as a bit of a woodworker and sim racer, i LOVE seeing all the clever homemade rigs. i'm a firm believer that, if you have a fixed budget, then you should absolutely spend all your $$$ on the best wheel & pedal set you can afford, then get an actual car seat from a junkyard (in good condition and on the cheap) and build your own custom rig (as sturdy as you know how to make it) to fit your own personal physical proportions. just know that anything you build first should be considered a prototype, and as you learn what works (and what doesn't) you can improve the design as needed, leveling up your engineering skills right alongside your driving skills. two hobbies for the price of one. :)
@@OgamiItto70 Agreed, they must be eradicated with extreme prejudice if you're serious about e-racism. I hate them, though to be fair they were admittedly early pioneers of the environmental movement that we've all come to take for granted, making good use of the things that they find; Things that the everyday folks leave behind. Oh sorry, I thought you said Wombles! Merry Christmas everybody! ua-cam.com/video/_JhVkWNHaU4/v-deo.html
Nicely done :) The only thing I'd add is that one upgrade often leads to the necessity of another. For example, you need a solid rig to handle higher end pedals/wheels if you want to take full advantage of them.
The TrueBrake mod is a good remedy for those of us on a budget. It won't transform Logitech pedals into an Heusinkveld or make you as fast as Max here, but a pretty substantial upgrade as far as cost.
@@maxversthappening8166 If you're not going as far as Fanatec+ gear then Thrustmaster wheel and Logitech pedals (w/TrueBrake loadcell mod) is always my choice (DriveHub box will sort out the interoperability). Thrustmaster pedals always seem so toy and placcy to me.
For me it's also about 'does it feel like a real car' (specifically my trackday car) but in general does it give you that immersion that you're actually driving a real car. Toy-sized wheels and placcy pedals and shifters are never going to give you that.
Agreed: NO EQUIPMENT is going to make you faster. Practice and maybe coaching is going to make you faster. Good equipment will further the immersion, and having a better view like in VR surely helps hitting the apexes better and driving nearer to the others. But if you're bad, it doesn't matter what you buy. A fool with a tool is still a fool...
@@ChrisHaye True, but in the end, it's going to cost you more than buying even a DD system... Of course not all bribes are money, but let's not go there...
Having the community rig pics was a great way to bring this topic together. The 'run what you brung' factor for sim racing is something I really love about the hobby. You have scope to buy fun, immersion and enjoyment with nicer equipment but in a nice, almost BOP kind of way, you are not penalised for not having money to spend on super high end gear.
4:05 That’s me 😁 Happy to help out Chris with some pics for this, and I agree with the comments in the video 👍🏻 If anyone has questions on my rig and buying decisions, ask away. I work at Codemasters so I have a fair bit of experience in this.
Simracing definitely is an enthusiast hobby. And the things we spend (often times way too much) money on, don't necessarily make us better at our hobby. But it accomplishes something greater: It immerses us way better, gives us a way better feeling of the car and the track. That, in turn, often times leads to improvement in our driving, but that should never be the reason to buy a specific piece of equipment. Ultimately, we only want one thing: More fun while driving. And if better equipment leads to exactly that, who can fault people for spending money on it?
My sim rig is a cheap laptop, a $60 wheel/ pedal set, a table and a piece of glass (to connect the wheel because it only has suction cups and they don’t work well on a table)
Why does no one talk about enjoyment and feel when talking about direct drive wheels? Every time they're mentioned in videos like this, it's all about pace. Obviously the pace won't vary much based on the driver and their habits, but direct drive wheels offer an incredible amount of detail and fidelity that clues laymen into how to appropriately handle a car. Even so, the notion that they don't make you faster is not really accurate. When I upgraded from my G29 to a DD1 and now to the SC2 Pro, every time I've been able to feel more details for what the car is doing, and that has helped me go faster. Also not sure I'd agree that things like bass shakers can't make you faster. I have 4-point bass shaker setup, emulating the tires at each corner of the car, and I can feel instant feedback for tire slip and lockup. It's done wonders for my ability to feel slides and catch them. Obviously, we shouldn't be discouraging lower priced gear and entry level products, but saying that direct drive, shakers, motion, etc. can't possibly make you faster is just not really true. The enjoyment and immersion from each of these things is worth their weight in gold, but yes it also does make you quicker and more consistent.
@@imakevidsable they're circular transducers that act like huge rumble motors, with a frequency range between 20hz and 200hz. Look up Aura bass shakers, those are the kind I have. I'm powering them with a Pyle PT8000CH, running Simhub. They rumble at lower frequencies for road bumps and texture, I have a slight rpm feedback to feel the engine at idle, and they rumble at a higher frequency when locking up. You don't even notice them after a while, it feels like driving a real car.
@@atIas-hugged i have a diy aluminum rig. i want to add 2 bass shakers near the seat. if I attach them to the aluminum profile, in your opinion, they make noise (especially at night) or just vibrate?
The biggest difference a piece of equipment made for me was when I replaced my original spring loaded Thrustmaster pedal set with a Fanatec set that included a load cell brake pedal. MUCH better control of braking with this. I see no need for any other upgrades with my equipment.
For me the most important part are the pedals. When I moved from Fanatec CSR to a V2, I struggled a lot and was even 3 month later faster with the CSR. Wheelbase is habit, pedals are performance.
What if you had no shifter or handbrake. What you prioritise pedals or go for thosef or a better overall experience? The problem with sim racing is that, even with the cheapest equipment there's so many parts it gets expensive fast.
You've hit the nail on the head with your points and at the end of the day most people perform better when using what they're comfortable with. me personally have never used a wheel that hasn't been logitech (my rig is 3rd from last) it does what i want and need it to do and I'm as fast or faster than others with more expensive setups cause of comfort and usability.
It definatly depends on what you drive. Around 2 months ago i switched from racing in ACC and rF2 to simulating tourist driving on the Nordschleife. I bought an adapter for my TX wheel base and put my MOMO Mod. 88 on it. I screwed a BMW E46 shift knob on my TH8A and stuck with the T3PAs and i can tell you for the evening laps i drive after work, all that stuff is more than enough. The original MOMO wheel gives me a great immersion of driving a real car, especially because of the bigger size (4cm to be exact) and the pedals...., well... they do their job. I feel like for everyone there is a point at wich upgrading to better equipment is just for immersion while things like H-patterns are basically just optional. So in the end, it's all about it depends on what you drive on
Biggest factor in my experience I’d driver position and perspective, I was struggling to hit apexes, sliding out of corners etc. Moved the tv so my wheel matches perfectly to the steering shaft in game, and voila! Instant but accidental apexing, still only quali 6-5 but a good outlier lap puts me front row
I'm gobsmacked that so many monitors are so far back from the steering wheel. My 'spacial awareness' improved massively when I corrected fov and moved my monitor (and the dashboard visuals) proportional scaled to my wheel. And the immersion improved too.
@grrinc, imagine the immersion you'd feel if you put a submarine simulator in your tropical fish tank? :-P Seriously though, have you tried VR? Unfortunate-telly my left eye is quite weak and I don't know if it would even work for me but I'd like to try it as apparently VR gives you much better cornering awareness. I literally haven't looked into it.
you forget the best equipement: A good pair of socks, because bare feet the pedals will stick to you even more with the time passing, and shoes are too thick to feel something valuable. My two cents :p
X-Rocker floor chair with a 2.1 dual speaker and subwoofer combo is PERFECT for my F1 setup. I can literally feel my back vibrating over kerbs cos of the sub. Love it
#1: Sim Racing Cockpit = You want a consistent seating position every time you get into it! #2: Sim Racing Pedals = Trailing Braking; feather gas in corner #3: Sim Racing Wheel = DD wheel personally
Upgrading the spring in the brake pedal of Logitech pedals made a huge difference in being able feel the brake limit of each car. I could not believe how much of an improvement the new spring makes and makes me wonder why Logitech wouldn't include it. The only reason I could see them making the brake so soft is most people put the pedals on the floor and that much force would cause the pedals to move around. Been using the g27 for the last 9 years (still going strong)
I experienced the biggest difference in performance/consistency from downgrading to the base Thrustmaster T300RS pedals after my T3PA pedals stopped working. The T3PA's have a rubber piece behind the brake pedal that give the pedal at least some sort of resistance but the base pedals have no resistance at all so I'm constantly finding myself either releasing the brake pedal way to early or way to late during trail braking. I've never owned a brake pedal with a load cell so I'm looking forward to see how that will impact my driving.
The first thing people seem to miss most is seating position. going from a wrong seating position to one that is close to an actual car made the biggest difference to my lap times and, more importantly, enjoyment.
Interesting topic Chris. Huge shoutout for putting my rig at 2:59. The pedals are quite important tbh and DD definitely seems to provide consistency in longer races at least this is how it feels with my simcube2 even after owning it for less than 3 weeks. Third one on my list is headphones 😁. Still practice makes perfect regardless of the equipment. Enjoy and have fun guys. See you on track 🍻
Comfort is important. When I ditched my racing type seat for a Lazy-boy lounge chair, comfort went up and I gained endurance. I could race for much longer without aches and pains getting in the way.
My V3 pedals have allowed me to use techniques I could not use before, such as trail braking. I really wanted triples, but let my brother talk me into VR, something I do not regret. These two things have allowed me to better reach my potential.
I directly started with a T300 Ferrari, a 32" curved monitor, and a Playseat evolution. I didn't care about starting slow with my first setup. I wanted something good. And after a few days I can say I love simracing.
A couple of years ago I tried RF2 at a mate’s house - he kindly gave me his G25 for free (it had been unused in his attic for ages!) & I’m still extremely happy with the same setup - pedals wedged up against the wall, basic but effective! Upgrading the PC has been my priority but I agree that good quality sound (KRK rockets) help a lot 😜
Regarding the rig, I built my 80/20 rig really cheaply (£200-ish) by finding plans for one online, and sending them to a metal shop to have them cut the aluminium themselves. They charged me about £165 for the raw materials, £15 for wasting their time with such a pathetically small amount of metal, another £20 to ship it to me from Germany, and I got an expired Sparco seat off Ebay for £150. The downside of this is you have no instructions, so you have to interpret the plans you found yourself, and there's no customer support to ask if you aren't able to do so. The upside is something more or less equivalent to a Simlab rig for about half the price. If you're the practical sort, I thoroughly recommend this method to building your rig. Oh, bonus tip; don't pay extra for black anodised aluminium, it scratches very easily and looks shit when it does, whereas the silver ages very gracefully.
I would agree with those first few. Pedals are without a doubt on the top of the list. I would also add magnetic paddle shifters if your wheel doesn’t have them.
I’ve spent about 15k on my whole rig so far. Immersion is awesome. Does it make me fatser? Probably not. I don’t care. I like sim racing and I don’t mind spending money on a hobby that I love. Even spent 850 bucks on a real racing suit just because. At the end of the day if you’re happy with whatever it is you have and you enjoy it, that is all that matters.
Nice one Chris! I agree. The biggest impact on my performance, out side of experience and laps, was getting a good load cell pedal set. Initially, a DD wheel actually made me slower, until I dialed it in and got used to it. Looking forward to the follow up. Love seeing people's clever ideas and unique ideas. Cheers!
I have upgraded to dd1 and v3 pedals a month ago. Both got me faster after all. Though at first I was much slower. And DD1 is a joy. It is amazing to feel all those things going on
I would like to make a point here When I first started sim racing at the age of 10 with a controller (low budget) I wasn't good at but after a while when I upgraded to a force feedback wheel (g29) I quickly understood the physics of driving and now if I go back to the controller I am far better So in my opinion when upgrading to another sim you become a better driver but as soon as you learn to be more precise going to a more basic sim we not dramatically affect your lap times
I know I’ve commented a lot. So last one. If you brake late, and you won’t make the apex, just hold the car straight, keep braking, don’t downshift until you can turn without under/over steer, (think turn 3 redbullring, real turn three, the kink between #1 and #2 don’t count)
I'm glad I've done sufficient research to realise I should be looking at pedals first instead of the wheels. Also happy to see many T150s in the video which is what I use. After calibration using .LUT files, I don't even dial up the FFB gain to max in ACC. Makes me wonder just how scary the higher end wheels must feel. Setting aside cash for a T-LCM pedal set (which is so much more reachable than a better wheel).
Seating and pedal position that are as close as possible to a real car allows you to push your back into the seat and so allows you to better exploit your brake pedal. Its key on low q gear like G29. Sitting high over the pedals makes you push yourself up instead of back into the seat.
I had the thrustmaster t80 as a starter because i didnt know if i would enjoy it as soon as i tried it out kn nfs payback i knew i want to get a sim setup i was 12 years okd at the time now im 14 and i managed to savw up for an xbox playseat challenge and logitech g920 although inbroke returned it and bought logitech g923 i play on fh4 and i really find driving fun
I'd agree i think entirely with this video. Buying a new wheel made me slower for a good while but ultimately has made the driving much more fun. My most cost effective upgrade in terms of price v performance was £26 on a set of locking chair wheels. Suddenly gave some stability to my racing position. I yearn for a rig but need to upgrade my house first to make space!
Well my rig is a Gaming laptop added with a 5.1 audio system and a logitech G920 with H shifter and i still enjoy to drive that thing, it took time to develop muscle memory when i was just getting started but great video as always.
Oh you can upgrade controllers by getting or having your gamepads modded and they could up your lap time by adding better sticks,buttons and paddles on the back.
Great to see the diversity out there. Also nice to see that the majority of us (probably those with wives) have all been confined to the smallest room (or space) in the house!
Loadcell pedals was the biggest change to my sim racing, the shifter was the biggest change to immersion. Also thanks for another great, thought out video on gear! Often this is overlooked or end up a bit "so firstly you only need one kidney..."
Pcars2 the shifter is essential. Try the turbo F1 Lotus in manual mode without a hbox. First downshift will be like a broken 1980’s automatic trying to figure out if you’re overtaking or slowing down, then giving you the response for both scenarios.
I finally upgraded to a stand from using my desk. I went with the GT Omega Apex, loving it so far. In testing it out, I put down three laps in a row on the Nordschleiffe on Assetto Corsa at a pace of ~5-6 seconds faster than I'd been able to in my prior setup. Seems absolutely worth it for the change in comfort level it brought.. I probably could have gotten those times in my prior arrangement but it surely would not have been as comfy, and I don't know if I'd have been able to do them in single sequence like that.
I started with the G29 and although I have to say pedals really made a big difference, the even bigger one was the FFB... the G29 was great to begin with but I was never really able to feel the car and react properly. With the Fanatec equipment now, I can feel so much and am able to catch the car and react way faster and much better!
for me the biggest difference is driving position as if you have a bad one it can ruin a long race as currently been using a wheel stand with a sofa and it sucks as my DIY rig was falling apart so ordered a new rig and cant wait to get back to a better driving position
Internal Question to Myself - "SingleRacer, what would actually make a difference to my own Sim Racing?"............................................................... er TALENT!!!
Hey chris, great video as always ^^ Just one point, id recommend looking at your monitor settings for better response times, it really is noticable once you change it. Greetings!
For sure - I did start talking about things likd V-sync, response times and input lag in an early draft of the script, but I found I was putting myself to sleep. You can see a great example of V-Sync causing input lag in this very video. My excuse is that I have to use it to get clear pictures without frame-tearing ;)
Thank you so much for this video, I have a T150 and I've been getting pretty decent results on Gt Sport mode, I felt I needed to upgrade to something fancier like a direct drive wheel but I could tell that braking and controlling the throttle is where I'm losing more time, so the pedals is where I'll go first.
I really want to get into sim racing for my ps4, but given that the new console is around the corner, I'm apprehensive to invest on equipment when there is no guarantee it will work with the new console. So, in the mean time, I'm just subscribing to sim racing channels and buying the games.
I use a Logitech G29 but have installed the Ricmotech Load Cell mod, and the 3DRap Feel shifter mod, also use the Next Level Racing F-GT cockpit with ButtKicker Gamer 2, and BenQ EX3203R Curved Monitor. I’m a console racer using PS4 Pro. Setup is very enjoyable. Assetto Corsa, ACC, PC2 Games
Nope not really, the gearbox is really for authenticity but the flappy paddle is much better to use but if you want to have an extra option available then gearbox Is cool, ( the wheel has fallen paddle shiftiness built in so the gearbox isn’t necessary)
G29 with loadcell upgrade is surprisingly competent & good value. The G29 feels like boosted car brakes with an LC my T3PA LC pedals feel like an unboosted race car pedal it takes good leg strength to work well.
Great Video but i have to diasagree on the haptic feedback. I have a setup with a bass transducer on the front and back of my aluminium rig. They are driven by Simhub and allow me to feel the grip limit on each axle while cornering and braking. This has improved quali laptimes but more importantly my tyre management and therefore my pace over long stints.
Dig your vids, thanks from Vancouver. I've seen a lot of them. I upgraded from a TS300 with T3PA to Fanatec CSL Elite with F1 wheel and Clubsport V3. My racing experience is far more immersive and better in every single way. Makes TS300 feel like a toy, even though the CSL is a better toy. LOVE the brake pressure/rumble. Pace is noticeably better although it wasn't instant and had to get used to it. In any hobby, you have to upgrade as you develop otherwise you'll stagnate and so will your interest in your hobby IMO.
Started on a used G25 (excellent for the price) and 24" monitor 3 years ago. Now I have a rig, Fanatec gear and 35" UW screen. Has it made me a better driver? no. But my consistency has improved, immersion is much higher, I sit much more comfortably and overall enjoyment is much higher. Has it strictly been worth all the money? Objectively no, but my enjoyment from it means I have no regrets! :-)
Re Motion Rigs.... I was slower for the first hour... then quickly matched my regular pace. And then the increase in consistency with braking and cornering really kicked in... So much so, that I cannot race without motion now as it feels muted, as though someone turned off the FFB on my steering wheel. It's that dramatic a difference. So in short, like a load cell.. its not speed you get, it's consistency....
KEYBOARD GANG ARISE FOR WE... we are broke ass peasents stuck with the most infirior piece of kit seriously ive been using a keyboard and mouse since i started playing car games back ages ago, back in 2015? i cant even remeber anymore, and i am half decent at driving with a keyboard (ratat tating noises cause mechanical keyboard go BRR)
Ive just upgraded my g920 pedals to thrustmaster t-lcm's i went half a second quicker on my fastest lap, and 17 seconds quicker over 10 laps, just having confidence that i could brake with more granularity and consistently helped so much next step is to build a cockpit, i think ive got a couple more tenths in me over desk and wheely chair on tiles, with a mat to slow movement, before i start looking at doing some driver mods.
My CSW 2.5 Bundle finally arrived two days ago. There is simply no comparison to my old PoS TM TMX/TP3A set-up. Just chalk and cheese. My test laps were actually way slower than usual... its so totally different! But its immediately obvious that I'm going to get heaps faster very soon. Goodbye randomness, hello accuracy and consistency! :D
pedal and rig are really linked, thats cool to have 50k pressure on the brake pedal but if you are on a wheel chair you will finish 5 meters away at the first corner
using a g29 here , home made inverted pedals, although my sim rig is nothing to compare with some of your video picks i do have a home made inverted pedals, but within 30-50 laps on a new track i can get to+2secs off world record times on assetto corsa, considering out of 420+ hours playing it i only took up racing less than 70 hours, i know its still a lot of time to make up as i definitely feel the biggest need to upgrade my brakes to be able to achieve better lap times as i usually mess up at locking my wheels up using the standard pedals
As for shifters? You’ll be better with a sequential stick on tracks like Bathurst, less likely to downshift going over a crest with one hand on the wheel.
I don't have the money to afford a wheel at the moment, but these videos are always so well done and they give such great insight. Thanks for making them! Appreciate your work, keep it up. Loved seeing the pictures of the setups too, although I am a little (well, not a little) bit jealous :P
the best gears for me were... the rims! big, alcantara and f1 rims. I know I am an immersion over anything guy :) I wish I had a ton of money for a motion rig...
I use an old Microsoft Xbox 360 Wireless Steering Wheel with Drivehub adapter. With this setup FFB works on PC titles and PS4. Do you think race times would improve a little upgrading to a Logitech G923? Games I play are Dirt Rally 1.0, Grid 2, F1 2015, Gran Turismo Sport. Also, what about 270 degrees of rotation vs 900 or 1080? Does the higher degrees of rotation give more precise steering and better race times?
I started off wanting to be competitive but I no longer care how fast I am. I just want immersion over everything. I just wanna experience the car, the track and the atmosphere of a race weekend or track day. I just like to pretend I’m some crazy rich dude with a collection of historically significant race cars who can travel to any track in any time period to race those cars. That being said, the highest end gear that won’t make you faster is what I’m looking for.
No idea why but I can’t 100 percent brake a lot of the time with my G29 pedals. Helps me because I never lock up but also makes me sad because I can’t brake much later. Will be sad/happy too when I get new ones.
The block in the brake pedal that simulates pedal resistance is terribly inconsistent until it's "broken in". You can work around this in the beginning by simply setting the max calibration in the game so that 100% braking is achieved at less than 100% pedal. Then as the block wears in, you can dial it back to 100%.
@@zerobandwidth yes or when calibrating the pedal on ghub just press the much you can like you do if you where driving.Normaly the position will be registred as max trave l ;-)
I have a CSL Elite Fannatec. Since I’m old (63) my vision is seriously impaired so I use a 70” TV for my monitor. Works!
Lester Combs - Nah, not old. I’m 65 and just got into sim racing via my son, as he’s upgraded. Old guys rule! 👍🏻
@@bobyorke I guess I’m the baby on here then! Been Sim racing since the very first Gran Turismo! I’m 61 now!
Wow! You guys are real troopers! I’m still a teen and I just got into sim racing.
@Adam ngl if I were that old those wheels would rip off my arms 😂
@Adam we like fun too.
Always picked sim racing equipment to aid immersion rather than pace, well that’s what my lap times show 🤷♂️
as a bit of a woodworker and sim racer, i LOVE seeing all the clever homemade rigs. i'm a firm believer that, if you have a fixed budget, then you should absolutely spend all your $$$ on the best wheel & pedal set you can afford, then get an actual car seat from a junkyard (in good condition and on the cheap) and build your own custom rig (as sturdy as you know how to make it) to fit your own personal physical proportions. just know that anything you build first should be considered a prototype, and as you learn what works (and what doesn't) you can improve the design as needed, leveling up your engineering skills right alongside your driving skills. two hobbies for the price of one. :)
Put the brake pedal on the centerline of the seat and _triangulate_ the frame of the rig to minimize/eliminate wobbles.
@@OgamiItto70 Agreed, they must be eradicated with extreme prejudice if you're serious about e-racism.
I hate them, though to be fair they were admittedly early pioneers of the environmental movement that we've all come to take for granted, making good use of the things that they find; Things that the everyday folks leave behind.
Oh sorry, I thought you said Wombles!
Merry Christmas everybody!
ua-cam.com/video/_JhVkWNHaU4/v-deo.html
Nicely done :) The only thing I'd add is that one upgrade often leads to the necessity of another. For example, you need a solid rig to handle higher end pedals/wheels if you want to take full advantage of them.
coming from a g920 background, yes upgrading pedals is a big one
For sure. If I had to rebuild everything from scratch, the first thing I'd get would be a set of loadcell pedals.
But consider yourself fortunate, you could have had Thrustmaster pedals ;)
@@garyhutchins4481 really, I thought the thrustmaster ones were decent? I mean, I've never had one but I always thought they were ok
The TrueBrake mod is a good remedy for those of us on a budget. It won't transform Logitech pedals into an Heusinkveld or make you as fast as Max here, but a pretty substantial upgrade as far as cost.
@@maxversthappening8166 If you're not going as far as Fanatec+ gear then Thrustmaster wheel and Logitech pedals (w/TrueBrake loadcell mod) is always my choice (DriveHub box will sort out the interoperability). Thrustmaster pedals always seem so toy and placcy to me.
For me it's also about 'does it feel like a real car' (specifically my trackday car) but in general does it give you that immersion that you're actually driving a real car. Toy-sized wheels and placcy pedals and shifters are never going to give you that.
Yeah, absolutely. We're all in it for different reasons. For me, immersion is more important than outright performance.
I agree....I’m here for the immersion💯
im here because i like forza horizon and driving and drifting with a wheel is cool
They don’t but any wheel gives a small bit of authenticity that a controller simply cannot match
Agreed:
NO EQUIPMENT is going to make you faster.
Practice and maybe coaching is going to make you faster.
Good equipment will further the immersion, and having a better view like in VR surely helps hitting the apexes better and driving nearer to the others. But if you're bad, it doesn't matter what you buy.
A fool with a tool is still a fool...
Bribing the server admin to add balast to your competitors works too! ;)
@@ChrisHaye pro gamer move 😎
@@ChrisHaye True, but in the end, it's going to cost you more than buying even a DD system...
Of course not all bribes are money, but let's not go there...
dont agree a load cell brake will clearly make you faster
Chris Haye BEING the server admin works even better ;)
Having the community rig pics was a great way to bring this topic together. The 'run what you brung' factor for sim racing is something I really love about the hobby. You have scope to buy fun, immersion and enjoyment with nicer equipment but in a nice, almost BOP kind of way, you are not penalised for not having money to spend on super high end gear.
4:05 That’s me 😁
Happy to help out Chris with some pics for this, and I agree with the comments in the video 👍🏻
If anyone has questions on my rig and buying decisions, ask away. I work at Codemasters so I have a fair bit of experience in this.
what it cost
Simracing definitely is an enthusiast hobby. And the things we spend (often times way too much) money on, don't necessarily make us better at our hobby. But it accomplishes something greater: It immerses us way better, gives us a way better feeling of the car and the track. That, in turn, often times leads to improvement in our driving, but that should never be the reason to buy a specific piece of equipment. Ultimately, we only want one thing: More fun while driving. And if better equipment leads to exactly that, who can fault people for spending money on it?
About that last line where you ask "...who can fault people for spending money on it?"
The correct answer is, my wife.
My sim rig is a cheap laptop, a $60 wheel/ pedal set, a table and a piece of glass (to connect the wheel because it only has suction cups and they don’t work well on a table)
That's pretty much where I started with 'serious' sim racing. RFactor on an old IBM Thinkpad!
Why does no one talk about enjoyment and feel when talking about direct drive wheels? Every time they're mentioned in videos like this, it's all about pace. Obviously the pace won't vary much based on the driver and their habits, but direct drive wheels offer an incredible amount of detail and fidelity that clues laymen into how to appropriately handle a car. Even so, the notion that they don't make you faster is not really accurate. When I upgraded from my G29 to a DD1 and now to the SC2 Pro, every time I've been able to feel more details for what the car is doing, and that has helped me go faster.
Also not sure I'd agree that things like bass shakers can't make you faster. I have 4-point bass shaker setup, emulating the tires at each corner of the car, and I can feel instant feedback for tire slip and lockup. It's done wonders for my ability to feel slides and catch them. Obviously, we shouldn't be discouraging lower priced gear and entry level products, but saying that direct drive, shakers, motion, etc. can't possibly make you faster is just not really true. The enjoyment and immersion from each of these things is worth their weight in gold, but yes it also does make you quicker and more consistent.
What are bass shakers?
@@imakevidsable Subwoofers
@@imakevidsable they're circular transducers that act like huge rumble motors, with a frequency range between 20hz and 200hz. Look up Aura bass shakers, those are the kind I have. I'm powering them with a Pyle PT8000CH, running Simhub. They rumble at lower frequencies for road bumps and texture, I have a slight rpm feedback to feel the engine at idle, and they rumble at a higher frequency when locking up. You don't even notice them after a while, it feels like driving a real car.
@@atIas-hugged I see. So basically recreating the feel of the kerbs. Thanks!
@@atIas-hugged i have a diy aluminum rig. i want to add 2 bass shakers near the seat. if I attach them to the aluminum profile, in your opinion, they make noise (especially at night) or just vibrate?
The biggest difference a piece of equipment made for me was when I replaced my original spring loaded Thrustmaster pedal set with a Fanatec set that included a load cell brake pedal. MUCH better control of braking with this. I see no need for any other upgrades with my equipment.
i completely agree with the sim rig upgrade. its hard to get good laptimes when my chair gets slung backwards everytime i press the brake pedal :D
Exactly, same as me as well. I had to calibrate my brakes so that I don't have to press brakes hard especially car with ABS.
For me the most important part are the pedals.
When I moved from Fanatec CSR to a V2, I struggled a lot and was even 3 month later faster with the CSR.
Wheelbase is habit, pedals are performance.
"Wheelbase is habit, pedals are performance" - I like that way of thinking about it. :)
You say that, but recovering a slide on DD vs a t300? I’ll take DD
What if you had no shifter or handbrake. What you prioritise pedals or go for thosef or a better overall experience? The problem with sim racing is that, even with the cheapest equipment there's so many parts it gets expensive fast.
@@dylanzrim1011 well, when you have the choice, no problem. But there are plenty good drivers even with T300 :)
You've hit the nail on the head with your points and at the end of the day most people perform better when using what they're comfortable with. me personally have never used a wheel that hasn't been logitech (my rig is 3rd from last) it does what i want and need it to do and I'm as fast or faster than others with more expensive setups cause of comfort and usability.
It definatly depends on what you drive. Around 2 months ago i switched from racing in ACC and rF2 to simulating tourist driving on the Nordschleife. I bought an adapter for my TX wheel base and put my MOMO Mod. 88 on it. I screwed a BMW E46 shift knob on my TH8A and stuck with the T3PAs and i can tell you for the evening laps i drive after work, all that stuff is more than enough. The original MOMO wheel gives me a great immersion of driving a real car, especially because of the bigger size (4cm to be exact) and the pedals...., well... they do their job. I feel like for everyone there is a point at wich upgrading to better equipment is just for immersion while things like H-patterns are basically just optional. So in the end, it's all about it depends on what you drive on
Biggest factor in my experience I’d driver position and perspective, I was struggling to hit apexes, sliding out of corners etc.
Moved the tv so my wheel matches perfectly to the steering shaft in game, and voila! Instant but accidental apexing, still only quali 6-5 but a good outlier lap puts me front row
I'm gobsmacked that so many monitors are so far back from the steering wheel. My 'spacial awareness' improved massively when I corrected fov and moved my monitor (and the dashboard visuals) proportional scaled to my wheel. And the immersion improved too.
@grrinc, imagine the immersion you'd feel if you put a submarine simulator in your tropical fish tank? :-P
Seriously though, have you tried VR? Unfortunate-telly my left eye is quite weak and I don't know if it would even work for me but I'd like to try it as apparently VR gives you much better cornering awareness. I literally haven't looked into it.
you forget the best equipement: A good pair of socks, because bare feet the pedals will stick to you even more with the time passing, and shoes are too thick to feel something valuable.
My two cents :p
X-Rocker floor chair with a 2.1 dual speaker and subwoofer combo is PERFECT for my F1 setup. I can literally feel my back vibrating over kerbs cos of the sub. Love it
Great advice and thanks for including my photo in the video!
I couldn't help but subscribe because all of all the wise you were cracking in between the useful info, cheers to you sir!
#1: Sim Racing Cockpit = You want a consistent seating position every time you get into it!
#2: Sim Racing Pedals = Trailing Braking; feather gas in corner
#3: Sim Racing Wheel = DD wheel personally
5:39 How can you say that's not glamorous? When clearly it is!
Upgrading the spring in the brake pedal of Logitech pedals made a huge difference in being able feel the brake limit of each car. I could not believe how much of an improvement the new spring makes and makes me wonder why Logitech wouldn't include it. The only reason I could see them making the brake so soft is most people put the pedals on the floor and that much force would cause the pedals to move around. Been using the g27 for the last 9 years (still going strong)
I experienced the biggest difference in performance/consistency from downgrading to the base Thrustmaster T300RS pedals after my T3PA pedals stopped working. The T3PA's have a rubber piece behind the brake pedal that give the pedal at least some sort of resistance but the base pedals have no resistance at all so I'm constantly finding myself either releasing the brake pedal way to early or way to late during trail braking. I've never owned a brake pedal with a load cell so I'm looking forward to see how that will impact my driving.
Yeah, brake pedal and any little thing that makes you brake better is key.
The first thing people seem to miss most is seating position. going from a wrong seating position to one that is close to an actual car made the biggest difference to my lap times and, more importantly, enjoyment.
Interesting topic Chris. Huge shoutout for putting my rig at 2:59. The pedals are quite important tbh and DD definitely seems to provide consistency in longer races at least this is how it feels with my simcube2 even after owning it for less than 3 weeks. Third one on my list is headphones 😁.
Still practice makes perfect regardless of the equipment.
Enjoy and have fun guys. See you on track 🍻
"The flailing, meaty object in the seat". I want that on a tee shirt! 😆
Comfort is important. When I ditched my racing type seat for a Lazy-boy lounge chair, comfort went up and I gained endurance. I could race for much longer without aches and pains getting in the way.
My V3 pedals have allowed me to use techniques I could not use before, such as trail braking.
I really wanted triples, but let my brother talk me into VR, something I do not regret.
These two things have allowed me to better reach my potential.
I directly started with a T300 Ferrari, a 32" curved monitor, and a Playseat evolution. I didn't care about starting slow with my first setup. I wanted something good. And after a few days I can say I love simracing.
Dang, you’re set for life!
Very cool that you added those pictures. Really added to the video. Cheers.
A couple of years ago I tried RF2 at a mate’s house - he kindly gave me his G25 for free (it had been unused in his attic for ages!) & I’m still extremely happy with the same setup - pedals wedged up against the wall, basic but effective! Upgrading the PC has been my priority but I agree that good quality sound (KRK rockets) help a lot 😜
Regarding the rig, I built my 80/20 rig really cheaply (£200-ish) by finding plans for one online, and sending them to a metal shop to have them cut the aluminium themselves. They charged me about £165 for the raw materials, £15 for wasting their time with such a pathetically small amount of metal, another £20 to ship it to me from Germany, and I got an expired Sparco seat off Ebay for £150.
The downside of this is you have no instructions, so you have to interpret the plans you found yourself, and there's no customer support to ask if you aren't able to do so. The upside is something more or less equivalent to a Simlab rig for about half the price. If you're the practical sort, I thoroughly recommend this method to building your rig.
Oh, bonus tip; don't pay extra for black anodised aluminium, it scratches very easily and looks shit when it does, whereas the silver ages very gracefully.
What specific rig plans did you use? Could you please share search terms at least?
7:05 well played with the popup note there... lol
Awesom to see how indervidual sim racing really is. Some based on space available or finance and some properly out there.
I would agree with those first few. Pedals are without a doubt on the top of the list. I would also add magnetic paddle shifters if your wheel doesn’t have them.
The virginity gloves give you the most value, I promise.
No but seriously, upgrading my pedals from T3PA to CSL Elite LC was an amazing difference.
I’ve spent about 15k on my whole rig so far. Immersion is awesome. Does it make me fatser? Probably not. I don’t care. I like sim racing and I don’t mind spending money on a hobby that I love. Even spent 850 bucks on a real racing suit just because. At the end of the day if you’re happy with whatever it is you have and you enjoy it, that is all that matters.
Pedals are probably my #1 pick
I went from the T3PAs to the Heusinkveld sprints, loadcells makes such a big difference.
Nice one Chris! I agree. The biggest impact on my performance, out side of experience and laps, was getting a good load cell pedal set. Initially, a DD wheel actually made me slower, until I dialed it in and got used to it. Looking forward to the follow up. Love seeing people's clever ideas and unique ideas. Cheers!
I have upgraded to dd1 and v3 pedals a month ago. Both got me faster after all. Though at first I was much slower. And DD1 is a joy. It is amazing to feel all those things going on
I would like to make a point here
When I first started sim racing at the age of 10 with a controller (low budget) I wasn't good at but after a while when I upgraded to a force feedback wheel (g29) I quickly understood the physics of driving and now if I go back to the controller I am far better
So in my opinion when upgrading to another sim you become a better driver but as soon as you learn to be more precise going to a more basic sim we not dramatically affect your lap times
I know I’ve commented a lot. So last one. If you brake late, and you won’t make the apex, just hold the car straight, keep braking, don’t downshift until you can turn without under/over steer, (think turn 3 redbullring, real turn three, the kink between #1 and #2 don’t count)
8:04 Is the fourth pedal used as a handbrake? Creative solution haha
I'm glad I've done sufficient research to realise I should be looking at pedals first instead of the wheels. Also happy to see many T150s in the video which is what I use. After calibration using .LUT files, I don't even dial up the FFB gain to max in ACC. Makes me wonder just how scary the higher end wheels must feel. Setting aside cash for a T-LCM pedal set (which is so much more reachable than a better wheel).
Liked seeing examples of what rigs others are using. It shows you don't need to spend a couple mortgage payments to go sim racing.
Seating and pedal position that are as close as possible to a real car allows you to push your back into the seat and so allows you to better exploit your brake pedal. Its key on low q gear like G29. Sitting high over the pedals makes you push yourself up instead of back into the seat.
I had the thrustmaster t80 as a starter because i didnt know if i would enjoy it as soon as i tried it out kn nfs payback i knew i want to get a sim setup i was 12 years okd at the time now im 14 and i managed to savw up for an xbox playseat challenge and logitech g920 although inbroke returned it and bought logitech g923 i play on fh4 and i really find driving fun
I'd agree i think entirely with this video. Buying a new wheel made me slower for a good while but ultimately has made the driving much more fun. My most cost effective upgrade in terms of price v performance was £26 on a set of locking chair wheels. Suddenly gave some stability to my racing position. I yearn for a rig but need to upgrade my house first to make space!
Just come across this video as iv just ordered a challenger play seat and G923. Top video.
Well my rig is a Gaming laptop added with a 5.1 audio system and a logitech G920 with H shifter and i still enjoy to drive that thing, it took time to develop muscle memory when i was just getting started but great video as always.
How I wish I’d tidied that room slightly. Great vid Chris.
Same, kinda rushed my pic..
Oh you can upgrade controllers by getting or having your gamepads modded and they could up your lap time by adding better sticks,buttons and paddles on the back.
Great to see the diversity out there. Also nice to see that the majority of us (probably those with wives) have all been confined to the smallest room (or space) in the house!
Chris, buddy, that hair is AmAzInG. Keep it right up to the point your little one makes it start falling out. Also great video as always mate.
Loadcell pedals was the biggest change to my sim racing, the shifter was the biggest change to immersion.
Also thanks for another great, thought out video on gear! Often this is overlooked or end up a bit "so firstly you only need one kidney..."
Pcars2 the shifter is essential. Try the turbo F1 Lotus in manual mode without a hbox. First downshift will be like a broken 1980’s automatic trying to figure out if you’re overtaking or slowing down, then giving you the response for both scenarios.
With hpattern you can least knock it into neutral in a traction emergency caused by your own miss-shift
I finally upgraded to a stand from using my desk. I went with the GT Omega Apex, loving it so far. In testing it out, I put down three laps in a row on the Nordschleiffe on Assetto Corsa at a pace of ~5-6 seconds faster than I'd been able to in my prior setup. Seems absolutely worth it for the change in comfort level it brought.. I probably could have gotten those times in my prior arrangement but it surely would not have been as comfy, and I don't know if I'd have been able to do them in single sequence like that.
I started with the G29 and although I have to say pedals really made a big difference, the even bigger one was the FFB... the G29 was great to begin with but I was never really able to feel the car and react properly. With the Fanatec equipment now, I can feel so much and am able to catch the car and react way faster and much better!
Not the pedals in fault they are all the same (g25,27,29) The problem leadto the firmeware of the g29 a 2 step curve for the brakes
You have an amazing voice. You could be the next David Attenborough! Seriously man
Why do you not have over a mil subs you are such an amazing yt channel you got me into car video games i have a console
Your videos are so informative and your narration is top notch. Thanks, Chris!
For me the biggest pace upgrade was the know how to setup my car better and do trail braking. No equipment can do that for you.
for me the biggest difference is driving position as if you have a bad one it can ruin a long race as currently been using a wheel stand with a sofa and it sucks as my DIY rig was falling apart so ordered a new rig and cant wait to get back to a better driving position
Internal Question to Myself - "SingleRacer, what would actually make a difference to my own Sim Racing?"............................................................... er TALENT!!!
If I might offer: lots of seat time, and a bit of coaching may reveal talent you did not realize you have.
Hey chris, great video as always ^^
Just one point, id recommend looking at your monitor settings for better response times, it really is noticable once you change it. Greetings!
For sure - I did start talking about things likd V-sync, response times and input lag in an early draft of the script, but I found I was putting myself to sleep. You can see a great example of V-Sync causing input lag in this very video. My excuse is that I have to use it to get clear pictures without frame-tearing ;)
@@ChrisHaye Thats a good point, thanks for explaining :)
Thank you so much for this video, I have a T150 and I've been getting pretty decent results on Gt Sport mode, I felt I needed to upgrade to something fancier like a direct drive wheel but I could tell that braking and controlling the throttle is where I'm losing more time, so the pedals is where I'll go first.
I really want to get into sim racing for my ps4, but given that the new console is around the corner, I'm apprehensive to invest on equipment when there is no guarantee it will work with the new console. So, in the mean time, I'm just subscribing to sim racing channels and buying the games.
ill back up the rig thing, especially in richard burns. so hard to feel comfortable throwing the wheel hard when it shakes the desk so much
I use a Logitech G29 but have installed the Ricmotech Load Cell mod, and the 3DRap Feel shifter mod, also use the Next Level Racing F-GT cockpit with ButtKicker Gamer 2, and BenQ EX3203R Curved Monitor. I’m a console racer using PS4 Pro. Setup is very enjoyable. Assetto Corsa, ACC, PC2 Games
your next upgrade should be a rift S...for me VR is where sim racing got to be a real hobby and now i'm adicted.
Do I need a gearbox? I got the Logitech G29 without the gearbox and I'm concerned.
Nope not really, the gearbox is really for authenticity but the flappy paddle is much better to use but if you want to have an extra option available then gearbox Is cool, ( the wheel has fallen paddle shiftiness built in so the gearbox isn’t necessary)
@@mataslaukaitis9975 thanks 👍
G29 with loadcell upgrade is surprisingly competent & good value. The G29 feels like boosted car brakes with an LC my T3PA LC pedals feel like an unboosted race car pedal it takes good leg strength to work well.
Great Video but i have to diasagree on the haptic feedback. I have a setup with a bass transducer on the front and back of my aluminium rig. They are driven by Simhub and allow me to feel the grip limit on each axle while cornering and braking. This has improved quali laptimes but more importantly my tyre management and therefore my pace over long stints.
Dig your vids, thanks from Vancouver. I've seen a lot of them. I upgraded from a TS300 with T3PA to Fanatec CSL Elite with F1 wheel and Clubsport V3. My racing experience is far more immersive and better in every single way. Makes TS300 feel like a toy, even though the CSL is a better toy. LOVE the brake pressure/rumble. Pace is noticeably better although it wasn't instant and had to get used to it. In any hobby, you have to upgrade as you develop otherwise you'll stagnate and so will your interest in your hobby IMO.
Started on a used G25 (excellent for the price) and 24" monitor 3 years ago. Now I have a rig, Fanatec gear and 35" UW screen. Has it made me a better driver? no. But my consistency has improved, immersion is much higher, I sit much more comfortably and overall enjoyment is much higher. Has it strictly been worth all the money? Objectively no, but my enjoyment from it means I have no regrets! :-)
Re Motion Rigs.... I was slower for the first hour... then quickly matched my regular pace. And then the increase in consistency with braking and cornering really kicked in... So much so, that I cannot race without motion now as it feels muted, as though someone turned off the FFB on my steering wheel. It's that dramatic a difference.
So in short, like a load cell.. its not speed you get, it's consistency....
G29 gang rise up
KEYBOARD GANG
ARISE
FOR WE... we are broke ass peasents stuck with the most infirior piece of kit
seriously ive been using a keyboard and mouse since i started playing car games back ages ago, back in 2015? i cant even remeber anymore, and i am half decent at driving with a keyboard (ratat tating noises cause mechanical keyboard go BRR)
Ive just upgraded my g920 pedals to thrustmaster t-lcm's i went half a second quicker on my fastest lap, and 17 seconds quicker over 10 laps, just having confidence that i could brake with more granularity and consistently helped so much next step is to build a cockpit, i think ive got a couple more tenths in me over desk and wheely chair on tiles, with a mat to slow movement, before i start looking at doing some driver mods.
My CSW 2.5 Bundle finally arrived two days ago. There is simply no comparison to my old PoS TM TMX/TP3A set-up. Just chalk and cheese. My test laps were actually way slower than usual... its so totally different! But its immediately obvious that I'm going to get heaps faster very soon. Goodbye randomness, hello accuracy and consistency! :D
I can confirm, a rig that doesn't withstand the FFB of your wheel can be a bit scary
pedal and rig are really linked, thats cool to have 50k pressure on the brake pedal but if you are on a wheel chair you will finish 5 meters away at the first corner
I don't have a setup up yet but I saw an idea that I would love to try which was using the vr headset and then all the sim racing equipment
direct drives are very helpful for saving spins and consistency
using a g29 here , home made inverted pedals, although my sim rig is nothing to compare with some of your video picks i do have a home made inverted pedals, but within 30-50 laps on a new track i can get to+2secs off world record times on assetto corsa, considering out of 420+ hours playing it i only took up racing less than 70 hours, i know its still a lot of time to make up as i definitely feel the biggest need to upgrade my brakes to be able to achieve better lap times as i usually mess up at locking my wheels up using the standard pedals
As for shifters? You’ll be better with a sequential stick on tracks like Bathurst, less likely to downshift going over a crest with one hand on the wheel.
As opposed to trying to get extra tenths with late braking and shifting and binning it because ya shifted with no traction.
I don't have the money to afford a wheel at the moment, but these videos are always so well done and they give such great insight. Thanks for making them! Appreciate your work, keep it up.
Loved seeing the pictures of the setups too, although I am a little (well, not a little) bit jealous :P
one thing i reccomend coming from plane sims (dcs, il2) is the usage of a trackir.
the best gears for me were... the rims! big, alcantara and f1 rims. I know I am an immersion over anything guy :) I wish I had a ton of money for a motion rig...
I use an old Microsoft Xbox 360 Wireless Steering Wheel with Drivehub adapter. With this setup FFB works on PC titles and PS4. Do you think race times would improve a little upgrading to a Logitech G923? Games I play are Dirt Rally 1.0, Grid 2, F1 2015, Gran Turismo Sport. Also, what about 270 degrees of rotation vs 900 or 1080? Does the higher degrees of rotation give more precise steering and better race times?
I started off wanting to be competitive but I no longer care how fast I am. I just want immersion over everything.
I just wanna experience the car, the track and the atmosphere of a race weekend or track day.
I just like to pretend I’m some crazy rich dude with a collection of historically significant race cars who can travel to any track in any time period to race those cars.
That being said, the highest end gear that won’t make you faster is what I’m looking for.
i lapped 2 world records in Pcars2 with a g29 clamped to a wooden table and the pedals taped to the floor.
so you can go for every steering wheel.
Brake pedal is the single best upgrade for consistency and overall performance
No idea why but I can’t 100 percent brake a lot of the time with my G29 pedals. Helps me because I never lock up but also makes me sad because I can’t brake much later. Will be sad/happy too when I get new ones.
The block in the brake pedal that simulates pedal resistance is terribly inconsistent until it's "broken in".
You can work around this in the beginning by simply setting the max calibration in the game so that 100% braking is achieved at less than 100% pedal.
Then as the block wears in, you can dial it back to 100%.
@@zerobandwidth yes or when calibrating the pedal on ghub just press the much you can like you do if you where driving.Normaly the position will be registred as max trave l ;-)
The most shocking thing I see from any of these pics is how confident people are leaving open glasses of water next to their equipment.
the pics in the background where all just a big flex
i use a cat scratch tree to hold my wheel and peddles with a vr head set worked great in a pitch .
Great video. Thx for your time and sharing your knowledge.