Carbon Fiber Steering Wheel

[Buckingham]

For the teams that made their own carbon steering wheels, what was the reaction from the design judges regarding reliability, safety, and weight savings???

Donavan Haidinger
University of Wisconsin FSAE

[Buckingham]

For the teams that made their own carbon steering wheels, what was the reaction from the design judges regarding reliability, safety, and weight savings???

Donavan Haidinger
University of Wisconsin FSAE

[ozzy]

I was making one for our team, but was told to stop as they didnt think the judges would like it. I am interested in replies too.

[jonno]

I can't really see any benefit to a carbon wheel: you can buy a metal one quite cheap (good for the cost report and your team's budget) a purchased metal one will do the job fine (steer the car left and right with minimal fuss) and a metal one isn't particularly heavy without the quick release boss on (standard on both composite and metal) so for a few hundred grammes save i can't really warrant wasting a resource to design a wheel for the year. Fair enough if you are consistently a top team with an excess of members and are looking for the small performance increase, but personally i reckon there are a lot more valuable things to be worrying about.

[Didier Beaudoin]

I think there are two advantages of a well made custom carbon fibre steering wheel. First, for those who have a small cockpit, it is sometimes hard to locate the instruments and lights to be seen by the driver. Doing a custom wheel allows to have a better ergonomy because we can place buttons, shift lights, tach, etc. on it and be sure it's seen right by the driver.

Also, I think a beautiful steering wheel catches the eye a lot. Sure, it won't make you drive faster, but it is an advantage to have a nice car because it makes a good first impression.

I agree a carbon fibre wheel is far from necessary, but it is a nice professional touch in my opinion.

[jonno]

Personally i don't like displays on the wheel... maybe it's just me but i struggle to read a number at 120 degrees of lock

[Denny Trimble]

I only look at the gauges when warming up the car or on long straights in endurance.

We have idiot lights that will blind you at night for upshift and "oh shit" (coolant temp / oil pressure alarm). Drivers won't / shouldn't look at anything else, if they're going fast.

[rjwoods77]

That is money better spent somewhere else.
Carbon fiber steering wheel.....definitly masterbation

[Frank]

agreed

carbon fibre wheel = toss

[Jarrod]

i agree that the carbon wheels are a bit of a toss, but we have that much carbon lying around from doing the wings and this year the tub, that the cost isn't an issue, we just use offcuts. So the carbon wheel is cheaper. It allows us to put idiot lights in the wheel, cause they can be very difficult to see on the dash with your hands constantly in the way. plus all the gawkers look at it when the car is displayed and go "siiick maaate", and stop asking stupid questions like "is it lowered?".

[Eddie Martin]

You guys are just jealous. http://fsae.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif

Seriously though i don't think anybody looks at the steering wheel while driving but if you have a problem in the enduro the driver can use this info to get the car home. Plus you can design it to fit perfectly in your car and not just buy something off the shelf. It also looks extremely cool and profesional.

Our wheel was super cheap, we got a rapid prototyping company to make the mould for free, as they were keen and the materials for the final wheel were about $20 OZ.

Most steering wheels we looked at were at least $300 OZ. So it is a lot cheaper in real life and the cost report.

As for the judges, every one is different and looks for different things in the car. Some love it others don't care at all.

[Kevin Hayward]

Our CF steering wheel in '03 didn't have any dash stuff on it and was really quite simple to make in composites.

It saved us money and was perfectly sized for our car. I wouldn't do it for weight reasons but I think these two reasons make it worthwhile.

I suppose the wheel could be fibreglass just as easily ... but with so much CF sitting around it just a little too easy to intellectually masturbate.

Kev

[rjwoods77]

I can make a steering wheel out of 1 inch 0.035 steel tubing(or aluminum,titanium in whatever appropriate size) with a constant centerline radius of whatever (3" to 5" is practical) and bend it about 240 degrees. What you put in between to connect to the steering column can be done a thousand easy ways. Take about 1 hr to make and like 5 to 10 dollars. Look real nice if you did it right. I used this 13" diameter steering wheel from Sweet MFG one year for our baja car. Thing weighed 1.3 lbs. Bought it for abour 50 bucks. You could make one for about 10 bucks like I said earlier. Dirt circle track drivers use this and they have anywhere from 400 to 800 hp depending on type of car. So basically you could make one 3/4 the weight and 3/4 size.

http://www.sweetmfg.biz/products3.asp?edit_id=28

But that would be too easy for formula.

[Kevin Hayward]

Shaping foam and wrapping it in carbon fibre is pretty easy. Not a lot of expertise needed. Materials are offcuts of stuff used for the chassis. Considering its made from materials that would be turfed anyway does it make it free?

Actually forgot about the polyester resin that you need to use ... around $2 (Aus).

Don't need to make separate centre, no welding, no fasteners (except for the quick release ...

Maybe that is too easy for Formula as well.

Kev

[rjwoods77]

I was assuming not having "stuff laying around". But like the conversations we have had before, you do what you have to with what you have to work with.

[Cement Legs]

If you are really keen on making a CF wheel then go for it... I think it would enhance the cars look... We could all use scrap sheet metal to make our dashes, but do we? I agree that cost and performance benefits might not be there, and the time if needed somewhere else on the car would be wasted, but all that aside CARBON FIBER IS COOL!

I think I'll go make a roll of carbon fiber toilet paper.......http://fsae.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif

Cheers

[Mi_Ko]

There is one reason why I will try to make a carbon fibre steering wheel:
I do not have much practice with composites.

And before we are going to make the bodywork and other parts, we need some practice. And we will get it with manufacturing smaller carbonfibre parts, like the steering wheel, pedal assembly & others.

[carcar]

I don't know if anyone really remembers UOW's steering wheel on their latest car, it was a game boy. Not only was it able to display various information, it was also used to play Mario Kart! To be able to customize your car with a great steering wheel and to be able to play games, all the better.

[Buckingham]

This might work well with your CF toilet paper

http://www.suprastore.com/carfibtoilse.html

[Cement Legs]

http://fsae.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif Tks for looking out for me! I'll be sure to check it out ROTFL.

Cheers

[AndyPate]

Why do people go nuts with Carbon Fibre? I mean what next?, CF turds???