What's new

aj2k

Student
Joined
Sep 2, 2018
Messages
38
Reaction score
4
Location
UK
Hey there!

I’ve been asking n00bie questions all over the place the past few months, in my quest to get my F-Zero wheel up and running on TriForce.
Rather than try and bother people with PMs, I thought I’d try and detail my hopes and dreams here!

While I’m new to all this, I have managed to recently restore and upgrade a Naomi Universal Cabinet to support working N1, N2, TriForce(both types), Chihiro Type 3 and Lindbergh Yellow, was well as fitting and wiring up full 2-Player controls and Gunboard. I feel like I now have enough of an understanding to attempt this next build, but understand I need to learn a lot more along the way!

My next challenge is to get my legit F-Zero AX arcade wheel up and running. I’m the proud owner of two J-SHIP boards, and have the following gear that I’m trying to pull all this together with:

- SEGA Potentiometer, with gear from Initial D (see photo)
- 270-degree Steering Wheel bracket (see photo)
- SEGA Force Feedback Board (although not sure I need this with the F-Zero AX ‘fixed’ ROM
- Brand new TriForce Type 3 (Type 1 on standby I’d needed too!)
- Genuine FZR-2500 wheel (NOS!)
- pedals and many wires!

Now, I know the wheel isn’t first party, but I’m looking for something I can use potentially on a stand in from on my Naomi, or even as seated setup separate to it.

My vague plan right now is to :

1 - Swap the Potentiometer that came with the wheel out for the SEGA one. I was told it’s legit-sega or die here!

2 - Hook the wheel unit with the original/standard wheel still attached to test the analog inputs and confirm I can get into the game with or without the FFB

3 - Hook up the digital wires from the F-Zero wheel, to test that all those extra cool features work

4 - Somehow swap the wheel so it’s mounted in place of the other wheel the setup case with

5 -Build my custom setup/ stand around it I inclusing the original start and view change plate / components plus the game cube card and magnetic card reader. I’ve even found NOS stickers to go on those original plates, and think I can get this looking really nice!

So, where does my logic fail me here - am I missing something pretty big here, that will stop the game from booting or being played well?

Will the JVS-Helper help me out here, or don’t I need it?

I think the real F-Zero AX cab was less than 270 degrees, but I can adapt this to match what it should be.

Please pull / pick this apart, and tell me where I’m going wrong with this plan. Teach me something, and help me get to play this awesome game with the real wheel !

Thanks for your time!

638B1C6A-EDC7-40B1-834C-E7AA2E881109.jpeg
 

Attachments

  • 51D17468-6385-479A-9930-6AD2CDB717D1.jpeg
    51D17468-6385-479A-9930-6AD2CDB717D1.jpeg
    110.1 KB · Views: 929
Last edited:
How are you going to handle pitch with that wheel?
 
I meant the F-Zero wheel tilts up and down. Not sure how you're going to pull that off with the other wheel.
 
I meant the F-Zero wheel tilts up and down. Not sure how you're going to pull that off with the other wheel.
Oh, I actually have the FZR-2500 wheel - that's the point of the project, to mount this beast in a secure and playable way.

I believe it handles the the vertical tilt and extra buttons via the connector seen here in the photos... but not sure. Need to confirm, but it looks like that all happens inside the wheel.

The tilt up and down I think is analog, and connects to P1 AD1 - so its kinda like a gun input that does both X and Y, right?
 

Attachments

  • Screenshot 2018-11-16 at 17.00.22.png
    Screenshot 2018-11-16 at 17.00.22.png
    373.1 KB · Views: 674
  • Screenshot 2018-11-16 at 17.00.16.png
    Screenshot 2018-11-16 at 17.00.16.png
    490.1 KB · Views: 1,042
Ahh, right. Will be interesting to see how you'll pair it up with the wheel bracket.
 
Confirmed that the Y-axis is handled by a VR in wheel unit itself - so I just need to hook those up to the analog inputs for P1 AD1 on the I/O board, and I should be set!

Screenshot 2018-11-17 at 01.47.36.png

So, now how do I mount this thing...

I guess I'm looking for a shaft that has these teeth for turning this...
shaft-cog-thing.png

I can commission a custom part if needed. But perhaps it exists in other SEGA machines?
There seem to be a bunch of different 'HANDLE SHAFT' types, but Daytona 2 looks like a match, from what I can make out from blurry photos online.


@Mitsurugi-w, any thoughts on this? I'd love to get your advice.
 
Last edited:
That looks like a standard shaft end from any Model 3 or newer driving game. Easily found in the UK. Try asking on the UKVAC forums.
 
Looks like I found one! How it connects to the wheel itself, I’m not quite sure...

Lots of the SEGA shafts I’ve seen have more ‘teeth’ than the 6 here, but Daytona 2 for sure looks like a match from the manual.

Will see when it turns up!
 
note that WiiU and Wii U can run perfectly this game so with WiiU hacked is very easy to use a racing wheel ... so game in wide screen 16/9 (native option) and upscale to 1080p from native 480p. So make a Delux cab with HDTV and wiiu is the best.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LeXKJVeM0yk

But a problem with this how to make the forwar/backward move of the special wheel from arcade system? some one can explain what's use about forward backward movment of the wheel?
 
Last edited:
But a problem with this how to make the forwar/backward move of the special wheel from arcade system? some one can explain what's use about forward backward movment of the wheel?
It's up and down actually. Never played it as intended so not sure.
 
@nonosto @Mitsurugi-w - See attached ! It's about shifting the center of gravity when the vehicle is in the air.

While widescreen would be nice, there's something about playing this awesome game as intended on Triforce.
 

Attachments

  • Screenshot 2018-11-17 at 22.32.52.png
    Screenshot 2018-11-17 at 22.32.52.png
    567.5 KB · Views: 899
According to your pictures the paddles control the center of gravity. Up and Down are separate.
 
A little OT, but not really...and my first post ;). I actually own an F-Zero AX machine, and I’m wondering if it would be an easy swap to the Triforce game, “Initial D”, given I have the GD-Rom and possibly the security chip...I would think the controls wouldn’t be too much different, and I don’t expect force feedback or chair rotation to happen...Im just wondering if it’s at all possible! Anyone tried this? Or just know’ if it would work?
 
I'm not sure. F Zero has the up and down controls. I don't remember if the wheel and brakes, etc still match up to the same inputs as a normal racing game. Worth a try.

Anyways there is no Initial D on Triforce but you could maybe swap a different JVS system such as Chihiro or Naomi.
 
I don't see any reason why it couldn't run, maybe even have FF for the steering wheel with little effort. You have two sets of pedals, you could map the shifter to the paddles behind the wheel like on F355, it doesn't matter if the wheel tilts up and down. The big problem is that the turn radius of the wheel is completely wrong for Initial D. F-Zero is like 200 degrees (just over a quarter turn from center to left / right), Initial D on the other hand is 900 degrees. It would control terribly.

Personally, I would look into getting OutRun 2 to run instead. That has a 270 degree steering wheel originally.
 
I'm sorry to pull up the topic but I would like to know more information on the result. Currently I'm looking in France for a standard Fzero AX and I don't know if it's easier to find a panel. aj2K where did you find yours? THANK YOU !
 
Last edited:
Same here , I’m looking for a matching pointmeter (vr) for my f zero ax cabinet, can’t find one , and actually I don’t know which I should use
My current one goes all the way “tilt up”
Crazy little bit , so I hope @aj2k just shows us how is it going
Or the legendary @nem would guide us through this
 

Attachments

  • C4DF0EFD-4CE4-40BC-BA83-DFC5C315BF21.jpeg
    C4DF0EFD-4CE4-40BC-BA83-DFC5C315BF21.jpeg
    91.7 KB · Views: 84
  • 860F5135-231B-4184-AFA1-43CF49B56A38.jpeg
    860F5135-231B-4184-AFA1-43CF49B56A38.jpeg
    115.7 KB · Views: 78
The one you have there now has been replaced. It's just a regular linear 5K pot. Sega uses these on everything.

The original ones are Matsushita brand, but you can't find them anywhere. Just get one that has the same kind of flatted actuator that you can put the cog on (held in place with a tiny screw).

You will have to resolder the wires. You have GND and +5 at the end pins and the wiper will go to the analog input on the JVS IO.

EDIT: also, are you sure that recentering the pot you have now and then calibrating it in the menu isn't enough?
 
Back
Top