DIY STEERING WHEEL

Introduction

Hello friends this is my first intractable project which I would like to share with you.

I play lot of games ,recently I installed formula one 2013 (racing game) when I started playing that games I come to know various rules, technique used in the F1 racing, earlier I was not so interested in F1 race it seems soo boring to me when ever I watch it on TV .

so I decided to build a steering wheel of my own having function similar to that F1, playing games with it is really fun.

it took around 1 month for me to think visualise n built my own F1 wheel because the material which I wanted to use should be available easily to everyone and most of it you can get it in your home (unwanted stuff).

Material used

· Smart pre insulated PIR Panels Sheet (just Google it)

· game pad

· plastic box (I used ice-cream box)

· pvc pipe (25mm dia)

· bulb holder

· rubber bands /springs

· ball bearings

· seven segment led

· resistor 100R X 22

· rotary potentiometer10k X 1

· linear potentiometer 10k X 2

· wires 5 mt

· led X 16

· At mega 32-A IC

Step 1: Measure,draw & Cut

The first thing was to install gamepad in the PIR panel sheet so I took all the measurement and drawn it on a paper then placing it on the sheet securing it with tape I started cutting it along the edges .

Step 2: Cutting It Through the End

After removing the paper then I started cutting it fully through the end i:e back side keeping the knife as straight as possible since the thickness of the sheet is 25 mm so a slight misalignment could result in increasing the clearance between the game pad and its housing since I want it to be a shrink fit .

Step 3: Shaping It With Emery

After removing the middle part I used emery paper to shape

the PIR panel sheet so as to suite the game pad

which took a lot of time and Patience.

Step 4: Steering Wheel Design

I Google

for the various F1 wheel from which I selected this one and took the print out

then I placed this print on the PIR panel sheet after that I cut
the edges according to the drawing as u can see in the below pic.

After cutting, The edges were smooth en by emery paper from all sides.

Step 5: Steering Shaft

Now for making steering gear I took pvc pipe on which I put a bulb holder but it was freely moving from one end to other so I inserted a cap(yellow colour) to make it tight, cap I used is from the candy bottle u can use cold drink caps also .

Step 6: Bearing Housing

Now for ball bearing I want housing which I have made it from the similar PIR panel sheet.

Step 7: Installation of Bearings

After

that I installed it inside the ice-cream box and secured it with the 4 screws and cut the appropriate hole through the inner race of the bearing with the help of drill, knife and emery paper.

Step 8: Steering Gear Box Assembly

Now

prepare two holders from the copper pipe by flattening them from the end and giving a curve in the middle portion

now make two holes at the ends same size of the screw which
u will be using and then drill the holes in the box too and screw the holder along with the rubber bands make sure that the two screws on the bulb holder are not tight since it will be done after alignment off bearing 1, bearing 2 n potentiometer.

I replaced the rubber bands with springs since they get wear out within two days of playing.

Step 9: Finding the Center Position of Potentiometer.

Now

install the second bearing also and at the end of pvc pipe put a cap which is drilled and holding the potentiometer knob tightly the pot has a movement of 270 degrees so divide it by 2 n make sure that the pot is in middle position which u can also do by multi meter .

Step 10: Drill & Screw the Cap to Game Pad

Back side of the game pad is attached to the cap with four screws .

Step 11: Sliding Pot.

Now for making accelerator n brake paddles I used a shampoo

bottle cut into two pieces symmetrically and attached sliding potentiometer of 10 k.

again here I have used a rectangle shaped PIR panel sheet which is screwed to a normal Styrofoam of white colour I cut out from my TV packaging. In this way I have prepared platform for brakes n accelerator

Step 12: Testing

Testing of all the function by gamepad

for connecting brakes , accelerator and steering i removed both the potentiometer from the game pad and connected sets of 3 wire of which one is going to brake another is going to accelerator n last one is going for steering so in this way out of 4 connection 3 are utilized during testing i found that the axis in the X360 controller simulator is not in center since one connection was empty so i removed one potentiometer from the analog stick and soldered it to its desired place and after that everything works fine .

Step 13: Paddle for Brake & Accelerator

Next step was to make paddles for brakes and accelerator for which i used a jewelry box tear it into two pieces and the cut it from the middle with the help of soldering machine .CAUTION don't inhale fumes while burning (shaping plastic to ur desired design ).after soldering i have done filling over the edges to give it a smooth finish and then screwed it to the knob which is red in color. this knob comes with the potentiometer .after screwing i stick red velvet sheet on it .

Step 14: Electronic Assembly

Electronic parts

to give it a nice visual effect and appearance i decided to add gear display and rpm indicator for which i have used ATmega 32A IC .the connections are explained below

led 1 to 16 (positive terminal ) are connected to port D and C with resistance of 100 ohm and their ground is connected to the pin 11 of micro controller

seven segment display is connected to port b from 1 to 8 pin excluding vcc where vcc is connected to pin 10 of micro controller

rotary(steering) potentiometer pin no. 2 is connected to pin 39 of micro controller and pin no. 1, 2 and 3 are connected to the game pad pcb . (pin no. 2 has two connection)

and gear shifter T1 and T2 are connected to pin 36 and 35 of microcontroller

here one connection is for seven segment display and other that is button is for game function, when this button is pressed both the function will occur simultaneously.

since the PIR panel sheet material i have used is covered with thin aluminium foil on which screw is connected to GND.