Sim Racing Gear: What do You Run and Why?

[Paul Jeffrey]

We ask you the community what sim racing gear you run with and why you have made your choices...

This is something a bit different and will (hopefully) be an interesting topic to discuss. Sim racing gear...

I believe we in the sim racing community are a bit of a unique gaming bunch, more often than not willing to spend considerable amounts of money on our hobby in a quest to find that perfect balance between comfort and realism. If you think of popular games like the FIFA football series or the many first person shooting games, we in sim racing usually have quite a bit more kit behind us when we take to the screens and engage in our hobby of choice.

Now pretty much every sim driver has a wheel and pedals, some picked up at bargain prices either new or used and some of us lucky enough to have a budget for something more high end like a direct drive wheel from one of the many manufacturers springing up in the marketplace.

But a wheel and pedals aren't the only thing a sim racer can use to help improve their driving experiences. We have things as minor as button boxes for additional things to press during a race event, all the way through to some truly impressive looking full motion rigs out on the market today (please, if you are rich and appreciate my articles do feel free to buy me a motion rig, I'd really really appreciate it ).

So what do you use, and why do you think it improves your racing experience out on track?

Let's have a debate


For more news, discussion and support on the hardware side of sim racing, take a look over at our Sim Racing Hardware sub forum and get yourself involved in the conversation!

* Picture credit taken from Pintrest

 

[joaocoutinho]

Hardware
Thrustmaster T300RS Ferrari Alcantara
T3PA pedals with brake mod
TH8A H-shifter
Oculus Rift CV1
Custom built 2dof motion platform

Why
Decent wheel, not crazy expensive and I love building things

 

[clemencaman]

Here we go in Austria
Fanatec CSW V2 • Universal Hub • OMP Quadro/Solberg Carbon • Heusinkveld ProPedals/Seq Shifter/Handbreak • 4x Sinustec BS250 • Fame Quad 4150 • Simetik Rig • Sparco R333 • Oculus Rift CV1 • Astro A40 Tr Headset

 

[Marcel Kleene]

Started with a Playseat Evolution and a Fanatec Porsche GT3 Wheel in front of TV in the living room.
Than decided to turn my "office" room into a Sim Lounge. Upgraded to F1 Playseat... later to DD wheel and HE pedals...so Playseat got to "weak". So built a 80/20 frame ...added a Simpit Avengar 180 dual projector screen. I called it my Sim Heaven now

 

[RaceWasGood]

In the 1990's i had a wheel with two buttons and paddles. It lacked proper force feedback, but it had some kind of rubber -band/belt to give some steering resistance IIRC. By now i've forgotten the brand though. At the time the GP-series by Geoff Crammond/MicroProse along with GPL and GP Manager 2 was put to good use.

At some point i upgraded the wheel to the MS Sidewinder wheel with force feedback. Now that was a true high-tech piece of equipment with pedals and all

Life kept me busy with other stuff for a number of years and then came the PS3 (still got it btw) with Dirt 2, F1 2010 and Gran Turismo 5. Driving with a controller just didn't cut it for me, so i got myself a G27 and a Playseat. For some reason i never felt comfortable with the Playseat, so it ended up being stuffed away in the garage for a few years.

Next thing i noticed i was playing ETS2 on my iMac and really loved it, so i clamped the G27 onto my desk and went touring across Europe Around that time AC was released as an early access title on steam and it sounded interesting enough to give it a shot. One thing led to another and before i knew it i was modding the G27 to fit a bigger rim and got a button plate plus Bodnar cables. Dragged the Playseat out of the garage and ended up using just the seat bolted to a selfmade wooden frame with the wheel still clamped to the desk though. A button box from DSD tied to the desk with velcro had suddenly appeared from nowhere

Granted that the G27 was a reliable piece of equipment i started looking at options to upgrade. Clearly the iMac with Windows for gaming purposes wasn't the optimal solution either. Not to mention the table moving around the room at those tighter bends...

After doing the maths (and now roughly 2,5 years later with a few upgrades here and there) this is what i currently use.

• A dedicated gaming PC with enough everything (for the time being...) and 40" monitor + a 7" display for dashboards etc.
• A modified 80/20 frame based on a KPCR Piez RIG Expert with Sparco R100 seat.
• Fanatec CSW V2 with 3 detachable wheels; F1 carbon, a Momo Millenium 350mm leather wheel with spinner knob (for trucking) and a generic 340mm suede wheel for everything else.
• Fanatec CSP V3 pedals
• Fanatec ClubSport Shifter SQ V1.5
• Fanatec ClubSport handbrake
• Thrustmaster TH8A shifter modded with a CSIO Tech SKRS 18-Speed transmission styled shifter knob for ETS/ATS
• P2 button box from DSD
• Saitek side panel control deck
• Tablet and smartphone for dashboards etc
• WIP - Arduino Nano + TM1638 to use with SimHub

To sum it up, i'm very pleased with the current setup. Obviously i'm not using every single gadget all of the time, but it's easy enough to switch between setups. I'm particularly pleased with the 80/20 rig since it's very easy to adjust a bit here and modify a bit there whenever needed. Tweaking, adjusting and updating stuff is (to me) a big part of simdriving. It's a constant work in progress and that's exactly the way i like it. Cheers!

 

[Luke Maney]

I wanted to up my game, so I went to the drawing board. It took me two weeks to think this up and two more to design it. Then for about $250 and a week later this is what popped out. Its made from pvc pipe and plywood. The seat is for a dirt track racecar and is very comfy. This rig has to be gotten into like a real formula car...you gotta step into it one leg at a time onto the seat then squat down and lift your weight up by the side rails and then feed your legs forward to the pedals. I prefer the old school controllers as they are very durable (have 3 complete sets for spares). Now don't laugh at my rig, I went from having 6 wins a couple of years ago to more than 80. My next rig will be similar to this one but with removable panels and adjustable seat.

 

[JustiNator]

Currently im running with a Driving Force GT, G27 Shifter and G27 Pedals (Hopefully soon replaced by a Fanatec CSL Elite Wheel Base + Formula Clubsport), a 27`Samsung S27D590C, which soon could be the middle Monitor for my three Monitor Setup (Two Samsung S27D390 27```, both left and right side), as a Seat i use a Playseat (yes, only the seat, cause the rest of the pack gave me some problems), and all my stuff is on my normal Desk

 

[gamer19]

Juts another plain G27 user here... =l
Glad @Rob Gray and I have so much in common.
His 4! years old son and I actually. Man...
maybe a right time to upgrade to something ...for 8 years old racers, at least.
@Luke Maney, mate... do you really need all those pipes ? Your home plumbing system could do some serious benefit if you ever decide to ...disintegrate on them.

 

[RaceWasGood]

I've now 4 shakers for each tyre plus two under the seat running SimVibe with 6 channels, but i'm running Sinustec BS250 (200 Watt), which costing just 34 Euro each here in Germany and people knowing both say, they are as good as the Buttkickers. Probably just available in a few countries like my two amplifiers to power them (The t.amp & Fame Quad).

I had some problems with neighbors since and a handfull of vibration dampeners under the rig not only solved this problem. This cheap rubber-feets making the rig shaking and adding some kind of motion to it just for 30 Euros. I would even suggest to put them under rigs without SimVibe, because they are amplifying the FFB-effects an arm-movements as well through the rig. Running over curbs, especially this nasty ones in AMS is very intense now and don't miss motion at all

Other than that: 80/20 rig with Accuforce Pro, HE Pro pedals, HE sequential shifter, CSS shifter, Sparco Sprint seat, Samsung 55" 4k-display powered by a GTX1070 and Bayerdynamic DT990 for the sound.

Which rubber feet are you using?

Would be interested in some details regarding the rubber feet too. Maybe dimensions and/or pics if possible? Also would like to know how you have the shakers set up with two amps. Thanks!

 

[ltcars]

I'm running the Next Level Racing GTUltimate rig - best off the shelf rig in my country I reckon, and iI started off with just the wheel stand.
Currently running the CSW V1 wheelbase with Formula Rim and GT2 Rim, depending on car/truck I'm driving.
For pedals I'm up to the Clubsport V2's - though I'm looking for something new - getting tired of the accel not going to 100% and random times. I had V1's prior. Next time I'll be looking outside Fanatec.
I'm on to my second Fanatec SQ shifter, now the V1.5 - I run a custom gear knob. leather feels better
I run DSD CSW button boxes
I use the original DSD handbrake - it's probably the most useless piece of kit I've owned. It's fun to drift with it and use it for Dirt Rally, but most the cars I race don't have a handbrake... and it was expensive.
I have an old siminstruments dash. Still a good dash, but there's been no software updates / support for new sims for a while
I have a Buttkicker gamer mounted underneath my seat on my GTUltimate. does the job good enough.
I have a custom (made from mdf) "center console" I've mounted by shifter and handbrake to, so it's more like a normal car, and provides stability for those two.
Finally, TrackIR. I only use it for ETS2/AMS. I find the lag too high for precision racing.

My 4 year old son races this rig I built for him out of my old parts

Your 4 years old son is better equipped than I am

 

[ltcars]

@Marcel Pfister How about you? What have you got?

 

[jlnprssnr]

Currently: Xbox 360 controller The G25 I bought used some years ago broke recently, found a T150 without pedals for cheap online. That will ship in the next days, along with the pedal adapter from Thrustmaster. Unfortunately, Leo Bodnar shifter adapters are out of stock at the moment, so I'm debating selling the G25 shifter and getting a SHH Shifter

 

[Joerg Baermann]

Discovered that my 18 year old Logitech Momo was broken last year so went with a major upgrade.
I did have a NextLevel racing setup but got fed up with it pretty quick, lag of stability in the frame even with some bars added and horrible material used for the seat, I hate static charges.
Fanatec CSW v.2 with the Xbox hub
Fanatec CSP v.3 with damper and performance kit
Fantec H-shifter and handbrake
SRH G-Force LCD
TrackIR 5
Selfbuild alu rig with FK seat

 

[Andy_J]

Just a T500 with Ferrari GTE wheel and F1 wheel clamped to my desk. (I have a logitech Driving Force pro for back up). An old Mexican pine desk, a 34" monitor 21-9 ultrawide, a set of creative desk speakers and my headset to keep my wife happy and the neighbours happy. My PC is also used for other stuff and is also my entertainment centre etc. Could not have a race sim rig because of that, but now I have some cash spare I might build a proper mancave and maybe have a motion rig but I doubt it. During the summer months I'm too busy biking to take this hobby too seriously.

 

[Stephen O'Sullivan]

• Logitech Driving Force GT wheel and pedals. The wheel is clamped to a table.
• 24" Acer monitor.
• Cheapo Panasonic headphones.
• Wooden chair.

The only way is up!

 

[Shaun Clarke]

I am so jealous of some of you rigs, but I have to remember that this is a family house , so mine is very suttle, but suits me...

I upgraded the G27 to a D-Shape Suede wheel, and upgraded the springs to full GTEYE Springs, and a GIOTECK race seat, apart from that, you can see below...My Office

Oh is that a British Touring car on screen

 

[Fanapryde]

My actual rig:
SimLab P1 rig /with integrated triple screen support brackets
Sparco Torino car seat (on Sparco sliders)
Fanatec V2 base / Porsche 918 RSR and Formula Carbon wheels
Fanatec SQ V 1.5 shifter (in use for H-pattern only)
Heusinkveld Pro pedals
Heusinkveld SQ shifter
DSD Race King Led button box
Logitech Z906 surround set
Android tablet running different telemetry apps
Triple BENQ 27" 144 Hz 1Ms monitors

(Need to replace the picture while dropbox suddenly decided to change the public files...)

https://www.dropbox.com/s/l1sidego4x1pnvs/Rig 5-3 kopie.JPG?dl=0


I had a Buttkicker Gamer 2 installed, of which the amp blew. Been waiting for 8 months now to receive the new Simulation Kit from Guitammer Company to replace it. They are still working on more reliable amplifiers. They are supposed to hit the shelves within a couple of weeks...I hope...

 

[Shaun Clarke]

My actual rig:
SimLab P1 rig /with integrated triple screen support brackets
Sparco Torino car seat (on Sparco sliders)
Fanatec V2 base / Porsche 918 RSR and Formula Carbon wheels
Fanatec SQ V 1.5 shifter (in use for H-pattern only)
Heusinkveld Pro pedals
Heusinkveld SQ shifter
DSD Race King Led button box
Logitech Z906 surround set
Android tablet running different telemetry apps
Triple BENQ 27" 144 Hz 1Ms monitors

I had a Buttkicker Gamer 2 installed, of which the amp blew. Been waiting for 8 months now to receive the new Simulation Kit from Guitammer Company to replace it. They are still working on more reliable amplifiers. They are supposed to hit the shelves within a couple of weeks...I hope...

I would have to get divorced to get anything near this

 

[BP]

Owned a G27 for about 6 years now. After playing mostly Gran Turismo and arcade racers, decided to move to the more realistic sims (AMS and AC mostly) and invest in a dedicated setup (got tired of unstable setups and moving equipment every time). It's not much, and took a while to get it all together but it does the job nicely (Now only thing I have to move to play is the monitor from its usual desk about 3 feet away, and attach my phone over the wheel)...one day I hope to upgrade to a Fanatec setup, triple 40+" HDTVs and better sound/vibration equipment, but this gets me by:

• Logitech G27 with all GTEYE spring mods
• GTOmega Wheel Stand + Rear Seat Frame + RS6 Racing Seat
• 27" G-Sync Monitor
• 8" Android Tablet running DashMeterPro
• iPhone 5 running DashPi
• Cheap Logitech speakers
• Old Joystick next to rig for Handbrake

Here it is running Automobilista:

 

[ltcars]

My actual rig:
SimLab P1 rig /with integrated triple screen support brackets
Sparco Torino car seat (on Sparco sliders)
Fanatec V2 base / Porsche 918 RSR and Formula Carbon wheels
Fanatec SQ V 1.5 shifter (in use for H-pattern only)
Heusinkveld Pro pedals
Heusinkveld SQ shifter
DSD Race King Led button box
Logitech Z906 surround set
Android tablet running different telemetry apps
Triple BENQ 27" 144 Hz 1Ms monitors

I had a Buttkicker Gamer 2 installed, of which the amp blew. Been waiting for 8 months now to receive the new Simulation Kit from Guitammer Company to replace it. They are still working on more reliable amplifiers. They are supposed to hit the shelves within a couple of weeks...I hope...

I could not concentrate racing on this rig while watching the surroundings of the screens

 

[Emery]

Began sim racing circa 1999-2000 with a copy of SportsCar GT...

Initial wheel was Thrustmaster NASCAR clamped to desktop, with a sequential shifter in addition to paddles, no FFB, & used a gameport connection because USB was too new. Monitors was 17" CRT. The addiction began... added a Logitech wheel or two & spare computers so friends could visit and we'd have LAN parties. Some would bring their own computers. Quickly built a pedal box out of scrap to keep the pedals from sliding away.

Went through a few wheel & pedal sets (back then they didn't cost much!) and got my first Logitech FFB unit, probably a Momo, about 2005 shortly after the release of rFactor. By 2008, the LAN parties had evolved to online server sessions with friends spread across the USA and somewhere in there I got a Logitech G25.

Built an MDF rig of the R-pod style with a refinished seat salvaged from a mid-80s Toyota Tercel in 2009. The G25 pedals were modded with springs & rubber to provide decent feel. The monitor was upgraded to a 30" 2560x1600.

Upgraded to a CSWv2 with BMW rim and triple 27" IPS monitors in 2015 as a retirement gift to myself. The rig received crude modifications to fit them. The G25 pedals & shifter were retained and attached via Bodnar cables. As someone else said, the allure of Fanatec for the wheel is the completeness, the integration of their system.

Future: a better monitor stand, a new rig possibly in metal, a formula rim, an expensive pedal set to replace the G25 pedals, and one of those rotomolded dune buggy seats like someone else listed (because I have several out in the workshop and the Tercel seat is dying). Until someone makes a significantly better shifter than the G25, I'll probably stick with it since it has that nice feature of easily swapping from H-pattern to sequential and is fairly low profile.