Tronic's DIY USB Real Handbrake

Hi everybody,

I want to present here my new construction that I wanted to make from the time I purchased my momo wheel, but never had the right materials. I've seen very few around the internet make these and certainly I haven't found any similar commercial product as well.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lOLwLmyqj1M
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lOLwLmyqj1M

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OXEi2pA-gcg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OXEi2pA-gcg


Instead of using a piece of plastic stick or wood for the handle I decided to use the real thing. A real handbrake handle and its mechanism from an old Renault Clio.





To interface to the computer I could used the internals of an old unused Thrustmaster flightstick I had around:




Now I had to make a case that would host the handbrake and its electronics. For this reason I used my trusty Dexion parts that are already predrilled and easy to bolt together.



The mechanism of the handbrake doesn't have resistance as in the real car so I had to add some springs to make seem more real in the feel when you pull the handle.



Also attached the mechanism of the handbrake to the rotary mechanism of the pot that was inside the joystick with a piece of metal link.




As you can see I placed the electronics in a small box with all cables secured in place with UHU patafix (in case I wanted to rearrange something later). Also used the rest of the axis of the joystick and most of its buttons, placed on the case. Its handy to have these extra controls in reach during a race to setup your car easily.




And here are some photos fully retracted and fully expanded:




Total cost to build: Less than 40euro!!!
Time to build: A few hours


Best regards, Thanos

Hi Thanos,
Great idea implemented! The idea also lends itself to much more. As an FS helicopter enthusiast, here's a readymade collective pitch lever, almost exactly as shown, but positioned for left hand operation. A simple switch would change it over for normal throttle operation.

And for a Thrustmaster which may also have 3 axis control, I think you can similarly have a centerstick or yoke, and rudder pedals. And, of course all the buttons extended for remote operation are useable.

I went thru the painful process of implementing all the above via the gameport. As soon as I get hold of a USB joystick, I'll gladly hack into it similarly!

Thanks for a great idea!

Regards, Erich.

Hi,

I'd like to place a warning about the handling of those cheap USB joystick PCB's. I tried to desolder the cables it had and solder header pins rows to directly plug the cables from the potetiometers and the switches on it, but the process was destroyed the pad connections on almost every input of the joystick... I even tried to repair the tracks with no result...




Its better to use a piece of a small pcb to place the pin header connectors, leaving untouched the original joystick PCB...

Regards, Thanos

Hi,

And here is a small video that took last night. I haven't much time to mount it next to the seat to do a little drifting demonstration, but will be done on next video...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OXEi2pA-gcg



On the second part of the video you can see its mechanism tripping a microswitch... This microswitch is connected now on a joystick button input, so the handbrake action can be used also as digital ON-OFF, in some games that don't support analog handbrake...






Best Regards, Thanos

Hi,

Here is an update on this project. I took some video while using it with some race games (RBR and LFS) The quality of image on the screen is not that good cause of the shot angle of the video, to be able to fit in the frame the handbrake. Anyway you can still see how this work in action. Don't blame me for the bad driving, I'm not very good at it and I admit it!


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lOLwLmyqj1M
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lOLwLmyqj1M


You may have noticed the lack of my joyrider simulator on the video. Yes its still in not operative condition. I just used the bucket seat and for legs I mounted it on some dexion parts that I had spare and fixed the handbrake on it with just two bolts!!!! It works nice. I can wait to test it with motion on my joyrider too...








Thanos

And here is a WRC video that can make your day... :lol:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qFGerOXQtnI


Thanos

lol :rofl:
nice one

Hi,

The video you seen a couple posts above was made last week but edited and uploaded just yesterday. In the meantime I gave this USB handbrake to Chris (GIT). Making it, was his idea as it would help him in his drifting races giving him the bit more touch of realism.

Anyway, he already mounted it on his office chair and took a video of his drifting abilities 8)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I7Ua4hw4VvE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I7Ua4hw4VvE


I guess I'll have to make another one now, a little more compact to fit this time in my joyrider motion cockpit!!! :lol:


Thanos

I have been wanting one of those for ever lol
what would it cost for you to build one and send to the states ???
gotta have it lol

Are there many games in market, which support analog handbrake?

Hi m8,

could you tell me what nuts, bolts, springs and all other pieces needed apart from the flightstick and handbrake. Also, im not sure what size slotted angle i need?
will i need to solder then? have you got a video that shows how to do that part of the mod??

Thanks in advance!
Billy

HA! Drifting cat! Love it! I had one of those as well.

There may not be a list of parts so to speak. He would have made it up with whatever was lying around. Thats what DIY is, use what you have.
LIke I did for a home made shifter homemade-sequential-shifter-t3530.html?hilit=shifter
: