My humble racing frame (update 10.12.11)

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ozone

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Back in 2009, I bought a racing frame from RotaryGOD (old member, not sure if he still posts). It was relatively simple in design and did everything I needed to. I made a few adjustments here and there, but nothing big. Since then, I've been wanting to make more and more adjustments as I get into racing simulators more, here's my "build up" thread with details in each individual posted (threw all the pictures/video into the main thread for easy mode picture time lol)

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09.21.11

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09.27.11

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09.28.11

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10.12.11

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Good work fella :) I like the single arm design and I don't understand why some manufacturers don't use it (yes playseat, I'm looking at you). I'm certain that the extra adds will solve the rigidity issue. All architects love a triangle right?
 
So I painted the pieces, and did some fab work the old base where the seat mounts. Me and my pop added some 2" sq steel tubing spacers to the back, and fabbed up a bar to match the front, so we could fit an OEM seat from a Mitsubishi 3000gt. Let me just say that fitting this oem seat was a PITA.

newseat01.jpg


newseat02.jpg


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Sorry about the lack of wire management. It's last on the list after all the welding :) Also notice huge washer hell underneath the seat mounts. Kind of a last minute fix until I can cut some more tubing and weld it in.


Next up, I plan to duplicate the arm coming off the right hand side, to the left hand side as well. I'm also shortening how far the arm comes out before going vertical. Eventually I'll weld a plate coming off the extending arm for the shifter (for now it just goes next to the wheel). Also toying with the idea of cutting the mounting arm that sits over the lap, and then angling it slightly and rewelding it (or cutting the arm off and welding a plate instead. I would like some more angle to the wheel...and I figure that would be a good way to do it.

Our next plans

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Will post more updates as I get em!
 
I love that cockpit.

Its nice, looks sturdy, and I am guessing didnt cost 1000+?

Also I love the seat. For some reason a real car seat just feels bettr for longer stints at the wheel.

Damn good job. I would love to find a frame like that. What exactally is it?
 
The original frame was about $220 or so (I can't remember, it's been forever ago). The additional square steel tubing was $50, and the seat was $50 (poached Craigslist for about a week). So about $320 sunk in so far.

The original frame came from RotaryGOD (his original post is here)

A couple things to note:

The bigger portions of the frame are 2" Square steel tubing. Wall thickness is .065 inch. If you can afford it, get the .095 for the 2" pipe, as it'll remove some of the play when they sheath together.

The smaller tubing is 1.75". You might have to call around a couple steel yards, as this is a rather uncommon size (it's usually 2" and then right down to 1.5"). Expect to pay a little more. The "tightening bolts" are just holes drilled into the frame, with a nut welded over it. I use that to tighten the sheathed portions together. It eliminates 90% of the wiggle, but after about 3-4 bends, you can start to feel it (which is why ill be adding gussets for the 'non necessary' adjustable portions)

I can take measurements tonight if anyone is going to build their own :)


PS: The rope is bungee, I used it along with a rubber no-slip mat to keep the DFGT pedals there. I've since punched holes and mounted the g27 pedals directly to the plate.
 
The frame came to me powdercoated gloss black. I grinded off the powdercoat for the welds, and resprayed it with a Rustoleum matte black enamel http://www.rustoleum.com/CBGProduct.asp?pid=24. Picked it up at Lowes, but I've seen it at Home Depot and Walmart. The specular reflection of the paint is rolled into the color, so make sure the color is "Flat Black", and not "Semi Gloss" or "Gloss"
 
ozone
The frame came to me powdercoated gloss black. I grinded off the powdercoat for the welds, and resprayed it with a Rustoleum matte black enamel http://www.rustoleum.com/CBGProduct.asp?pid=24. Picked it up at Lowes, but I've seen it at Home Depot and Walmart. The specular reflection of the paint is rolled into the color, so make sure the color is "Flat Black", and not "Semi Gloss" or "Gloss"
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Awesome. Thanks for the tips.
 
What do you people do when company comes over? I have a hard enough time packing up my normal chair and wheel/vertical stand, but these are like a entire room to hide.
 
shmogt
What do you people do when company comes over? I have a hard enough time packing up my normal chair and wheel/vertical stand, but these are like a entire room to hide.
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Which is why I have a dedicated sim / office room ;)
 
shmogt
What do you people do when company comes over? I have a hard enough time packing up my normal chair and wheel/vertical stand, but these are like a entire room to hide.
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I tell em "its my house" and "gfy" lol. In reality, everyone knows im a bit of a grownup nerd, so I embrace my hobbies. I slide the rig over to the side to watch some TV. And if company comes over, it can break into 3 pieces that I can easily move on their own.
 
Thanks for all the kind words guys! 👍

girlfriend is playing Windwaker so the GC controller is a must!

I have contemplated relocating my shifter. As much as I love where it is now (it feels like such a race car when you have so little travel between your wheel to the shifter), I would prefer to have it somewhere more natural. My only problem is if I create a little jutting off the side beam, it has to be long enough that the rest of the shifter clears the vertical beam. Which means the shifter is really close to my body, or I slide back and my steering wheel is far away.

Ultimately, I would like to weld a piece of 2" square steel tubing with the open end facing me along the beam across my lap. Then I can sheath in a T-beam and mount the wheel to that. That way I can adjust how far away / close I want the wheel, and I will be able to comfortably use the shifter.

So many ideas floating around in my head. I need to clamp a few things down, and test some ideas, and maybe do a couple tack welds to test the rigidity of everything. Last thing I want to do is sacrifice the rigidity of the rig for some adjustability. I would much rather have strength and no wiggle, than the ability to move my shifter around slightly.
 
MaliciousMD
I knew I had seen a similar design somewhere before.

http://www.rseat.net/

Maybe you can get some reinforcement ideas from their design. Rigs lookin' good though!
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That's actually crazy similar! I originally got the idea from http://shop.race-star.com/product_info.php?info=p24_race-star-evo-gt--g27--t500rs-.html and decided to implement my own. But the RSeat is even closer to my ideas. Thanks for the link! 👍 It looks as though they use some angle to reinforce some of the rig. Looks like I'll need to shorten the beam that goes across the floor and possibly add a gusset there to strengthen the beam across my lap.

I'm not completely opposed to doing a beam down both sides, so as long as it's easy to get in and out of.
 
An update and preface this with a huge apology about the **** quality of photos. I did a lot of measurements for the next mod, and had only a short while to snap em.

IMG_6689.jpg


The only good local newspaper is nowdays. As you can see, the center 'spine' now has permanent welds, with two beams going vertical. The portion laying over my lap is now a "C" shape, which accompany the two vertical beams. Also notice my T beam, along with the seat beam (yes the front beam is crooked on purpose lol. Damn OEM fittings...).



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The middle two crank knobs are what came with the rig when I bought it from RotaryGOD. The two outside ones, I fabbed up using a 1/4" x 2" full thread bolt, a bar knob, and a nut. These will let me finger tighten things that they won't wiggle around. Good enough for jazz 👍





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My photography expertise shining here. Everything assembled. Not a whole lot of detail that you can see (although Dexter Morgan on the TV adds to the photo), but pretty much a beam on the sides of my legs, and across my lap (I actually adjust it where the beam is sitting right below my knees)




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Test fitting a piece clamped into place. This will be welded tomorrow, and I promise to have some better photos. It's a 2" square steel tubing with the open side facing the driver. The T-beam shown in the earlier photo will sheath into it, and there's a welded nut on top of the outside piece that will tighten the T beam into place. The wheel mounts to the T, allowing forward/backward movement of the wheel, without having the adjust the vertical beams, or the seat. Will have more updates tomorrow :)
 
Got the piece of 2" square steel tubing mounted and painted.

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This is what it looks like with no wheel. Notice the nut welded on the side, so I can tighten the T beam when it's in place. Also notice my "quality" weld work.



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Here it is with the wheel. Unfortunately I'm mounting the shifter directly next to the wheel until I can come up with something in my head for where it should go. Also got some wire management going on. Eventually I'll punch a hole and throw a grommet on the edges, and run the cords inside the tubing. Until then, they go on the outside.



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Here's a close-up of the wheel telescoping adjustment. The wheel pulls out, and I tighten the makeshift crankbolt pressing the inside tubing against the inner wall of the outside sheath (the whole rig works on this system).


If I have time, I'll take some video tonight, to show you guys the rigidity of the frame itself.
 
Plastidip won't help rigidity on slide joints. You want hard surface (steel) on hard surface.

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Above is my crude representation of where and how many pinch bolts I think you need for a flex free connection at each slide joint. Low additional cost for a rea solid connection. Placing the pinch bolt close to the edge of the tubing is crucial,it's much less susceptible to flex there. Sorry I'm kind of late with this (already painted). Awesome fab work and clean look.👍

Scotty
 
Thanks a lot Scotty! I actually had an idea like that, basically welding "notches" at the tip of each beam that took some of the play out. It'd grind going in, but then with a pinch bolt, it would hold pretty steady. I combatted this by just adding another arm lmao.

Here's a video of me on the rig to show how little play the cockpit has.
 
Btw, that's not the final position of the shifter, it's just temp until I can weld more to the frame lmao. A friend of mine mocked this up on the position, I'd say it's pretty sound

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Basically it could telescope in and out based on your position (similar to the wheel).
 
shmogt
What do you people do when company comes over? I have a hard enough time packing up my normal chair and wheel/vertical stand, but these are like a entire room to hide.
Click to expand...

My friends and family always want to go for a ride when they come over. So it's not in the way. If it is football time then we loiter upstairs in the parlor.:)
Back on topic: Very nice build going on here. Keep up the nice work.
 
Thank you kindly. Got the shifter mount completed. The design is similar to the wheel. A piece of 2" square steel tubing with a nut welded for a pinch bolt. Another beam sheathing inside of it for telescoping adjustments.

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Unfortunately I've ran out of things to do (other than put it on some casters or legs). So this build might be coming to a close. Thanks for everyones ideas and hope you enjoyed following along as much as I did building it.
 

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