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removable steering wheel hubs
blakep82 - 11/3/07 at 11:49 PM

a removable hub seems the easiest way to mount my steering wheel....

I haven't got the space to use parts from a donor cars steering so need to construct my own, but can only find removable hubs, which i understand aren't favourable with SVA as the car can be started without the wheel on.

how could i/has anyone got over this?

I'm thinking of some way where when attaching the wheel, a contact is made and the starter can be operated

i want to use this one


bigrich - 12/3/07 at 12:07 AM

i know of quite a few cars that have passed sva with these fitted


blakep82 - 12/3/07 at 12:15 AM

can it be used as my security device, since i won't have a steering lock?


nitram38 - 12/3/07 at 12:18 AM

Buy yourself a transponder immobiliser.
Hide the pick up loop behind the dash and around the steering colomn.
Fix the transponder keyfob to the back of your steering wheel.
When you fit your wheel, the immobiliser will be disabled.


blakep82 - 12/3/07 at 12:20 AM



good plan!


cheers!


RazMan - 12/3/07 at 08:00 AM

I would like to fit a QD boss but they usually add too much distance between the steering wheel and the stalk switches. Also in most cases you have to make do without a horn push.


blakep82 - 12/3/07 at 08:16 AM

quote:
Originally posted by RazMan
I would like to fit a QD boss but they usually add too much distance between the steering wheel and the stalk switches. Also in most cases you have to make do without a horn push.


thats true, but like o say i'll be fabricating the whole collumn anyway, so no donor stalk switches, or horn push wiring anyway. the only stalk switch i'd have would be indicators, which i plan will be a on-off-on toggle switch on the end of some kind of oval tube (made to look nicer than it sounds)


suparuss - 12/3/07 at 10:02 AM

if you are also using an aftermarket steering wheel dont forget it needs to crushable by your head in case of an impact, i dont think the boss in the pic above will pass as it goes straight onto the column and the steering wheel onto the boss with no provision for a crushable hub adapter.
i bought one of these-


they go between a standard hub adapter and racing steering wheel.
but be wary of the quality as the one i got was so wobbly i doubt it would have passed sva so i havent bothered using it (it wasnt a rage as per pic).

[Edited on 12/3/07 by suparuss]


nitram38 - 12/3/07 at 10:44 AM

Steering wheels do not need to be collapsable as long as the colomn collapses or there are enough angle changes on the uj's from the rack.
If you are wearing a selt belt. you should never meet the colomn.
Having a collapsable colum or uj angles, means that in the event of a frontal impact, that the steering wheel is not pushed into you.
Lots of people get the reasoning on this wrong.
I had no problems passing my car without a collapsable boss.


[Edited on 12/3/2007 by nitram38]


procomp - 12/3/07 at 11:09 AM

Hi also remember that an awful lot of these items after 6 months use have play in them.

Even some of the more expensive ones are crap IMHO.

The only one i personally recomend is the SPA one as used by many high profile race teams and formulas as std equitment.

Try waggaling a few wheels on cars and feel how much play some have . Although they are all good when first new but it's when they are 6-12 month old the play starts to show up.

cheers matt


RazMan - 12/3/07 at 11:27 AM

The best design I have seen incorporates a number of sprung captive ball bearings which locate in adjacent holes - no play at all.


suparuss - 12/3/07 at 12:21 PM

quote:
Originally posted by nitram38
Steering wheels do not need to be collapsable as long as the colomn collapses or there are enough angle changes on the uj's from the rack.
If you are wearing a selt belt. you should never meet the colomn.
Having a collapsable colum or uj angles, means that in the event of a frontal impact, that the steering wheel is not pushed into you.
Lots of people get the reasoning on this wrong.
I had no problems passing my car without a collapsable boss.




sounds like you got lucky.
my manual says this-
section 13. paragraph 3/a-
The steering wheel and column assembly must offer a degree protection to the driver by absorbing energy from a driver/wheel impact...

it goes on regarding type approved parts (original steering wheel) and equivelents that may be acceptable. ie collapsible bosses.

you are taking section 4/a to be the end of the story which is as you say for the event of a frontal impact of the vehicle causing the column to enter the cockpit towards the driver.

the manual says that both events need to be catered for.

[Edited on 12/3/07 by suparuss]


NS Dev - 12/3/07 at 01:40 PM

I read it as either/or myself???

Will second Procomp's thoughts on the quick release bosses, the hex ones tend to be pretty sloppy, and even some of the splined ones are not great.

I use a hex one on the grasser, and its fine for offroad but would be a bit wobbly on-road


nitram38 - 12/3/07 at 03:41 PM

quote:
Originally posted by suparuss
quote:
Originally posted by nitram38
Steering wheels do not need to be collapsable as long as the colomn collapses or there are enough angle changes on the uj's from the rack.
If you are wearing a selt belt. you should never meet the colomn.
Having a collapsable colum or uj angles, means that in the event of a frontal impact, that the steering wheel is not pushed into you.
Lots of people get the reasoning on this wrong.
I had no problems passing my car without a collapsable boss.




sounds like you got lucky.
my manual says this-
section 13. paragraph 3/a-
The steering wheel and column assembly must offer a degree protection to the driver by absorbing energy from a driver/wheel impact...

it goes on regarding type approved parts (original steering wheel) and equivelents that may be acceptable. ie collapsible bosses.

you are taking section 4/a to be the end of the story which is as you say for the event of a frontal impact of the vehicle causing the column to enter the cockpit towards the driver.

the manual says that both events need to be catered for.

[Edited on 12/3/07 by suparuss]


Not lucky.
I just read the regs. The key word is "either".
The idea is that the steering wheel does not hit you, not the other way around.
If you have a front end smash, the column would be shifted towards the driver.
A collapsable colum would ensure that the steering wheel stayed in place as would different angles on the UJ's.
You should never reach the steering wheel if you have the correct seat belts.
If you relied on purely a collapsable boss, then I would not like the steering to use me to collapse it!
My car has a solid colomn and solid steering wheel, but I do have 2 UJs which change angles.
My examiner did not miss anything as he pointed out the angle change as acceptable.
You are not wrong, it is just that many people assume that this is necessary.
I personally think that my set up will give me over 18" of front end collapse before my wheel will move whereas your suggestion would only give a couple of inches.
I know which I prefer.


blakep82 - 12/3/07 at 06:21 PM

I understood the SVA manual to say, out of the diagrams, you had ot have one of the methods on your car, being telescopic shafts, crushable collumn, or any of the other other methods, I'm using UJ with as high an angle in them as possible. I thoght this would be OK.

Also, remember I'm building something a little different from the locost chassis (which has the rack mounted within a few inches of the front of the chassis, My chassis is made entirely of FIA spec roll cage tube, and has a good 18" of chassis in front of the steering rack. Its built for (and has been used for) racing, and hitting concrete walls at 160mph wihtout a collapable steering shaft. hopefully the SVA inspector will see things the same way...

I'll take some photos tonight to show what i mean...


nitram38 - 12/3/07 at 06:48 PM

blakep82, your angled colomn will be enough.


blakep82 - 12/3/07 at 06:50 PM

thats what i like to hear

been worrying about that for a bit TBH


what sort of angles minimum should they be? and any particular directions?

[Edited on 12/3/07 by blakep82]


nitram38 - 12/3/07 at 06:56 PM

You can't see it very well, but my steering rack is higher than the colomn.
The are 2 UJ's and a short "dog's leg" just before the rack.
[img][/img]


blakep82 - 12/3/07 at 07:00 PM

I see it, the rack is on the same level as the top chassis rails, and the collumn drops down with 2 UJs to drop below the tube running between the 2 top rails? about 12" between the UJ? is that right?

any advice on where to get the UJs and how much?

[Edited on 12/3/07 by blakep82]


nitram38 - 12/3/07 at 08:09 PM

I used a rover 214 column which came with the UJ's and short link.
All I had to do is rotate the rack slightly until the ujs fit.


blakep82 - 12/3/07 at 08:14 PM

cool, and how did you stop the whole collumn from moving around? did you use rover 214 bushes or rose joints? I'm thinking 2 rose joints right up under the dash


nitram38 - 12/3/07 at 08:20 PM

The colomn comes in it's own tube with internal bearings.
A couple of U clamps hold the tube (like exhaust) with brackets welded to the cap where the securing nuts go.
Pretty simple set up.


blakep82 - 12/3/07 at 09:32 PM

top view
top view

front distance
front distance

low front side
low front side


I don't think ther'll be too much displacement in a crash...

[Edited on 12/3/07 by blakep82]