SimLabs GT1 build log (includes NLV3 motion platform mounting)

[anton_Chez]

It starts.....

5 weeks ago I decided to pull the trigger on a chassis upgrade after building an 'Anthony Room' extension on the bottom level of my house. I ordered a SimLabs GT1 80 / 20 cockpit after hearing so many good things about this type of material for sim racing cockpits.

It arrived this afternoon.

After 50kg's worth of aluminium made its way from the Netherlands to Australia, it still had an hour drive home from work before we could get started.

My games room:

Cleaning up whatever was in the way in the yet to be completed move-in, I made room to begin the build. Half the components of my new build are yet to arrive. As some may know, I also decided that nowhere near enough money was spend on the chassis and decided to upgrade to an OSW direct drive wheel, HE Pro Pedals and handbrake. 2 Buttkicker Mini LFE's will also replace my 4 Aura Bass Shakers used on the previous build. As you can see I was quite eager to try them and 5 weeks is a long wait for anything in sim racing. They are screwed to an old table and I've been running them while driving with a game pad sitting at my PC, in-between them.

It's highly NOT recommended to try and drive with a game pad, FYI.....

Getting on to crack open the boxes now.

Everything was pretty well packed and nothing seems to be damaged. @Mascot was right about the lack of instructions.... None whatsoever. Just knowing what the parts are for would have been enough, but I assume that they all go together a particular way and you would know if a part was wrong as long as you follow a logical build structure. One slightly disappointing thing was that I received the standard, cheaper Fanatec shifter mount (one I originally had in the cart) but I ordered the more expensive, round looking one. I am sure I can make it work. If I get the extra parts that I requested, I'll be happy. Who knows, I may not even need it and just use it as a Buttkicker mount for the rear....

Time to get started.

Bottom frame loosely together to allow for adjustments before I tighten down and pull everything into square. Nice of SimLabs to include the rubber feet of the P1 in my GT1 build. On their site it states you get plastic feet which in the pictures do look slightly higher and obviously a different material to the rubber included in the P1. I appreciate that. I do have some rubber isolation coming for the seat and pedals and planned on using the left overs for the feet. Well they aren't here yet and as @Mascot pointed out, put the feet on before you get too far into the build. I have to change pedals soon anyway and will sort all of the above ground stuff out later. Much easier to get to than turning the chassis upside down once the monitors are on.....

A side note. I was worried how much room this chassis would take behind my desk chair here (my PC is to the left of the chassis in the photo). It's footprint is actually pretty good as you can see. You can measure all you like before hand but nothing is like actually having the item in the place where it's going to be sitting. I think I'll be OK.

A quick look at how the V3 platform fits inside the seat mounting frame. The gap either side of the bottom frame is actually not too bad. Spacers might have worked and allowed me to drop into the frame a bit better than what I have planned. I do have an idea though, and will try that once I get some food into me and continue the build. You can see the absolutely shocking drill out I had to do on the rear of the top frame of the platform to accommodate the seat slider and H frame on the old chassis. These are both gone now and the build will be much better for it. The lower I can get this platform the more options I have when choosing a seating position. I've always wanted to have my feet high and stuck out way in front to simulate being in an open wheeler. Hopefully this chassis and what I have planned for the V3 mount will allow this.

Having fun so far

So, the original (above) brackets I had in mind were a little too long. The platform barely sits above the carpet. Which is great for seating position but not so great for the fan underneath. So, I had some others lying around I was intending on using for Buttkicker mounts, that I don't think I will need. They also look HEAPS stronger, and will also bring the platform up enough for me to be comfortable with ventilation. Very similar to the single piece @Mascot had fabricated but not as nice

Mounting platform now.

So the second bracket option is a no go as well. The bolt heads hit up against the profile because of the different drop in the bracket. I've conceded that for tonight, at least, I am reverting back to plan A and taking it from there. I want to get most of this together tonight and if I spend any longer perfecting the V3 mount I may well have no time for anything else. The V3 does sit a fair bit higher this way, but it's something I can come back to later on without too much fuss, I'd say. With it in front of me I have a much better chance of knowing what will work best.

 

[Mascot]

@AntoN_CheZ I think you asked for my thoughts on the Sim Lab keyboard tray a little while ago. Well, it's finally arrived!

And very nice it is too. Once everything is torqued up it's very solid but still easy to move. There was a slight issue with mine in that it came part assembled, and assembled wrongly. The black plastic cap had been put on the end with the threaded holes to take the mounting screws, so it broke while prising it off as the plastic cap inserts had bound in the threaded holes (and I needed those threaded ports exposed, of course, to mount it). I'm *guessing* mine was one that someone had bought, assembled incorrectly, then returned, as there was no reason for it to come part assembled. But since this was a 'freebie' to compensate for some damaged extrusion on the P1 I'm not complaining.

I went for the shorter, narrower version of the tray to suit my bluetooth Logitech K400 Plus, but with hindsight the bigger tray would also have left space at the end for a proper mouse (I'm not a fan of touchpads) which would have been nice. I might buy a smaller bluetooth keyboard and pop the mouse on the end.

Mine is mounted to swing in at an angle (see pics) but I'm guessing you could reverse it so that the keyboard swings right round in front of you and gets positioned just like your desk keyboard. I *think* from memory that Barry mounted his this way in the SRG review.

Anyway, yes - I recommend it. It's a good, solid bit of kit that compliments the Sim Lab rigs nicely.

Edit: if you do get one, put a washer between the two pivoting parts that change the up-down angle of the keyboard, otherwise you'll knacker the paint when changing the rotation. This really should be a standard inclusion.

 

[Furnace Inferno]

@AntoN_CheZ I think you asked for my thoughts on the Sim Lab keyboard tray a little while ago. Well, it's finally arrived!

And very nice it is too. Once everything is torqued up it's very solid but still easy to move. There was a slight issue with mine in that it came part assembled, and assembled wrongly. The black plastic cap had been put on the end with the threaded holes to take the mounting screws, so it broke while prising it off as the plastic cap inserts had bound in the threaded holes (and I needed those threaded ports exposed, of course, to mount it). I'm *guessing* mine was one that someone had bought, assembled incorrectly, then returned, as there was no reason for it to come part assembled. But since this was a 'freebie' to compensate for some damaged extrusion on the P1 I'm not complaining.

I went for the shorter, narrower version of the tray to suit my bluetooth Logitech K400 Plus, but with hindsight the bigger tray would also have left space at the end for a proper mouse (I'm not a fan of touchpads) which would have been nice. I might buy a smaller bluetooth keyboard and pop the mouse on the end.

Mine is mounted to swing in at an angle (see pics) but I'm guessing you could reverse it so that the keyboard swings right round in front of you and gets positioned just like your desk keyboard. I *think* from memory that Barry mounted his this way in the SRG review.

Anyway, yes - I recommend it. It's a good, solid bit of kit that compliments the Sim Lab rigs nicely.

Edit: if you do get one, put a washer between the two pivoting parts that change the up-down angle of the keyboard, otherwise you'll knacker the paint when changing the rotation. This really should be a standard inclusion.

Mine came pre-assembled too, I think they just do that. I couldn’t get the end cap off at all and had to remove the tray and slot nuts and flip it over.

As to the larger size, whilst it does fit a mouse, in the under wheel configuration it’s too wide to actually swing through the uprights. I think I personally should have got the smaller one as I barely use the mouse and having it on the side of the rig like I used to and you currently have doesn’t work all that well with a bucket seat that restricts your outward shoulder movement.

 

[anton_Chez]

Thanks for the info guys. I am actually happy with my little DIY keyboard stand that I use to rest the keyboard on with a bit of Velcro so it doesn't rattle and fall off when I am not using it. I just pick it up and put it on my lap for the time that I need it. Which is mainly when I am playing with settings, or searching for a solution to a problem sitting in the rig. I only use my rig for what it's built for, sim racing, and everything else is done at the desk.

It does look nice though, and completely functional. I also agree that the mouse tray can be a little hard to use the mouse on with restricted movement but these issues are minor as you don't really need that while driving, either.

 

[Mascot]

Yeah, I removed the keyboard and tried using the mouse on the tray and it doesn't really work well at all. Feels very awkward. I'm therefore very glad that I did indeed go for the smaller tray after all.
Once I'm sat in the rig I just drag the little white table over (in the first pic above) and the mouse sits under the keyboard in a great position. It works really well.

 

[Furnace Inferno]

I’ve actually still got the V1 keyboard mount from my Next Level rig that I could mount if I really cared.

I could have it in the side channels of the base and it has swivel and extension capabilities from a pole which lets you place it right over your lap even mounting it behind the chair but it’s just not necessary unless I was gaming in the chair as you need it out if the way most of the time.

 

[Deleted member 197115]

Mine came pre-assembled too, I think they just do that. I couldn’t get the end cap off at all and had to remove the tray and slot nuts and flip it over.

As to the larger size, whilst it does fit a mouse, in the under wheel configuration it’s too wide to actually swing through the uprights. I think I personally should have got the smaller one as I barely use the mouse and having it on the side of the rig like I used to and you currently have doesn’t work all that well with a bucket seat that restricts your outward shoulder movement.

Which tray Barry used then in that config, small one, looked like he had pretty big keyboard?

 

[Furnace Inferno]

Which tray Barry used then in that config then, small one, looked like he had pretty big keyboard?

The difference in width is only 5cm but it’s 15cm deeper, just had a look at the video again, it’s definitely the smaller one.

 

[Soulstoner]

I’ve actually still got the V1 keyboard mount from my Next Level rig that I could mount if I really cared.

I could have it in the side channels of the base and it has swivel and extension capabilities from a pole which lets you place it right over your lap even mounting it behind the chair but it’s just not necessary unless I was gaming in the chair as you need it out if the way most of the time.

You could do what I did, and use the Next Level Keyboard mount bracket (Square hole), with an Obutto Keyboard/Mouse tray that swivels (Round peg). Works perfectly!

 

[Moe Ballout]

I love my p1 rig, I have had it since they first came out and with the NLM v3, looking for new mounting point as I just have it mounted on a 10 series bar which makes it a bit off centered. Can any body direct me to the mounts people are using or are all these brackets custom made? Just need to do some better cable management never really come around to that haha

 

[Moe Ballout]

Also if anybody has any bass shakers mounted in chassis mode if they can share some pictures. that would be great. everyones rigs look great

 

[anton_Chez]

Check out my build log in the forums. I have some pics on mounting butt kickers in there, although not too complicated and it's only one at the seat and one at the pedals. You could easily move them over and add another one to each location side by side. Some cable management is also displayed so you could take some pointers from there as well. Nothing worse than a poorly managed nest of cables...... The thread 'Buying advice for NL V3 motion platform' should also help you out with the brackets needed for your project. There are dimensions and pictures from a number of members sprawled around those two threads.

Have fun

Edit: Oops, we are in said thread Too many to follow. Read back to the start you should find some good references. Haha, idiot

 

[Mascot]

Yeah, I reposted the bracket sketches and info just a couple of days ago in the NLV3 buying advice thread. Fill your boots.

 

[Moe Ballout]

Yeah, I reposted the bracket sketches and info just a couple of days ago in the NLV3 buying advice thread. Fill your boots.

Where are you supplying these brackets from? Or are you cutting them on your own? I cant find a 2”x4”x0.25” thickness

 

[Mascot]

Where are you supplying these brackets from? Or are you cutting them on your own? I cant find a 2”x4”x0.25” thickness

EBay UK has a few suppliers in 500mm lengths. Where are you?

 

[Moe Ballout]

EBay UK has a few suppliers in 500mm lengths. Where are you?

I am in Texas, USA

 

[Hiro Abe]

Don't know where in Texas you are but you can get something like this from a chain called Metal Supermarket.

 

[Moe Ballout]

Don't know where in Texas you are but you can get something like this from a chain called Metal Supermarket.

Oh I appreciate it thats like 10 minutes away from me. I am in Allen

 

[ceso_fd]

@AntoN_CheZ really like your build! Almost identical build, I have a P1 coming in 3 weeks. I noticed you picked up the Node 202. I personally have it and if you have any questions on my specs, i'll be gladly to share it with you. I'll start a new thread of the build log and review of the P1 as well.

 

[anton_Chez]

@ceso_fd hey, thanks! It was fun now that the frustrating bits are forgotten I will have to finish off with my impressions of my new gear, too. Been meaning to do that and then forget for weeks at a time.

The Node is for a budget office build. I have already done that and it came up pretty nice. I have no gaming hardware inside it, just running the Ryzen APU for general stuff, so it works very well for that. YouTube, music and work related things are pretty low on power requirement, so all is good.

I will say that it's damn expensive to build a small form factor PC though. The motherboard costs more than the one in my gaming rig running a 1080Ti and the case (with the included power supply, albeit) was far from cheap, also. If I were to do it again, I probably would have ditched the console-like looks of it, gone for a standard ATX case and motherboard and dropped a 1050Ti / 1060 in there so that I had another option to game on upstairs, should the need or feel arise. Would have probably cost the same or at least pretty similar, and more versatile.

Good luck with the build and be sure to post your progress and any issues that arise! Hopefully they are being ironed out for future buyers.

 

[Hiro Abe]

I will say that it's damn expensive to build a small form factor PC though.

It's a shame that these days it almost isn't worth building a system that is anything outside of industry norms. I remember throwing together a small form factor PC and it ended up costing more than if I got a cheap laptop that could've done the same thing I intended it for.