Wanted: Replacement steering wheel for my 76 Spit. Current item very
weathered. Would like same size - or smaller. Does not have to be Triumph
but it must fit the splines.
Peter S
----- Original Message -----
From: Arthur H. Smith <arthurhsmith@compuserve.com>
To: SPITFIRES <spitfires@autox.team.net>
Sent: Thursday, June 17, 1999 2:44 PM
Subject: RE: steering wheel size
>
>
> first Laura says
> > Someone at a car show a few weeks ago told me that a larger steering
> wheel
> > gives more control.
>
> then Dan replies
>
> <Snip
> At the risk of sounding like a male chauvinist pig....<g>...!
>
> a larger wheel will definitely provide more control. If you mean faster
> response, then he was wrong, because a smaller wheel will give more
control
> .
>
>
> To illustrate, lets consider two extreme examples. In the first, let's say
> it
> takes 10 ............................. plus or minus one inch.
> Unsnip>
>
> HUH??? You mean degrees of turn... Right???
>
> <snip
> has ten times as much precision.
> Unsnip>
>
> that might be good for a gun but with steering a car precision is.... How
> do I put this. Your always correcting the direction so exact precession
is
> achieved through corrections in steering.
>
> <snip
> Again, assuming the driver can move his hand at the same speed, The
smaller
> wheel
> has ten times the speed.
>
> What do you want -- precision or speed? Evidently, race drivers want
speed,
>
> truck drivers want precision?
> Unsnip>
>
> Wrong...... The steering wheel in a truck is large because in the days
> before power steering it took a lot of torque to twist the steering to
turn
> a truck. And it was kept large to reduce the effort because on a long haul
> the driver needs to stay at peak. The steering wheel in an F1 car is small
> because 1) the car is light, and the lock to lock is 1 turn, 2) there is
> not much room and in some the wheel isn't round, 3) they have power
> steering to reduce the effort. Look at an old F1 car and the steering
wheel
> is big. I replaced the 15" wheel in my Jag with a 13". The wheel kept
> rubbing my right leg as I got in and out and would leave marks on my
pants.
> On the highway at 80+ there is no change in effort just a sort of "funny
> feeling because my hands are closer together" but when I race it on a
> slalom I found to my dismay that the hard turns require more effort, so I
> may go to a 14" wheel.
>
> Lastly the steering wheels on modern cars with power steering are the size
> they are to make it EASY to steer. Auto makers call it comfort.....
>
> Laura in this case some guys feel smaller is better..... <GGGG>
>
> The arthur >;-} :4 O#:-)8<
> kit car aka 69 GT6 (no steering wheel)
> 82 XJ6 Jaguar (13" steering wheel)
> boxy thing on wheels aka ford aerostar (15" steering wheel)
>
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