Sim Racing Set Up

If I was to budget 4K for a sim set up to include:

- Seat
- Frame
- Wheel
- Pedals
- Normal gearstick

What would people suggest?

Assume I will be using an Oculus Rift and I have the PC with appropriate spec already, so really just looking for the best set up for that sort of budget. Focus should be on matching the best possible real world experience, so I guess the pedals and steering are most important, the other stuff important too, but would put budget into controls first. Rigidity of the frame is also important and at 6'1 and 16 stone I need to fit in it.

Don't need to spend 4K, could spend a bit more if needed, but preference would be to spend less. Teach me for sitting in some good set ups at Autosports, I think I now need to buy a set up.

If you're after the best possible real world experience then a direct drive wheel would be the one to go for. They can be expensive but there are some cheaper alternatives too if you research. Look at SimXperience and OSW. If you do that, you'll need a very sturdy rig - 80/20 aluminium profile may be the way to go on that front.

Interested to know whether you have you visited any sim racing sites to get an idea on other people's setups.

I'm running with a DIY rig and Fanatec kit (Clubsport CSW V2 wheel base with 2 rims, CSP V2 Pedals and the CSS SQ shifter) and very happy with the setup although I'd love a direct drive wheel. I invested in a decent racing seat too.

Also look into Simvibe if you haven't already - it adds to the immersion, particularly when running with a Rift.

Thanks for that, the SimExperience wheel is the device I used at the weekend, just felt right with superb damping and feedback. Pedals I will need to shop around for too as they need to be adjustable left and right and backwards and forwards and again, damping is key. One of the the things missing in my experience is no pedals provide any feedback, which is a significant limitation on realism as you can feel so much on track through a brake pedal.

I can't justify spending on a full movement system, so my aim is to get the best wheel and pedals possible then work on options for mounting them with a seat. When it comes to a mount aesthetics matter not a jot to me, rigidity is key and seating position that can emulate a real driving position of a single seater would be my preference.

The Oculus Rift was impressive, it was a fantastic experience and though a doubling of resolution would help no end it was more effective than the 3 screens I also had a go one, massive so frankly. The way you can site bends is so much more effective than multiple screens and the space saving is also a win too.

Sounds like you on course for a very exciting journey! Agree with you on the Rift - I can't go back to a normal display now despite the 'low' resolution (I've grown accustomed to that now and look past the limitations). Have fun.

Hi Housey,

Lots to say on this subject, but I can't really do it full justice till I'm Home from work in the morning so I'll update accordingly then.

I'll just say on the subject of pedal feedback it's entirely possible to have pedals like you described but fitting a buttkicker to the underside of the pedal tray can really help with feeling abs or other sensations through the pedals.

i guess its what you want out of it.

do you want to be fast or realism ?

if you after being the fast then generally you wont be any quicker on a 150 wheel than a 20,000 pound wheel set up.obviously the higher price will be more realistic though.

so id personally get a reasonable wheel and peddle set up a hand brake gearstick decent chair then 3 monitors that are high refresh rate and the power to run any car game at high fps. over moving chairs and stuff like that.

fanatec store https://www.fanatec.com/eu-en/

you can get bundles or seperate bits build up what you want. one thing i would say is this kind of stuff takes time to build and set up. its proper machined stuff so not just open box play. also heavy so you need a good desk ! ideally a pod or something similar.

also with the base you may have to update software for rims to work and stuff like that.

pedals i think you would like the v3 pedals. https://www.fanatec.com/eu-en/pedals/clubsport-pedals-v3-eu.html

I want realism over pace but I am not going to pay 20K either. It's a balance but the purpose is to practice circuit lines for real racing.

well a bundle from fanatec with those peddles i listed will be about £1500 ish with handbrake and gearstick.few extras rim of your choice.

you dont really need anything better than that.factor in seat/pod maybe monitors unless you have them and power to run everything should be under budget and about as good as you will get for the budget.

I don't want monitors as I said, Oculus is much better for immersion even if you have to give up some resolution. Those pedals look spot on!

they are nice like a work of art.

DG out of curiosity are you sponsored by Fanatec? Though they were hooking you up with some kit a little while back?

Housey, I'm with you on Oculus Rift, it sold me the first time I tried it, even with the lack of resolution it still far exceeds triples for me.

Here is how I would spend your £4k.

Rig:

http://www.h-engineering.net/shop/sim-rig-gt/

Personally I think this is the best off the shelf 8020 rig out there right now. HE are widely regarding in the Sim Racing community and supply many race teams. They also have possibly the best customer service I have ever personally received. It's been raced on by a GT3 champion (fitted with HE Ultimate pedals & a Leo Bodnar Sim Steering wheel/servo) Who loved it.

£1349 with the 8020 profiles.

Add your own seat, plenty to choose from that will fit your height/build, worth taking a trip and trying some out. Budget £250-400 for a decent seat but you could just as easily get something from a breakers yard if you desire. A friend has an old Porsche Boxter seat with the electrics all hooked up on his rig.

Pedals:
I would also take HE's Ultimate Pedals (or HE Pro's if you want to spend a little less on them/don't require up to 120kg braking force.

http://www.h-engineering.net/shop/sim-pedals-ultimate/
£1329

http://www.h-engineering.net/shop/sim-pedals-pro/
£719

This is a really good sim racing hardware review Chanel:
He also reviews the Bodnar Sim Steering, OSW & Accuforce wheels along with the HE Pro wheels.

Wheel:

You mentioned you have tried a Leo Bodnar Sim Steering, this is considered the gold standard for sim racing. From the components used, to the software and driving experience you really can't beat it but it's costly:
http://www.leobodnar.com/shop/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=101

Prices start at £2880 and that's without a wheel rim, pushing your budget too far (unless you want the best)
For almost 1/3 of the price you can still get a Direct drive wheel:
http://www.simracingbay.com/product/simucube-based-osw-kit-with-cm110-case/

I had one with almost these exact parts and I can tell you it was leagues ahead of anything by Fanatec/Thrustmaster or Logitech. There are forces you simply wont get with the other wheels like compression and aerodynamic forces, locking of the wheels under braking, it really is a huge leap and for me, it was worth every penny. I'm not sure the Bodnar wheel is almost 3x as good though. Sim racing Garage has excellent reviews and comparisons of Bodnar and OSW.

You'd still need a wheel rim with either option. I had a Sparco P310 custom made by Sam Maxwell

http://www.sammaxwellcustoms.com/gallery.php

Also consider Martin Ascher

http://www.ascher-racing.com/product-category/steering-wheels/

or Leopoldo Ramirez, who makes amazing replica wheels from real race cars if that's what you're looking for


You're probably looking at around £800-1300 for a completely custom rim, depending on spec etc, but if you don't require paddle shifters/buttons then there is a considerable saving there and you're looking at more like £250 with an adapter to fit the servo.

Shifter:

If you want H pattern shifter and don't want to spend £1.5k

http://www.pro-sim.co.uk/product-category/shifters/

Then I would buy The Fanatec ClubSport SQ. It also switches between sequential/H pattern with a simple switch and you can adjust the resistance to a shift.

https://www.fanatec.com/eu-en/shifters/clubsport-shifter-sq-eu.html

If you wanted sequential only then I would go with the Pro-Sim sequential

http://www.pro-sim.co.uk/product/psl-sequential-shifter/#tab-description

Pro Sim is owned and run by Adrian 'Quaife' Hobbs current GT3 driver and the same Quaife who make gearboxes/diffs. They've used technology from their sequential gearboxes to create their sim hardware. They're also a distributor for Leo Bodnar sim steering wheels.

Buttkickers:
I would certainly consider these, perhaps on in each corner of the rig and one of the underside of the pedal tray. I never owned them but had a couple of hours on a friends rig who does and they make a massive difference to what you feel.

As you've probably guessed by this point I'm quite passionate about all this stuff, DG is right that better hardware doesn't necessarily make you faster as such, but it was many many times more immersive/enjoyable for me with good hardware and felt the closest to a real driving experience as I have ever had, especially with VR. I've tried to recommend equipment on what I would choose based on what you've said your reasons are, and you could tailor things like the pedals and steering feedback to replicate the forces you would use in a real car/single seater racer.

If you have any other questions etc I'm happy to help.

great kit there and advice Muska.yes i was doing a sponsership with Fanatec they gave me the kit for nothing but in the end as i put i was actually slower than my basic set up.

so i sent it back gave feedback on what should be changed.i still am in contact with them and can test other gear if i ask to. they are great firm and very helpful.

there is no limit to what you can spend on sim gear.so you do need to set a budget and look to what you really want.

he seems to have a good idea. the budget should allow for a nice set up with plenty of enjoyment.

Muska what do you think of the protosimtech pt1 pedals? Good value for money?

Obviously I've not used them but yes, I think they represent great value for money considering the construction etc. It's a shame we get hit with customs fees too.

I think Sim Racing Garage has also reviewed these.

Hey guys,

I'm currently designing a Shifter + add-on Handbrake and was wondering what sort of "features" you expect from these. There are tons of awful DIY H-shift hackjobs, which is not at all the way I'm going.

My reasearch into off-the-shelf products turned up either low end or high end, with nothing in the midrange. The H-shifters seem particularly crap, with no return force, locks on reverse, etc.

I really want the following:
* 6 Speed + Reverse (anything more should be paddle shift)
* Locking Reverse pull up on gear lever or button lock
* Configurable gating (4, 5, or 6 speed boxes)
* Natural feeling return force + gear latching
* Nice short throw like a good box
* Analogue handbrake w/ natural return force
* Build quality! Tough.

Tentatives are:
* Gear latching based on clutch, i.e. no clutch, no gear

The quality target is midrange, although it'll probably cost me the same as a high-range off-the-shelf setup, but it's a bit of fun.

Worth mentioning I do similar stuff on a day-to-day at work, especially the elctronics/drivers/USB, and will be spinning some PCBs up etc. Not a lot is out of reach. The biggest issue is the lack of access good fitting/turning shop (I miss my 1hp bridgeport), so it will be "easily" manufactured, probably at the cost of size.

Sorry to slighly highjack this thread.

EDIT: Just read up a few posts about this fantec: https://www.fanatec.com/eu-en/shifters/clubsport-shifter-sq-eu.html Gah, looks great. Cost is good too.

This has some great contributions, thanks for taking the time everyone, much appreciated.

the fanatec gearstick you listed is a great one but for rally i found it too stiff.you can reduce this with a allan / hex key. even so rally you want on some really quick gear set ups a lightening quick box. with that gearstick i found it just too differcult to do so.

the actual workmanship on the product is 2nd to none. absolutley amazing.its overengineered.it is german though . you do pay for quality.

i actually prefer a small stick to flick through the gears with little resistance.you dont want a gearstick that you need to be like arnold to use.needs to be effortless.there isnt that many either.so definitley a gap in the market.

So pretty!

He REALLY needs to sort some understeer on that car. Taxi to the apex on some corners.

The other thing is, these wheels with all the buttons are useless with a RIFT.