WHAT IS A RACING SIMULATOR WHEEL?
Sim racing wheels consist of multiple parts and can often be sold separately or as part of complete kits, depending on the manufacturer.
Complete kits are much easier to plug in and play and do not require much configuration. However, you can achieve much higher levels of customisation on setups bought in separate pieces.
The common parts you will need to be aware of when buying a sim wheel are:
THE STEERING WHEEL/WHEEL RIM
This is the steering wheel part itself, the part you hold in your hands. This can sometimes be sold separately, and come in all shapes and configurations depending on your intended use (and price point). Formula 1-style wheels are significantly different to GT car-style wheels, for example, and offer different button layouts. Higher-end wheel rims can feature various grip material choices too.
THE WHEELBASE
This is the unit that powers the steering wheel, providing its force feedback. Again, with higher-spec wheels, the wheelbase can be sold separately with several different power unit types (more below).
SHIFTERS
You use shifters to change gears. They can either be paddles mounted to the rim, or a stand-alone gear stick (often sold separately).
WHEEL-TO-WHEELBASE MOUNTING
Usually only found in higher-spec wheels where parts are sold separately. This is the plate or adaptor that allows you to attach the wheel to the wheelbase. Not all wheels are compatible with all wheelbases, so be sure to check before buying.
WHEELBASE MOUNTING
When buying a wheelbase, or a complete set, make sure to understand how the wheel attaches to either your desk or sim rig. Having a solid mounting to a flat surface is essential to the performance of your wheel. Mountings can come in different forms: clamps, direct screws or lap attachments.
PEDALS
Pedals can come in lots of shapes and sizes with different capabilities. Be careful when buying wheels and wheelbase bundles because pedals aren’t always included. When buying separately, make sure to check compatibility with the wheelbase and your PC or console.
WHAT MAKES A SIM WHEEL GOOD? COMPARISON OF DIRECT DRIVE VS BELT
DRIVEN VS GEAR DRIVEN
Some basic criteria that make a sim wheel pleasant to use:
● Force feedback (FFB) realism
● Comfort and customisation
● Price
There are literally hundreds of available steering wheels on the market today, with just as many online reviews telling you which ones you should buy and which ones you shouldn’t. Unfortunately, this is not an article telling you which wheel is best for you, rather, we want to give you the information to make your own decisions.
First things first, if you have never used a wheel before, then it is strongly recommended that you try one out.
Whether it is a friend’s house, a show model, or a pay-to-play experience, having a sim wheel in your hands will tell you what decision you should make in terms of product quality and cost.
There are some considerable jumps in FFB realism depending on the “drive type” of your wheel. There are three main types to be aware of. In descending cost order, they are:
DIRECT DRIVE, BELT DRIVE, GEAR DRIVE
The drive type refers to the power unit in the wheelbase that controls the level of force feedback given by the game. Hybrid setups also exist (where gears and belts are used) and would fall under the belt drive category in terms of overall feel and cost.
Force feedback is what makes a sim wheel feel real and it should mimic the real-world sensation of driving. Any deviations in FFB can make the driving experience feel notchy, unpredictable and unintuitive.
DIRECT DRIVE WHEELS
Direct-drive wheels are generally the most expensive of the three. The motor in DD wheels is fixed to the steering wheel itself, giving direct feedback to the wheel. The accuracy, frequency and strength of inputs from the sim to the wheel are much higher for direct drive and can therefore give the most realistic feel.
The ultimate downside to DD is the cost, with some setups coming in at over £1k for the wheelbase alone. There are new introductions to the market, however, advertising “entry-level direct drive wheels” - like those from Fanatec and Moza.
BELT-DRIVEN WHEELS
The middle ground is belt-driven motors. They run either one or two motors connected by a belt or pulley. This controls the wheel and provides the FFB. Belt-driven wheels have been around for a longtime now and can vary in price and quality. Belt-driven wheels can range around the £300 mark but are slowly being phased out in favour of entry-level direct-drive wheels.
GEAR DRIVEN WHEELS
Gear-driven wheels are the third option and they run using a very similar concept to belt-driven wheels. Instead of a motor pulling a belt, the motor is attached to the wheel via plastic or metal gears that are meshed together.
Gear-driven wheels were the original sim wheel design and are the cheapest on the list due to their low manufacturing costs and high accessibility. Gear-driven wheels are often a great starting point for new or inexperienced drivers to sim racing, often labelled as the ‘gateway wheel’ to bigger and better things.
To summarise, when it comes to customisation and tuning, direct drive is your best option. The majority of DD wheels on the market today are sold as separate components and offer a range of styles, buttons and FFB settings.
For overall FFB feel, DD is the most realistic, but both belt and gear-driven wheels can offer superb levels of tactility - the ultimate factor is your budget. Belt and gear-driven wheels are generally cheaper than direct-drive and can still provide a great driving experience. A lot of the top esports drivers use entry-level wheels, so, again, do not be concerned about starting with one.
WHAT TO LOOK OUT FOR WHENBUYING A SIM WHEEL
As mentioned above, there are three significant categories when it comes to choosing a wheel. All three option shave their pros and cons which determine their price.
If you are picking a wheel for the first time, be sure to stick to the big brands. Logitech, Thrustmaster, Moza, Fanatec, Simucube and AccuForce for example. Well-known brands generally have a larger fan base, better customer service, better reviews and larger sources of spare parts and information.
All of these are important factors you may not have considered.
Your budget will play a big role in determining what wheel you should go for. If you’re looking to spend big money- around the £1k mark - then a direct drive wheel is best, whereas a budget of around £500 will be more suited to a belt-driven or entry-level DD setup.
Gear-driven wheels are great starting points for smaller budgets, with hugely popular wheels like the Logitech G29and G920 offering fantastic feel for around £200.
An additional point to consider is a manufacturer’s warranty, it is not uncommon for sim racing wheels to fail, so make sure you are covered if anything does go wrong.
SECOND-HAND SETUPS
It’s generally not advisable to go down the second-hand route but it can be a great way to land yourself a cheap, high-end wheel.
If you are convinced about buying second-hand then there are some main points to consider when buying. How much playtime has the wheel gone through and how does this compare to the manufacturer’s warranty? Very important.
General wear and tear on a steering wheel should be obvious: marks, scratches and dust build-up can be signs of a hard life. Making sure that the wheel functions as it should before purchasing is strongly advised.
Ensure that what you are buying is compatible with your console or PC. Older-style wheels are not always compatible with newer systems, so do your research before buying second-hand.
WHAT DOES A GOOD WHEEL FEELLIKE?
Realism is key. Manufacturers have been pushing what is capable with sim wheel designs, merging the virtual and real worlds as closely as possible.
A realistic feel through the wheel will ultimately make the car easier to control. Increasing feedback will help you know when the car is understeering or oversteering. You’ll feel every bump in the road, every kerb and every rumble strip.
This is what makes sim racing so exciting! It has enabled the everyday driver to feel as if they are in the front seat of a Lamborghini GT3 car, or a retro F1 classic. Realism is what makes the game a ‘simulator’.
WHAT SHOULD YOU BE LOOKING OUT FOR IN TERMS OF 'FEEL'?
Smoothness: the force feedback in the wheel should feel fluid, smooth and predictable. It is the same for real-world driving, if you are feeling a notchy, scratching sensation in the rotation of the wheel then there is most likely something wrong.
Direct-drive wheels have gotten this spot on recently, with belt-driven wheels close behind. Gear-driven wheels haven’t quite got the silky-smooth qualities of the other two but still provide a progressive force feedback sensation.
The design and shape of the wheel rim are down to personal preference. Do you prefer an F1 style, rectangular wheel design, or a more circular GT or Drift style wheel?
It makes sense to buy a wheel for the type of game you will most likely be playing, F1 games, therefore, would suit anF1-style wheel, whereas Gran Turismo 7, Assetto Corsa or iRacing would probably favour a GT-style wheel.
The next big thing to consider is how comfortable the wheel is in your hands and its material makeup. Leather wheels are the most common and durable. They are, however, less comfortable than their Alcantara counterparts.
Button locations and configurations also add to the realism of your setup. It is a massive advantage to have easily accessible buttons on the wheel so you can change certain car setups, menu options etc. without requiring a separate controller or keyboard.
HOW SHOULD YOU SECURE YOURWHEEL?
Mounting is everything. It does not matter how good your wheel is, if it is not secured to a solid base it will be useless.
This goes for all sim racing setups. A fixed mounting method is best for attaching your wheel either to a desk or a dedicated rig. The most common method is to directly bolt the wheelbase to a surface. Not all wheelbases support this method of attachment, however, so be sure to check compatibility.
Desk clamps are also fairly solid but do tend to come loose if not tightened correctly.
The reason why the connection should be solid is to avoid any play and movement. Extra added ‘wobble’ to your setup will be exaggerated through the feeling in the steering wheel, making FFB feel unnatural. You can easily ruin an impressive setup by having flex or play in the steering wheel mounting.
So, fix your wheel down!
DO YOU NEED A TOP-SPEC WHEELTO WIN?
This is a very heated topic within the sim racing community. With owners of high-end wheels saying you don’t need one and owners of entry-level wheels saying you do.
Research tells us that direct drive wheels, combined with solid mountings, will statistically give you much better feel, realism and immersion, making you more sensitive to car handling characteristics.
Is this always the case, however?
Most likely not. Unless you are a top-level esports racer or have significant sim mileage, it will be very hard for you to tell the difference between a £2,000 setup and an £800 setup.
Think of this as a comparison: a real-world racing driver who has competed at the highest level of GT racing is told to drive the 2019 Porsche GT3 race car back to back with the 2020 version.
Instantly the driver will tell you the subtle differences between the two. Next, we put a driver who has never been on a track before into the two cars. Their experience will be completely different: they’ll notice the major points but will struggle to determine the intricacies the professional driver found.
The same can be said about sim wheel setups. The mid-to-entry-level wheels offer superb starting points for drivers wanting to make their first steps into sim racing.
There are plenty of examples of drivers with low-end setups succeeding in online events. The ‘Alien’ drivers out there will say that anyone can be competitive with a 10-year-old budget rig - and we agree!
Time and testing are what it takes to find something that works for you. It is easy to blame your equipment for being off the pace, but difficult to identify faults in your driving technique.
And if you need extra pointers to improve your virtual driving check out our AI-powered coaching tool, trophi.ai, which will monitor your inputs and intelligently offer pointers on how to make you quicker and more efficient on track.
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