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I like my Fanatec CSR elite steering wheel, but the Hub that connects Steering wheel and base was always in for a steering wobble around the vertical axis. If I tightened the two screws, it was better, if the FFB rattle loosen em up, or some material was rubbed away, it got worse. That went for quite a long time until the first internal thread was damaged (the thread is in the left part on picture 1). From that point on, one screw was left to try prevent wobble, it was pathetic. The screws at least worked as a pin so the steering wheel couldn't get off the base, but it was pretty annoying to drive with that. I like the wheel and besides that it still works well, so I decided to fix it. Instead of fixing the badly construed hub (that is not a quick release), I was going to make a new one. My own, better, stronger, lighter, smarter.
First the old hub. It's two casting or pressure casting parts that get screwed on steering wheel and base fairly properly, but the connection between them is by form locking in rotation, with not the best tolerances and two screws going in it radial. It would need at least three radial screw connections to make it a somehow sensible connection.
The left part, goes into the plastic of the steering wheel, it is a bit weird. In the picture above the steering wheel would be left of the parts. The shaft on the left, where the screws are in, goes into the wheel but stops a few Millimetres before it makes contact, so that the friction fit is not at the shaft, it is a the collar. The collar sits on the plastic part of the wheel, and is pressed onto with the 4 screws.
Seeing that I tough, if that collar is the spot where the Torque is going from hub to wheel, I can simplify that. Replacing the shaft part of the wheel connector with 4 longer screws that also just press the collar on the plastic part. Instead of cutting threads, I use screws and nuts to put this two parts together. In the following CAD picture, the black ring is the plastic tube part of the steering wheel that I connect to. For the connection between the two new hub parts I just went with a simple flange. Making it two fairly simple turned parts with some drilling to be done. The green part is just a tube with a collar and a bottem to connect on the shaft of the base. With a whole thru it all for the cables and the plugs. I decided to make my hub a bit longer than the old one so there is more space between wheel and base for the monitor. The cables inside are long enough. At least 3 mm of material thickness is massive for this use case.
CAD:
I measured all the important lengths and especially pitch circle diameters and put it into the construction. Ordered a 80 mm EN AW 6082 (Aluminium) shaft. Made a technical drawing to use on the lathe machine and as the lockdown was softened, I went for it. Due to issues with the band saw I had to do way too much hand sawing for my taste. Sawing 80 mm of Aluminium is not much fun. Because of that trouble the final parts are not 100% exact to drawing but who cares, they are just a bit heavier as construed.
Turning process in a Nutshell:
It took way longer than I thought so I didn't had time to make pictures. Here is just one from the shop at the end of day 2 ._.
In the following two pictures are the finished parts and the screws + nuts necessary to connect it. Took nylon locking nuts, so nothing can come lose this time. Also a weight comparison to the stock bad bad hub connector thing. It's still lighter than the old. The screws to connect to the base stay the same, but in my construction I have enough space to add washers.
As everything was ready and even did fit together,yes I was surprised too as I expected, it was time for assembly. In the following pictures the parts come together.
Back of the steering wheel. The plate mounted on, screws not yet tightened!
Front of the wheel with the option to tighten the screws thru the wheel-plate. Comes handy.
Base Part connected
Base part look inside
How it comes together
et voilà
Now finally also the Hub of this product is elite
For the Wheel Plate I used M4x50 screws
Drawings for a D70 Shaft:
part1
part2
First the old hub. It's two casting or pressure casting parts that get screwed on steering wheel and base fairly properly, but the connection between them is by form locking in rotation, with not the best tolerances and two screws going in it radial. It would need at least three radial screw connections to make it a somehow sensible connection.
The left part, goes into the plastic of the steering wheel, it is a bit weird. In the picture above the steering wheel would be left of the parts. The shaft on the left, where the screws are in, goes into the wheel but stops a few Millimetres before it makes contact, so that the friction fit is not at the shaft, it is a the collar. The collar sits on the plastic part of the wheel, and is pressed onto with the 4 screws.
Seeing that I tough, if that collar is the spot where the Torque is going from hub to wheel, I can simplify that. Replacing the shaft part of the wheel connector with 4 longer screws that also just press the collar on the plastic part. Instead of cutting threads, I use screws and nuts to put this two parts together. In the following CAD picture, the black ring is the plastic tube part of the steering wheel that I connect to. For the connection between the two new hub parts I just went with a simple flange. Making it two fairly simple turned parts with some drilling to be done. The green part is just a tube with a collar and a bottem to connect on the shaft of the base. With a whole thru it all for the cables and the plugs. I decided to make my hub a bit longer than the old one so there is more space between wheel and base for the monitor. The cables inside are long enough. At least 3 mm of material thickness is massive for this use case.
CAD:
I measured all the important lengths and especially pitch circle diameters and put it into the construction. Ordered a 80 mm EN AW 6082 (Aluminium) shaft. Made a technical drawing to use on the lathe machine and as the lockdown was softened, I went for it. Due to issues with the band saw I had to do way too much hand sawing for my taste. Sawing 80 mm of Aluminium is not much fun. Because of that trouble the final parts are not 100% exact to drawing but who cares, they are just a bit heavier as construed.
Turning process in a Nutshell:
It took way longer than I thought so I didn't had time to make pictures. Here is just one from the shop at the end of day 2 ._.
In the following two pictures are the finished parts and the screws + nuts necessary to connect it. Took nylon locking nuts, so nothing can come lose this time. Also a weight comparison to the stock bad bad hub connector thing. It's still lighter than the old. The screws to connect to the base stay the same, but in my construction I have enough space to add washers.
As everything was ready and even did fit together,
Back of the steering wheel. The plate mounted on, screws not yet tightened!
Front of the wheel with the option to tighten the screws thru the wheel-plate. Comes handy.
Base Part connected
Base part look inside
How it comes together
et voilà
Now finally also the Hub of this product is elite
For the Wheel Plate I used M4x50 screws
Drawings for a D70 Shaft:
part1
part2
Last edited: