Discussion | Direct Drive Wheels: The Good, Bad And The Ugly

[Paul Jeffrey]

Discussion time! Direct Drive wheels are becoming increasingly common in sim racing, but which one should you get?

Long gone are the days of just one or two niche manufacturers developing DD wheel solutions for a hardcore few. In 2020, the discerning sim racer has a wealth of choice when looking to make the switch to Direct Drive... but with so many options, and such a high price point, what constitutes a good purchase?

I am not going to even try and pretend I am an expert on all the different DD bases available today, far from it in fact, so I thought it worth throwing up this thread for our community to discuss their own experiences, and offer up advice to those still thinking over their next steps.

For the record, I run the Bodnar SimSteering V2 and absolutely love it; however at the price point they are asking, you will probably want to follow the route I took and purchase it second hand!

 

[BrunoBæ]

Keeping in mind that anyone spending that much money on a wheel will feel like he has to justify spending so much

 

[RobertR1]

I'll make do with what I have and live with the derisive comments from the self styled elite about not being a real sim racer if I don't have one

Every hobby has it's idiots. People claiming someone else being a "lesser" of anything because they don't have equipment X/Y/Z are just projecting insecurities.

Subjective enjoyment is the only barometer one should follow.

 

[dsl71]

Subjective enjoyment is the only barometer one should follow.

Yep thaths true.

 

[Jonathan Young]

I just ordered a DD2 last week from Digital-Motorsports.com,
its not arrived yet so can not comment but ill come back and share my thoughts after some experience with it comparing it to my CSL PS4.

Yes please! I have had a CSL elite for the last couple of years and honestly, it’s been great, particularly with the Mclaren rim. But it won’t last forever. I’m wondering if I upgrade a little bit to the Fanatec 2.5 when it dies, or upgrade a lot to the DD1. My wife will kill me if I do, so it’s a big decision.

 

[CC]

Yes please! I have had a CSL elite for the last couple of years and honestly, it’s been great, particularly with the Mclaren rim. But it won’t last forever. I’m wondering if I upgrade a little bit to the Fanatec 2.5 when it dies, or upgrade a lot to the DD1. My wife will kill me if I do, so it’s a big decision.

Yes I said to the wife I mean you only get to live once you dont get a second chance why keep buying something to keep putting you on when really its not what you want or desire

 

[homecalendar]

everytime i think i need a bigger more powerful wheel, i watch this again

Exactly! I'm still playing the keyboard. And happy with that.

 

[madhopz]

I have had a G27, G29, CSW2.5 and now the DD2. Since I don't have a setup that lets me feel forces through my ass, I have found the DD wheel the most effective in letting me know what the vehicle is doing. The gaps in the gear driven wheels feel were really obvious as I got better at sim racing. The belt driven wheel did improve that, but I didn't keep it long enough before I went all in DD. I have had to replace the DD2, but Fanatec was very prompt in sending me a replacement.

Did the DD wheel make me faster ? It was a contributor, but what I found made the biggest improvement in my racing times was something I have had for years even before sim racing. MY EYES. Looking to proper points on the race track was what drastically improved my times. I think this is the most underrated way to improve.

 

[CC]

I think this is all you need to watch tbh.

 

[Sim Strata]

I have a DD1. I absolutely love it. Amazing piece of kit. Is it worth the money? No. Definitely not. It does not make you faster, more consistent, better...it is just nicer, more immersive and more fun. I suspect anybody with a CSW 2.5, once they have gotten over the extra power, will experience the mother of all anti-climaxes if they choose to upgrade to a DD1/DD2. A DD seems to be for those with cash to burn, the gullible (me) or the fanatical (me also).

 

[Chrhun]

Every hobby has it's idiots. People claiming someone else being a "lesser" of anything because they don't have equipment X/Y/Z are just projecting insecurities.

Subjective enjoyment is the only barometer one should follow.

Fortunately you don't see much of that in simracing. At least I can't remember seeing anything like that here on RD, even though many have very nice systems.

 

[CC]

I have a DD1. I absolutely love it. Amazing piece of kit. Is it worth the money? No. Definitely not. It does not make you faster, more consistent, better...it is just nicer, more immersive and more fun. I suspect anybody with a CSW 2.5, once they have gotten over the extra power, will experience the mother of all anti-climaxes if they choose to upgrade to a DD1/DD2. A DD seems to be for those with cash to burn, the gullible (me) or the fanatical (me also).

Best thing is they will be buying these motors by the container load and paying what 50-75$ each,
where they get these figures from is insane,
there is 25 times less components than even a belt drive wheel simply put they cost less to build and cost less to maintain,
charging what 15-1800$ a base,

the only reason is all there other wheels would sell 100 times less I imagine,
but even a lot of companies only deal with DD wheels and there prices are insane high,
do I still want one yes, but no way in this world are they worth that much money.

 

[Michael Krone]

(when they are allowed to visit again).

Lol this got me..

 

[mopro]

Just curious, apart from the build quality, what makes DD wheels more expensive? Surely they have less parts than non DD wheels?
From what I've read so far, most DD owners using much lower power than what DD wheels are capable of. Will using much lower power motor could reduce the price significantly?

 

[Michael Krone]

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Whats the issue man?

 

[smasha]

We should be grateful for what we have especially with this virus.

Best wishes to my friends in Europe and the USA.

Security is very strict here in Oz,you get fined 1k just for going for a drive,deadly silence every night.

Scares me.

 

[Cote Dazur]

Just curious, apart from the build quality, what makes DD wheels more expensive? Surely they have less parts than non DD wheels?
From what I've read so far, most DD owners using much lower power than what DD wheels are capable of. Will using much lower power motor could reduce the price significantly?

Apart from the built quality? Well since all DD wheel are using much (too much?) stronger motors, the built quality has to be higher for the wheel base not to self destruct. That cannot be cheap. Then you need high end electronic to control all the power fury, not cheap either. Of course the powerful motor is also more expensive. The low number of potential sales due to higher price tag will also impact negatively the price tag. This will largely offset the supposedly higher number parts required for a non DD wheel base, as most of those parts, ie gears or belt and bearings are not expensive anyway.

 

[smasha]

Something will be bigger and better in the future,some new tech then the me crowd will ditch their dd wheels and look down on dd users.
Humans lol.

 

[smasha]

I can hear a dh racing on his bike outside,there is always one.....

 

[bondyboy]

Yes they are an hell of an improvement over consumer belt driven wheel, are they worth it? To me yes, I have AccuforceV1 and after a bit of dialing in it gives awesome feedback and I feel like it's cheating a bit (especially drifting in AC)

** Although initially I was a little disappointed with lower and top end detail of tyres loading up/letting go - not much low down and hard jolt like clipping at the top, I found that having no more than 65% gain in game (ACC) gave all the missing detail, strength can then be controlled withing Sim Commander

 

[Case_]

No more clipping. (I own a TSPC, and with open wheeler’s like the Skippy, it clips when I have dialed in the wheel to my liking.)

You can absolutely still get clipping on DD wheel, given that the vast majority of FFB clipping is created on the sim side, not on the wheel itself. DD in itself is no guarantee of getting rid of clipping.