If the cost of a normal factory steering wheel may discourage you from purchasing it, the best option will make the steering wheel and pedals yourself, especially since they can be easily made at home without having special skills. Besides, it won’t be such a shame to break them.
Steering module design
The design of the steering wheel itself is very simple, and if available 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 by sketching out simple sketches. These don't have to be masterpieces, ordinary thoughts or ideas. It's amazing how often you can discover errors in your thinking before they become reality. This will save you a lot of time later.
The pictures above show 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 was used as the steering shaft. The steering wheel and two bearings with an internal diameter of 12 mm are secured to it with nuts. U-shaped metal clamps press the shaft with bearings against wooden supports. The limiter keeps the shaft from turning in the central position. It is necessary so that a sudden 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 using a piece of rubber hose. For ease of connection, a small plastic handle with a diameter matching the diameter of the steering shaft is placed on the resistor axis. You must ensure that the centers of rotation of the steering wheel and shaft strictly coincide.
Steering wheel design
First, you need to design your steering wheel. Then, armed with a ruler and compass, draw detailed drawing steering wheel The shape where the fingers wrap is especially important, so you need to find the most comfortable position for your hands. Remember, if you're an avid racer, you'll 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 several layers of phonera, gluing them together. Cut it out with a jigsaw, sand the sharp edges and cover it with several layers of black paint, sanding each layer in between.
Next, you will need to make a hub for the rear of the steering wheel. This is nothing more than a square or round block of wood that provides space between the wheel and the front panel and also provides additional strength. Fix the hub firmly to the back of the steering wheel with furniture glue or screw it in place. Drill a 12mm hole in the center for the steering shaft (straight! preferably on drilling machine) and the steering wheel can be painted.
Steering wheel centering
The steering wheel, first of all, requires a good restoring force, which, when turning, will return the steering wheel to its original position. This centering method consists of drilling a horizontal hole through the steering shaft and inserting a 5mm bolt with the head cut off. Grind off the ends of this bolt on both sides with a file and drill holes in the resulting areas. They will allow you to secure the springs in this place. The steering shaft also needs to be ground off on both sides to ensure good fixation of the nuts.
Then tighten the bolt into drilled hole on the axle and tighten tightly 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 stretch; 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 steering return force by tightening or loosening the springs.
Steering module lock
An important factor in the manufacture of the steering wheel is the fastening system to the table. This fixation system ensures quick installation and removing the steering module, with a fairly 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 cutting a special presser foot out of hard wood, you need to drill an 8mm hole in the middle 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-piece or threaded insert into the hole that can accept a 5mm bolt. Then screw the U-bracket to wooden base module with two self-tapping screws, pass a bolt with a rotary handle into the hole in the tab and screw it into the T-sleeve. Make sure that the foot moves down freely when the clamp is loosened. To reduce slipping, you can glue a piece of thin rubber to the edge of the foot.
Designing Pedals
Anyone who likes 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 give your legs work, increasing the realism of control and at the same time simplifying the performance of some maneuvers.
This design is very reliable and easy to manufacture. The base and pedals are made of plywood and attached to each other using pieces furniture hinges. A hole (about 10mm) is drilled in the base under the pedals for free movement of the lever.
The lever is made of a metal rod and is bent in one direction on both sides, as seen in the figure. You can secure it to the pedal with a small nail bent into a U-shape.
Springs are necessary to return the pedals to their original position and must provide increased 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 back side basis. 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 resistor shaft is tightly inserted into one, and the lever into the other, so that it rotates freely. The handle will also act as a reverse limiter, so make it stronger. 
As you can see in the picture, the pedals are connected to the resistor through a lever. When the pedal is depressed, the lever passes through a 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 unit if your car simulator fully supports three pedals.
Gear shift mechanism
Gear shift knob
Almost all modern car simulators support “direct” gear shifting: the player, as in a conventional manual transmission, moves the lever to the desired gear. For this purpose, in computer steering wheels high class 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. This will be a device with a “direct” gear shift lever for 6 speeds (not counting reverse), simulating 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 axes.
Molds for the mechanism can be made from 1mm steel. Bend them as shown in the figure and connect them together through the holes with a sleeve.
The lever itself is made from a regular steel rod (approximately 8mm). A hole is drilled in the lower part of the lever and a bushing is inserted into it through the mechanism. This will be the center of rotation of the lever along the Y axis, which directly presses the buttons.
Just above the axis of the lever, the hole is not fully drilled. A spring and a small ball from the bearing, matching the diameter of the hole, are inserted into it. In addition, 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 record the pressed button, because When you release the button, in many simulators the neutral is automatically switched on.
To avoid damage to the buttons from being hit by the lever while pressing, the buttons are mounted on spring steel plates, which are directly attached to the base. The lever presses on the button, which, after turning on, will bend through the plate in the opposite direction. Plates of this steel can be obtained from unwanted VHD video cassettes.
The plate with guide grooves for the gears is cut out of aluminum and mounted on top of the structure. At the ends of each guide, on the bottom side, 7 plates with buttons are attached.
It immediately becomes clear that 4 buttons available from Gameport will not be enough, so you need to find a way to get 7 independent buttons. The most simple option it would be if the electronics were an old USB joystick or gamepad. It usually has enough buttons and you don’t have to worry about 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 figure below, by connecting 4 buttons from the Gameport using 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 haven’t used it myself. It is quite possible that special drivers will be required for it to be recognized by the operating system.
To change gears, you can also 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 maintain contact with the gearbox when turning the steering wheel. This device is supported by all games, as two buttons are enough to operate it.
This 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 be held. The screws should 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 secure the buttons, you can glue them to the base of the steering wheel in the right place.
When choosing a place on the back of the steering wheel to attach the levers, make sure that they will not interfere with control. If necessary, you can come up with your own convenient shape for them.
Electrical connection diagram
To connect the steering wheel and pedals, it is necessary that a sound card with a GAME/MIDI port is installed on the computer, to which gaming devices (joysticks, gamepads, steering wheels) are connected, or the game port can be built into the motherboard of the system unit.
The steering wheel circuit is no different from that of an ordinary joystick and does not require any drivers or 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 resistors to the gameport on the X and Y axis. In our case, these are variable resistors for the steering wheel, X axis (3) and the accelerator pedal, Y axis (6). The brake pedal uses axis X1(11). And the remaining Y1(13) axis can be used for the clutch pedal.
Resistors must be linear (not from volume controls!) from 50k to 200k (it’s better to take 100k). The red wire (+5V) always goes to the middle contact of the resistor, but the axis (3, 6, 11 contacts) can be connected to any from the sides, depending on how the resistor is installed. If, when you turn the steering wheel to the left, the cursor goes to the right, you just need to swap the external contacts of the resistor. It's the same with pedals. 
A standard joystick plug with 15 pins can be purchased at any electronic store or radio market. It is better to take a shielded 10-core wire.
Calibration
Before connecting the steering wheel and pedals to the computer, you need to calibrate the resistors. For more precise adjustments, you will need a special meter.The steering resistor must be set to the central position. If you are using a 100k resistor, then you can measure the resistance between two adjacent contacts with a device and set it to 50k. The gas and brake pedal resistor can be set to the minimum resistance (0k). If everything is done correctly, 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.
Before connecting to a computer, you must check that there is no short circuit between the +5v contact (1, 8, 9) and ground (4, 5), otherwise the gameport may burn out!!!
Connect the plug to the sound card. In the Control Panel, select "Game Devices" then the "Add" button. In the menu, select “joystick 2 axes 2 buttons” and click “OK”. If everything was done correctly, then the “status” field should change to “OK”. After this, we need to calibrate the game pad. In "Properties" click on the "Settings" tab, then on the "Calibrate" button and follow the instructions. Download your favorite car simulator, select your device in the settings, configure it and have fun!
For greater durability, instead of variable resistors, you can install an optical pair (LED + photodiode). There are no rubbing parts in such a device, and therefore there is virtually no wear. Optocouplers can be taken from an old computer mouse. +5V is soldered onto the middle leg of the photodiode, the output of the corresponding axis is on any of the outer legs. A resistance of R 100 Ohm limits the current through the LED.
You can see more details about optics
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 not difficult at all! It took me a long time to get around to it - there’s no time to play anyway - there’s plenty of other things to do, but my son, a passionate car fan at just over four years old, is not very comfortable operating the keys. 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. Just slightly different mechanics and form. The most difficult thing is the steering wheel itself. It’s best to take a ready-made one from a children’s car or even from a real one (although this is probably cool, it’s still too big). I just cut it out of plywood and wrapped it in 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 kOhm variable resistor must be installed on its axis. You definitely need to make the limiters (and stronger ones), otherwise you’ll break the resistor’s head at the very first turn. I attach the steering wheel to the table with a small vice - very convenient and reliable. Now the pedals are gas and brake. You can actually make pedals and press them with your feet (for example, put microphones inside), but I did it simpler - I put the switch in three positions (gas-neutral-brake) and secured it near the steering wheel, since my son, sitting at the computer, has his feet to the floor still not enough due to his small age.
Wiring out the MIDI port of the sound card:
N end Purpose N con. Purpose
1 +5v for XY1 9 +5v for XY2
2 button 1 10 button 3
3 X1 11 X2
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 to control gas-brake, although it is needed in any case during calibration. In "Settings" in the "Control Panel" in "Game Devices" in Windows, add the device "Joystick 2 axes and 2 buttons". You can also perform calibration there. In the toy, select the joystick control item. In any case, every toy has a calibration joystick (in particular, NeedForSpeed 1 has it). The only problem I have is when you turn on the joystick controls in the toy - switching items is also done with this joystick, so if you turn the steering wheel a little from the middle position, the cursor immediately starts flying. on all counts. And in general, during calibration, cursor fluctuations are noticeable, which, however, do not affect anything at all during the game. Moreover, I think that the problem is in my sound card, since it itself is very noisy (the cheapest one). what can you do?) I think that with a good card there will be no such problems at all.
I finally bought myself a new SB Live sound card. As I expected, all problems with cursor shaking disappeared. The cursor stopped flying around the menu and in general everything works fine. I'm happy. As I said, my steering wheel is cut out of plywood - I tightly wrapped it with thick foam rubber and then black leatherette on top. It turned out very aesthetically pleasing and simply cool. I’m thinking about redoing the steering wheel mount (put it on bearings or something so it doesn’t dangle). I bought a small neat clamp to attach it to the table. All that remains is to attach the RY resistor somewhere so that it does not hang on the wires and you will get a very decent design. And it’s nice to play and it’s not a shame to show it to others. My son is already five and he races like a real racer.
I installed NeedForSpeed III. Everything is very great! He himself discovered the joystick (i.e. the steering wheel) and stood on it. Without looking at the settings, I start it all impatiently, the engines roar, I switch the switch to gas. "3, 2, 1 GO!" everyone rushed forward, and I went back. Fine. I go into the settings - everything is correct: “forward-backward” is set to control the joystick itself (i.e., the RY resistor), but I don’t use it (but it’s connected! It’s just hanging on the wires). I set joystick button control in the settings. I start it up, full throttle, let's go. I started to get tossed around on the road like a novice driver drunk on Zyuzya. The steering is very sensitive - turn the steering wheel a little and you are already scraping the walls. Something is wrong. I started to figure it out and went into the joystick settings. There is a “dead zone” mode in the central position - reduced it to almost zero, it became much better. Then I noticed that my steering wheel had a slight play (it wobbles in Russian), so I tightened it tighter. And most importantly, my steering wheel rotation was 120 degrees (I set the limiters this way), before this did not interfere, but now I had to rearrange them - the angle increased to almost 270 degrees. The resistor will not allow more (although in my opinion more is not necessary).
The car has stopped “hunting” and no longer shakes from side to side. A slight turn of the steering wheel and the car makes a smooth turn along the highway, beautifully, your soul sings. Now it’s a pleasure to drive and I now firmly know that steering with the cursor keys on the keyboard is a big perversion. The only drawback now in my design is no smooth adjustment speed - the resistor is hanging on the wires - it is necessary to secure it and attach a lever so that it is civilized to regulate the “gas” (or still make 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 identified the joystick (i.e., my steering wheel), I even steered a little left and right and a separate resistor RY up and down, and forward and back you have to press on the keyboard, which is very inconvenient, 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), maybe it will work.
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Have a nice day, Gentlemen. Many of us have played various simulation games on computers and other gadgets. But not many people had a special steering wheel for a computer, which was designed for exciting games of simulators and racing. It made the game seem more realistic and more comfortable to play on than on a keyboard. Today I will show you how to make a gaming steering wheel for a computer from cardboard and two computer mice. This steering wheel is 6 times more expensive than a purchased one, and it is not particularly distinguished by its functionality.
Required materials:
- 2 computer mice
- thick cardboard
- 2 household sponges
- glue
You can watch the testing and production of the gaming steering wheel in the video:
Step 1: Use a compass to make a circle on cardboard - this will be the future steering wheel. You can choose any diameter, even like on a ZIL car. Next, use a pencil to give the steering wheel a more similar look. And using a knife, we cut out 4 such blanks, and another overlay as in the photo.
Step 2: Glue all the blanks together. You should get a comfortable steering wheel that is comfortable and pleasant to hold.
Step 3: Next you need to assemble a stand where the mouse will be located and on which the steering wheel will be mounted. I assembled it without drawings, here you can do without them.
Step 4: Glue a wooden cylindrical stick onto the steering wheel. You can make it out of paper.
Step 5: Cut a hole slightly larger in diameter than a wooden stick. On the other side we reinforce it with cardboard.
Step 6: Insert the steering wheel into the hole and glue a paper sleeve, as in the photo. It is needed so that the steering wheel is always on its axis.
Step 7: Glue the mouse pads and install it. You need to make sure that the mouse laser tightly touches the middle of the wooden stick. If it doesn’t touch, then wrap the electrical tape around the stick. At this stage, it is better to check how the steering wheel works on the computer. You can connect and turn the steering wheel, the mouse cursor should
move in the direction in which you turn the steering wheel. If it spins in the opposite direction, you need to turn the mouse over. After we checked everything and made sure that everything works, we glue the cover.
Step 8: Making the pedals. We cut out a blank from cardboard as in the photo.
Step 9: Take another computer mouse and cut out a holder for it. Next, glue it onto the blank that you made in step 8, and insert the mouse. Then we glue household sponges. We glue small rectangles of cardboard onto the pedals.
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 about how to make your own steering wheel and pedals for your computer.
Most personal computers used for gaming have a sound card. This card has a gameport into which you can connect joysticks, gamepads, steering wheels, etc. All of these devices use the capabilities of the game port in the same way - the only difference is in the design of the device, and a person chooses the one that is most suitable and convenient for the game he is playing.
Gameport The personal computer supports 4 variable resistances (potentiometers) and 4 momentary switch buttons (which are on while pressed). It turns out that you can connect 2 joysticks to one port: 2 resistances (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 joystick functions: for example, j1 X means “joystick 1 X axis” or btn 1 - “button 1”. The needle numbers are shown in black and must be counted from right to left, from top to bottom. When using a gameport on a sound card, you should avoid connecting to pins 12 and 15. The sound card uses these outputs for midi for transmission and reception, respectively. In a standard joystick, the X-axis potentiometer controls left/right movement of the handle, and the Y-axis resistance controls forward/backward movement. In relation 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 the 2 separate resistances (for the gas and brake pedals) act as one resistance, just like a standard joystick. Once the idea of the gameport is clear, you can start designing any mechanics around the basic two resistances and four switches: steering wheels, motorcycle handles, airplane traction control... as far as the imagination allows.
steering wheel for computer
This section will explain how to do rudder core module: a tabletop housing containing nearly all the mechanical and electrical components of the rudder. electrical diagram will be explained in the wiring section and will also cover the mechanical parts of the wheel.
In the pictures: 1 - steering wheel; 2 - wheel hub; 3 - shaft (bolt 12mm x 180mm); 4 - screw (holds the bearing on the shaft); 5 - 12mm bearing in support casing; 6 - centering mechanism; 7 - limiter bolt; 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 pictures above show general plans of the module (without gear shift mechanism) from the side and from above. To give strength to the entire module structure, a box with beveled corners made of 12mm plywood is used, to which a 25mm protrusion is attached to the front for fastening to the table. The steering shaft is made from a regular mounting bolt 180mm long and 12mm in diameter. The bolt has two 5mm holes - one for the stop bolt (7), which limits wheel rotation, and one for the steel pin of the centering mechanism, described below. The bearings used have a 12mm internal diameter and are screwed to the shaft with two screws (4). Centering mechanism - a mechanism that returns the steering wheel to the central 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), 2 mm thick, through which the steering shaft (5) passes. These plates are separated by four 13mm inserts (3). A 5mm hole is drilled in the steering shaft into which a steel rod (4) is inserted. 22mm bolts (1) pass through the plates, bushings and holes drilled into the ends of the rod, securing it all together. The rubber cord is wound between the bushings on one side, then along 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 rotation range of 270 degrees. However, the 350 degree rotation mechanism will be described here, reducing which will not be a problem. A steel L-shaped bracket, 300mm long (14), is bolted to the module base. This bracket serves several purposes:
- is the attachment point for the rubber cord of the centering mechanism (two m6 bolts of 20 mm at each end);
- provides a reliable stopping point for wheel rotation;
- strengthens the entire structure at the moment of tension of the cord.
The limiter bolt (7) m5, 25 mm 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 of an impact, rubber tubes can be placed on the bolts. If you need a smaller rotation angle, then you need to screw two bolts into the bracket at the required distance. The potentiometer is attached to the base through a simple angle and connected to the shaft. Most potentiometers have a maximum rotation angle of 270 degrees, and if the steering wheel is designed to rotate 350 degrees, a gearbox is required. 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 rotating the steering wheel 350 degrees will give 262 degrees on the potentiometer. If the steering wheel rotates in a range of 270 degrees, then the shaft is connected directly to the potentiometer.
Computer pedals
Module basis " pedals" is made similarly to the handlebar module from 12mm plywood with a hardwood cross member (3) for attaching the return spring. The flat shape of the base serves as a footrest. The pedal stand (8) is made of a 12mm steel tube, to the upper end of which the pedal is bolted. Through the lower the end of the post passes through a 5mm rod, which holds the pedal in mounting brackets (6), screwed to the base and made of steel angle. The crossbar (3) runs across the entire width of the pedal module and is securely (must withstand the full stretch of the springs) glued and screwed to the base (. 2). The return spring (5) is attached to a steel eye screw (4), which passes through the crossbar directly under the pedal. This mounting design allows you to easily adjust the spring tension. The other end of the spring attaches to the pedal potentiometer. 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 shift knob for computer
The gear lever is an aluminum structure, as shown 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-shaped bracket at the base of the steering 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 visible in the pictures below.
The figure below shows an alternative gear shift mechanism - on the steering wheel, as in Formula 1 cars. It uses two small hinges (4) that are mounted on the wheel hub. The levers (1) are attached to the joints 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 operate. If the switch has insufficiently rigid pressure, 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 contacts A and C at the ends and a slider connected to the central contact B (Figure 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 entire system is connected according to the circuit of a standard joystick, which has 2 axes and two buttons. The red wire always goes to the middle contact of the resistance, but the purple one (3) can be connected to any of the side ones, depending on how the resistance is set.
With pedals it's not so simple. Turning the steering wheel is equivalent to moving the joystick left/right, and pressing the gas/brake pedals up/down, respectively. And if you press both pedals at once, they will 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 gas/brake system, allowing the practical application of control methods associated with the simultaneous use of gas and brake. Both diagrams are shown below.
Since many games do not support dual axis, it would be wise to build a switch 
(picture on the right), which will allow you to switch between one- and two-axis systems with a switch installed in the pedal module or in the “dashboard”.
There are not many parts in the described device, and the most important of them are potentiometers. First, they must be linear, 100k impedance, and in no case logarithmic (they are sometimes called audio), because those are intended for audio devices, such as volume controls, and have a non-linear impedance path. Secondly, cheap potentiometers use a graphite trace, which wears out very quickly. The more expensive ones use metal ceramics and conductive plastic. These will work much longer (approximately 100,000 cycles). Switches - any kind, but, as was written above, they must be of the instantaneous (that is, non-locking) type. These can be obtained from an old mouse. A standard D-type joystick connector with 15 pins is sold in any store that sells radio components. Any wires, the main thing is that they can be easily soldered to the connector.
All tests must be carried out on the device disconnected from the computer. First you need to visually check the solder connections: there should be no extraneous jumpers or bad contacts anywhere. Then you need to calibrate the steering potentiometer. Since a resistance of 100k is used, you can measure the resistance between two adjacent contacts with the device and set it to 50k. However, for a more accurate installation, 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 result. The resulting number must be set using the device. In the absence of measuring instruments, you need to set the potentiometer to the central position as much as possible. The pedal potentiometers should be slightly turned on when installed. If a single-axis system is used, then the gas pedal resistance should be set to the center (50k on the device), and the brake resistance should 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 you need to swap the external resistance contacts. If a two-axis connection is used, both potentiometers can be set to zero. If there is a switch, then the circuit of the single-axis system is checked.
Before connecting to a computer, you need to check electrical circuit so that a short circuit does not occur. Here you will need a measuring device. We check that there is no contact with the +5v power supply (pins 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 thing 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 the wheel to the right. In a single-axis system, the resistance between needles 9 and 6 will decrease when the gas pedal is pressed and increase when the brake is pressed.
The last step is connecting to the computer. Having connected the plug to the sound card, turn on the computer. Go to "Control Panel - Gaming Devices" and select "add - special". Set the type to “joystick”, 2 axes, 2 buttons, write the name of the type “LXA4 Super F1 Driving System” and press OK 2 times. If everything was done correctly and your hands are growing from the right place, then the “status” field should change to “OK”. Click "properties", "settings" and follow the instructions on the screen. All that remains is to launch your favorite toy, select your device from the list, if necessary, further configure it, and that’s it, good luck!
The correct steering wheel is never round. And it is never subtle. And even more so without wooden or carbon overlays and anatomical bumps covered with perforated leather. Many owners of tuned cars think so. And on my own behalf I will add that it is useful for a good steering wheel to have a certified design with an airbag. This means that the correct steering wheel can be obtained by tuning the factory steering wheel.
Various specialists practice various ways making inserts and anatomy on the steering wheel. I suggest using matrix technology based on a plasticine model. The advantage of plasticine is the ease of finding the shape of the model. The advantage of the matrix is the possibility of reuse in the manufacture of the same steering wheel or fragments of crusts for steering wheels of other sizes.
The middle part of the steering wheel does not require the intervention of a tuner; the airbag should work properly. Only the rim and partially the spokes can be modernized.
01. You can simply try to copy the rim design from an existing steering wheel, but you can get creative with the shape yourself. The easiest way to imagine the desired steering wheel is to draw your contours on the image of the donor steering wheel. But, in my opinion, you shouldn’t linger on paper for too long, because the ergonomic requirements and the design of the steering wheel can destroy your unbridled fantasies.
02. It’s especially nice to improve the expensive steering wheel of a prestigious car, although you should try your hand at something simpler.
03. Most steering wheels of modern cars are covered with leather, which is the first thing I remove. Beneath the skin, the soft rubber shell of the rim is revealed.
04. If we plan to change the outer contour of the steering wheel, then we will have to cut off the excess rubber from the rim frame. But you shouldn’t get carried away with cleaning the frame from rubber; it’s better to leave it in places where it doesn’t interfere with the change in shape.
05. And now, in a free manner, we try to search correct proportions and hand-friendly shape configurations on the plasticine steering wheel. Let's compare the ergonomic cast of a hand obtained from plasticine with the original drawing of the steering wheel. We transfer the characteristic bumps, dents and connectors from the drawing to the plasticine and again “pump” the comfort of the steering wheel in the hand.
06. We begin to work out the approximately molded shape of the steering wheel in detail on one of the sides. At the same time, I resolve the eternal debate about whether plasticine or putty is more important in favor of putty. This means that I will not polish the plasticine to a mirror shine to remove an almost finished matrix, but will finish off the unevenness left on the plasticine on the finished steering wheel with putty. But on plasticine we need to mark the cracks for sealing the skin with lines, and the fractures of the plastic form with pointed ribs. From the finished plasticine of one half of the steering wheel, we remove templates made of thick cardboard.
07. Transfer the contours, slot lines and edges of the shape through the templates to the plasticine on the other side of the steering wheel. The lateral thickness of the steering wheel can be controlled with a caliper, comparing the corresponding places on the right and left.
08. And now the form is built, but do not rush to throw away the outline templates. With their help, we need to make formwork for molding the connector flanges of the matrix halves.
Like any closed volume, a solid steering wheel can be obtained by gluing together the upper and lower crusts of the mold. To make these halves from fiberglass, we must first make a matrix-cast from a plasticine model. The connector along the flanges will divide the steering wheel matrix into two separate halves, in which it is easy to make the upper and lower crusts of the steering wheel parts themselves.
09. The flange formwork must be installed strictly in the plane of the widest longitudinal section of the rudder. I usually fix the cardboard formwork plate with pieces of plasticine on the back side.
10. Working with fiberglass, and in particular contact molding of glass fiber impregnated with polyester resin, presents almost limitless possibilities for the production of three-dimensional forms. The material in a liquid state freely envelops surfaces of any curvature and configuration. And the hardened composite can be fully used for its intended purpose. When molding rough matrices, I usually do not use gelcoats (a special thick resin for the working surface) or expensive matrix resins. But I admit that sometimes I “abuse” the thickener Aerosil (glass powder). My relatively thick resin covers the unevenness of the model well and fills sharp corners on the form. But the quality of molding is also affected by the reinforcing material. I cover the first couple of layers, especially on a complex surface, with glass mat grade 150 or 300. I do not recommend applying many layers at once - this will inevitably lead to deformation of the fiberglass. After just an hour or an hour and a half, the resin becomes solid, but the polymerization process is still ongoing.
11. While the first mold is polymerizing, I turn the steering wheel over and remove the cardboard formwork. To prevent the resin from sticking to the formwork, I first coated it with a wax-based release agent (Teflon auto-plyrol).
12. When I don’t have a separator at hand and time is pressing, I cover the contact surface with masking tape. It can be easily removed from hardened polyester. So this time I closed the flange.
13.The underside of the model is also covered with one layer of fiberglass. After the resin “stood”, that is, first it went from liquid to jelly-like, and then solid state, I turn the steering wheel again. On the front side of the model I apply a layer of thick 600 grade glass mat, having previously cleaned the previous layer of plastic with sandpaper. So, by alternately applying layers, I increase the thickness of the matrix crust to 2-2.5 mm (which corresponds to 1 layer of glass mat grade 300 and 2 layers of grade 600).
14. A fully glued matrix is maintained for about a day, although in conditions of constant rush in the evening, the molded matrix goes to work the next morning.
15. Pliable and soft in a liquid state, fiberglass, when hardened, reveals its insidiousness. Looking at its candy-like surface, you want to run your hand over it. But invisible, protruding glass needles can seriously injure your hand. Therefore, first of all, I lightly clean the surface of the matrix with sandpaper. The shaggy, prickly edge of the matrix must be trimmed, leaving a flange 25-30 mm wide. At a distance of 10 mm from the edge of the model, it is necessary to drill mounting holes for self-tapping screws in the flanges. In this form, the matrix is ready for removal.
16. Using a knife blade or a thin steel ruler, separate the flanges along the entire contour. Then we widen the resulting gap between the flanges and separate the matrix halves. A thin layer of model plasticine is destroyed during the removal of the matrix, partially remaining in the mold halves.
17. Plasticine residues can be easily removed from the matrix. Then the inner surface can be wiped with kerosene. I clean the contours of the flanges with sandpaper. On the working surface of the cleaned matrix, defects in the plasticine model are clearly visible, which I correct with the same sandpaper.
Even using this rough matrix, several dozen rudders can be made. But who will give you so many identical steering wheels for tuning? But exclusive works with plasticine and fiberglass are in great demand.
Part two:
A rough matrix made using conventional polyester resin (as opposed to a finished matrix resin) has significant shrinkage and stretching, leading to distortion of the original shape. Moreover, the smaller and more complex the part, the more noticeable the deformation. Particularly strong displacements occur in the corners, as in our case along the entire arc of the cross-section of the half-mold.
So that in the steering wheel parts themselves, by the time they are completely polymerized, visible discrepancies of one half-form relative to the other along the contour accumulate. But that’s why it’s a rough matrix, just to help us translate a plasticine idea into a fiberglass blank of a future shape, or to serve as temporary (inexpensive) equipment for studying the demand for a new product.
01. Before I start making the steering wheel halves, I prepare the steering wheel itself for pasting. Gradually cutting off excess rubber from the rim and spokes, I place the steering wheel into the matrix halves. At the same time, I try to leave as much less space between the rim and the surface of the gluing matrix.
02. You can glue the steering wheel skins in one go, immediately laying two layers of glass mat grade 300. The main thing is to try to mold “dry”, i.e. remove excess resin with a wrung-out brush. Before adhesive work surface the matrix must be covered with a separator.
03. A part with a thickness of two layers of thin glass mat turns out to be fragile, so it must be removed from the matrix with care. I press the fiberglass edges sticking out at the edges of the matrix towards each other and carefully pull out the crust.
04.The uneven edges of the removed parts must be trimmed according to the imprint left on the part by the edges of the matrix. For trimming, you can use a power tool, or you can cut it off with a hacksaw blade.
05. I try the processed peels on the steering wheel while cutting, if necessary, the rubber of the steering wheel. For a better fit of the parts, the inner surface of the fiberglass should be cleaned with coarse sandpaper, removing protruding fiberglass needles and resin deposits.
06. Gradually modifying the edges of the parts and the rim, I adjust the halves to each other on the steering wheel. Well-aligned and loosely fitting crusts on the steering wheel are ready for gluing.
07. There are two ways to glue the half-forms. Typically, the parts to be glued are inserted into a matrix, which, when assembled, aligns them and presses them against the rim. But I decided to assemble the steering wheel without using a die. I wanted to check the accuracy of the alignment of the parts and the quality of filling with adhesive material the entire space inside the steering wheel and at the seams. For gluing, I use a mixture of polyester resin, Aerosil (glass powder) and fiberglass. The result is a porridge similar to glass-filled putty, only its hardening time is much longer. I fill the steering wheel halves with this mixture and press them onto the rim. I remove the excess porridge squeezed out of the seams and fix the half-forms with masking tape. I correct severely deformed areas of the crusts using clamps.
08. Heating of the part indicates an intense polymerization reaction. One and a half to two hours after gluing begins, I remove the tape and remove the remaining resin. After this, the surface of the steering wheel can be processed.
09. Traces of the separating layer remain on any part removed from the matrix. Therefore, the first thing I do is clean all the fiberglass from the remnants of the separator with sandpaper.
10. Traditionally, a tuned steering wheel is lined with carbon fiber, wood veneer and genuine leather. Solid materials with varnished surface They are placed on the upper and lower sectors of the rim, and the side parts of the steering wheel with spokes are covered with leather. This is what we initially planned to do on our steering wheel. But after we held the almost finished steering wheel in our hands, it became clear to us that the extreme design of the shape requires an unusual finish. And it was decided to do everything the other way around, i.e. leather on top and bottom, veneer on the sides.
11. For greater comfort, a thin layer of porous rubber can be glued under the skin (which greatly increases the cost of the work). An approximate piece larger size than necessary we glue it onto the fiberglass rim of the steering wheel.
12. The rubber fits tightly around the rim. In places where there are leather inserts under the palms, rubber spots cut out according to the same template are also glued. All fragments of rubber are leveled with sandpaper, and defects are sealed with rubber crumbs mixed with glue. The contours are trimmed according to templates.
13. When we are planning the finishing of the steering wheel, it is necessary to set the correct ratio of the rim sizes at the joints different materials. For example, the thickness of veneer with varnish (up to 2 mm) is equal to the thickness of leather with glue. This means that the rim of our steering wheel must have the same cross-section at the joints. And the rubber glued under the skin formed a 2 mm high step on the rim. Therefore, you will have to level the rim at the joints with putty. In order not to spoil the edges of the rubber stickers with putty, they must be masked with masking tape. For the same purpose, I glue a thin plasticine strip along the contour of the rubber, which will become a gap for sealing the skin.
14. “Hairy” putty is an indispensable material in the work of a layout designer. This putty is made from polyester resin and bonds well with our polyester fiberglass. I also know that many craftsmen make steering wheel tuning entirely from putty. Gradually applying and sanding the putty, the steering wheel is given the desired shape.
15. On the finally constructed surface of the steering wheel, I mark lines of cracks for sealing the skin. It is most convenient to make cuts on the rim using a hacksaw blade for metal. The depth of the gap should be at least 3-4 mm, and the width up to 2 mm. I smooth out the cuts made with the blade using sandpaper. The slots of the inserts under the palms were marked with plasticine strips. After removing the plasticine, the grooves are leveled with putty and sandpaper. It is very convenient to lay out the cracks using a machine.
16. The final touch is installing and adjusting the airbag cover. The main thing is to calculate the gaps correctly. The point is that the movable cover should not rub against the edges of the spokes. In addition, you need to leave room for the thickness of the leather or Alcantara that will cover the airbag cover. For precise fitting, I insert pieces of leather into the gap and “pump” right place. To adjust the gaps, the same means are used - putty and sandpaper. I pour a primer over the finished fiberglass so that the entire shape appears, because it is difficult to see defects on a surface stained with putty.
This is where the work of the layout designer ends and the product is sent to other specialists. First, one craftsman will glue the veneer and cover it with varnish, then another craftsman will cover it with leather. The final result will depend on the qualifications of the finishers, but the foundation - the form itself with its ergonomics, plasticity, and proportions - is laid by the layout master. That is why the basic specialization in the manufacture of non-standard products has always been breadboard production.