Good DIY aluminium profile sim rig instructions?

[Bez]

are there any go to/tried and tested instructions for DIY projects using aluminium profile, I've found a couple but wondered if there was a definitive design people use.

Edit: or a good premade aluminium profile rig on sale?

 

[William Geuze]

I'm playing with some drawings for this type of rig, I've uploaded what I have right now. Using 45x45 profile found on www.motedis.com

http://www.mediafire.com/download/8x704shx4zhd742/ontwerp2_45x45.pdf

A proper way to mount the seat is missing, don't have a seat yet

 

[Bez]

That 45x45 on motedis was the same stuff I was looking at, have you worked out roughly how much the tube and fixings will come to?
I'm thinking of using a sparco r333 seat, was gonna try and bodge it onto my GT omega rig but I'm leaning more towards aluminium profile as I think it will give more stability.
I'll grab your plans when I get back to my PC.

 

[William Geuze]

I have no clue as of yet. I'm still in the stage where I'm blatantly (ab)using pictures of other rigs to compliment/validate my own ideas and will need to still find a way to mount a seat. I'll have it all measured out and cut to length so even I, who has proven to be no handy man, can bolt this thing together with half a brain My estimate is now roughly in the 300 EUR figure, without a seat. If I add up all the lengths of material I'm already looking at around 12 meters worth of profile in total!

 

[Bez]

The guys at heusinkveld engineering said a lot of their customers use THIS rig. Seems a decent price.

 

[c0rn]

I have just finnished building a rig using Motedis, I designed it myself and then just ordered all the parts precut from them. Very good service and picing. The rig without the seat and the vesa mounts for the monitors (the actual bracket that screws onto the monitor) was just about €520 incl. shipping.

Parts list: http://kens-corner.com/rig/Parts_list.txt

Google SketchUp Model (I will update to latest model tonight): https://3dwarehouse.sketchup.com/model.html?id=u2f7e394c-3dab-450e-b183-7e185a490326
Give me a shout if you have any questions.

 

[Tsfc]

Great post, corn. Thanks !

 

[William Geuze]

I have to change what I said earlier. Yes I budgeted around 300EUR for my rig design. However, when writing up all parts and prices, with brackets and little shoes for the profiles, (but without bolts), the total amounted to just 195 EUR! So, when I'll continue the process (waiting on my brother for now, we're building two) I'm very curious what the end result will actually cost. I'm planning on releasing the drawings and build log somewhere for fun, I took design elements from various rigs, so I can give something back as well

The latest version of my plans are rev. 2
There probably is the need for additional parts to mount a seat, and I might remove one beam connecting the long side beams behind the seat. Having mounted a seat, there already will be two beams across, a third one isn't really going to add stiffness I guess. I see c0rn has had the same train of thought on this as well

 

[Tsfc]

Great news, @William Geuze

Appreciate the contribution and willingness to share to the plans. Good on ya buddy

 

[Tsfc]

@William Geuze how's the next iteration coming buddy?

 

[William Geuze]

The next iteration is waiting on a seat to be able to make the plans for mounting We're going with a generic seat for now because that's easy, hopefully

 

[Tsfc]

Cool man. Bout to pull the trigger myself and debating between the options.

 

[Tsfc]

@c0rn I've gotta say I really like yours. Well done. Is this going to accommodate an ascher mount for your spanky new OSw?

 

[lopsided]

@Bez I have a 8020 rig I made from 45 series profile and it is stout and rigid, by far one of the best decisions/choices I've ever made in my sim racing purchases. I happened across the aluminum thru an ad and basically set out to design mine with the material in hand. Luckily I had enough and have since added to it but found my very basic design to be up to the task.
I really love this stuff because I can change my mind and move things easily.

One thing I will mention is that there are more brackets/speciality "addons" etc. available for 40 series than for the 45 series.
I downloaded the catalog and can clearly see the difference in the offerings.
Not sure if that would affect your design. I made a few brackets from angle iron which I bolted to my frame but I would love to see a few more brackets added to the 45 line up.
Bailey

 

[Tsfc]

I'm also working on an 80/20 rig, as the co' I was planning to purchase their first attempt has been MIA for too long on too many occasions since January, sadly.

Once completed and tested for ridigity, I will post the pictures and parts list here. I likely won't immediately mock up a screens mount because I'm using oculus, but it should serve as a great base to start from for anyone who is using osw and heusinkveld/hpp type pedals and require the stiffness.


Cheers

 

[Bez]

@Tsfc I'm currently using a projector and will be moving over to VR once the consumer devices get released, like you my main aim is to eradicate flex caused by my heusinkveld pedals and accuforce, your design sounds like the type of rig I'll be building, I'm still a couple of months away from starting mine so I'll be interested to see yours take shape.
@lopsided I noticed that the 40 had a lot more accessories in the catalogue, I think I'll probably go down that route as my ability to make custom fittings is limited.

 

[Tsfc]

@Bez for sure man, my design may have a few extra bits to realize the type of adjustability I'm after but won't be an eye sore by any means. I'm trying to minimize the amount of materials as much as possible without compromising on stiffness.

Once I'm sure the design works I'll send you the graphics and the parts list.

 

[William Geuze]

Revision 3 PDF

Waited for a seat, got one, kept the mounting pretty simple. The current way of mounting does allow quite some tilt (you can even invert mounting on the front seat support)for if you want to go F1 style with a regular seat. I've mocked it up with a cardboard box, steering wheel in hand, brother supporting the seat, surprisingly comfortable, 90% there with one seat for gt and f1, close enough for the money to be honest. For the additional 10%, if you're still not happy, invest in a separate f1 seat and make that your own

Next step is to a complete mockup to check my measurements. I'm slowly getting the feeling it's getting a bit of a tight fit at some places. However, it does keep in line with the small footprint I wanted, so will do that next I suppose when my brother comes over again.

I see that the plans have been download almost 500 times now, if there is feedback on the plans to improve them with, that would potentially beneficial to many

 

[Tsfc]

Big thanks to @William Geuze for posting this. I'm always Impressed by the willingness of sim racers to compare and share what they have worked on for all to benefit.

My rig is intended to accept a GT/rally style seat - but an added cost that most people may not get use out of is that there are extra bits to provide a large range of adjustability as designing the rig to accept a dulplicate of a formula seat and a duplicate of my rally/GT seat.

To replicate each seating position exactly requires:
1.) a duplicate of your custom fit race seat - be that a formula seat or GT seat/rally - to use in the rig, as well as
2.) a bit large range of adjustability for wheel, pedals, seat base - which affects footprint and cost

Between these 2 goals for my frame you can have your exact position just like in your Race craft.

I Have to say if you do not require EXACTLY your race craft position replicated....William's design is far more cost effective and far superior !

Well done William !!

 

[Tsfc]

Also, I think in that part of the world you guys use a different erector system?

Here we have 80/20 brand so I would only be able to provide parts for this brand of extrusion