DIY Racing Sim Build (Pics)

After waiting 5 months, finally got some new gear in the mail.. so it is time to start the build !

Main parts are 10mm steel..

 

Full motion?

 

Not yet.. the base will be made of 3mm steel RHS profile welded. Will start with a static system for a while.

It's a big investment !

 

Overkill much?! Love it but jeez 10mm!

 

10mm it'll be heavier than a real car

 

Yeah ok.. so now I realise the only thing that is flexing is the Steering Wheel !! I don't think I need much more reinforcement.. will put a car seat on to it, hook it up and test drive.

 

How thick is the plate that the Heusinkvelds are bolted through? I have 2mm steel and it flexes under braking.

 

I put a 4mm gavlanised steel plate on top.. but I made a lattice of 25x25x3mm SHS steel underneath.. welded to those 10mm brackets and then bolted to the aluminium extrusion with 4 x 8mm bolts. It doesn't flex

 

Must have some serious equipment there. CNC Plasma cutter, some beefy AF bender and the like.

 

The sim frame was the test to prove my workflow for 3mm/10mm is good enough.

The bending takes more practice to perfect. Easy to bend to 86 degrees or 100 degrees but not 90!!

 

So stiff it doesn't feel like a car anymore because it's too stiff

 

I'd be replacing the 10mm with some 2 or 3mm with a small brace in there.

It's bonkers overdone

 

Finally get a chance to test drive it later this week!

Really need to make some shifters and buttons on the steering wheel.. hmmm..

 

Had my first drive with PimaxVR.. wow.. the steering wheel was intense at 100% torque.. I've driven some cars and wide slicks feel like wide slicks Got thrown around a bit !

 

I've started putting the shifters/button box together.. 3mm steel with a 3D printed rear shell will be the plan

2 x Rotary encoders, buttons, 2 x hat sticks

 

Thats an NA MX5 seat? Good choice

 

Have designed my own take on magnetic shifters for 3D printing

 

Now where to put the bloody electronics.. hmm..

 

Today's activity was polishing the design of the shifters.. really happy with them and the feel is awesome.

Also designed the back plate.. to hold the electronics modules, keep a low profile and I'll have to figure out how to bolt it to the steering hub and assembly so it can all be taken apart.. I'm thinking threaded coupling rods 20mm or 25mm is easy way and bolt the hub and steering wheel into the rods.. if there's any flex then will probably fabricate an adapter and drill/tap some M5 holes.

 

Finishing time!