OKAY, ....I'm back with an update! Remember that "Swing-Away Tilt-Ramp" steering column project I've been yacking about? Well it turned out pretty trick, AND IT WORKS!
WHY?.......because I realized AFTER I had a full-containment seat custom made to my bony ass, that the rib-surrounds are SO aggressive (my idea) that I could barely get out of the damn seat with the steering wheel OFF! So, once again, I turned to my old friend, "Late Night Engineering Porn" and came up with a solution! Notice I didn't say SIMPLE solution, haha!
The following pics pretty much tell the story: (If you hover your cursor over the photos, you can read the imbedded photo description)
<a href="http://s639.photobucket.com/user/LS7NSX/media/NSX%20Project%205-11-14/DSC_0520.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i639.photobucket.com/albums/uu120/LS7NSX/NSX%20Project%205-11-14/DSC_0520.jpg" border="0" alt="Trial positioning steering column & "tilt-ramp". Note "wishbone" tubing section also being trial positioned. photo DSC_0520.jpg"/></a>
Trial positioning steering column & "tilt-ramp". Note "wishbone" tubing section also being trial positioned. What's any self-respecting fabricator gonna do without some 1 x 4s laying around, and of course, copious amounts of safety wire!
<a href="http://s639.photobucket.com/user/LS7NSX/media/NSX%20Project%205-11-14/DSC_0522.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i639.photobucket.com/albums/uu120/LS7NSX/NSX%20Project%205-11-14/DSC_0522.jpg" border="0" alt="This "wishbone-section" is made out of junk electric-weld tubing, just for determing bend angles, and right-to-left spacing. photo DSC_0522.jpg"/></a>
This "wishbone-section" is made out of junk electric-weld tubing, just for determining bend angles, and right-to-left spacing. Notice the "200 mph tape" holding the front of the wishbone in place!
<a href="http://s639.photobucket.com/user/LS7NSX/media/NSX%20Project%205-11-14/DSC_0525.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i639.photobucket.com/albums/uu120/LS7NSX/NSX%20Project%205-11-14/DSC_0525.jpg" border="0" alt="Wishbone section fitted to "leftover" original (straight) crossmember ends. photo DSC_0525.jpg"/></a>
Wishbone section fitted to "leftover" original (straight) crossmember ends. Note the extra "slip-tubing" to allow me to experiment with right-to-left placement of the wishbone, for ramp clearance needs.
<a href="http://s639.photobucket.com/user/LS7NSX/media/NSX%20Project%205-11-14/DSC_0437.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i639.photobucket.com/albums/uu120/LS7NSX/NSX%20Project%205-11-14/DSC_0437.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo DSC_0437.jpg"/></a>
Notice the NEW Tilton pedal assemblies and their relation to the lower steering column, which is 4 inches further INBOARD than OEM column hole (because I re-positioned the seat closer to center by 2.5 inches too). New column nestles between brake & gas pedals, but doesn't interfere whatsoever with my feet!
<a href="http://s639.photobucket.com/user/LS7NSX/media/NSX%20Project%205-11-14/DSC_0440-1.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i639.photobucket.com/albums/uu120/LS7NSX/NSX%20Project%205-11-14/DSC_0440-1.jpg" border="0" alt="Collapsible column has about 6 inches of collapse left; wheel remains fixed, column collapses from bottom-up. photo DSC_0440-1.jpg"/></a>
Collapsible column has about 6 inches of collapse left; wheel remains fixed, column collapses from bottom-up. You can also see that lowest portion of steering column is supported by a FIXED tube enclosure (with internal needle bearings)....the tube bolts to the front lower crossmember which ties the front down-tube attachment plates together (8-point cage!).
<a href="http://s639.photobucket.com/user/LS7NSX/media/NSX%20Project%205-11-14/DSC_0438.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i639.photobucket.com/albums/uu120/LS7NSX/NSX%20Project%205-11-14/DSC_0438.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo DSC_0438.jpg"/></a>
Early trial positioning; Note aluminum bearing hanger at bottom end of steering column is attached to temporary fixture that allows me to adjust the column's angle of inclination! Notice too that the ramp ends are still in raw length configuration because I hadn't determined the maximum swing that would be possible at this point. (next pic shows ramp with "ends" welded on) You can also see the lower column fixed support tube and the lower front crossmember a little better in this photo.
<a href="http://s639.photobucket.com/user/LS7NSX/media/NSX%20Project%205-11-14/20140507_141551.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i639.photobucket.com/albums/uu120/LS7NSX/NSX%20Project%205-11-14/20140507_141551.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo 20140507_141551.jpg"/></a>
Here, the ramp "glide" is clamped at the uppermost end of its swing so the crossmember braces can be fabbed to locate the ramp in its precise arc and inclination. Also, check out the super trick "molded" hanger that positions the lower aluminum steering column bearing carrier! I sorta got carried away one weekend cypherin how to do something different there (wasn't about to weld an angle bracket to all of that lovely round moly), SO.....about 18 man-hours later, and VOILA!
<a href="http://s639.photobucket.com/user/LS7NSX/media/NSX%20Project%205-11-14/20140507_150238.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i639.photobucket.com/albums/uu120/LS7NSX/NSX%20Project%205-11-14/20140507_150238.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo 20140507_150238.jpg"/></a>
The ramp bracing is pretty simple, and is made out of "O-too-thin" MILD steel tubing (just in case)....notice the entire ramp & glide assembly BOLTS in with just 5 bolts, for fast & easy disassembly. The entire configuration weighs just under 2 pounds!
<a href="http://s639.photobucket.com/user/LS7NSX/media/NSX%20Project%206-25-14/DSC_0645.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i639.photobucket.com/albums/uu120/LS7NSX/NSX%20Project%206-25-14/DSC_0645.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo DSC_0645.jpg"/></a>
Race position!
<a href="http://s639.photobucket.com/user/LS7NSX/media/NSX%20Project%206-25-14/20140520_111747.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i639.photobucket.com/albums/uu120/LS7NSX/NSX%20Project%206-25-14/20140520_111747.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo 20140520_111747.jpg"/></a>
EXIT position!
<a href="http://s639.photobucket.com/user/LS7NSX/media/NSX%20Project%206-25-14/DSC_0648-1.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i639.photobucket.com/albums/uu120/LS7NSX/NSX%20Project%206-25-14/DSC_0648-1.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo DSC_0648-1.jpg"/></a>
Good shot of the completed wishbone crossmember & "Tilt-Away" steering assembly (pretty cool suspension shot too, complete with "Droop-Limit Tethers"!)
What isn't obvious about this "LNEP" is the precision necessary to make this design work smoothly! After a LOT of late night "tinkerin", I decided the Tilt-Ramp should have a radius of 10 inches, on center. That necessitates that it be positioned EXACTLY 10 inches, center-to-center from the center of the universal joint at the base of the steering column. I also had to make sure that the ramp angle and total swing didn't exceed the maximum departure angle inherent in the universal joint design.
Like I said.......a whole lotta Late Night Engineering Porn!
