Racing steering wheel on automatic race car...

[ChuckBilodeau]

Wow this one is turning out to be a challenge. On a 2020 10spd ecoboost dedicated race car.

Objectives:
- I want to keep the OEM shift paddles (rather easy to physically mount on an aftermarket wheel)
- I need to keep the dash controls somewhere, not necessarily on the steering
- I want to keep the wiper controls
- I want to have a removable aftermarket steering wheel (with attached coiled phone cord is ok)
- I want to keep ABS
- Traction-stability control not necessary

Questions:
- Do I need to keep the clocksping?
- If yes, is there a wheel hub adaptor that allows you to keep the clock spring?
- Will I loose ABS if I remove the clock spring?
- If I do loose ABS, would going to a FP350S module fix that? I'm thinking I would also need the software and calibration for that module? Does that come with it? I doubt it's plug and play... (FYI, I installed the PP1-2 booster and master cylinder)
- Should I

 

[bob]

I have thought about this but too lazy to act so I have stayed OEM plus the cost is going to be high. I;m guessing around 700 bucks all in??? I would think we could move the steering control buttons elswhere so we can see the driver information display in the center. Then get an aftermarket wheel and paddles for that wheel, I do not think the stock paddles can be addapted. So figure 100 for hub/quick release, 400 wheel, 200 the paddles..yeah 1/2 way to another set of Hoosiers...What do I gain? Not much maybe a smaller diameter wheel to quicken the steering would be welcome. I'm not sure if the couple inch diameter difference is worth the price. Then will aftermarket paddles be as robust as stock paddles? I think the wiring is simple.

 

[ChuckBilodeau]

I have thought about this but too lazy to act so I have stayed OEM plus the cost is going to be high. I;m guessing around 700 bucks all in??? I would think we could move the steering control buttons elswhere so we can see the driver information display in the center. Then get an aftermarket wheel and paddles for that wheel, I do not think the stock paddles can be addapted. So figure 100 for hub/quick release, 400 wheel, 200 the paddles..yeah 1/2 way to another set of Hoosiers...What do I gain? Not much maybe a smaller diameter wheel to quicken the steering would be welcome. I'm not sure if the couple inch diameter difference is worth the price. Then will aftermarket paddles be as robust as stock paddles? I think the wiring is simple.

From what I have seen, single wires have multiple uses, it could make thing complicated for relocation because you have to bypass the clockspring for certain wires, and use it for others. I looked at the dismounted paddles and they can easily be reused, so that's a little bit more money saved. The main goals for me here are comfort and safety. Comfort because i'm almost 6,3" and to be confortable with my legs i'm way too far from the wheel. And safety because it's kinda hard for me to get out without removing the steering wheel. Witnessing the recent Grosjean crash scared me a little, safety first! ;-)

 

[bob]

Bummer on the wires incestuously intertwined with clock spring. I do not know what to do about that. Yeah on safety. I kept the steering column articulating holder thing and then welded it to my A piller odwn tubes to my A piller cross bar going to the passenger side. That kept the function of the column so I can move it to get in and out of car easy. I have thought about a way to get more range of motion up and down out of the OE column but have not figured it out because the adjuster part is not steel but cast metal and you can't weld to it. I hope you figure it out. I would like a removable wheel too.

 

[67GTA]

@PaddyPrix relocated the steering wheel controls on his 2018 GT - follow the post below and hit the link to instagram for a video recap.

S550 - The Albuquerque Stripper - Mustang Nosegrind 720 Kickflip Champion Build Thread

Back from 3 days at Buttonwillow, lots of track time, high temperatures, part failures, and escaped without any major incidents, which was nice.Went up Thursday night because it's a 5 or so hour drive with a fuel and food stop along the way, and tried to start things off fresh and rested. It...

trackmustangsonline.com

 

[bob]

Here is the picture.

 

[ChuckBilodeau]

@PaddyPrix relocated the steering wheel controls on his 2018 GT - follow the post below and hit the link to instagram for a video recap.

S550 - The Albuquerque Stripper - Mustang Nosegrind 720 Kickflip Champion Build Thread

Back from 3 days at Buttonwillow, lots of track time, high temperatures, part failures, and escaped without any major incidents, which was nice.Went up Thursday night because it's a 5 or so hour drive with a fuel and food stop along the way, and tried to start things off fresh and rested. It...

trackmustangsonline.com

Oh thats great info, thanks!

 

[bob]

Reading Paddy's thread it sounds like what a kludge Ford makes us do. Clockspring incest with the steering column Ugh!!!! This is just as bad as still having the 7 antennas in the car for the key FOB security system thing so the car will start.

I wonder if we can just keep the stock wheel so the wheel buttons all stay and make it removable?

 

[ChuckBilodeau]

Reading Paddy's thread it sounds like what a kludge Ford makes us do. Clockspring incest with the steering column Ugh!!!! This is just as bad as still having the 7 antennas in the car for the key FOB security system thing so the car will start.

I wonder if we can just keep the stock wheel so the wheel buttons all stay and make it removable?

I'm actually thinking of making my own adapter plate by cutting out the center part of the oem steering and welding a part that would allow me to use a quick release... This whole ordeal has me thinking about some expensive names like Motec and Bosch. aarrghhh

 

[bob]

I cannot do motec bosch in my race class. Oem ecu only. But for the v8s ford sells a paired down harness for hotrods or restomods. I consider going that route if electronic incest is too much in my stock off the dealer lot v8. The paired down ford harness would be great for getting a flood car converted to racecar. Flooded electricals never work. You got to strip all that stuff out.

 

[blacksheep-1]

just for grins, have you ever explored using a fabricated column? the reason I say that is at first blush it seems logical to use the stock column.. but there is going to be considerable cut and paste going on, it might be easier just to start over with a clean slate, and fabricate all of your bracketry on a new piece, In that way you already have the steering wheel you just need to go backwards on the rest of the stuff. I'm trying to think out of the box, it seems like you're going to be reconstructing everything anyway, so just start new, and the make collapsible columns for race cars now.

 

[bob]

just for grins, have you ever explored using a fabricated column? the reason I say that is at first blush it seems logical to use the stock column.. but there is going to be considerable cut and paste going on, it might be easier just to start over with a clean slate, and fabricate all of your bracketry on a new piece, In that way you already have the steering wheel you just need to go backwards on the rest of the stuff. I'm trying to think out of the box, it seems like you're going to be reconstructing everything anyway, so just start new, and the make collapsible columns for race cars now.

Yes this is a good idea. There are advantages like a lot less weight up high. If I was building these cars to race that's exactly the way to go. Often our home brew cars are a constant beta-test until we sell them and they become the next guy's beta-test. How I would love to own an all figured out proven design new factory Porsche GT3 or cayman GT4 racecar with sequential box. They are too expensive and too fast for me.

 

[blacksheep-1]

Yes this is a good idea. There are advantages like a lot less weight up high. If I was building these cars to race that's exactly the way to go. Often our home brew cars are a constant beta-test until we sell them and they become the next guy's beta-test. How I would love to own an all figured out proven design new factory Porsche GT3 or cayman GT4 racecar with sequential box. They are too expensive and too fast for me.

No you wouldn't.. ask me how I know

 

[ChuckBilodeau]

just for grins, have you ever explored using a fabricated column? the reason I say that is at first blush it seems logical to use the stock column.. but there is going to be considerable cut and paste going on, it might be easier just to start over with a clean slate, and fabricate all of your bracketry on a new piece, In that way you already have the steering wheel you just need to go backwards on the rest of the stuff. I'm trying to think out of the box, it seems like you're going to be reconstructing everything anyway, so just start new, and the make collapsible columns for race cars now.

I though about that, and this is what I might end up doing in the future. For now, there are so many other things I want to work out and my time and money are limited so I'll invest them as wisely as possible in areas that are going to bring me the most gains in speed and reliability. Bosh and Motec will have to wait a little for my money, and messing too much with the stock harness is just too complicated and risky. I wont lie, I also like the telescopic column, even though I dont like its weight.

I ended up getting the OMP weld quick release with the OMP cubic wheel. I'll try to fabricate something to fit everything, and should be able to keep the clockspring, wipers, etc.

I'll post picture when I receive the parts.

 

[blacksheep-1]

I think I would go Bosch, back in the Subi days, when we scrapped the entire Subi management system, they went with Bosch because the engineer could assign each component a value and then it would feed the ECM with the parameters that you could use, as I recall it was expensive, about $20K per car in 2012 money, but it sure did work well.
When you do that steering wheel how about a step by step, because I, and I'm sure others, would be interested

 

[blacksheep-1]

So I don't know why I didn't think of this sooner, but I went out to the banana and took a look because I remembered it had an aftermarket wheel on it.
Here's the pics. The turn signals still cancel, the car is key started, the wipers work it's all there except the steering lock which has to be removed by SCCA rules. It looks like it's held on by a giant bolt that runs down the center of the column. It does not however, detach which would be a nice touch for me climbing out between the seat/cage/steering wheel.

 

[ChuckBilodeau]

So I don't know why I didn't think of this sooner, but I went out to the banana and took a look because I remembered it had an aftermarket wheel on it.
Here's the pics. The turn signals still cancel, the car is key started, the wipers work it's all there except the steering lock which has to be removed by SCCA rules. It looks like it's held on by a giant bolt that runs down the center of the column. It does not however, detach which would be a nice touch for me climbing out between the seat/cage/steering wheel.

Does it allow you to keep the clockspring in an S550? I also have the issue of the paddle shifts

 

[ChuckBilodeau]

I think I would go Bosch....
When you do that steering wheel how about a step by step, because I, and I'm sure others, would be interested

Bosch is also definitely my #1 choice. And their ABS system also helps lap times more than people think. It’s supposedly miles beyond the oem system,
I’ll definitely post many pictures and details as I go along.

 

[blacksheep-1]

Does it allow you to keep the clockspring in an S550? I also have the issue of the paddle shifts

It's a 2006 so no paddles and I'm not sure about the clock spring. does it do anything besides the horn? or is all the cruise control on it?

 

[ajaquilante]

I don't see why the steering wheel can't be replaced with a racing wheel and all the buttons/paddles remain functional. You might need to buy a set of "racing paddle shift" paddles for racing wheels to mount them in the right spot on a racing wheel. I've moved a couple sets of buttons to control the DIC on our S550's, Making paddles work should be easy.

On aftermarket ECU/ABS in these cars for road racing. To me, its all or nothing bite the bullet and do it sort of thing. Motec has plug and play packages for the Coyote S550 car, so a Ecoboost probably isn't too hard. They are geared more towards drag racing however, but you can do just about anything you want with a Motec if you've got the knowledge. In road racing you want to ditch the stock ABS too. Ford Racing Parts still sells the FP350S ABS I think, which would probably be a good intermediate step instead of going $10k down the Bosch route.

On Bosch ABS, (this is from using the M4 ABS, as I haven't used the M5 yet) It makes life easier. Does it make the car "faster"? Maybe. By a couple seconds a lap, No. To me it solves goofy/phantom ABS issues that the OEM may have or stability/traction control that can't be shut off due to missing sensors or TPMS or other things. It gives you an easier diagnostic if you have an issue.