Interior Exterior
Q:
A friend, Speed Racer, has replaced the Federal steering wheel with the steering wheel from the European version of our car, the 111R.
As with any modification there are advantages and disadvantages.
Advantages:
The wheel is farther away from the driver, about a inch or so. The relationship between the seat, wheel and pedals is changed to a more arms outstreched position.
The wheel is closer to the turn indicator and wiper stalks, making them easier to reach without having to move your fingers so much.
No air bag.
Different profile, no texture or change in grips.
No buttons on the outside rim and hence no inadvertant horn honking during an autocross or track day.
Disadvantages:
No air bag.
Different profile, no texture or change in grips.
Expensive ($560+)
Modifications required. Some Americun ingenuity required, according to a inside Lotus source.
Chris Harris of Auto Car magazine published an editorial about the perfect steering wheel and named the Elise as the winner. It makes interesting reading:
http://www.sandsmuseum.com/cars/elis...lisewheel.html
For more information on how to do the conversion or for part numbers, you can visit the my site:
http://www.sandsmuseum.com/cars/elis...11r/index.html
Lotus also makes a removable steering wheel with the logo. You can contact Robert P for more information on either the removable wheel or how to order the 111R wheel.
Michael
A:
Turned out nice Michael.
You need the matching gear knob now...
A:
Robert was kind enough to point out that the steering wheel will go well with the correct knob.
SpeeRacer wanted to thank Robert for going to the extra effort to obtain the steering wheel for me. Obviously it is not an item carried by the local Lotus dealer.
Now, if someone could wisper the resistor value that will spoof the air bag computer into thinking the air bag was still there. Someone was kind enough to suggest 3.3 ohms or several other values. It is hard to tell because the computer threw an exception when it did not find the right value out there and now it may take a Lotus Scan Tool to extinguish the seat bag light.
I drove SpeedRacer's car at Laguna Seca and the wheel was great. It was farther away from the driver and the view of the instruments was improved.
Michael
A:
I'd probably like the steering wheel, regardless of the type, closer to me than it is currently. Is there a way to shim the wheel a bit closer to the driver with the Fed wheel? It's a case of having long legs.
Also, is the Euro wheel thicker than the Fed?
- J
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Isn't there a certain irony here? I mean if Lotus always uses the "perfect wheel", then why is it different in the first place? Is it all about the airbag?
A:
then why is it different in the first place? Is it all about the airbag?
Yes
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I like the air bag... even though it might be heavy, wouldn't want to be in an accident without it.
Neil
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I like the air bag... even though it might be heavy, wouldn't want to be in an accident without it.
Neil
I dunno though - with a harness system like you have, will the front-impact airbag do much of anything for you ? I'd think not (as opposed to a shoulder/lap belt)
A:
I dunno though - with a harness system like you have, will the front-impact airbag do much of anything for you ? I'd think not (as opposed to a shoulder/lap belt)
Hey I just realized that I've got more posts than you - how could that be ? Ah that's right, you are driving your Elise, while I'm on the computer posting to Elisetalk and the Elise sits in the garage !
A:
I dunno though - with a harness system like you have, will the front-impact airbag do much of anything for you ? I'd think not (as opposed to a shoulder/lap belt)
mmm... I guess you are right, but I'll take all i can get, remembering the crash I was in a little more than a year ago. But I guess technically I guess you're right.
Hey I just realized that I've got more posts than you - how could that be ? Ah that's right, you are driving your Elise, while I'm on the computer posting to Elisetalk and the Elise sits in the garage !
A:
I dunno though - with a harness system like you have, will the front-impact airbag do much of anything for you ?
The airbag should still be useful. With regular seat belts, the airbag cushions the head and reduces head/neck injuries. I would think it might still do some of that, even with a harness. Of course it may break arms, etc., but I'd take that over a head injury any day.
A:
I've honked lots of times when I have to shift in the middle of a turn and am holding the wheel with one hand. Embarrassing! Change wheel or put switch on horn?
A:
Has anyone installed the Motorsports wheel? There is a kit sold here for 299 Euros / $355. Seems like this version has all the advantages and only some of the disadvantages of the standard 111R wheel - and it's not too expensive
A:
Now, if someone could wisper the resistor value that will spoof the air bag computer into thinking the air bag was still there. Someone was kind enough to suggest 3.3 ohms or several other values. It is hard to tell because the computer threw an exception when it did not find the right value out there and now it may take a Lotus Scan Tool to extinguish the seat bag light.
It should be easy to determine the resistor needed. Just take an Ohm Meter and measure the resistance between the leads to the removed air bag, and there’s your answer.
A:
It should be easy to determine the resistor needed. Just take an Ohm Meter and measure the resistance between the leads to the removed air bag, and there’s your answer.
Apply a test current across the firing leads of an airbag? I sure as hell wouldn't do that.
I dunno though - with a harness system like you have, will the front-impact airbag do much of anything for you ? I'd think not (as opposed to a shoulder/lap belt)
It'll do one thing for certain: force your hands off the wheel.
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Apply a test current across the firing leads of an airbag? I sure as hell wouldn't do that.
I am quite sure that the milli amperage from an ohm meter will not fire an air bag.
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I am quite sure that the milli amperage from an ohm meter will not fire an air bag.
Then you can let us know the resistance.
I wouldn't do it and would caution against blanket statements that it's OK. Someone, somewhere, will range their DMM wrong, use a malfunctioning one, or mistakenly grab their battery charger leads. (Yeah, I'm exaggerating for dramatic effect - at least, I hope.)
Do you know the test current[s] of my DMM? I do. I doubt most folks know more than just enough to get themselves into trouble (myself included), and we're not talking about mistakenly forward-biasing a circuit here.
I'd rather make friends with a Lotus tech. and see what I could figure out from the factory test tools/dummy modules.
A:
Several problems:from an ER doctor's perspective.
Is the car a track only car, ie trailered to and from the track? Otherwise disabling the airbag is not a good idea. And I agree with The Stig that even on the track it has an advantage. I certainly wouldn't want to be the test dummy trying to see how the Elise does in a frontal collision with no airbag and restraints only. Please don't encourage others to do this. If you are on the road you increase your risk of death in a collision by at least 50%. I suspect a lot of people with 5 point restraint harnesses don't fully buckle them up while driving on the road. It is confining, uncomfortable and time consuming. And it doesn't support your neck or head at impact.
It probably has some insurance consequences, even if you only use it on the track. You should notify your insurance company the airbag is disabled.
Are you planning to use a HANS in addition to the restraints on the track? The airbag is a definite advantage with no HANS.
You spend $560 to greatly depreciate the value of the car. I wouldn't buy it.
While it is annoying to accidentally hit the horn during a track day, repeatedly, there has got to be a better solution for that particular problem.
Air bags. A remarkable safety device. If only to keep from having to pick 50 chunks of glass out of your face at 2 AM.
A:
i'm guessing 2 or 3 ohms use a 1/4 watt
i have to go with codymac, don't use a dvm, some can give out 2-3 volts on resistance measurement, most are .5v or less.
if the 2 ohm 1/4 watt doesn't work, find a potentiometer or resistance box and run it across the car side of the interface, adjust it til the light goes out, take it back off, measure the resistance, job done and no risks.
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couldnt you just find the fuse for the horn and take it out on track days?