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What heights are people using for steering wheels?

It seems like every time I sit in it I think "OK this is too high" so I lower it, then next time I get in I think it's too low.
- I guess ultimately it's a matter of personal choice but does anyone have some guidance here?
- Seems like the F1 guys have the wheel far away and shoulder height whereas the NASCAR guys have it a litte lower and close into the chest.
- Anyway, just curious to hear your take....

<N>

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In God We Trust... All Others, Bring Data.

Miata based, custom chassis build in progress. First Drive!!! http://locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=35&t=2269&start=375

Exactly. Depends on a lot of things, how close you sit to the wheel, how high your knees are, is it blocking the view, etc. Look at real race cars, the wheel's are all over the place.

Besides, I'm not going to be driving your car, right? So it doesn't matter what I like. But if I am going to drive your car I'll give you some numbers.

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Midlana book: Build this mid-engine Locost!, http://midlana.com/stuff/book/
Kimini book: Designing mid-engine cars using FWD drivetrains
Both available from https://www.lulu.com/

I remember hearing this:

Sit in your driving seat/position. Stick your arms out straight in front of you, parallel to the floor of the car. The top of the steering wheel should intersect your arms/hands.


But in such a tight car like a seven, I would just want to make sure the wheel is comfortable to turn in all positions (hand over hand, hand on the bottom of the wheel, the top, etc).

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Georgia Tech
Ride and Handling Engineer for a major car company
Locost finished - book frame, IRS, '84 celica GTS donor, '99 tacoma 2rz motor with a turbo, megasquirt DIYPNP. Getting rebuilt with new IRS, F20C
"the all-consuming time-sucking car, which I really enjoy working on" -KB

A practical limitation is that when turning the wheel, you don't want your hands to hit your knees (when they're lifted off the pedals.)

_________________
Midlana book: Build this mid-engine Locost!, http://midlana.com/stuff/book/
Kimini book: Designing mid-engine cars using FWD drivetrains
Both available from https://www.lulu.com/

The problem I had was I needed (or felt I needed) to position the steering wheel before I had the frame mobile. I could only estimate where my field of view was going to be while I sat in it on the build table with nothing but a cluttered shop wall dead ahead. I wanted it as high as possible without getting into the field of view. I was also trying to get it where the speedo and tach could be seen through the spokes rather than putting them outside the wheel area. I wound up with it in a good position, but there are times when, like Kurt warns, my hands hit my left knee. As it turned out, I could have had the wheel as much as an inch higher and still not gotten into the field of view. One of my future plans is to re-do the dash and raise the wheel a half or three quarters of an inch.

By the way, I don't recall the wheel height, but it's a 13" and my frame is +1 inch higher and scuttle +1 inch taller than the book.

John

Another thing is steering wheel orientation. Some people, like me, want the steering shaft pointing straight at my shoulders. Other people appear to like the "bus driver" layout, with the steering shaft nearly pointing at the roof. Again, it's all personal preference.

_________________
Midlana book: Build this mid-engine Locost!, http://midlana.com/stuff/book/
Kimini book: Designing mid-engine cars using FWD drivetrains
Both available from https://www.lulu.com/

Consider extending your steering shaft first and aim it through the firewall wherever there is room. Mine ended up going right between the master cylinders and between my top swing pedal assemblies. From there you need to consider what else it might interfere with (header etc.) and make sure you don't make it too hard to get it tied into the rack.

With all the above in mind you should then consider just how high you put it, but you might be limited by the considerations posted above.

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He is a wise man who does not grieve for the things which he has not, but rejoices for those which he has.

I had the chance to sit in a new Caterham 7 and a Giavanni (sp) with a tape and measure.
Both cars had the wheel center at 18" from the floor.
I'm sure, as others have said, there are things that could change that, but this would be a good place to start, I think.
Wayne

Chet, I think you nailed it on the head. I can either have it low and go through the firewall above the brake pedal, or have it higher and go above the firewall.

I think with the considerations of header/rack connection/foot clearance etc. I'll end up with the latter.

- As you can see in my build log I have the wheel end tacked in place and the rack end clamped to the frame with plenty of spring clamps. I've decided on something approximately shoulder height and fairly close to the chest. It's actually on the aft-side of the shifter centerline.

I think it was Keith Tanner in his GRM interview who said something like "don't let yourself suffer from analysis paralysis, if you can build it once, you can build it twice..." (rough quote of course, KT, feel free to correct me.) But the point is, I'll take a good first crack at it and if I hate it after I get the thing on the road I can re-install the column in a better spot. -I'll be using POR-15 so I can spot-weld and repaint if need be.
Thanks for all the feedback!

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In God We Trust... All Others, Bring Data.

Miata based, custom chassis build in progress. First Drive!!! http://locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=35&t=2269&start=375

That looks to be almost exactly where mine ended up. I went about an inch over the top tube of my book frame.

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He is a wise man who does not grieve for the things which he has not, but rejoices for those which he has.

Thanks for the pics! I really like the way you put your pillowblock bearing on the forward end of the steering shaft, so there is a U joint in each section. That way you don't have to be quite as precise when lengthening the aft section.

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In God We Trust... All Others, Bring Data.

Miata based, custom chassis build in progress. First Drive!!! http://locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=35&t=2269&start=375

Thanks but that's a 100% copy of how Kieth did it in his book.

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He is a wise man who does not grieve for the things which he has not, but rejoices for those which he has.

Oh. I guess I just didn't remember what his pictures looked like. I obviously need to thumb through the book again.

_________________
In God We Trust... All Others, Bring Data.

Miata based, custom chassis build in progress. First Drive!!! http://locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=35&t=2269&start=375

The pictures are of mine, but I copied the pictures of his.

_________________
He is a wise man who does not grieve for the things which he has not, but rejoices for those which he has.