'Racing' Steering Wheel?

[Madmiles442]

You guys that track your cars,
Have had better results or better feel by changing out your steering wheel to a smaller one (13 1/2" Momo or similar) from the standard giant wood trimmed one?
My gut is,
Pro - less turn to move car (no hand-over-hand), thicker, better grip
Con - no PS to help turn smaller wheel.

That con has never been an issue for me before, I have a SB.
Thanks for any help you can offer.

[wtm442]

The ONLY pro is .... Much more leg/knee room for big guys getting in and out of car. Believe me, this is a BIG plus.

You will want to investigate power steering at low speeds no matter what engine.

You will want to drive the 442 after the first day will 13" wheel, but you will get used to it quickly.

[Roger Cormier]

You might want to consider a "D" shaped wheel. You would still have the leverage of the larger wheel and you would have more "gut room".

[DanElam]

That isn't the only pro to a racing wheel. First, some places/events won't let you drive with wooden steering wheels. Presumably the idea is that the wood can splinter in an incident and puncture the driver.

Even with a small steering wheel you won't have a problem turning the wheels. PS doesn't help with that as much as being able to able to make minor corrections very quickly when at the track. The smaller wheel will let you faster corrections on the road and at the track, but the PS is what all the racers found they need to run right on the edge.

One drawback to the racing wheels is that it makes driving on the road slightly more fatiguing; the wheel moves more and you have to be more precise with your driving inputs. On a long trip it adds a little to the concentration and may be less enjoyable for some.

[Aussie Mike]

This is something I've been thinking about. I've got a Motolita wood rim wheel on mine and did my first track day with it a little while back. It wasn't too bad but a bit uncomfortable without gloves.

I've just bought a smaller leather bound wheel for track days and for an optional change of look. It's easy to swap between the two as they both use the same boss. In my opinion the smaller leather bound wheel feels more rigid and less prone to bend and flex. You get pretty enthusiastic with the wheel on the track and I was worried about bending the wood rimmed one. There's no sharp edges on the leather bound wheel to catch your thumbs if the wheel snaps back when hitting a ripple strip or what ever. The thicker grip feels also more secure in your hands with or without gloves.

Cheers

[CHANMADD]

I have had a 11.5" Momo with a slight "D" shape for years and and have periodically switched it with a biger one but I always go right back to the Momo..I run 225/50/16 in front and have nevre found the steering too heavy.
Lots of leg room.I will post a pic a little later.

[scottj]

Originally Posted by DanElam

The smaller wheel will let you faster corrections on the road and at the track, but the PS is what all the racers found they need to run right on the edge.

The most accurate assessment of PS that I've ever read here. Probably because few drivers, other than professional racers, really understand what is meant by "right on the edge".



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[Jerry Clayton]

Yep Scott---I 've known a lot of guys who judge there handling by how much they slide around in the seat in a hard turn

Jerry

[scottj]

Originally Posted by Jerry Clayton

Yep Scott---I 've known a lot of guys who judge there handling by how much they slide around in the seat in a hard turn

Jerry

Jerry- You mean I could have just bought a wider seat instead of a data acquisition unit?

Madmiles442- I am almost satisfied with the results I get using a 13" wheel, P/S, and a quick Z51 Vette rack.


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