SIMUL8R Mark II PVC plans - bottom of pg #7, donations accepted 53 53

[GFS1 1]

Finally got it done. Instead of the seat from my Mitsu, I went to a junk yard and found a pretty late model Subaru Impreza. $25, and it's pretty clean, so not to bad. My Mitsu seats were pretty nasty. I had to adjust a few things seeing as I have short legs and all. I added a complete floorboard and put that rubberized shelf liner on it. Put a small board across the foot pedal pipe so the pedals would be more upright and stapled the shelf liner on it so it pedals wouldnt stick. I still have to redoe the wheel mount. Too shaky for me. Better bracing would fix that. Painted it black. So, this is it. Thanks to all for the advice and plans. I like it.

[simul8r 114]

Nice job GFS1 and your very welcome. Seat looks clean, BTW.

By chance did you take a look at the LumenLab's thread? There have been alot of good ideas developing from the basic design. Just FYI.

Cheers.

sim

[GFS1 1]

Thanks, and yes, I did read that thread. On the wheel mounting platform, I'm not a finish carpenter by no means. That's the main reason why it's kinda wobbly. I did trim down the bottom bracket wood pieces. And the fact when I went to the hardware store(lowes), i got the wrong size nut for the 8" bolt. So, a few little "oops" like this will make it wobbly. I'm just enjoying sitting in it. My old office chair has lost it's padding and the old Hem's are a feelining it.

On the seat, a Subaru seat, the back right bolt on, is vertical, not horizontal. I had to score a line with a hacksaw and then bend it down. Worked out pretty good.

I used liquid nails and screws on all the joints. It seems to hold together pretty well.

Thanks again.

[Voltaic 0]

Hello SIMUL8R

Here is a pict of my rig with the 22.5º elbows. I still have some tweaking to do plus the wheel/shifter/pedal attachments. I will look for a seat in the next week or two.

Cheers

[simul8r 114]

Well look at that! It does look sweet with the 22.5 degree elbows. Good job Voltaic! Looking forward to updates and/or completion.

sim

[Voltaic 0]

Pure awesomeness!

[simul8r 114]

Outstanding Voltaic!! Is there a chance we see a sneak peek of someone sitting in it for others to see how the ergonomics work with your rig and the 22.5 degree elbows?

[Ted_R 0]

I finished mine last night

Sorry I don't have a working Digicam right now

I haven't raced it yet, if things go well, I will later this evening

Ted

[simul8r 114]

Looking forward to seeing it Ted.

[Joe S. 0]

Hi Guys...

I am new to Sim Racing, the PS3 is wrapped and under the tree!!

Would it be possible to get a possible assembled weight on the PVC rig, and also

assembled foot-print size? I would like to built one of these rigs, but I need to be

able to move it easily, as it will share the main living room where the big screen is.

I found another style on eBay made from pvc that is designed to use with an

existing couch or chair, but I like the looks of SIMU8R's rig better.

Thanks

Joe S.

[simul8r 114]

Hey Joe, the rig is approximately 4'6" long, 2'6" wide and 3' high when the seat is slid forward in it's most compact form. It weighs approximately 80-90 lbs and will take 2 people to carry. The car seat is the heaviest part of the rig but you could build around a plastic bucket to make it lighter. Since the rig is made of PVC pipes it can slide easier on carpet compared to wood or metal. There are some builders making the front and rear of the rig seperable for moving and easier storing.

BTW, the PVC pipes used for the build is Schedule #40, used by plumbers for pressurization of up to 280 psi. These are not the thin kinds, the thickness of the walls have been measured to be around 5mm. You could use ABS pipes and fittings but they don't have the same consistancy as PVC and could crack under extreme conditions. They do seem to work, however.

[GearType 2]

Hey all, first post so first a big thanks to everyone at insidesimracing! You guys put on a very fun and informative show. I really enjoy it.

I phase in and out of different games/sims from time to time but auto racing has always been a favorite. The GT5 release snuck up on me and I grabbed it. My last racing game was Forza 2 which was also my first experience with a Force Feedback wheel. It improved the experience so much so I knew I'd need one for GT5. I started with a DFGT, which was actually very good, but the gears were a bit grindy for my taste and I really wanted a clutch. So, after a bit of Internet search madness, I came apon Fanatec. Now I am anxiously awaiting the arrival of a GT3 RS v2 Clubsport Edition. Come on Santa .

Anyways, this also led me to trying to figure out how I wanted to mount it. I had the DFGT budget mounted on a Home Depot metal sawhorse. For the record, if anyone needs to go really budget, this is a good option. Its heavy, sturdy, foldable, and about $30. If you have wood floors, you can add rubber feet (the type shaped like a cup) to it and you are good to go. Wow I am all over the place....back to the topic.

I decided that I wanted to try something more modular, but without a huge price tag. After seeing the Rennsport cockpit (drool) I started looking more into the possibilities....which finally brings me to this post and the point.

Simul8r, thank you very much for sharing your design. I've taken on this project and its coming along. After going through everything as well as the Lindenlabs thread, I've come up with a few modifications that I am trying out. Nothing major, but a few tweaks related to my seat, shifter mount, and expandability should I end up moving to a 3 monitor setup with something like iRacing. Again thanks. Right now the parts are cementing but I'll post some images in a bit as it comes together.

Cheers.

[GearType 2]

In progress photos as promised....

Mods include:

- changed the shifter mount to a lower horizontal setup

- mirrored the vertical brace

- changed the spacing of the support braces on the base to accommodate open rails for the seat mount.

- added a riser for the seat that locks in the seat and acts as a slider for a modified AK Rocker. The "T" joints on the front rail are cut straight horizontally and on the back rail at 45 degrees. This causes the front rail to rest at 45 degrees and the back directly downward on the rail. The front rail joints could be locked in with horizontal pins but so far it seems to hold on it's own.

- added 3 expansion joints to add a 3 monitor mount in the future (plugs are not glued)

- most joints are glued except for a few which will use pins or bolts for disassembly and adjustment

- the wheel mount is reversed for added clearance. I'll see how this works when I get the wheel. Trying to keep in mind that from a seated position, with arms extended, the wrists should rest on the top of the wheel.

The rails for the seat are 30". The diagonal tubes running up to the wheel mount rail are now 13". The diagonal tube on the shifter rail is 7". The seat risers use 45 degree joints.

Thanks again Simul8r!

[simul8r 114]

Hey GearType, outstanding work. I'm glad the plans provided something for you to work with, it looks great. Looking forward to seeing more when it's completed. Also, thanks for posting at LumenLabs site as well. Cheers!

[MoparMike 3]

Big thanks to Simul8tr for sharing the design and plans. I am finishing up the initial construction now and will move onto painting the frame and carpeting the floor boards. Almost decided on a seat for the rig, there is an AK Rocker sitting in the garage but would prefer a real car seat, especially to have the sliding adjustment. I just wanted to share the pics so far and will update once I have more to show.

[PAPA 1]

Hi all

Well done guys, all these look great. Keep the photos coming, I like to see them as they evolve.

Daz

[Storc 1]

Very nice builds. They look really sturdy! I like it! Whats to stop you building and selling them simul8r?

[SakuyaFM 0]

Whats to stop you building and selling them simul8r?

Wild guess: Shipping.

Of course, he could make it into a self-assembly kit instead of ready-built.

[simul8r 114]

Very nice builds. They look really sturdy! I like it! Whats to stop you building and selling them simul8r?

Thanks fellas, actually working out a plan. The biggest I think are the seats which would be nice to sell as a complete kit. Otherwise a semi do it yourself starter for now. What do you guys think?

BTW MoparMike, nice! Is the wheel mount permanent on the 'T' or is it adjustable? Bet that rig is quite heavy with 3/4" MDF's.

[SakuyaFM 0]

I think it'd be better if you have all the pieces ready, and it's up to the buyer to actually snap it on together. No actual work needed from them. It should help you cut down on shipping costs.

I really wish I could get those seats somewhere for cheap, with the PVC themselves already costing half as much as one.

[MoparMike 3]

Thanks fellas, actually working out a plan. The biggest I think are the seats which would be nice to sell as a complete kit. Otherwise a semi do it yourself starter for now. What do you guys think?

BTW MoparMike, nice! Is the wheel mount permanent on the 'T' or is it adjustable? Bet that rig is quite heavy with 3/4" MDF's.

The wheel mount is not glued where the "T" meets either horizontal section of pipe so that it can tilt. I expected it to need some further reinforcement but it takes some effort to tilt so it does not budge during use.

The floor I started with was 3/8" plywood but was too flimsy and the MDF is great but adds some serious weight. Both were just scrap that I had in the garage, I might try to find something in between. I am thinking about adding some heavy duty castors that would be screwed into the floor inside the framing. This would be a low profile look and allow easy movement inside the house. The strength of the MDF would be helpful with that.

[simul8r 114]

Castor wheels sound good. Get the one's with the brake locks otherwise you may find the entire rig getting away from you as you climb in or out since it is a bit of an effort being quite low to the ground. Just a suggestion.

[FoxZero 0]

I'm so building one of these! I just need to finish up my arcade stick first before I blow any more money on projects.

[Robstafarian 0]

This is very interesting, indeed. I am thinking of making it out of 2.5″ Schedule 40 PVC, to ensure the nominal width is the tiniest bit thicker than your highest measurement.

For those of you who modified the design: what was your intention for the modifications, and how did they work? I hope to dig into the LumenLabs thread today.

[dragracer 5]

Simul8r, well done. I have been lurking for some time now and wanted to say that. I think this is the design I am going to attempt, well maybe a few modifications given I am 6'6 at 240lbs. I was thinking game pod or obutto but for the price I thought I can build something better "given the fact I am a machinist by trade" so I started looking for DIY plans but I like the simplicity of yours. I am fairly new to the high tech gaming world as I spent most of my time and money racing real cars, I even bought a WISSOTA dirt track car I havent had time to race before it snowed, but I am hoping this will be just as much fun. Oh yeah back to my question for you is that aura bass shaker under the seat like a buttkicker unit? if so how well do you think it works with your pvc chassis vs a metal one. Thank you for your time and keep up the good work.