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switches on steering wheel
John G - 21/11/14 at 01:30 PM

My dash is a long reach so I am looking to put some switches on the steering wheel. Any recommendations, pictures of existing layouts?
Thanks John


peter030371 - 21/11/14 at 02:24 PM

How many switches are you talking about and what sort?

Is you wheel fixed or QR?

On my old Striker with a QR wheel I mounted the buttons in holes on the spokes (two green switches for indicators and two black one for the horn and one for main beam see picture below) and then wired them with a curly cord to an XLR style connector on the dash. The switches I used were low current so all they did was switch a relay behind the dash. It worked with no problems for the 18 years I owned the car and I assume it still works

Wheel
Wheel


For my new build I have more switches so I have made this plate up to sandwhich between the steering wheel and QR adapter. Ignore the bit at the bottom, I was going to add an RF link but scrapped that idea.

wheel buttons
wheel buttons


My new QR adapter has 10 electrical connections built in so the curly cord will be hidden behind the dash where it comes out of the steering column All 8 buttons will still switch through relays though to keep things safe.


19sac65 - 21/11/14 at 04:26 PM

I bought a sparco wheel with 4 buttons on it
I wired Two for indicators and two for horn
Bought some thick coiled wire to the dash
I used latching relays for the ind , push for on push again for off , push both for hazzards
Or you could use latching switches
I might lose one horn button for a main beam this winter


rodgling - 21/11/14 at 05:00 PM

I did mine like this (using the Race Technology switches):







I was going to use an ethernet plug on the curly wire and a Neutrik panel-mount socket on the dash so I could remove the wheel easily but have decided there's no benefit so haven't bothered. But I reckon that's probably a good way to do it if it needs to be removable as the ethernet plugs carry 8 wires and are quite compact and robust with a mechanical latching mechanism.

[Edited on 21/11/14 by rodgling]


SpencerP - 21/11/14 at 05:04 PM

I did similar, sandwich plate for curly wire.
Turn signal buttons on spokes.
Added CF plate to add switches for engine kill, start button, and headlamp main / flash.

[img] Steering wheel controls
Steering wheel controls
[/img]


rodgling - 21/11/14 at 05:08 PM

Why do you have stuff like engine kill and start button on the wheel - after all, you're not going to be pressing these very often?


SpencerP - 21/11/14 at 05:13 PM

I just wanted a clean dash.
No ignition switch, use a RFID reader so swipe my "key" over a certain part of the dash for on/off.
Also when you are strapped in reaching the dash was difficult for me.

Finally I did it just because I could!


peter030371 - 21/11/14 at 08:16 PM

Not sure on your budget but this is also an option http://summit-technologies.myshopify.com/


mark chandler - 21/11/14 at 09:16 PM

quote:
Originally posted by SpencerP

Finally I did it just because I could!


And that is the best reason


ceebmoj - 22/11/14 at 10:03 AM

quote:
Originally posted by peter030371
Not sure on your budget but this is also an option http://summit-technologies.myshopify.com/


That is very nice, if a bit expencive