steering wheel question
 

Is there any regulation reguarding steering wheel changes for auto-x/track days?

My issue is my height. I'd really like to put in a smaller diameter wheel, like something from MOMO or Sparco, in order to have more room for my knees. As I sit now, I have to skew my legs off to the sides of the steering wheel to hit the brake or clutch. It's not like it's something I can't just live with, as I already have for a few years obviously, but if I could remedy it, sweet...

Of course, I do have the sense to NOT change out the factory airbag wheel until I have harnesses installed, at least, but I just figured I would ask so I know if it's even something worth looking into. :?:

Thanks for any input guys!

The better option is probably to change your seat instead, but you can swap a wheel in most autocross classes (all except Stock and ST I believe) and in Club Trials it's okay too.

How would a smaller wheel affect your control of the vehicle? Smaller inputs for the same net result is a benefit, no?

I belive i actually read specificaly last night you are limited to changing your wheel no more then 1" of its org diameter, or it can bump you up a class. how ever i've only read some 24% of the pdf, and only once, i could easily be wrong, other then there is some specific mentions in the rules about wheel changes

smaller diameter means you can rotate it quicker (less hand over hands for 1 rotation) , if you were to loose power steering a smaller wheel should make it harder to turn.

and turning your wheel 60 degrees is still 60 degrees cody. ;) unless your change your steering ratio

On most passenger cars this would be a benefit for competition like auto-x where you're making lots of quick transitions back and forth. OE steering ratios are fairly slow.

changing the wheel doesn't change the actually ratio does it ? isn't that some mechcanics behind the wheel? the evo and the sti have different steering ratios, and yet have the same phyical size of wheel ?

The only ratio it changes is the number of inches/cm's you have to move your hand to get the wheels to steer. Small wheel = less hand movement.

okay, i was going to be completly lost if just changing the outer physical wheel , changed the 'steering ratio' . (not that being completly lost by mechanics is a new thing to me)
I used to think my IC was the air intake on my old wrx. Should have seen me wondering how to get to the filter ... (why do i feel that should be kept to myself.?)

Cuz yer a n00b! :P

In terms of rotation of the wheel -> turning of the tires, no a smaller whel doesn't cange your steering ratio, but in terms of hand movement -> tire turning, it does.

In most classes you cannot change the steering wheel if the OEM wheel has an airbag... unless you're already in SM, you're probably out of luck.

^^that's what I was wondering. As far as everyone's told me, my car's just barely ST, and most of the other mods I want to do would immediately bump me to SM. Guess I'll just wait.

I'm not really looking for the "speed" a smaller wheel affords, just the KNEE CLEARANCE. Scott should understand this problem...

Well, like I said, try a new seat. That's how I'm solving the knee room issue in my Miata. (Hopefully...)

I know you already have seats, maybe just some lower seat rails would do the trick. Try sitting in tyson's car and see what you think. His seat is so low you need a ladder to reach the steering wheel (and a periscope to see where you are going).

Yeah, I've already spent money on a full JDM seat set, and I love them. I really like where I sit in them tho, for vision, shifter reach, pedal reach, etc., so I'm kinda adverse to moving/changing the brackets.

Like I said, it's something I can live with, just wondering.

I don't know about you Cory, but I'm liking how the SCCA is keeping me from blowing my wad on mods. I may just be able to afford life now. :P

I know! there's so much stuff I want to do, but I don't want to end up running auto-x in a class with a bunch of gutted, high horsepower race cars! :eek:

I guess if I do get stuck in SM, I'll just be going for the fun of it, 'cause my car's handling is def. up there, but MY seat time and power output surely have room for improvement! I don't think I could really be competitive in SM! :lol:

Not without extensive engine work, trust me on this! If at all possible, the best class for you is probably DSP. The biggest chance of you not being legal for that is if you have WRX brakes on. Other than that, without major engine work or weight reduction, you're probably legal. Got a complete mod list we can look over?

CF hood / WRX size front Brembo rotors, ceramic pads all corners / TEIN Flex kit (no edfc) / Cusco RSB, whiteline endlinks and HD mounts / rims/tires / JDM interior (98 WRX) / Blitz A/F with velocity stack / Borla axle back exhaust / plugs/wires / Prodrive wing / Unorthodox pulley kit (crank, alt., and PS)


Frankly, not a ton of stuff, and hardly ANY power mods!

Really, despite where I end up, I'll still be there, because I think it'll be a BLAST, even if I end up in SM getting my ass whooped!!!

If you had RS brakes you'd be SP legal, except possibly for the CF hood. And you are STS legal for sure, except possibly for the hood again. And actually, the only major improvement you could make mod-wise for SP is a clutch and flywheel combo. I dn't think you have any more big mods to make in STS, just little things for both.

I thought I heard that my hood could screw me. Damn hood. I would have never bought the stinkin thing if Washoe County School District hadn't parked a BUS on my OE one.

That was pretty much my understanding: that the mods I have are nearly perfect for running STS. Guess I'll just have to show up and see what happens! I'm not too worried for now anyway, because I'll be running Novice this year! I'd like to be competitive when I do start running for points though.

Thanks for the help! All this new info is a bit of a bitch to understand!

Yah, I can't wait till I'm experienced enough that I can bitch about the classing rules. :P

So, you guys want to run in an official scca class, not Novice?

I'm definately running in novice. I think most of us noobs plan to. But I just don't want to mod my car and then fell like I have to take the mods off to get into a class I can be competive in.

^^^
My car is set up fairly well to be competive in ESP. That's where I hope to run once I get some Novice days under my belt.

Just planning for the future. I'll of course be novice this year, but it's something I do want to continue doing, and competing in the future.