Introduction: How to Make a Cheap Sim Racing Button Plate With Arduino

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In this tutorial, I'll show you how to make a DIY Steering Wheel Button Plate to attach to a steering wheel. You can use it on your racing games (only for PC). It will be perfect for GT3/Rally type steering wheels with a diameter of 30cm and 35cm.

The DIY Wheel Button Box will be printed with a 3D printer, and the electronics will be an Arduino board.

High-Quality CAD file is available here : DIY Button Plate

There are several formats available:

  1. STL for 3D printing
  2. STEP for CNC
  3. DXF for laser cutting

Supplies

ELECTRONICS

  1. Arduino Pro Micro Board
  2. Micro USB Cable
  3. MicroSwitch[Option: Handle 11.5mm]
  4. MicroSwitch alternative link[Option: MS-1A-13.5]
  5. Ø12mm Push Button [Option: Momentary]
  6. Ø12mm Push Button
  7. Rotary Encoders

MAGNETS

  1. Ø12×5-4mm N52 Magnet[Option: 12×5-4 MM]
  2. Ø12×5-4mm N52 Magnet alternative link[Option: 12×5-4 MM]

CHEAP SIM RACING BUTTON PLATE STEERING WHEELS

  1. Steering Wheel #1
  2. Steering Wheel #2
  3. Steering Wheel #3
  4. Steering Wheel #4
  5. Steering Wheel #5
  6. Steering Wheel #6
  7. Steering Wheel #7

ACCESSORIES

  1. Thrustmaster Steering Wheel adapter

FINISHING OF YOUR DIY SIMRACING WHEEL

  1. Carbon covering
  2. Tools for covering

DIY BUTTON PLATE ASSEMBLY

  1. 3 Hex Wrench Spanner[Quantity: 1] [Option: 3-4-5mm, 4-5-6mm]
  2. Allen Hex key[Quantity: 1] [Option: flat head]
  3. Alternative Allen Hex key
  4. Screw driver hand tool
  5. LED Flash light
  6. Super Glue Liquid Bottle

SOLDERING

  1. Electric soldering iron
  2. Soldering station 1
  3. Soldering station 2
  4. Soldering wire
  5. Soldering dross
  6. Soldering tweezers
  7. Wire cable stripper
  8. Wire cable stripper 2
  9. Metal soldering holder

ALIEXPRESS SCREWS

  1. Pandametal Screws Store : most of what you need is here

3D PRINTER

  1. CREALITY 3D Printer Ender-3
  2. AnyCubic Photon Mono X
  3. AnyCubic Kobra 2 Neo
  4. PLA Filament 1.75mm
  5. PLA Filament 1.75mm alternative

Step 1: Building Guide Diagram

This diagram will help you know exactly where each screw is located, with a PDF file that contains the complete list of all screws to purchase.

Attachments

Step 2: ASSEMBLY OF THE BUTTON BOX

  1. Fix the buttons/encoders on the plate
  2. Fix the USB card on the casing
  3. Take out the USB cable using the cable clamp
  4. Close the button plate.

Step 3: ASSEMBLY OF THE PADDLE SHIFTER

Now, here's the assembly of the magnetic paddles shifters. You can download them here if you want to make them independently of the steering wheel.

There are holes to pass the microswitch cable inside the case.

Step 4: ELECTRONICS

For the electronics, you'll just need to use an Arduino Pro Micro board and solder the buttons and microswitches. However, my tutorial doesn't include rotary encoders.

You will need to download Arduino, install the joystick library, and then select your Arduino Pro Micro board and flash it!

You need to download Arduino here : https://www.arduino.cc/en/software

And install the Joystick library : https://github.com/MHeironimus/ArduinoJoystickLibrary

The Arduino Sktech is included.

Attachments

Step 5: SETUP

You can adjust the paddle shifters to fit your fingers, and also remake the front plate if you want to configure your own buttons.

For this, a .step file is provided, you will only have to make the modification with free software like FreeCAD or Fusion360.

Step 6: That's All!

Your DIY Button Plate is finished, all you have to do is mount it on your wheel base and enjoy it in your sim racing games.

I hope this tutorial is clear enough and I wish you good luck if you want to start this project!