A propos of little at all, when did they first appear? In F1.
And when did they become mandatory?
Push-on/pull-off steering wheels.
Started by
Gary Davies
, Dec 03 2005 09:58
11 replies to this topic
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#2
2F-001
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Posted 03 December 2005 - 10:18
Are they actually mandatory?
There are pretty much essential to comply with the "get out of the car in so many seconds" requirement.
Don't know when that became a rule though, either; so I'm not much help...
There are pretty much essential to comply with the "get out of the car in so many seconds" requirement.
Don't know when that became a rule though, either; so I'm not much help...
#3
f1steveuk
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Posted 03 December 2005 - 12:37
I believe they are now mandatory, in the same way as a driver needs to be able to be lifted from the car, still in his seat. The wheel has to be able to be quickly removed to aid this.
I know that the Mercedes W154 had a removable wheel, as did (ot) Goldie Gardner's EX135)
I used to Demo a 1904 Grand Prix Mercedes (15 litres, 90 mph, great fun), that had a boss that allowed the wheel to tip to aid ingress and egress, it also used to let the wheel wobble going along, not good for the confidence!
I know that the Mercedes W154 had a removable wheel, as did (ot) Goldie Gardner's EX135)
I used to Demo a 1904 Grand Prix Mercedes (15 litres, 90 mph, great fun), that had a boss that allowed the wheel to tip to aid ingress and egress, it also used to let the wheel wobble going along, not good for the confidence!
#4
Teapot
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Posted 03 December 2005 - 17:00
I've read somewhere (I don't remember where, but I doubt it was a reliable source...) that the removable wheel design as it is now was first conceived by Emerson Fittipaldi, in his youth....
Is this true?
Is this true?
#5
kayemod
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Posted 03 December 2005 - 18:05
Originally posted by f1steveuk
I believe they are now mandatory, in the same way as a driver needs to be able to be lifted from the car, still in his seat. The wheel has to be able to be quickly removed to aid this.
I know that the Mercedes W154 had a removable wheel, as did (ot) Goldie Gardner's EX135)
I used to Demo a 1904 Grand Prix Mercedes (15 litres, 90 mph, great fun), that had a boss that allowed the wheel to tip to aid ingress and egress, it also used to let the wheel wobble going along, not good for the confidence!
Re. the Mercedes W154, the contemporary Auto Unions has the same arrangement. The wheels (bound with string!) were huge, without power assistance the drivers had to sit close to them, and it was the only way they could get in and out of the cars.
#6
Cargo
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Posted 03 December 2005 - 18:58
Bit nervous about posting on this for fear I'm gonna get shot down, but I seem to remember that it was on a Mclaren that the first such steering wheel was used in contemporary times.
I "think" I saw (could be wrong) a pic in Autosport with one of the Mac' mech's holding it up for a piccy. Time period was about (again I think) the time of James Hunt's champ year. It was quite a novelty at the time, and much commented on.
I "think" I saw (could be wrong) a pic in Autosport with one of the Mac' mech's holding it up for a piccy. Time period was about (again I think) the time of James Hunt's champ year. It was quite a novelty at the time, and much commented on.
#7
f1steveuk
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Posted 03 December 2005 - 19:10
Detatchable steering wheels were made mandatory in 1990. I don't think anyone is going to shoot anyone down, but I bet the final answer is a surprise! Wish I knew what it is!
#8
Wolf
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Posted 03 December 2005 - 19:51
1962 Porsche also had removable wheel- neither Gurney nor Bonnier had diminutive stature, so I guess it was out of neccessity (I remembered the photo from 'Cruel Sport' with Dan, still in his car, holding his wheel like it was a baby)...
#9
D-Type
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Posted 04 December 2005 - 00:42
Slightly OT, the Elva-Climax sports car (Mk 4?) driven by Archie Scott Brown in 1956 had a detachable wheel. According to Robert Edwards' biography, this caused Archie problems as he used to pull on the wheel with his deformed right hand when changing gear and he found the wheel came off.
#10
Roger Clark
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Posted 04 December 2005 - 08:08
I thought that Jackie Stewart insisted on a removable steering wheel after his accident at Spa in 1966.
The Cisitalia D46 also had such a device as Nuvolari proved in turin in 1946.
The Cisitalia D46 also had such a device as Nuvolari proved in turin in 1946.
#11
Eric McLoughlin
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Posted 04 December 2005 - 08:37
Stewart taped a spanner behind the wheel to allow it to be removed. I don't think that it was a proper "removeable" wheel though.
As mentioned above, the pre-war Mercedes GP cars had removeable steering wheels.
As mentioned above, the pre-war Mercedes GP cars had removeable steering wheels.
#12
kayemod
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Posted 04 December 2005 - 10:44
Originally posted by Eric McLoughlin
Stewart taped a spanner behind the wheel to allow it to be removed. I don't think that it was a proper "removeable" wheel though.
That's right, the JYS spanner was shown in pics at the time, probably in a 1.5 litre BRM, but it wasn't hidden behind the wheel, it was taped in position along one of the spokes, on one of the nuts in the wheel boss. No nuts to undo behind the wheel.
