Steering wheel v. knees

[KStier]

Test-drove a seven here in NJ yesterday...standard size is a little tighter than Croc's SV I drove a few weeks ago but I am OK with width. I ordered a pair of driving shoes which I think will take care of the pedal-box issue (if not I have found a whole bunch of adaptations on this site that would come next).

 

My question is about the steering shaft. The way it was set-up the wheel and my knees are at the same point (front-to-back) and there is nowhere up or down for the knees to go to get out of the way. The seller tried to lengthen the steering wheel end of the steering assembly/shaft at the joint just inside the engine bay but there was very little room for adjustment there and we couldn't see any more adjustability farther forward at the U-joint for the rack.

 

Any suggestions on how to bring the steering wheel an inch or two closer to me? I would also be interested in a quick release/removable wheel. Do those mechanisms usually add a little length? Last option is a flat-bottomed wheel which would help a little as well. Interested in thoughts and options.

 

Thanks.

 

Kyle

[pi7ot]

A spacer could be added either where the wheel mounting hub attaches to the splines or could be added between the steering wheel and the hub it bolts to. A longer shaft could be used to replace the standard one.

 

m

[oilteq]

Kyle

 

I got a quick release from Pegasus (http://www.pegasusautoracing.com/advcat.asp?CategoryID=STEERQD) that did bring the steering wheel an inch or so closer to the driver. It also gave a little more clearance for your fingers making it less likely to flip switches while autocrossing. And of course, it is an anti-theft device.

 

Blaine

[yellowss7]

I gained some room, and better visability thru the windscreen by removing the bottom seat cushion and replacing it with a thinner piece of high density foam.

 

Tom

[jwduncan]

I added a spacer to my Sparco wheel which brought it 2" closer. I started with a flat bottom wheel but prefer the round wheel. Quick release is nice if you need some more room getting in and out. Still have the flat bottom Sparco if you're interested.

[KStier]

Jeff, you have a message.

 

Tom, I thought of that and of your previous post showing the difference in height driver v. passenger in your car. The lower part of the seat does push my thighs up into the wheel so that is a simple (and cheap) option.

 

Pi7ot, thought of that too but at least on the Caterham and RMSC sites I didn't see any options for the length of a replacement. I suppose that an extension could be welded in? The spacer was the best the seller could come up with but I personally thing that a 1-2 inch spacer is going to look terrible, at least where I am thinking that it would go.

 

Kyle

[MHKflyer52]

Hi Kyle,

 

A smaller diameter steering wheel will also improve things for you maybe.

Tom's removal of the seat bottom and replacement with thinner material is also the way I went in my car also as I am 6'3" and all legs as my wife would say.

[scannon]

I had a hub made to adapt a larger diameter steering wheel for my SV. I had it made to move the steering wheel back 1.75" but when I drove the car I found I didn't like the wheel that far back.

 

I had it cut down to the minimum necessary to allow the socket head screws to be covered by the wheel and it ended up looking like this. Black anodizing would make it look better.

[KiwiBirkin]

When I first purchased my Birkin I had the same promblem as you my knees where at the bottom of the wheel with no way to move my legas around, the Birkin had the stock 320mm wheel, i removed it and put a Momo 280mm wheel on it and ended up with lots of room under the wheel.

[KStier]

Thanks to everyone for the input.

 

I spent a few minutes on the phone with one of the guys from this board and for now I think the purchase is on hold. The car had some other issues and is a little overpriced... I am going to try and see a few more cars before I decide. I will keep all the advice in mind though should I end up with this, or another, classic sized Cat.

 

Thanks,

 

Kyle

[pi7ot]

I'd think that just about any se7en you look at will have been tailored to fit the current owners needs. You'll have varying amounts of fitting to make a preowned car suit you.

 

Your priority is to find a car that is structurally and mechanically sound.

 

Making the car fit you is secondary but will eventually happen in a gradual fashion.

 

I have owned mine since fall of 2000 and a lowered floor is on my to do list.

 

m

[Arya Ebrahimi]

Just start cutting things out of the way until you don't have any more clearance problems

[slngsht]

On a positive note, my knees clear the steering wheel with no problems now

[MHKflyer52]

On a positive note, my knees clear the steering wheel with no problems now

 

So what is the final weight of Franklin 7.....

[slngsht]

haven't had it on scales yet. She'll be at around 1800

[MHKflyer52]

haven't had it on scales yet. She'll be at around 1800

 

Sorry for the Hi-Jack on the thread......1800lbs is nothing for your HP to Wight Ratio...still better than my 9.575lbs per 1HP in my car and a lot of others I would suspect.