Ripspeed disability steering balls return :D

ubersonic · 15 Mar 2011 at 17:38

I know the vast majority of people will have no use for this information but it seems the Ripspeed drift knobs have resurfaced!!

For those that don't know about 10 years ago when they were doing everything they could to cater to boy racers Halfords inadvertently started selling the absolute best steering ball on the market, they advertised it as a "drift knob" not a mobility aid but its the same difference.

Sadly they discontinued them as interest in the boy racer scene died out but now they have resurfaced, search for "Steering Wheel Aid Power Handle Type R Spinner Knob" on a popular auction site and it should come straight up, they have a silly Type-R logo now instead of the Ripspeed one but its the same thing, mine has just arrived to replace my 8 year old Ripspeed one

In case people are wondering what make these so great, 99.9% of steering balls mount themselves either inside or outside the wheel thus screwing up the turning circle (making it shorter but harder to turn or longer but easier) however these babies sit on the actual wheel which reduces the amount of "disconnect" you feel from the steering and make steering a lot easier to judge.

Shad · 15 Mar 2011 at 17:46

Why on earth would you want that on your steering wheel?? :confused:

ubersonic · 15 Mar 2011 at 17:51

Shad said:
Why on earth would you want that on your steering wheel??

Well, in my case its because I have a missing arm and am required by law to have a steering ball fixed to the wheel, of which this is the best type available (which is quite odd considering the effort some company's go to to design their products and then this "ricer" toy comes along and by some fluke trumps them all) but a lot of people with other disabilities are required to use them too.

Wicksta · 15 Mar 2011 at 17:53

On an unrelated note, how many people here remember when Ripspeed were a decent little shop in Edmonton? I remember going there a few times for things like a Janspeed exhaust.

Dj_Jestar · 15 Mar 2011 at 17:54

In other news, Shad now wishes the ground would open up and swallow him whole..

NickXX · 15 Mar 2011 at 17:56

Wicksta said:
On an unrelated note, how many people here remember when Ripspeed were a decent little shop in Edmonton? I remember going there a few times for things like a Janspeed exhaust.

I remember, well, I remember my great-grandad telling me about it.

andi · 15 Mar 2011 at 18:05

Wicksta said:
On an unrelated note, how many people here remember when Ripspeed were a decent little shop in Edmonton? I remember going there a few times for things like a Janspeed exhaust.

Was that for your Model T?

Dj_Jestar · 15 Mar 2011 at 18:14

I actually remember them when they were just starting to expand, but still operated out of Edmonton. I could be wrong, but that's what I remember from the early 90s and from what I remember of their adverts. When I subscribed to Max Power

Rich1988 · 15 Mar 2011 at 18:17

Shad said:
Why on earth would you want that on your steering wheel??

I think hes got a pretty good excuse

im pretty sure you could use them for drifting as well, not that I would

Westyfield2 · 15 Mar 2011 at 18:25

Shad said:
Why on earth would you want that on your steering wheel??

Drifting y0!

Also I don't know about these days with the IVA test, but it used to be that if a car was SVA'd with a disability knob it got tested to an easier set of rules or something. Can't remember the specifics, but I met a grey-importer that used to play the system with it

.

TaKeN · 15 Mar 2011 at 18:34

These are absolutely awesome on tractors, makes driving so much easier. I must purchase one for the 4240

Shad · 15 Mar 2011 at 18:50

ubersonic said:
Well, in my case its because I have a missing arm and am required by law to have a steering ball fixed to the wheel, of which this is the best type available (which is quite odd considering the effort some company's go to to design their products and then this "ricer" toy comes along and by some fluke trumps them all) but a lot of people with other disabilities are required to use them too.

Fair enough. I'll get my coat

(Sorry, I had no idea!

)

Princey · 15 Mar 2011 at 18:57

Drift knob huh? Perfect for my Ro! y0!

Rich1988 · 15 Mar 2011 at 19:04

nah its not JDM enough

Justintime · 15 Mar 2011 at 19:08

I bloody live just off Fore street LOL. I did'nt know anything about cars but remember the Ripspeed place in the early 90s i think.

bledd · 15 Mar 2011 at 22:25

TaKeN said:
These are absolutely awesome on tractors, makes driving so much easier. I must purchase one for the 4240

They are awesome for tractors and lawn mowers, on the mower I only use that, makes sharp 180 degree turns really elegant.

They'd be dangerous on any car with power steering!

cyclops12 · 15 Mar 2011 at 22:31

bledd. said:
They'd be dangerous on any car with power steering!

Nah it's fine once you get used to it

daelo · 15 Mar 2011 at 23:40

Wicksta said:
On an unrelated note, how many people here remember when Ripspeed were a decent little shop in Edmonton? I remember going there a few times for things like a Janspeed exhaust.

NickXX said:
I remember, well, I remember my great-grandad telling me about it.

andi said:
Was that for your Model T?

That had a propper

from me - job well done

Jonny69 · 16 Mar 2011 at 09:02

andi said:
Was that for your Model T?

I've never visited them

Wicksta · 16 Mar 2011 at 09:08

daelo said:
That had a propper from me - job well done

For your information it was for a relatively new car, a 1968 mk1 Escort.

Ripspeed disability steering balls return :D

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