentiometer. Since a resistance of 100k is used, it is possible to measure the resistance between two adjacent contacts with the instrument and set it to 50k. However, for a more accurate setting, you need to measure the resistance of the potentiometer by turning the steering wheel all the way to the left, then all the way to the right. Determine the range, then divide by 2 and add the lower measurement. The resulting number must be set using the device. In the absence of measuring instruments, you need to set the potentiometer to the center position as far as possible. The pedal potentiometers should be turned on slightly when installed. If a single axis system is used, then the throttle resistance must be set to the center (50k on the instrument) and the brake resistance must be off (0k). If everything is done correctly, then the resistance of the entire pedal module, measured between needles 6 and 9, should decrease if you press the gas, and increase if you press the brake. If this does not happen, then it is necessary to swap the external contacts of the resistance. If a bi-axial connection is used, both potentiometers can be set to zero. If there is a switch, then the scheme of a single-axis system is checked.

The last step is connecting to a computer. After connecting the plug to the sound card, turn on the computer. Go to "Control Panel - Game Controllers" select "Add - Custom". We put the type - "joystick", axes - 2, buttons 2, write the name of the type "LXA4 Super F1 Driving System" and press OK 2 times. If everything was done correctly and the hands grow from where they should, then the “state” field should change to “OK”. We click "properties", "configuration" and follow the instructions on the screen.

It remains to launch your favorite toy, select your device from the list, if necessary, further configure it, and that's it, good luck!

Alexey Ch. (lxa4 at yandex dot en)

A simple steering wheel for a computer can be made from an old keyboard. To do this, you need to remove the controller board with a cable from it. The controller links the keyboard buttons to the computer. For the steering wheel, you will need to define two unused buttons, set them in the game settings as the left, right buttons, trace them electrical circuit and output four wires from the controller board.

As a rotation angle sensor, a variable resistor R6 is used, which is a voltage divider. To match the resistor with the controller board, you need to assemble the circuit:

The control board (Vcc) is powered by the controller board. A triangular voltage generator is assembled on the operational amplifier OP1. This voltage is applied to the inverting input of the comparator OP2 and compared with a constant voltage, which depends on the angle of rotation of the resistor R6. At the output of the comparator, a PWM signal is generated, which is fed to the controlled key V2 as part of the 4066 microcircuit. Also, the PWM signal is fed to the inverter assembled on the transistor VT1, and from it to V1. The outputs of the keys V1 and V2 close the outputs of the controller board, simulating the alternate pressing of the buttons "left", "right". Depending on the angle of rotation, the duration of pressing changes from 0 to 100%.

Schema setup

For ease of setup, an LED is connected in series with a 1kΩ resistor relative to Gnd to the output of the OP2 comparator. Resistor R6 is set to its highest position (according to the diagram), then resistor R5 is rotated from the lower position up to the maximum LED glow (the maximum value of the rotation angle is "left"). Then the resistor R6 is set to the lowest position, and the resistor R9 sets the minimum glow of the LED (the maximum value of the angle of rotation "to the right"). After tuning, the variable resistor R9 can be replaced with a constant

Similarly, you can use pedals (resistors R7, R8). The buttons for the gearbox and additional functions are output directly from the controller board.

List of radio elements

Designation	Type	Quantity	Shop	My notepad
OP	Operational amplifier	1	Store search	To notepad
4066	Multiplexer/Demultiplexer	1	Store search	To notepad
VT1	bipolar transistor	1	Store search	To notepad
R1-R3	Resistor	3

To make a steering wheel and pedals, it is enough to buy a few parts, read the instructions and tips, and do a little bit of manual work. How does it all work. Most personal computers used for gaming have a sound card. This map has a gameport that you can connect joysticks, gamepads, steering wheels and more. All these devices use the capabilities of the game port in the same way - the difference is only in the design of the device, and the person chooses the one that is most suitable and convenient for the game he plays. The PC gameport supports 4 variable resistances (potentiometers) and 4 momentary pushbuttons (which are on as long as they are pressed). It turns out that you can connect 2 joysticks to one port: 2 resistances each (one left / right, the other up / down) and 2 buttons for each.

If you look at the sound card, you can easily see the game port, as in this picture. The blue color indicates which pins in the port correspond to the functions of the joystick: for example, j1 X means "joystick 1 X axis" or btn 1 - "button 1". Needle numbers are shown in black, count from right to left, top to bottom. when using a gameport on a sound card, connections to pins 12 and 15 should be avoided. The sound card uses these outputs for midi for transmit and receive, respectively. In a standard joystick, the X-axis potentiometer is responsible for the movement of the handle to the left / right, and the resistance of the Y-axis is responsible for forward / backward. With regard to the steering wheel and pedals, the X-axis becomes the control, and the Y-axis, respectively, the throttle and brake. The y-axis must be split and connected so that 2 separate resistances (for gas and brake pedals) act as one resistance, just like in a standard joystick. Once the idea of a gameport is clear, you can start designing any mechanic around the basic two resistances and four switches: steering wheels, motorcycle grips, airplane thrust control... as far as your imagination can go.

steering module . This section will show you how to make the main wheel module: a desktop casing that contains almost all of the mechanical and electrical components of the wheel. the electrical circuit will be explained in the "wiring" section, and the mechanical parts of the wheel will be covered here.

In the figures: 1 - steering wheel; 2 - wheel hub; 3 - shaft (bolt 12mm x 180mm); 4 - screw (holds the bearing on the shaft); 5 - 12mm bearing in the support casing; 6 - centering mechanism; 7 - bolt-limiter; 8 - gears; 9 - 100k linear potentiometer; 10 - plywood base; 11 - rotation limiter; 12 - bracket; 13 - rubber cord; 14 - corner bracket; 15 - gear shift mechanism.

The illustrations above show the general plans of the module (without gearshift mechanism) from the side and top view. To give strength to the entire module structure, a 12mm plywood box is used with beveled corners, to which a 25mm ledge is attached to the front for fastening to the table. The steering shaft is made from a conventional mounting bolt 180mm long and 12mm in diameter. The bolt has two 5mm holes - one for the stop bolt (7) to limit the rotation of the wheel, and one for the steel pin of the centering mechanism described below. The bearings used have a 12mm inner diameter and are bolted to the shaft with two screws (4). Centering mechanism - the mechanism that returns the steering wheel to the center position. It must work accurately, efficiently, be simple and compact. There are several options, one of them will be described here.

The mechanism (fig. left) consists of two aluminum plates (2), 2mm thick, through which the steering shaft (5) passes. These plates are separated by four 13mm bushings (3). A 5mm hole is drilled in the steering shaft, into which a steel rod (4) is inserted. 22mm bolts (1) go through the plates, bushings and holes drilled in the ends of the rod, fixing it all together. The rubber cord is wound between the bushings on one side, then over the top of the steering shaft, and finally between the bushings on the other side. The tension of the cord can be changed to adjust the resistance of the wheel. To avoid damage to the potentiometer, it is necessary to make a wheel rotation limiter. Almost all industrial steering wheels have a 270 degree rotation range. However, a 350-degree rotation mechanism will be described here, reducing which will not be a problem. A 300mm long steel l-bracket (14) is bolted to the base of the module. This bracket serves several purposes:

It is the place of attachment of the rubber cord of the centering mechanism (two m6 bolts of 20mm at each end);
- provides a reliable stop point for wheel rotation;
- reinforces the entire structure at the moment of cord tension.

Bolt-limiter (7) m5 25mm long is screwed into a vertical hole in the steering shaft. Directly under the shaft, a 20mm m6 bolt (11) is screwed into the bracket. To reduce the sound when struck, rubber tubes can be put on the bolts. If you need a smaller angle of rotation, then two bolts must be screwed into the bracket at the required distance. The potentiometer is attached to the base through a simple angle and connected to the shaft. The maximum rotation angle of most potentiometers is 270 degrees, and if the steering wheel is designed to rotate 350 degrees, then a gearbox is needed. A couple of gears from a broken printer will fit perfectly. You just need to choose the right number of teeth on the gears, for example 26 and 35. In this case, the gear ratio will be 0.75:1 or a rotation of 350 degrees of the steering wheel will give 262 degrees on the potentiometer. If the steering wheel rotates in the range of 270 degrees, then the shaft is connected to the potentiometer directly.

Pedals. The base of the module is made similarly to the handlebar module from 12mm plywood with a hardwood cross bar (3) for attaching the return spring. The sloping shape of the base serves as a footrest. The pedal post (8) is made of 12mm steel tubing, to the top end of which the pedal is bolted. A 5mm rod runs through the bottom end of the post, which holds the pedal in mounting brackets (6) bolted to the base and made from angle steel. The crossbar (3) runs across the entire width of the pedal module and is securely (must withstand the full extension of the springs) glued and screwed to the base (2). The return spring (5) is attached to a steel eye screw (4) that goes through the cross member just below the pedal. This mounting design makes it easy to adjust the spring tension. The other end of the spring is attached to the pedal post (8). The pedal potentiometer is mounted on a simple L-bracket (14) at the rear of the module. The rod (11) is attached to the actuator (12) on bushings (9, 13), allowing the resistance to rotate through a range of 90 degrees.

Gear shifter. The gear lever is an aluminum structure, as in the picture on the left. A threaded steel rod (2) is attached to the arm through a bushing (1) and passes through a hole drilled in the L-bracket on the base of the handlebar module. On both sides of the hole in the bracket, two springs (1) are installed on the rod and tightened with nuts so that a force is created when the lever moves. Two large washers (4, 2) are located between two microswitches (3), which are screwed one on top of the other to the base. All this is clearly seen in the figures on the left and below.

The picture on the right shows an alternative gearshift mechanism - on the steering wheel, as in Formula 1 cars. Here, two small joints (4) are used, which are mounted on the wheel hub. The levers (1) are attached to the hinges in such a way that they can only move in one direction, i.e. towards the wheel. Two small switches (3) are inserted into the holes in the levers, so that when pressed, they rest against the rubber pads (2) glued to the wheel and work. If the circuit breaker is not pressurized enough, then the return of the levers can be ensured by springs (5) mounted on the hinge.

Wiring. A little about how the potentiometer works. If you remove the cover from it, you can see that it consists of a curved conductive path with contacts A and C at the ends and a slider connected to the central contact B (Fig. 11). When the shaft rotates counterclockwise, the resistance between A and B will increase by the same amount as it decreases between C and B. The whole system is connected according to the standard joystick scheme, which has 2 axes and two buttons. The red wire always goes to the middle resistance pin, but the purple one (3) can be connected to any of the side pins, depending on how the resistance is set.

Pedals are not so easy. Turning the steering wheel is equivalent to moving the joystick left / right, and pressing the gas / brake pedals, respectively - up / down. And if you immediately press both pedals, then they mutually exclude each other, and no action will follow. This is a single-axis connection system that most games support. But many modern simulators such as GP3, F1-2000, TOCA 2, etc. use a two-axis throttle/brake system, making it possible to practice the control methods associated with the simultaneous use of gas and brake. Both diagrams are shown below.

Scheme of connection of a single-axis device. Wiring diagram of a two-axis device

Since many games do not support dual axis, it would be wise to assemble a switch (picture on the right) that allows you to switch between single and dual axis systems with a switch installed in the pedal module or in the "dashboard".

There are not many details in the described device, and the most important of them are potentiometers. First, they must be linear, with a resistance of 100k, and by no means logarithmic (sometimes referred to as audio), because they are intended for audio devices, such as volume controls, and have a non-linear resistance trace. Secondly, cheap potentiometers use a graphite track, which will wear out quite quickly. More expensive ones use cermet and conductive plastic. These will last much longer (about 100,000 cycles). Switches - any that are, but, as it was written above, they must have an instantaneous (that is, non-locking) type. These can be obtained from an old mouse. A standard 15-pin D-type joystick connector is available at any radio hardware store. Any wires, the main thing is that they can be easily soldered to the connector.

Connection and calibration. All tests must be carried out on a device disconnected from the computer. First you need to visually check the solder joints: there should be no extraneous jumpers and bad contacts anywhere. Then you need to calibrate the steering potentiometer. Since a resistance of 100k is used, it is possible to measure the resistance between two adjacent contacts with the instrument and set it to 50k. However, for a more accurate setting, you need to measure the resistance of the potentiometer by turning the steering wheel all the way to the left, then all the way to the right. Determine the range, then divide by 2 and add the lower measurement. The resulting number must be set using the device. In the absence of measuring instruments, you need to set the potentiometer to the center position as far as possible. The pedal potentiometers should be turned on slightly when installed. If a single axis system is used, then the throttle resistance must be set to the center (50k on the instrument) and the brake resistance must be off (0k). If everything is done correctly, then the resistance of the entire pedal module, measured between needles 6 and 9, should decrease if you press the gas, and increase if you press the brake. If this does not happen, then it is necessary to swap the external contacts of the resistance. If a bi-axial connection is used, both potentiometers can be set to zero. If there is a switch, then the scheme of a single-axis system is checked.

Before connecting to a computer, it is necessary to check the electrical circuit so that there is no short circuit. Here you will need a measuring device. We check that there is no contact with + 5v power (needles 1, 8, 9 and 15) and ground (4, 5 and 12). then we check that there is contact between 4 and 2 if you press button 1. The same is between 4 and 7, for button 2. Next, we check the steering wheel: the resistance between 1 and 3 decreases if you turn the wheel to the left, and increases if you turn it to the right. In a single axis system, the resistance between pins 9 and 6 will decrease when the accelerator pedal is depressed and increase when the brake is applied.

The last step is connecting to a computer. After connecting the plug to the sound card, turn on the computer. Go to "Control Panel - Game Controllers" select "Add - Custom". We put the type - "joystick", axes - 2, buttons 2, write the name of the type "LXA4 Super F1 Driving System" and press OK 2 times. If everything was done correctly and the hands grow from where they should, then the "state" field should change to "OK". We click "properties", "configuration" and follow the instructions on the screen. It remains to launch your favorite toy, select your device from the list, if necessary, further configure it, and that's it, good luck!

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Do-it-yourself steering wheel and pedals for a computer

As you probably know, playing various car simulators with a steering wheel and pedals is much more convenient and realistic than using a keyboard. The device of the steering wheel makes it possible to set a certain angle of rotation, which allows you to smoothly turn the steering wheel as much as necessary to fit into the turn exactly. The gas and brake also need smooth control, so the pedals are a must-have addition to the steering wheel. When pressed, they allow you to maintain a certain speed on the track.

If you do not want to spend extra money on buying a factory steering wheel, I suggest making a simple steering wheel with pedals and a gearbox yourself, especially since they can be easily made at home without special skills. Plus, it won't hurt to break it. Of course, this is far from the factory model of the steering wheel, equipped with all the bells and whistles, but in order to feel like a racer and enjoy the game, it will do just fine.

steering module

Scheme of a homemade steering module

The design of the steering wheel itself is very simple, and with the necessary tools and materials, making a steering module at home is not difficult at all.

Try to plan what you are going to do first with simple sketches. It doesn't have to be masterpieces, ordinary thinking or ideas. It's amazing how often you can spot errors in your thinking before they become real. This will save you a lot of time later.

The drawings above show the general plans of the module: top, front and side. The base of the tablet is made of thick plywood to give strength to the structure.
A long bolt with a diameter of 12mm is used as a steering shaft. The steering wheel and two bearings with an inner diameter of 12mm are fixed to it with nuts. U-shaped metal clamps press the shaft with bearings to the wooden supports. The limiter keeps the shaft from turning in the center position. It is necessary so that a sharp movement does not damage the variable resistor.
The resistor (potentiometer) is attached to the base through a simple steel angle and connected directly to the shaft with a piece of rubber hose. For ease of connection, a small plastic handle is put on the axis of the resistor, matching the diameter of the steering shaft. You must ensure that the centers of rotation of the steering wheel and shaft are exactly the same.

Making a wooden steering wheel

First, you must design your steering wheel. Then, armed with a ruler and compass, draw a detailed drawing of the steering wheel. The shape of the finger grip is especially important, so you need to find the most comfortable position for your hands. Remember, if you are an avid racer, you will be spending long hours clutching this wheel in your hands.
Making a steering wheel for a car simulator is not as difficult as you might think. It can be made from one or more layers of fonera, gluing them together. Saw with a jigsaw, clean the sharp edges with sandpaper and cover with several layers of black paint, sanding each layer in between.

Then you will need to make a hub for the rear of the steering wheel. It is nothing more than a square or round block of wood that provides distance between the wheel and the front panel and also adds extra strength. Fix the hub firmly to the back of the steering wheel with furniture glue or screws. Drill a 12mm hole in the center for the steering shaft (straight! preferably on drilling machine) and the steering wheel can be painted.

Rudder return mechanism

From the steering wheel, first of all, a good return force is required, which, when turning, will return the steering wheel to its original position. This centering method is to drill a horizontal hole through the steering shaft and insert a 5mm cut-off head bolt into it. Grind off the ends of this bolt on both sides with a file and drill holes in the resulting sites. They will allow you to fix the springs in this place. The steering shaft also needs to be ground off on both sides for a good fixation of the nuts.

Then turn the bolt into drilled hole on the axle and tighten firmly on both sides with nuts. The other end of the spring clings to the steel L-bracket. When the steering wheel is turned, the springs are stretched, when the steering wheel is released, the springs return to their original position and return the shaft back to the middle position. You can adjust the return force of the steering wheel by tightening or loosening the springs.

Steering wheel to table

An important factor in the manufacture of the steering wheel is the system of fastening to the table. This locking system allows quick installation and removal of the steering module, with a sufficiently rigid fixation.

We bend the U-bracket from the steel plate and drill 4 holes for self-tapping screws, as shown in the figure. After sawing a special presser foot out of hardwood, it is necessary to drill an 8mm hole in the middle of it for a 5mm bolt. Then, screw the foot to the U-bracket with self-tapping screws so that the foot moves freely in it. The distance from the base of the module to the foot should be approximately equal to the thickness of the table to which you are going to install it.

Drill a hole through the base of the steering module and firmly insert a threaded T-sleeve or threaded insert into this hole, into which a 5mm bolt can be screwed. Then screw the U-bracket to wooden base module with two self-tapping screws, pass the bolt with a rotary handle into the hole of the tab and screw it into the T-sleeve. Make sure that the presser foot is free to move down when the clamp is loosened. For less slip, you can glue a piece of thin rubber on the edge of the foot.

Pedal construction

Building DIY Pedals

Everyone who loves to drive in car simulators knows how important it is to have pedals in addition to the steering wheel. They allow you to free one hand and work your legs, increasing the realism of control and at the same time simplifying some maneuvers.

This design is very reliable and easy to manufacture. The base and pedals are made of plywood and are attached to each other using pieces of furniture hinges. A hole is drilled in the base under the pedals (approximately 10mm) for the free play of the lever.

The lever is made from a metal rod and is bent to one side on both sides, as seen in the figure. You can fix it to the pedal with a small nail bent into a U-shape.

Springs are needed to return the pedals to their original position and must provide enhanced pressure. It is not necessary to fasten them, because. they will be sandwiched between the pedals and the base.

Variable resistors (100k) are attached to the base via L-brackets on the back of the base. A handle is inserted onto the resistor shaft. It is made from wood or plastic. Use whatever material you have. Two holes are drilled in the handle. The shaft of the resistor is tightly inserted into one, and the lever into the other, so that it spins freely. The handle will still be a backstop, so make it stronger.

As you can see in the picture, the pedals are connected to a resistor through a lever. When the pedal is depressed, the lever passes through the hole in the base and moves the handle down. This increases the resistance of the resistor. With the help of springs, the pedals return to their original position.

In the same way, you can additionally add a clutch pedal to the pedal set if your car simulator fully supports three pedals.

Gear shift

gear shift mechanism

Almost all modern car simulators support "direct" gear shifting: the player, as in a conventional manual gearbox, shifts the lever to the desired gear. To do this, high-end computer steering wheels make a direct shift lever for 6-7 gears. In this article I will tell you how to make a seven-speed shifter, made in the form of a separate block, fixed in any convenient location separate from the steering wheel. It will be a 6-speed "direct" shifter (not counting reverse), mimicking a conventional manual transmission.

The main mechanism is made on the principle of a conventional joystick and allows the lever to tilt along the X and Y axis.

Forms for the mechanism can be made from 1mm steel. Bend as shown in the figure and connect to each other through the holes with a sleeve.
The lever itself is made from an ordinary steel rod (about 8mm). A hole is drilled in the lower part of the lever and a sleeve is inserted through the mechanism. This will be the center of rotation of the lever in the Y axis, which directly presses the buttons.

Slightly above the axis of the lever, the hole is not completely drilled. A spring and a small ball from the bearing are inserted into it, coinciding in diameter with the hole. In addition to this, two holes are drilled on the top of the mechanism. The ball falls into these holes and does not allow the lever to move freely from the button, leaving it on.

This is necessary in order to fix the pressed button, because. when the button is released, many simulators automatically turn on neutral.

To prevent damage to the buttons from being hit by the lever during pressing, the buttons are mounted on spring steel plates that are directly attached to the base. The lever presses on the button, which, after being turned on, will be bent in the opposite direction through the plate. Plates of such steel can be obtained from unnecessary VHD video cassettes.

A plate with guide grooves for gears is sawn out of aluminum and mounted on top of the structure. At the ends of each guide, from the bottom side, 7 plates with buttons are attached.

It immediately becomes clear that 4 buttons available from the Gameport will not be enough, so you need to find a way to get 7 independent buttons. The easiest option would be if the electronics were an old USB joystick or gamepad. There are usually enough buttons on it and you don’t have to suffer with soldering a new device.

There is another way to connect the device to the Gameport by soldering a small board. As you can see in the picture below, by connecting 4 buttons from the Gameport with diodes together, you can get a configuration with 7 buttons and one POV.

I can’t say anything about the performance of this scheme, because I myself have not used it. It is quite possible to recognize her operating system, special drivers are required.

To switch gears, you can still make paddle shifters, as on some sports cars and in Formula 1. The levers are located on the back of the steering wheel and can be used with your fingers, allowing you to keep contact with the gearbox when turning the steering wheel. This device is supported by all games, since two buttons are enough to operate it.

On the left is shown simple circuit, which shows the basic location of the control levers. The lever can be made of wood, metal, plastic, or whatever. At the end of the lever, two holes are drilled for the screws on which it will hold. The screws must be the right length so that they do not press too hard and restrict the movement of the lever. Two springs are needed to fix the levers in the neutral position. To fix the buttons, you can glue them to the base of the steering wheel in the right place.
After choosing a place on the back of the handlebar to attach the levers, make sure that they will not interfere with the control. If necessary, you can come up with your own convenient form for them.

Wiring diagram

Wiring diagram for connection to Gameport

To connect the steering wheel and pedals, it is necessary that the computer has a sound card with a GAME/MIDI port, to which gaming devices (joysticks, gamepads, steering wheels) are connected, or the gameport can be built into the motherboard of the system unit.

The steering wheel circuit is no different from the circuit of an ordinary joystick and does not require any drivers and special programs. The gameport supports 4 variable resistances (100k resistors) and 4 momentary buttons that are on while pressed.

In order for the computer to identify the gaming device, it is enough to connect two resistances to the X and Y axes to the gameport. In our case, these are variable resistors of the steering wheel, the X (3) axis and the gas pedal, the Y (6) axis. The X1(11) axis is used for the brake pedal. And the remaining axis Y1(13) can be used for the clutch pedal.

Resistors should be linear (not from volume controls!) from 50k to 200k (better to take 100k). The red wire (+5V) always goes to the middle pin of the resistor, but the axis (3, 6, 11 pins) can be connected to any of the side ones, depending on how the resistor is installed. If the cursor goes to the right when turning the steering wheel to the left, you just need to swap the outer contacts of the resistor. It's the same with pedals.

A standard 15-pin joystick plug can be purchased at any electronics store or radio market.
It is better to choose resistors from expensive ones right away, they will be more durable. Cheap ones will begin to "make noise" in a couple of months (the steering wheel will twitch). In this case, cleaning and lubricating them (for example, WD40) can help.
It is better to take a shielded 10-core wire.

Steering wheel calibration

Before connecting the steering wheel and pedals to the computer, it is necessary to calibrate the resistors. For a more accurate adjustment, you will need a special measuring device. The steering resistor must be set to the center position. If you are using a 100k resistor, you can measure the resistance between two adjacent pins and set it to 50k. The main thing is that when adjusting, the center of the steering wheel coincides with the middle of the resistor stroke. Well, so that the working area of \u200b\u200bthe resistor does not end at the edges of the steering wheel travel. The throttle and brake pedal resistor can be set to minimum resistance (0k). If everything is done correctly, then the resistance of the resistor should increase if you press the pedal. If this does not happen, then you need to swap the external contacts of the resistor.

Attention! It is forbidden to connect / disconnect the joystick when the computer is turned on! This can lead to the failure of the sound card or motherboard of your computer!

Before connecting to a computer, it is necessary to check the wiring of the steering wheel and pedals so that there is no short circuit between the + 5v contact (1, 8, 9) and ground (4, 5), otherwise the gameport may burn out.

We connect the plug to the sound card. In the control panel, select "Game Controllers" then the "Add" button. In the menu, select - "joystick 2 axis 2 buttons" and press "OK". If everything was done correctly, then the "status" field should change to "OK". After that, we need to calibrate the gaming tablet. In "Properties" click on the "Settings" tab, then on the "Calibrate" button and follow the instructions. When calibrating, I recommend additionally using the DXTweak2 program. The tuning criterion is smooth movement in the entire range of rotation of the corresponding axis without a "fall" of the cursor at the edges of the range.
That's it, download your favorite car simulator, select your device in the settings, customize it and have fun!

For greater durability, instead of variable resistors, you can put an optical pair (LED + photodiode). There are no rubbing parts in such a device, and therefore there is practically no wear. Optocouplers can be obtained from an old computer mouse. + 5V is soldered to the middle leg of the photodiode, the output of the corresponding axis to any of the extreme legs. A 100 ohm resistor R limits the current through the LED.

The best modern car simulators

Need for Speed SHIFT

Need for Speed SHIFT is a new racing simulator. It combines not only realistic physics, beautifully modeled car models and varied tracks, but also offers players the most authentic racing car driving experience. NFS SHIFT focuses on spectacular and unprecedented realism. Here you not only see the car and the track, but feel every turn, every hill and every pebble under the wheel. You roll slightly on corners, toss up on hillocks and ruthlessly shake, flip and shake in accidents. Colliding with another car or a static obstacle, you really feel like you're in a serious accident. A complex combination of sound and visual effects creates a stunning illusion of presence. You can get behind the wheel of 70 photorealistic cars meticulously copied from real cars.
Need for Speed SHIFT takes realism in car simulation to a whole new level.

The GTR2 provides for the calculation of a huge number of vehicle parameters, so that the control is as close to real as possible. Physics is real to the smallest detail - as it should be in a modern simulator, everything is felt - uneven surfaces, the difference in grip on asphalt and curbs, tire temperature. Braking and acceleration present a real challenge, forcing the throttle and brake to work hard and subtly. A huge plus of the game is that it includes a serious driving school, consisting of two parts, in the first of which we are taught to slow down, accelerate and correctly take turns and their bundles, and in the second - they make it possible to learn all the tracks available in the game sequentially, section by section. The set of cars is as wide as possible. The game uses 144 vehicles recreated from real blueprints and telemetry data. The behavior of different machines is adequately different. The races take place on 34 tracks with photorealistic environments, which were created using GPS and CAD data. The sound in the game is extremely informative and gives a clear idea of \u200b\u200bthe behavior of the wheels.

Live for Speed

Live for Speed is a serious racing simulator. The main distinguishing feature of LFS is its high level of realism. No arcade modes or steering assistance. The most important attributes of auto racing have been implemented, in particular, the setting of various components, fuel consumption, temperature and tire wear, asphalt and dirt tracks, which affect the behavior of the car and its characteristics. This advantage is achieved by modeling car models according to the rules of mechanics. Suspension is detailed in LFS, its arms break from impacts. The cars themselves in LFS also receive damage, which is modeled in the process of car contact with an obstacle. You can compete with computer opponents or with real racers from all over the world. And the game has the best network code to date. You can even play on a modem and have a tight, even contact, fight with more than 20 riders at the same time. LFS turned out to be a very successful car simulator, with excellent performance and an excellent set of features, despite the low system requirements for the computer.

rFactor

rFactor is another contender for the title of modern simulator. Initially, only a few fictional cars and tracks are available in the game, but with the game we get an editor that allows us to modify most of the game to suit our needs, or connect to the Internet and download the creations of other players. It is thanks to the efforts of the players that the rFactor engine still looks acceptable. In addition to the ring racing tracks, there is a full-fledged garage where you can tune the car almost to the brand of metal from which the body is made. The car provides for an upgrade at the expense of earned funds, which, however, are removed without warning for violation of the rules, such as speeding in a pit stop or running a red light. By downloading the demo, you can get yourself a small mini-simulator for free, in which there is something to break the head of a sophisticated "simulator". It should be noted that the game does not suffer from a lack of popularity, and there will always be a company on the servers for the race. Yes, and the developers groom and cherish their child with constant updates and additions.

Racer is a completely free, freely available for download, non-commercial racing simulator. The strengths of Racer are its physics and graphics. Advanced shader systems are used, and the effects in the game surprise with realism. All cars and tracks in Racer can be freely modified by the user. What's more, some Racer editing tools are bundled with the game you download, so you don't have to surf the Internet to find the software you need. Thanks to this policy, a huge range of cars is available for the Racer game: Formula 1 cars, trucks, ordinary sedans and expensive supercars. Even exotic vehicles can be found, such as shopping carts. Any Racer user can create their own car using existing tools, or side programs such as 3D Max. The same goes for trails. Thanks to the numerous fans of Racer, their choice is also huge: from mountain serpentines to the famous racing rings. Racer can be considered perhaps the best non-commercial car simulator.

3D Instructor 2.0 Home version

The new educational car simulator is a completely new development in relation to the first version. The main emphasis in the program is on the training of novice drivers and the realism of driving. This unique program will help you prepare for the practical exam in the traffic police and feel more confident on the congested streets of the capital. You will be able to drive a car in test mode, trying to score the least number of demerit points, or just drive around the city, practicing driving skills in difficult traffic situations. The ability to set different traffic intensity - from empty streets to dead traffic jams, will help you choose traffic congestion for your driving experience, hone the attention and reaction necessary in order to avoid an accident. Here you can drive cars of different models: VAZ 2110, VAZ 2106, Toyota Corolla, GAZ 3302 (Gazelle onboard), as well as evaluate the variety of areas of the virtual city included in the game.

Textbook

Virtual driving technique

Learning how to drive a virtual car using the steering wheel and pedals is not as easy for a beginner as it seems. It may take a week or two just to learn the steering wheel, a month or more to learn the basics of driving technique and pedaling.
Almost all serious car simulators have an arcade racing mode, but if you want to achieve the maximum realism of virtual driving, then I recommend refusing to use driving assistance. You will have to constantly learn, work and improve your riding skills. Thus, at first you will make many mistakes, but the process of mastering the simulator will be faster.
Any car simulator needs a steering wheel and pedals like air, so take care of making or buying them in order to take full advantage of the tips from this article. All driving technique tips can be applied to any car simulator you like. So, let's begin.

Choose a view from the cockpit.

All the arcade "rear views", although they give a more complete picture of the dimensions of the car in the context of the track, but do not provide information about drifts and drifts. When you're in the cab, you see the world as it is, so you can always easily recognize a skid by seeing how it rotates or moves relative to the car. In addition, whenever possible, you should always choose a view in which some part of the car is in the frame - the hood, windshield pillar, and so on. The shift and rotation of the world is always better seen when there is some object in the center of the field of view. In the absence of such, you have to navigate at best by virtual instruments in the corner of the screen. This leads to reaction delays and increased fatigue. In addition, driving with a view from the cab develops an internal sense of the dimensions of the car.

Don't fly in the air.

After a wrong ski jump, when the car flies sideways, there is a great temptation to taxi it out before landing. Don't give in. Even if you drive so well that you can get your front wheels right on course while still in the air, just by gut feeling, don't do it. Leave the steering wheel in the middle position. Keep in mind that the car will not behave as it normally does when landing - it will have much more traction due to vertical acceleration, so any wheel turn, combined with the sharp increase in steering due to the fall, will result in at least to a skid. Put the front wheels in the middle position and after landing, let the car slide a little, then, when it has already risen on the suspension, and its steering returns to normal, smoothly level it. Although, of course, it is even better to follow the following advice.

Don't jump.

Try not to get off the ground. Of course, the jump is spectacular. But jumping on an unfamiliar track, often in a blind spot, as close as possible to the next turn, is very dangerous. Press the machine down over bumps by slowing down just before liftoff. This will increase steering and prevent the car from jumping over bumps. Just let off the gas or apply the brake lightly. Of course, you will lose a few hundredths of a second, but otherwise you can beat the car and lose everything.

Properly prevent coups.

When cutting a turn, the car often runs with the inner wheels on a higher than the roadbed, shoulder, stone and other obstacles. This may cause the machine to stand on the two outer wheels. It would seem that everyone knows how to ride two-wheeled bicycles and knows that in this case you just need to turn the steering wheel in the direction of a possible fall. But that's just lip service, as the problem isn't usually limited to roll. A collision with an obstacle located inside the turn leads to a straightening of the arc, and the car begins to go out tangentially to the turn arc. The instinct in such cases makes you turn the steering wheel inward, which inevitably leads to the car turning over. Control yourself, steer outward, put the car on wheels, and only then solve the problem of leaving the trajectory.

Learn to Drift.

The steering wheel, oddly enough, is a very minor part of a racing car during Drifting. The radius of the turning arc is set by gas and brake, and the steering wheel makes corrective movements to optimal angle skid. Increasing traction results in more slip and the car goes out. A decrease in thrust leads to a narrowing of the arc up to the cessation of sliding. As you already understood, the task here is not to get the car out of the skid as quickly as possible, but vice versa - to take revenge with the back of the car in a controlled skid as long as possible.

Typically, turning the steering wheel is needed at the beginning to get the front of the car inward before the start of the slide in sync with the braking or jerking the handbrake. Then, after the start of the skid, the steering wheel returns to the middle position and makes corrective movements throughout the entire slide. If the rear of the vehicle is skidded more than required by the trajectory, you must immediately turn the steering wheel in the direction of travel while maintaining engine speed. Then the car will go in the direction of the front wheels. In order to complete the cross slide and straighten the car, you need to smoothly release the gas. Remember that if you use the steering wheel too often to keep the car on the track, it means that you are pedaling incorrectly.

Combine multidirectional turns.

If you have two oppositely directed turns that follow one after the other, get ready to go through them in one go. In the event that you are cornering with controlled skid, then use the pendulum effect by applying the skid of the first turn as a counter-shift for the second. At the moment of a break in the arc, sharply increase the steering by releasing the gas and / or braking and turning the steering wheel, throw the car in the opposite direction. If the turns aren't tight and don't skid, then just try to carefully smooth out the line.

There is one general trick that allows you to go through a bunch of turns faster and safer. Usually the pilot tries to slow down as late as possible, seemingly gaining time, but on turns, late braking, on the contrary, leads to the loss of several hundredths, or even tenths. Consider what happens as a result of late braking. We fly into the first turn at high speed, saving some time on braking. We enter the skid, slide to the outside, as is done in a single turn. But in the case of a single turn, we simply get out of the skid and accelerate, gradually returning to the middle of the track, but here we need to go through another turn, which we have to enter from the inside, along a steeper arc and at a lower speed. As a result, we exit the link more slowly to the next straight section of the track. Now let's do the opposite. Let's brake in the first turn early, carefully "lick" the inner edge of the first turn and in a wide arc, with more speed and with acceleration, and not with braking, as in the first case, we will enter the second. The speed at the exit will be much higher, which will give us an advantage on the next straight leg. It turns out that we are killing two birds with one stone - gaining time and driving more reliably. So, if you are faced with the choice of which turn of the bunch to go faster - the first or the last, always choose the last one. It's both faster and safer.

Combine unidirectional turns.

Everything seems to be a combination of multidirectional turns with one "but" - the second turn is usually not visible, so you need to proceed with extreme caution. There is also a special situation - when the turns are twisted. In this case, you need to write out a special arc. As always, we must resist the temptation to go through the first turn as a solo, remembering that there is a second turn that is much steeper than the first. When approaching a turn, calculate braking by looking at the rightmost visible point on the far edge of the first turn. This is not difficult, since we do not need to fantasize about the blind zone - we just focus on the farthest visible area. Bearing in mind that the second turn is steeper, we put the car into a skid in advance, and keep the car nosed into the second turn. This opens us full review the second part of the bundle, and all that remains for us to do is just add an arc and leave. The advantages are obvious - we do not take risks and write an arc only on visible sections, we combine both turns into one arc, without risking underbraking in the turn, we go through the last turn faster, which gives us a speed advantage on the next section of the track.

In custody.

Having made a mistake, put up with the loss of tenths of a second and calmly, without nerves, try to minimize losses. In any case, never try to fit your riding into a single ideal template - just ride with your mistakes as another input, along with the roughness of the track, the properties of the surface and other surprises. Experience will be gained with every lap around the track and with every online race. Until the moment when you learn to ride more or less well, it may take a long time. Here, a beginner needs perseverance on the way to the goal. And of course, you shouldn't be upset because of mistakes. Everyone makes mistakes, even veterans. Just learn and enjoy every second you drive.

Home " Adviсe " The electrical circuit of the game steering wheel. Homemade steering wheel F1 RBR

Some computer games require the use of additional peripheral devices - joysticks, for example, or a steering wheel with pedals.
All these devices, of course, are sold in specialized stores, but you can make them yourself.

In this article, we will talk how to make your own steering wheel and pedals for the computer.

Most personal computers used for gaming have a sound card. This map has a gameport that you can connect joysticks, gamepads, steering wheels and more. All these devices use the capabilities of the game port in the same way - the difference is only in the design of the device, and the person chooses the one that is most suitable and convenient for the game he plays.

Gameport The personal computer supports 4 variable resistances (potentiometers) and 4 momentary pushbutton switches (which are on as long as they are pressed). It turns out that you can connect 2 joysticks to one port: 2 resistances each (one left / right, the other up / down) and 2 buttons for each.

If you look at the sound card, you can easily see the game port, as in this picture.

The blue color indicates which pins in the port correspond to the functions of the joystick: for example, j1 X means "joystick 1 X axis" or btn 1 - "button 1". Needle numbers are shown in black, count from right to left, top to bottom. when using a gameport on a sound card, connections to pins 12 and 15 should be avoided. The sound card uses these outputs for midi for transmit and receive, respectively. In a standard joystick, the X-axis potentiometer is responsible for the movement of the handle to the left / right, and the resistance of the Y-axis is responsible for forward / backward. With regard to the steering wheel and pedals, the X-axis becomes the control, and the Y-axis, respectively, the throttle and brake. The y-axis must be split and connected so that 2 separate resistances (for gas and brake pedals) act as one resistance, just like in a standard joystick. Once the idea of a gameport is clear, you can start designing any mechanics around the main two resistances and four switches: steering wheels, motorcycle grips, aircraft traction control... as far as the imagination can go.

steering wheel for computer

This section will tell you how to do Rudder Main Module: A desktop casing that contains almost all of the mechanical and electrical components of the steering wheel. the electrical circuit will be explained in the "wiring" section, and the mechanical parts of the wheel will be covered here.

Computer pedals

The basis of the module " pedals" is made in the same way as a 12mm plywood handlebar module with a hardwood crossbar (3) for mounting the return spring. The sloping shape of the base serves as a footrest. The pedal post (8) is made of 12mm steel tube, to the upper end of which the pedal is bolted. Through the lower the end of the post goes through a 5mm rod that holds the pedal in mounting brackets (6) bolted to the base and made of angle steel.The crossbar (3) runs the full width of the pedal module and is securely (must withstand full extension of the springs) glued and screwed to the base ( 2) The return spring (5) is attached to a steel eye screw (4) that goes through the crossbar just below the pedal. a simple L-bracket (14) at the back of the module A linkage (11) is attached to the actuator (12) on bushings (9, 13), allowing the resistance to rotate through a range of 90 degrees.

Computer shift knob

The gear lever is an aluminum structure, as in the picture on the left. A threaded steel rod (2) is attached to the arm through a bushing (1) and passes through a hole drilled in the L-bracket on the base of the handlebar module. On both sides of the hole in the bracket, two springs (1) are installed on the rod and tightened with nuts so that a force is created when the lever moves. Two large washers (4, 2) are located between two microswitches (3), which are screwed one on top of the other to the base. All this is clearly seen in the figures below.

The picture below shows an alternative gearshift mechanism - on the steering wheel, as in Formula 1 cars. It uses two small joints (4) that are mounted on the wheel hub. The levers (1) are attached to the hinges in such a way that they can only move in one direction, i.e. towards the wheel. Two small switches (3) are inserted into the holes in the levers, so that when pressed, they rest against the rubber pads (2) glued to the wheel and work. If the circuit breaker is not pressurized enough, then the return of the levers can be ensured by springs (5) mounted on the hinge.

Connecting the steering wheel and pedals to the computer

A little about how does a potentiometer work. If you remove the cover from it, you can see that it consists of a curved conductive path with pins A and C at the ends and a slider connected to the central pin B (Fig. 11). When the shaft rotates counterclockwise, the resistance between A and B will increase by the same amount as it decreases between C and B. The whole system is connected according to the standard joystick scheme, which has 2 axes and two buttons. The red wire always goes to the middle resistance pin, but the purple one (3) can be connected to any of the side pins, depending on how the resistance is set.

Since many games do not support dual axis, it would be wise to build a switch (fig. right), which will allow you to switch between one- and two-axis system with a switch installed in the pedal module or in the "dashboard".

All tests must be carried out on a device disconnected from the computer. First you need to visually check the solder joints: there should be no extraneous jumpers and bad contacts anywhere. Then you need to calibrate the steering potentiometer. Since a resistance of 100k is used, it is possible to measure the resistance between two adjacent contacts with the instrument and set it to 50k. However, for a more accurate setting, you need to measure the resistance of the potentiometer by turning the steering wheel all the way to the left, then all the way to the right. Determine the range, then divide by 2 and add the lower measurement. The resulting number must be set using the device. In the absence of measuring instruments, you need to set the potentiometer to the center position as far as possible. The pedal potentiometers should be turned on slightly when installed. If a single axis system is used, then the throttle resistance must be set to the center (50k on the instrument) and the brake resistance must be off (0k). If everything is done correctly, then the resistance of the entire pedal module, measured between needles 6 and 9, should decrease if you press the gas, and increase if you press the brake. If this does not happen, then it is necessary to swap the external contacts of the resistance. If a bi-axial connection is used, both potentiometers can be set to zero. If there is a switch, then the scheme of a single-axis system is checked.

The last step is connecting to a computer. After connecting the plug to the sound card, turn on the computer. Go to "Control Panel - Game Controllers" select "Add - Custom". We put the type - "joystick", axes - 2, buttons 2, write the name of the type "LXA4 Super F1 Driving System" and press OK 2 times. If everything was done correctly and the hands grow from where they should, then the "state" field should change to "OK". We click "properties", "configuration" and follow the instructions on the screen. It remains to launch your favorite toy, select your device from the list, if necessary, further configure it, and that's it, good luck!

Scheme of connection of a single-axis device. Wiring diagram of a two-axis device

The last step is connecting to a computer. After connecting the plug to the sound card, turn on the computer. Go to "Control Panel - Game Controllers" select "Add - Custom". We put the type - "joystick", axes - 2, buttons 2, write the name of the type "LXA4 Super F1 Driving System" and press OK 2 times. If everything was done correctly and the hands grow from where they should, then the "state" field should change to "OK". We click "properties", "configuration" and follow the instructions on the screen. It remains to launch your favorite toy, select your device from the list, if necessary, further configure it, and that's it, good luck!

Ever since the first time I raced in a rally (NeedForSpeed 1), I thought: "Why don't I make a steering wheel?". And really, it's really easy! For a long time, hands didn’t reach this point - there’s still no time to play - there are enough other things to do, but my son, a passionate fan of cars in his four and a half years, is not very convenient to control the keys. Whether it's the steering wheel. It was for this young racing driver that I first of all tried. The idea itself is very simple. In principle, the steering wheel is the same joystick. Only slightly different mechanics and form. The hardest part is the steering wheel itself. It is best to take ready-made from a child's car or even from a real one (although this is probably cool, but it is still too big). I just sawed it out of plywood and wrapped it with leatherette. Then you need to come up with a mount (depending on the design of your steering wheel). The steering wheel must rotate freely and a 100 kΩ variable resistor must be installed on its axis. It is imperative to make limiters (and stronger), otherwise, at the very first turn, you will turn the head of the resistor. I attach the steering wheel to the table with small vices - very convenient and reliable. Now the pedals are gas and brake. You can really make pedals and put pressure on them with your feet (for example, put mikriks inside), but I did it easier - I put the switch in three positions (gas-neutral-brake) and fixed it near the steering wheel, since my son, sitting at the computer, with his feet to the floor still lacking due to its small age.

Wiring the MIDI port of the sound card:

N con. Appointment N con. Purpose
1 +5v for XY1 9 +5v for XY2
2 button 1 10 button 3
3x1 11x2
4 Ground 12 Ground
5 Ground 13 Y2
6 Y1 14 Button 4
7 Button 2 15 N.C.
8 N.C.

Buttons for gas and brake. The resistance of the variable resistor is from 100 to 220 kOhm - necessarily with a linear characteristic of type "A" I have 100 kOhm. RY - can also be used for gas-brake control, although it is needed in any case during calibration. In the "Settings" in the "Control Panel" in the "Gaming Devices" in Windows "add the device" Joystick 2 axes and 2 buttons ". You can also calibrate there. In the toy, select the joystick control item. In any case, each toy has a calibration joystick (in particular, it is in NeedForSpeed 1).The only problem that I had was when you turn on the control in the toy on the joystick - switching over the points is also carried out by this joystick, so you just turn the steering wheel a little from the middle position and the cursor immediately starts flying on all points. And in general, during calibration, fluctuations of the cursor are noticeable, which, however, during the game absolutely do not affect anything. And I think that the problem is in my sound card, since it itself is very noisy (the cheapest, I think that with a good card, there will be no such problems at all.

I finally bought myself a new sound card SB Live. As I expected - all cursor jitter issues are gone. The cursor on the menu has ceased to fly and in general everything works fine. I am satisfied. As I said, my steering wheel is cut out of plywood - I wrapped it tightly with thick foam rubber and already over black leatherette. It turned out very aesthetically pleasing and just cool. So I’m thinking of redoing the steering wheel mount (put it on bearings or something, so as not to hang out). I bought a small neat clamp to attach to the table. It remains to fix the RY resistor somewhere so that it does not hang on the wires and you get a very decent design. And it's nice to play and it's not a shame to show others. My son is already five and he drives like a real racer.

Installed NeedForSpeed III. Everything is very cool! He himself discovered the joystick (i.e. steering wheel) and stood on it. Without looking at the settings, I start all impatiently, the engines roar, I switch the toggle switch to "gas". "3, 2, 1 GO!" everyone rushed forward, and I went back. Fine. I go into the settings - everything is correct: "back and forth" is set to control the joystick itself (i.e., the RY resistor), but I don’t use it (but it’s connected! It just hangs on the wires). I put in the settings the control of the joystick buttons. I start, gas to full, let's go. It started to shake me along the road like a novice driver drunk on "zyuzyu". Very high sensitivity of the steering wheel - just turned the steering wheel and you are already scraping the walls. Something wrong. Began to understand, went into the settings of the joystick. There is a "dead zone" mode of the central position there - it has been reduced to almost zero, it has become much better. Then I noticed that my steering wheel has a slight backlash (it dangles in Russian), tightened it more tightly. And most importantly, I had a steering wheel turn of 120 degrees (I set the limiters like that), before it didn’t interfere, but now I had to rearrange them - the angle increased to almost 270 degrees. The resistor will not allow more (although more, in my opinion, is not necessary).

The car has stopped "roaming" and no longer shakes from side to side. A small turn of the steering wheel and the car makes a smooth turn along the highway, beautifully, as much as the soul sings. Now it's a pleasure to drive, and now I know for sure that steering with the cursor keys from the keyboard is a big perversion. The only drawback now in my design is no smooth adjustment speed - the resistor dangles on the wires - you need to fix it and attach the lever so that it is civil to regulate the "gas" (or still make the pedals), but I'll choose the time.

And now I'm thinking, maybe I can also make a steering wheel. I started Descent III here. He determined the joystick (i.e. my steering wheel), I even steered a little to the right and left and up and down with a separate resistor RY, and you have to press back and forth on the keyboard, which is very inconvenient, now if there were four buttons, then forward- back can be transferred to them. I'll try to somehow use the buttons from another joystick (pins on the MIDI port connector 10, 14) it might work.

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