Sim Racing Gear: What do You Run and Why?

Paul Jeffrey · Mar 6, 2017

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

PicoBp · Mar 7, 2017

Here's the story of my setup in pictures, at least for the last few years.

My current components are:
- Obutto Ozone
- Thrustmaster TX (with a T300 as a spare)
*** TM 458 Italia rim
*** TM 28 Leather rim
*** TM Ferrari F1 rim
*** 599xx EVO Alcantara rim
- T3PA pedals w/conical brake mod (with another set as spare)
- SHH 7R shifter (3D printed awesomeness)
- Cooler Master MasterKeys Lite L keyboard & mouse combo
- ASUS Xonar U3 USB soundcard
- Logitech Z313 2.1 speakers
- Logitech G230 gaming headset
- Gametrix JetSeat rumble seat cover w/SimShaker software (8 motors in 6 zones either sound or physics driven)
- LG 34UM67-P monitor (34", 2560x1080, 75Hz)
- Custom Built PC
*** CPU: Intel i7-4790 3.6GHz (4.0GHz boost)
*** RAM: 2x8GB Kingston 1600MHz HyperX CL9 Blue DDR3
*** GPU: ASUS GeForce GTX 1070 Founders Edition 8GB
*** MOBO: ASUS B85M-G
*** Storage: 1x Samsung 840 EVO 120GB SSD + 2x Toshiba 7200RPM 64MB SATAIII 2TB HDD
*** PSU: CORSAIR RM650x 650W 80Plus Gold
*** Case: Zalman Z9 Neo Black

Wheels I owned in the past (not including the ones I have currently):
- Genius something (all plastic, no FFB or vibration, rubber band centering)
- Logitech MOMO Force
- Logitech Driving Force GT
- Logitech G25
- Logitech G27

I'd say anything with FFB and 900° rotation will get you on the right track, and there are some seriously good offers on the market, like the old DFGT or T150 to mention just the cheapest. A used G25/G27 is still a nice buy, they age nicely and cover everything you might need. From there on, it's just about fidelity, materials and looks, but once you get bitten by the bug, there's no stopping (other than your wallet or wife). Or a handbrake... Hmmm... I might have to buy a handbrake as well.

hodge like · Mar 7, 2017

Began racing back in the days of the Spectrum ZX & then the usual Xbox 360, PS3, Xbox 1 (actually have them all set up about the house on different TV's.

Say 2 years ago after joining this forum I asked "shall I buy a PC just for AC" I was sold based on the answers so went about PC specialist with their "jargon free" gaming PC (just had it upgraded with GTX1060, Intel i5, Asus MB & extra ram I had already owned a G27 for the 360 gaming. Everything was good then started to get the bug for wheels so currently have 2 x Fanatec GT2 wheels with CSR shifters, A CSR wheel which is in use & really like it. This is coupled to the CSR seq shifter to act as a handbrake with pedals are Fanatec CSP & use the Fanatec CS shifter which is a dream. Visuals are supplied via LG 49" 4K tv, with the noise coming from Asus Strix DSP headphones. Driving position is superb whilst sat in a S1 RS Turbo Recaro seat on top of a wooden rig. So that's me, ok off to drive now.

Allan Ramsbottom · Mar 7, 2017

Trusty G27 base and pedals with Momo Ferrari rim,
3 24" Hanns-G monitors,
19",Monitor running Z1,
7" Tablet running Dashmeter Pro,
Homemade Ignition/Starter Button Box,
Homemade 5" Tachometer,
Quad Surround Sound,
TH8a Shifter...

Ruben De Wulf · Mar 7, 2017

just a desk and a g25 ... planning on a thrustmaster wheel with vr...

i just want to know , is it worth the bucks for vr ? ??

Shaun Clarke · Mar 7, 2017

Ruben De Wulf said:
i just want to know , is it worth the bucks for vr ? ??

Depends if your married, if you are NO as divorce will cost you more

dereksavy · Mar 7, 2017

I started with a home made pvc pipe setup.

Had my trusty G27 setup and a seat out of an old Jeep. Then a mate of mine was going to throw away a Volvo S60, so I decided to pull out the plasma cutter and ended up with a fairly large piece of it in my spare living room. All of the switches work as does the power drivers seat. Have a PS3 (yes still haven't gotten a PS4 yet) mounted in the glovebox and the 5.1 center channel mounted in the center A/C vents. No motion or buttkickers, but it works for me.

gamer19 · Mar 7, 2017

dereksavy said:
...so I decided to pull out the plasma cutter and ended up with a fairly large piece of it in my spare living room. All of the switches work as does the power drivers seat. Have a PS3 (yes still haven't gotten a PS4 yet) mounted in the glovebox and the 5.1 center channel mounted in the center A/C vents. No motion or buttkickers, but it works for me.

And second seat you use exactly for...?
You could easily "plasma cut" that off too. You would save some space
...for additional spare tires, say.

ltcars · Mar 7, 2017

gamer19 said:
And second seat you use exactly for...?
You could easily "plasma cut" that off too. You would save some space
...for additional spare tires, say.

For the girl...

Nigel Brankston · Mar 7, 2017

Paul Jeffrey said:
View attachment 177733
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

ltcars · Mar 7, 2017

I have a Microsoft Sidewinder Blablabla, without FFB and 120° steering lock because it´s from my father and he is old.
And since thursday a second screen as an addition to the laptop I used to play with.
But I´m happy and this is the main thing.

dereksavy · Mar 7, 2017

gamer19 said:
And second seat you use exactly for...?
You could easily "plasma cut" that off too. You would save some space
...for additional spare tires, say.

Gives the wife a place to sit and get some driving instruction. Lol

Knut Omdal Tveito · Mar 7, 2017

Here's mine. G27+ apelectrix load cell, alu rig and a cheap seat

Rupe Wilson · Mar 7, 2017

LTsLSVTW2e5aPSZVONkZ1h6V3MDEDcsiFBnz_X2s5miGrMnmmuxJSY2KV_XNPkSbp-UqGhnRtvGT7Q-lPe_Xo1n-hKj5VXYQilbOaPYg5Kb2fgiqgZRRUvtgXzzhIVSV1BtLnru_tEU5H-joAUZpETdO36HuFvcehzhajUpbdQQAij_1u1g6DfxXyxSykOABj_EwKrXCaFz3Up0o9n5ycW9uhVi4pkbNIimH0OfGv4qXEANIV6LaOg_GiY4_JkOVhdrjfVNhkED5pWpKgz2AYkfypww1gIARnSaMXUbbIdFgobDBjzZpWcrlVs9g0P_ALOk-Dr-nja475xwcw0Yh-gO9iX7_aiCW0rb4X_av6K7b4q5RpLS2MGzhLYR1ztsPdqC0AmSvtgmuTUyLGH43lhVkhR51jnvx2AX7S9EKxsJHY2J81ZaJXVxuUkk2HH7WZP6LofDM5iJOdsYnlQssXijb77hTRa7XuAJvz4LMGg6XikQQU-_nEBQbGxRSgCUR-ZuCxy6WZuHbBBaKtklcVXtbdSq35sh9Ddgs6j0XVW1hNxn0f3GkbhzE8NCf_X9XgHX0rPnXGUzkl7JALmDb9xsY3F9_hJ7XP4rbszgpKg2T0KII=w655-h873-no

T500 RS + ferrari 458 wheel (but i don't use it)
Th8A
Fanatic V2
GT Omega
And tripples BenQ 120hz
nvidia 3D
Logitech G35 head phones to keep the noise down..

Diego Balzarini · Mar 7, 2017

I've been simracing only for a couple of years after a long break since gp4.
I own an old forza 4 csr wheel and cheap csr pedals, diy button made from old PC controller, shh shifter, 2*23" ips LG monitors with softTH, ikea desk, dining chair.
Sorry no pictures because im going to europe for 3 months or more and everything is packed.
I started with cheap hardware and 1 19" monitor and realized i wanted more view, so decided to buy 2 monitors and works fine for me.... I am thinking to buy pedals with loadcell in the future when i get back to Oz and I'd love to have the money for HE pedals (I wouldn't pay VAT) but the AUd is really crap so i might have to go with the CSL elite instead.
A custom built rig is in my plan too when i come back home...... My wife is going to kill me or ask for a divorce

Allan Ramsbottom · Mar 8, 2017

Knut Omdal Tveito said:
Here's mine. G27+ apelectrix load cell, alu rig and a cheap seat
View attachment 177943

Hi M8, how do you find the APelectix load cell, is it worth the money and is there a big difference.

Dave_6 · Mar 8, 2017

Mine

A dedicated rig with a direct drive and triple screens is my goal though.

Keith_G · Mar 8, 2017

I went with PVC pipe to make a rig since it was cheaper and easy to work with. Cost of rig (not hardware) was about $180. Took me about 2 weeks to think about it and two days to make it. I planned on installing it and then taking it back outside to paint - that was three years ago and I still haven't painted it

Using VR now for racing and it is hard to go back to the screens but since I use them for other things it is fine. Cheap seat from amazon and the rest is self explanatory. I used fanatec pedals for a while but decided to go with the HE Ultimate pedals and it was worth every penny! Of all the equipment I bought, the Pedals made the most improvement and enjoyment in my Sim Racing. I have been at it off and on since the mid 1980's and the gear and software have finally reached a level of incredible immersion. So much cheaper than owning or renting a real race car, although not quite the adrenaline rush (but then not so many hospital bills either)