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!

 

[Wayne Hutchison]

Went from a G27 to an Accuforce V2 and couldn't believe the difference. Was like I was driving a totally different sim. No way someone can try DD and then go back to belt or gear drive.

 

[blueferrari]

Good: Excellent fidelity and super reliable (at least for the SimuCube);
Bad: Danger. DD has drawn blood from my fingers, twisted my wrists and the USB cord scratched my face as it disconnected when the wheel spun wildly;
Ugly: Direct and collateral costs. DD on its own remains outside the price range of many sim racers. DD also requires a sturdy rig to handle the weight and extract maximum benefits. It can also open up a world of expensive steering wheel addons.

Mate, sound like you have your DD set with way too much torque! Amazing injuries! I know what you mean though, as when I first got mine, I almost sprained my wrist after hitting another car. I have mine mounted on an F1 Playseat and it's very study, but boy I still hear it moaning and groaning as I play.

 

[metalnwood]

This thread! To those that can't justify the $$ but bought one. You did justify it, the problem is you can't justify it to those that can't justify it to themselves. You don't need to, it's your money to spend how you like. Fun is justification enough. There have been some pretty good posts here, essentially saying each to their own and do what makes you happy. Good advice.

It's a shame for those that think the 'DD' owners inherently look down on others, I am seeing evidence of the opposite. Sorry to our Australian mate, it seems that we are seeing what lockdown can do to a man.

 

[Gelly916]

I upgraded from a CSW 2.5 to Fanatec DD2 right around a year ago. The only reason I chose fanatec was because I was already invested in the fanatec ecosystem. If someone had no real ties to Fanatec, I'd probably recommend the simucube line of DD bases.

 

[cameron_etc]

Anyone have any personal experience with lower-torque Simplicity wheelbases (like the SW8C+)? It seems to compete closely with the ClubSport v2.5 base in price and power, but are the benefits of DD as pronounced without an apparent advantage in raw torque?

 

[Furnace Inferno]

Some of the posts in this thread from people who have never tried DD wheels just wow.

 

[Metla]

so, whats the recomended entry level direct drive wheel available on the market today?

 

[RCHeliguy]

so, whats the recomended entry level direct drive wheel available on the market today?

There is nothing entry level about direct drive wheels.

 

[Metla]

There is nothing entry level about direct drive wheels.

In all markets (even niche ones) there are products available with variance in price, value for money, quality, ease of setup and there are customers looking to enter that market (hence entry level).

Im not asking for a direct drive wheel that is an entry level wheel.

 

[Daniel Waddell]

so, whats the recomended entry level direct drive wheel available on the market today?

The Accuforce looks like a good starter. It's price when on sale is not that bad. I haven't heard of reliability issues (It's been around for a few years now) and it looks a little bit more plug and play with some base settings.
I have an Augury Simulations Simucube 1 it's an awesome piece of equipment but it did take a bit of research & time to get set up for each game.

 

[RCHeliguy]

My fault I guess for not nominating only non-douchebag answers?

Sorry, but that is by design. I don't believe that there is such a thing as an entry level direct drive system for many reasons.

Cogged systems are low end and use gear reduction to increase the torque of weak motors.
Belted systems are mid tier and utilize pulleys in increase the torque of more powerful motors.

Direct drive are all high end systems. The reason they are more expensive is that they need a MUCH more powerful motor that can directly give you the torque you need for FFB.

On top of that just like having powerful load cell brakes that require a solid chassis to work right, a direct drive wheel requires a very solid chassis or you lose the FFB to flex.

So the point is that you need a solid chassis etc... which means trickledown.

I stand by my earlier comment.

 

[Metla]

I stand by my earlier comment.

Stand by anything you like, It wasn't an answer to my question, and expanding on it doesn't add anything worthwhile or change that fact.

 

[PickABetterUsername01]

This is the kind of thing for people living in first world countries only. Our poor losers on third world countries will never even see one lol.

 

[2stains]

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

This reminds me of my first car (Datsun 120y) and I had a 13" sports rim on a boss kit, I used to park in this underground car park thinking it was save while I slept as a squatter above this service station, I came back one morning only to find my wheel was stolen and I had to drive it around the block using the boss.

 

[Nick Hill]

We are headed for a day when someone livestreams a "direct drive 100% FFB challenge" and, in front of a live internet audience, has their arms physically removed from their torso.

I can picture the hands still maintaining their grip as the wheel violently thrashes lock-to-lock, creating a macabre windmill effect with the lifeless arms serving as blades

 

[Deleted member 197115]

so, whats the recomended entry level direct drive wheel available on the market today?

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

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...

www.racedepartment.com

 

[Deleted member 197115]

There is nothing entry level about direct drive wheels.

Sometimes I wonder if people buy them just so they can post something like that.

 

[mrbean_phillip]

We are headed for a day when someone livestreams a "direct drive 100% FFB challenge" and, in front of a live internet audience, has their arms physically removed from their torso.

I can picture the hands still maintaining their grip as the wheel violently thrashes lock-to-lock, creating a macabre windmill effect with the lifeless arms serving as blades

Are you serious? Jeesh, some of you have a vivid imagination

 

[Isaac Chavira]

I'm still pushing Ye'Ole Thrustmaster T150 for the last 3 years now. I want a DD servo however the question remains, do I need one? Right now I'd be happy with a FANATEC v2.5. The whole set up of what I really want would cost me about $2600 USD. That's not including my monitor and my PC (which I have) .

 

[mrbean_phillip]

I'm still pushing Ye'Ole Thrustmaster T150 for the last 3 years now. I want a DD servo however the question remains, do I need one? Right now I'd be happy with a FANATEC v2.5. The whole set up of what I really want would cost me about $2600 USD. That's not including my monitor and my PC (which I have) .

It‘s a good question, Isaac.

I have been involved with Granite Devices with DD wheel development since 2014, and have owned, tested and used almost all DD wheels in the market. That includes many versions of OSW, 2x Bodnar SS2, Fanatec DD, Simucube 2 Pro and Ultimate, and also now, my very special 60nm-capable Bogeyman 2 DD setup.

What I have found, is that the top racers almost always got a bit faster, and more consisten, with a dd wheel, compared to the belt/gear drive wheels. At least in iRacing. But we are talking a few tenths at most, but at that pro level, I guess it matters a bit.

For me, personally though, even though I am 53, I am pretty fit, with 6x /week gym sessions, 10km walk each day on top, and the more affordable commercial wheels just doesn’t survive. I absolutely must have the workout a dd wheel provides, I must have the reliability it offers. I have never lost a servo during my extensive alpha and beta testing, when talking about OSW, and believe me, I have tried to kill a couple.

My latest wheel is a very special one-off I am working on, I am using my old original Bogeyman AKM65L servo, but this time driving it with 40A peak of sine, with it topping out at 60NM. It provides a phenomenal dynamic range, covering each and any effect the sim can throw at it, whilst I typically run it at 25-30NM max.

So yes, it all depends on what you want from the sim, if it is purely all about being the fastest with the smallest investment, a T300 or any of the other higher-end belt-drives, like the Fanatec series, will offer a great experience.

If you are in it for a significantly deeper immersive experience, driving to the limit all the time, and thriving for the utmost reliability, then invest in a dd wheel, and top-of-the line pedals.

It is not about what’s the best out there, it’s what’s about the best for you, and your circumstances. As long as you get from the sim-hobby what you set out to do, what the next guy has, doesn’t matter.

Cheers,
Beano

ps: Pardon the wall of text