Racing sim rigs?

Curious as to what kind of a set up you guys use for your wheel/pedal assemblies. I've been using mine with the wheel clamped to a coffee table and the pedals on the floor under it. Needless to say, its not optimal. I've got some disc issues in my back that I try my best not to annoy and sitting with no back support hunched over a coffee table is . . . less than optimal. I've looked at some commercial rigs but they are 1. expensive and 2. don't look exceptionally portable. Since the PS3 is in the family room, I've got to be able to pick up and move any rig I'm using fairly quickly and easily.

Call me crazy (and I apologize in advance if this image causes anyone flashbacks), but I've been looking for one of these on Craigslist as a budget alternative to some of the pricier set ups out there:

What sayest the hive?

http://www.gtplanet.net/forum/threads/diy-cockpit-build-hide-it-from-the-wife-edition.250225/

I do have my build shared somewhere here on grm but the gtp thread is a little more organized. Summary : $70 invested and I already had the seat.

I'm not totally happy with it, but there are some advantages to my setup.

The wheel mount is made from one or two 1x8(?) boards I had lying around. I picked a height, made two legs and a top, hinged them together, and installed a pair of card table style locks to hold them at 90 degrees when open. It doesn't fold totally flat because after the first leg folds down, the other lands on top of it, so stays ~10-15 degrees open. Looks (and is) janky, but still fairly compact.

I use an aluminum folding chair, which took a few stops to find on taller than the almost-on-the-ground type, but lower than the full height ones. Depending on preferences and adjustments to your wheel holder and TV height, there's no reason any chair couldn't work.

Planning to eventually do it over with actual legs, offset so it can fold flat, and with better hardware and probably deeper screws (it's a little joggly, worst when the lock-bar screws back out).

For the hour or so and $30 I have into it, it's not bad. It's just good enough to keep improving it from getting to the top of my to-do list
I can set it up in front of the only TV in the house in a minute or so, and knock it down just as quickly. Tucks in the hall closet easily.

Yes, I would love to have a dedicated iRacing setup in the basement

This is mine. Used the drivers seat from my RX7. It's on casters so it can roll out of the way.

Man, failboat's is soooo much cooler. Wish I had room for something like that.

In reply to DaveEstey:

Is that bungee cord just to give a bit more weight to the brake pedal?

In reply to Ransom:

Yep

$20 Coleman camping chair with a reclined back

$10 folding TV tray

This is GRM after all

Spool photoshopped out the jar of vaseline

Dave Estey that room looks fantastic! Like a giant cedar lined closet.

I put a squash ball behind my brake pedal to give it some progressive resistance.

Here's mine:

$50 in 1" square tubing and a $35 junkyard VW seat.

EDIT: and I think the school chair is a great idea - if later on you want to build something custom, you can re-use the plastic seat.

So I did a little Craigslisting, and have a call in on this http://kalamazoo.craigslist.org/fuo/4237352374.html

Got to find out if its an adult or kid sized desk. If its adult sized, I figure I can bust out the Sabre saw and cut in a relief until I get the wheel at the right distance from the seat, hole saw the appropriate cup holder size and bam, driving rig for $10.00.

EDIT: Fifty, wow man

I use a $40 Walmart folding card table. It isn't the fanciest but it folds up and goes away quickly. Plus it serves other purposes when the wife needs it.

Ironically, I tried to design mine to be able to roll into the closet...aaand it won't fit thru the door.

It does get reasonably compact with the seat tilted and slid forward all the way, I figure its about as small as it could be before its too small for me.

DaveEstey wrote: Spool photoshopped out the jar of vaseline

Should have left the lube and photoshopped out the cat.

There are pics of my rig around somewhere, but I'll be jigged if I can find them. I use a $30 Rigid Flip Top feed table and an IKEA Poang chair. I built a lttle sloped platform for the pedals that bolts to the base of the table. Works fine and folds up fairly small.

whoa I am totally jealous of all of you guys. I just clamp my wheel/shifter onto my desk. I usually leave the pedals underneath for simplicity.

kazoospec wrote: So I did a little Craigslisting, and have a call in on this http://kalamazoo.craigslist.org/fuo/4237352374.html Got to find out if its an adult or kid sized desk. If its adult sized, I figure I can bust out the Sabre saw and cut in a relief until I get the wheel at the right distance from the seat, hole saw the appropriate cup holder size and bam, driving rig for $10.00. EDIT: Fifty, wow man

I couldn't fit in them when I was young and trim... imagine now? lollzorrs

Spoolpigeon wrote: $20 Coleman camping chair with a reclined back $10 folding TV tray This is GRM after all

smacks forehead, I know what I'm doing after work.

280z seat, wheel fixed to edge of desk.

failboat wrote: http://www.gtplanet.net/forum/threads/diy-cockpit-build-hide-it-from-the-wife-edition.250225/ I do have my build shared somewhere here on grm but the gtp thread is a little more organized. Summary : $70 invested and I already had the seat.

I wonder if you can flock the wood pieces?

Jealous?

Spoolpigeon wrote: $20 Coleman camping chair with a reclined back $10 folding TV tray This is GRM after all

I just noticed something even more GRM. Not only is your set up affordable, cobbled together from different pieces, and awesome, it's better than retail ones. you have 2 cup holders!!

I have to set my drink either to the left of the wheel, or between the wheel and the shifter. Then, when things get hairy in a corner, i'm liable to nock my drink over INTO the shifter or all over my computer keyboard.

The cup holders are the shizz. I've been known to booze it up during races

In reply to Spoolpigeon: You're actually ahead of Failboat in the drink holder department. Unless he's a lefty, he's either gotta go with the weak hand beverage draw or the even more difficult cross draw. Unless you're slow like me, no way that's that's happening on the back straight at Suzuka.

http://grassrootsmotorsports.com/forum/build-projects-and-project-cars/my-50-diy-sim-rig-build/57426/page1/