Feedback on $6500 Computer/VR/Sim Racing Build?

[Rainman2020]

Hey yall from Texas!

Background

I have been following racing since I was a kid (when my dad flagged 1960s club sport racing and I got to watch lotus super 7s, formula fords, bugeye sprites, vettes, maserati birdcages, MGBs, etc racing in their different class races). I have always owned sports cars and always wanted to race, but racing was too dangerous and too pricey for me.

However, about 3 months ago, I saw a Jimmy Broadbent video of him driving a 60s grand prix car while being in VR, and I was instantly hooked and taken down the entire sim racing/VR rabbit hole that I had never looked at previously. And, on top of that, have been figuring out what computer upgrade I needed to run it all. It has been a lot of fun research the last several months! I must have watched 500 youtube videos Now, I will finally be able to race my favorite all time car, a Lotus 7, as a sim racer! Wow

It has been fascinating trying to find the ‘sweet spot’ where you get the best bang for your buck for each component. I am single and not rich, so haven’t even looked at the truly high end stuff. My original budget was $5000 for the computer upgrade/VR/sim racing gear, but that has ballooned to around $6500, doh! However, I am getting one heck of an initial sim racing rig, VR headset and computer to run the whole thing!

This is the best sim racing forum I have found, and I have posted several specific questions on this forum the last months as I tried to hone down my first ever sim racing build. Now, as I am about to pull the trigger, I wanted to run the entire build by yall at this forum and get your feedback.

PC

i9-9900k OC’ed
RTX 2080 Super
16GB DDR4
850W Power supply and motherboard = both ready to accept the new Nvidia cards when they arrive

VR

VR headset = Valve Index

I am prone to motion sickness in real life and have never tried VR at all, so am doing all I can to give myself the best chance to not get motion sick in VR. I have heard over and over when researching that people that had a lot of issues with motion sickness on other headsets used the Index and their motion sickness went away.

Note that I am doing lots of other things to mitigate any possible motion sickness. I got an Emeterm wristband, will be ordering Dramamine Non Drowsy Naturals (mostly ginger) and will take it slow and stop the moment I get a tad sick and come back later, doing that until I build up my ‘vr legs’.

Combine the helping with motion sickness with the other great features of the Index, and I am going with the Index (plus, I want to play games like Half Life and want those Index controllers)

Note that I am planning on getting a Reverb G2 when they are available and compare it to the Index after having used the Index for a while. If I like the G2 better, then I will sell the Index. If I still like the Index better, I will take the G2 back for a full refund. Went round and round on the Index vs the G2 and finally settled it with that solution

I am not getting a single monitor for the sim rig initially, and hoping I can just use VR only for my sim racing monitor.

Sim Racing

Wheel = Accuforce V2

I really wanted to go straight for a DD wheel, and the Accuforce to me occupies that ‘sweet spot’ value that is a very nice DD wheel for half the price of the Simucubes of the world. Also, they are made by what seems to be a stable company. This video was the one that finally sold me on the Accuforce V2.

Pedals = Fanatec Clubsport Pedals V3

The Heusinkveld pedals were way out of my sweet spot value, so that leaves me with the V3s. I had considered the Elite LC pedals, but I think the V3s hit the ‘serious pedals but still affordable’ category best.

Shifter = Fanatec ClubSport Shifter SQ V 1.5

I plan on doing as much vintage racing as possible. It is the 60s and early 70s era (even 50s) that grabs me, and I want to drive a formula ford or a lotus 7 or a cobra with an H-pattern for realism. I will have the paddles on the wheel for the times I do sequential shifting. The Fanatec looked like the best value for a really good H-pattern shifter.

Cockpit = Simlab P1-X or GT1 Evo

I am continuing to debate the Simlab Evo vs the P1-X. I want it to be very stable for the Accuforce wheel. However, I do have a small space (5 x 3 feet) behind the recliners in the main room (my man cave ), and I don’t want some giant rig sitting there. I doubt I will need the P1 in order to be stable with the Accuforce and that the Evo would work very nicely, again hitting that sweet spot value. The P1 is $200 more. Not being a handyman type, I frankly would not consider building either one if it were not for Barry at Sim Racing Garage and his fantastic build videos given the poor instructions from Simlab.

One thing I really want is a stable shifter mount for the Fanatec shifter. If I got the Evo, I would want to do something like Barry (Sim Racing Garage) said to do, which is to add a vertical piece to support the shifter arm. The P1 comes stock with that vertical shifter arm support piece, so that makes their price difference closer. Hmmm

Racing Seat = GT-Omega XL-RS Simulator Seat

https://www.gtomega.com/products/xl-rs-seat

Maybe someday I will decide to add some sort of motion platform. But, that would be far down the line.

I have not looked much at things like buttkickers, although I did hear that they could help mitigate possible motion sickness also since they help make your body feel something real is happening.

That’s it! Oh yeah, and getting an ASUS VG27AQ gaming monitor for the computer desk (not the simrig). Gotta have a monitor to match the new computer of course. It all adds up to about $6500. It is a bit like summer Christmas down here in 100 degree Texas.

So, what do yall think? Anything jump at you that I should be considering before I start ordering things?

Randy

 

[TedBrosby-]

I can understand your feeling. I had a G29 as my first wheel and honestly the pedals ruined immersion for me so I never fully committed.
However, you don't have to go to extreme ends to figure out if you'll enjoy this or not. Even the T300 with load cell pedals or the CSL kit is better enough than the G29/T150 that you'll know if you enjoy the immersion or not.
I agree with @Andrew_WOT that you don't have enough information to make an informed decision right now about whether the Accuforce is good enough or not. It's a great wheelbase, don't get me wrong... But you're not going to get unbiased information from a YouTuber unless they have a track record of being critical even of popular products. SRG is honestly the only YouTube reviewer I trust for sim racing gear.

I recommend you start with one of two:
1) Thrustmaster T300 and TLCM pedals (You can probably sell the original TM pedals here or on Facebook marketplace for $100-$125). You can also get the Ferrari F1 wheel add on for $115 from Amazon and it's a huge upgrade. This whole kit will set you back about the same price as just V3 pedals. Maybe about $500-$600.
2) CSL PS4 Starter Kit + load cell. The starter kit is $569 with a CSL wheel base and a P1 wheel and basic pedals. You can add the load cell for $130, so about $700 for a kit that's honestly worlds better than a G29. And Fanatec gear tends to sell second hand really well on FB marketplace or Craigslist. Plus you get F1 2020 for like $1 if you buy a Fanatec steering wheel (CSL bundle qualifies). It's a fun game to start out with when you're just getting started in sim racing.

Try not to get distracted by the crazy builds you see on RaceDepartment. This place is full of a lot of people with insane hardware. They're way way down the scale on Enthusiast. There's tens of thousands of people having an amazing VR racing experience who don't use DD or SFX-100 motion rigs or $2000 Cube Controls steering wheels. And for a lot of people, CSL wheel base has a crazy amount of details compared to starter wheels.

Regarding your rig,
You have 5 feet x 3 feet. How tall are you? The P1-X will fit just fine in that space. It's about 44 inches long and 22 inches wide, (26 inches wide at the uprights) but if you're tall or have really long legs, YOU might not fit in that space because your seat will extend beyond the edges of the rig in the back and your pedals might extend out the front. Also, seating style/position plays a role. You said you wanna drive F1 classic, are you going to sit F1 style for immersion? If so, you'll take up even more space because F1 is almost flat to the ground. But if you're okay driving F1 but sitting GT as most sim racers do, and you're not freakishly tall, you might be okay. IMO, 6' is the "let's calculate" height for having a seat/pedals within the length of the P1-X, when you're constrained on length.

Finally, my suggestions:

1. Fanatec CSL PS4 Starter Kit + Load Cell + F1 2020 on PC - $701.00
2. P1-X from Sim-Lab $870.00 (Don't skimp on the cockpit, it's the hardest part to upgrade, seriously).
3. Valve Index Full Kit - $999 (I agree with you, don't take chances on motion sickness with cheaper VR headsets, plus you can resell this close to its original price)
4. HE Sequential - $200.00 (Only if you plan to drive H pattern cars should you get an H pattern shifter).

This total set is like $2700 and even if you end up hating sim racing, you can sell most of it within 10-15% of the original price. And you even have an extra $3300 left over, so if you DO end up really loving the crap out of sim racing, you could seriously buy a Simucube 2 Pro, Cube Controls Wheel, HE Sprint pedals and still have money left over for the painful iRacing fees. The only thing you have to do is add a seat. I recommend you pick this based on your body shape and less on what people recommend. You're going to sit in it. But I do recommend a non reclining version because those reclining functions have been known to fail when used with HE pedals. I use a Recaro SPG-1, but I'm only 5'7" tall and weigh about 145 pounds. Anyone with a wider waist (30-32") than me would have trouble squeezing into it.

 

[Deleted member 197115]

1. Valve Index Full Kit - $999 (I agree with you, don't take chances on motion sickness with cheaper VR headsets, plus you can resell this close to its original price)

I am pretty sure you are confusing quite a few things here.

 

[Turk]

I would add I bought the Fanatec CSW 2.5, and was very surprised by how good it feels. Unless you've actually tried a DD wheel and have one of those to compare it too I think anybody would be happy with the CSW. I went CSW over CSL because it's a metal box over a plastic one.

 

[Rainman2020]

I can understand your feeling. I had a G29 as my first wheel and honestly the pedals ruined immersion for me so I never fully committed.
However, you don't have to go to extreme ends to figure out if you'll enjoy this or not. Even the T300 with load cell pedals or the CSL kit is better enough than the G29/T150 that you'll know if you enjoy the immersion or not.
I agree with @Andrew_WOT that you don't have enough information to make an informed decision right now about whether the Accuforce is good enough or not. It's a great wheelbase, don't get me wrong... But you're not going to get unbiased information from a YouTuber unless they have a track record of being critical even of popular products. SRG is honestly the only YouTube reviewer I trust for sim racing gear.

I recommend you start with one of two:
1) Thrustmaster T300 and TLCM pedals (You can probably sell the original TM pedals here or on Facebook marketplace for $100-$125). You can also get the Ferrari F1 wheel add on for $115 from Amazon and it's a huge upgrade. This whole kit will set you back about the same price as just V3 pedals. Maybe about $500-$600.
2) CSL PS4 Starter Kit + load cell. The starter kit is $569 with a CSL wheel base and a P1 wheel and basic pedals. You can add the load cell for $130, so about $700 for a kit that's honestly worlds better than a G29. And Fanatec gear tends to sell second hand really well on FB marketplace or Craigslist. Plus you get F1 2020 for like $1 if you buy a Fanatec steering wheel (CSL bundle qualifies). It's a fun game to start out with when you're just getting started in sim racing.

Try not to get distracted by the crazy builds you see on RaceDepartment. This place is full of a lot of people with insane hardware. They're way way down the scale on Enthusiast. There's tens of thousands of people having an amazing VR racing experience who don't use DD or SFX-100 motion rigs or $2000 Cube Controls steering wheels. And for a lot of people, CSL wheel base has a crazy amount of details compared to starter wheels.

Regarding your rig,
You have 5 feet x 3 feet. How tall are you? The P1-X will fit just fine in that space. It's about 44 inches long and 22 inches wide, (26 inches wide at the uprights) but if you're tall or have really long legs, YOU might not fit in that space because your seat will extend beyond the edges of the rig in the back and your pedals might extend out the front. Also, seating style/position plays a role. You said you wanna drive F1 classic, are you going to sit F1 style for immersion? If so, you'll take up even more space because F1 is almost flat to the ground. But if you're okay driving F1 but sitting GT as most sim racers do, and you're not freakishly tall, you might be okay. IMO, 6' is the "let's calculate" height for having a seat/pedals within the length of the P1-X, when you're constrained on length.

Finally, my suggestions:

1. Fanatec CSL PS4 Starter Kit + Load Cell + F1 2020 on PC - $701.00
2. P1-X from Sim-Lab $870.00 (Don't skimp on the cockpit, it's the hardest part to upgrade, seriously).
3. Valve Index Full Kit - $999 (I agree with you, don't take chances on motion sickness with cheaper VR headsets, plus you can resell this close to its original price)
4. HE Sequential - $200.00 (Only if you plan to drive H pattern cars should you get an H pattern shifter).

This total set is like $2700 and even if you end up hating sim racing, you can sell most of it within 10-15% of the original price. And you even have an extra $3300 left over, so if you DO end up really loving the crap out of sim racing, you could seriously buy a Simucube 2 Pro, Cube Controls Wheel, HE Sprint pedals and still have money left over for the painful iRacing fees. The only thing you have to do is add a seat. I recommend you pick this based on your body shape and less on what people recommend. You're going to sit in it. But I do recommend a non reclining version because those reclining functions have been known to fail when used with HE pedals. I use a Recaro SPG-1, but I'm only 5'7" tall and weigh about 145 pounds. Anyone with a wider waist (30-32") than me would have trouble squeezing into it.

Lot of great comments there Ted, thanks

I am 5'9, and do not plan on sitting 'F1 style', and will be fine with a GT sitting position even when driving formula cars. I am not wanting to get a non-reclining seat though as i am pretty finicky about seating position and could easily end up not liking a non-reclining seat. I may do a non-recliner one day (maybe when i get HE sprints later if that ever happens), but want to start with one. Plus, others will potentially have issues not finding a seating position they like in a fixed back seat.

I am pretty sure i will be able to fit a P1 into the space, although i don't like how tall you sit in the P1 so much, want to sit pretty low but not F1 low. I do hear you on not skimping on the cockpit and to get one that i can live with for years even if i upgrade to things like He Sprints, etc. That probably says i need to get the P1-X

The guys i have gravitated towards on youtube definitely are critical when something merits it. My favorite reviewer is Barry of course, but some people you just really connect with and feel that they are honest and not just paid by the mfg.

This forum is good at pulling you immediately towards the really high end stuff (SC2, HE Sprints, etc etc), but i am staying away from the really high end stuff for now. As you said, if i love sim racing and use it enough to justify, then i can look forward to some upgrades later to something like a SC2 (or whatever is the SC2 in a few years) for one example.

As to getting cheaper wheel and pedals to start with, i really do want to go ahead and get the Accuforce and the a good set of pedals to start with. It is not that much more to get the Accuforce V2 + Fanatec V3 pedals + Fanatec shifter than the other stuff you mentioned.

If i do end up selling the sim racing stuff after awhile (if i just didn't use it or like it like i thought i would), then i will be able to get at least 75% of that investment back.

If i got the Elite CSL Starter kit along with the load cell pedals, that is about $700 vs getting the Accuforce V2 + V3 pedals for $1400, so $700 in difference. If i sold either set for 25% loss, that equals a loss of $175 on the CSL kit vs a loss of $350 on the Accuforce V2 + V3 pedals, so doing that math, i am willing to live with losing another $175 or so to go ahead and start out with a DD wheel and really nice pedals. Note that would get the Fanatec H pattern shifter either way. I will have paddles on the Accuforce wheel so don't need a sequential shifter also.

Will lose some on the P1-X or Evo too if i end up selling it, but i am good with that too and do want to try sim racing with good gear to get a clear evaluation of it. So, it is worth it to me to spend more on the initial gear and take the risk of losing a bit more if i end up selling it.

Randy

 

[Rainman2020]

I would add I bought the Fanatec CSW 2.5, and was very surprised by how good it feels. Unless you've actually tried a DD wheel and have one of those to compare it too I think anybody would be happy with the CSW. I went CSW over CSL because it's a metal box over a plastic one.

I was initially set on the CSW belt driven wheel, but changed my mind later in the process. If i was going to step down from a DD wheel, it would for sure be the CSW 2.5. However, it sounds like the jump in quality/feel/ability to catch slides/software is more than the approx $200 difference in price between the CSW (once you add the cost of the wheel itself) and the Accuforce, so going to try the Accuforce as my initial wheel base. Again, between those two, if i do end up selling at approx 25% loss, the extra money lost would be only about $50-100 between the two, so the Accuforce becomes a no-brainer to me. And, i will for sure have a cockpit that can handle either one, so that is not a factor either.

Back to that same reviewer (he is one of my favorite reviewers) on his initial impressions of the Accuforce vs the belt driven wheels he had used for years. He really enjoyed using his belt driven wheels, but he points out here that the Accuforce was a huge jump up in performance, the ability to correct slides, etc. He does point out the negatives of the Accuforce also (noisy fan and the cord to the button box)

 

[Turk]

I don't think you would regret getting the accuforce for one second, for the most part us sim racers only know the piece of kit we have, we don't get to compare them. Which is probably a good thing, because it's usually the most expensive one that's the best, and if we can't afford it we have to live with the memory of that better wheel every time we use our cheaper wheel.

Without ever trying a DD wheel and not having that reference, the CSW would feel great. Even though I know the DD wheel is better, I can't really imagine how it could be better than the CSW. So there is an opportunity to cut costs there while still getting a great experience. If your happy to pay the premium there's no reason not too.

 

[TedBrosby-]

For the record, the only reason I recommended CSL before is because it will not flex at all with the Evo. But if you get the P1-X, you won’t have any problems with the Accuforce.
As an owner of the CSW 2.5 who also had the CSL, I disagree that the CSW is worth the price difference. If you’re spending CSW money, get the Accuforce hands down.

 

[Rainman2020]

I don't think you would regret getting the accuforce for one second, for the most part us sim racers only know the piece of kit we have, we don't get to compare them. Which is probably a good thing, because it's usually the most expensive one that's the best, and if we can't afford it we have to live with the memory of that better wheel every time we use our cheaper wheel.

Without ever trying a DD wheel and not having that reference, the CSW would feel great. Even though I know the DD wheel is better, I can't really imagine how it could be better than the CSW. So there is an opportunity to cut costs there while still getting a great experience. If your happy to pay the premium there's no reason not too.

In order to jump straight to a DD wheel as good as the Accuforce, I can live with losing the $50-100 or so more if i sold the sim racing stuff for some reason. No, it is i am sure not as good as a SC2, but it is also $1000 cheaper and comes with everything you need included in one tidy package (and from a good company i think), so that is very appealing too. If i love sim racing and later want to upgrade, that will give me something to look forward to, but the Accuforce will make a great start based on what i read and see.

I am sure the CSW is really nice too, haven't heard anything bad about it, other than it is not a DD wheel

Randy

 

[Rainman2020]

For the record, the only reason I recommended CSL before is because it will not flex at all with the Evo. But if you get the P1-X, you won’t have any problems with the Accuforce.
As an owner of the CSW 2.5 who also had the CSL, I disagree that the CSW is worth the price difference. If you’re spending CSW money, get the Accuforce hands down.

I am leaning heavily towards just getting the P1-X, just so that if i sim race for years, i will be cockpit set for years no matter what other things i end up getting. Plus, the P1-X already has the vertical supported shifter arm included in the package

P1-X Questions:

1) What do i need to order from Simlab other than the P1-X, given i want to mount the Accuforce properly?

2) Side by side, how much bigger and taller (more obvious) is the P1-X vs the Evo. It will be going behind my recliners in the main TV room, so i don't want it to dominate the room. It seems you sit up taller in it, so maybe it is a lot taller?

3) Even though the P1-X sits up taller, you can still have your wheel/pedals in a kinda Lotus 7 position in relation to the seat, right?

Randy

 

[Rainman2020]

I am talking on the phone tomorrow with Sean McGinely of Digital-Motorsports.com. I was told in a number of places that they were very helpful/knowledgeable and so far in our email conversations, Sean has really impressed me. Looking forward to talk to him and ask the same questions that i am asking yall. Have yall worked with Digital-Motorsports, what is their reputation in the sim community?

I will likely be ordering from him within a few days

 

[TedBrosby-]

I am leaning heavily towards just getting the P1-X, just so that if i sim race for years, i will be cockpit set for years no matter what other things i end up getting. Plus, the P1-X already has the vertical supported shifter arm included in the package

P1-X Questions:

1) What do i need to order from Simlab other than the P1-X, given i want to mount the Accuforce properly?

2) Side by side, how much bigger and taller (more obvious) is the P1-X vs the Evo. It will be going behind my recliners in the main TV room, so i don't want it to dominate the room. It seems you sit up taller in it, so maybe it is a lot taller?

3) Even though the P1-X sits up taller, you can still have your wheel/pedals in a kinda Lotus 7 position in relation to the seat, right?

Randy

1. Just choose the right wheel deck. You would be using the horizontal wheel deck which is built like a tank, no need to worry about anything else. Maybe keyboard tray? I wouldn't bother with cup holders and mirrors and whatever other expensive extras people get.
2. The height difference is exaggerated by the feet being attached in the picture. Without the feet fully extended the height difference is only 3"~ (80mm). The seat you choose will have a bigger difference in how "big" the rig feels, trust me. The rig itself is only a few inches bigger in each direction. What makes these look big is when people attach triple monitors and huge seats with a lot of neck area support (Unnecessary unless you're using motion DOF kits).
3. You have probably way way more seating positions than you'll need/discover with a P1X. Due to the 160mm thick base extrusions, you can drop the pedal tray deep into the rig and sit more like a commercial sports car, or you can raise the pedal tray up horizontally to your feet giving you a GT track car position. The rig is 3" taller, but so is the pedal deck, but the pedal deck can also go up to 3 extra inches deeper below the seat floor. The only seating position that's hard with these aluminum rigs is true F1 seating, but that's a problem for almost any aluminum cockpit. Sim Lab is supposedly building an F1 cockpit. GT seating, P1 seating, stock car seating, all are possible with an aluminum rig, especially P1.

I think you're letting the image of the P1-X fool you into thinking it's massively big compared to the GT1-Evo. This is a P1-X without any image manipulation to make it look massive: And here's a GT1 Evo also with a more natural image:
https://boxthislap.org/review-gt1-evo-cockpit/
As you can see, the GT1 Evo even looks bigger. Why? Because they used the huge massive oversized racing seat.
The seat and HE pedals in the picture make it look bigger, but with the same seat and same pedals, the GT1 Evo looks almost just as big. It's the seat that's big, not the rig.
It also depends on how you photograph it - From the bottom, things look taller. Keep that in mind.
Here's another picture of one that has the feet at their shortest height:
http://www.superstreetonline.com/features/1810-first-look-sim-labs-p1-sim-racing-cockpit/
If you cut the monitor out, it looks much smaller than the Sim Lab stock pictures, right?

 

[Deleted member 197115]

The dimensions are published on sim-lab site

P1-X: 1350 mm x 580 mm (length x width outer dimensions) , uprights 780mm
GT1-Evo: 1350 x 580 , uprights 660mm

 

[metalnwood]

I would certainly go for the P1-x, its the one to get now and the one you will be happy with in a year/2/3/5 when you might change your gear around but find the p1x still keeps up with it all.

The other stuff, I wont comment on to much, I have my preference but I built up my gear over time with a larger combined budget. I could not have got it all at once if I had to fork out at once so fully understand compromises need to be made.

When you talked about bass shakers I was going to comment that when you get around tot it the best/cheapest way to get fantastic results would be to mount ot your seat direct and in that case you want a seat with a hard shell, commonly a fixed seat/bucket seat.

Then I saw your last comment about going with that seat because you are concerned about comfort, position, other people comfort and having a GT seating position is OK.

So I would point out that a bucket seat can be the most _uncomfortable_ seat in the world when set up badly and it's unfortunate that I see so many people setting them up badly and posting pics of their rigs that will be killing their neck and their back and letting others think its normal to have a bucket seat set up in an upright position with no lean. Thats not how you do it and if you look at a lot of GT3 cars you will see considerable recline, more than you will get from a basic set of seat mounts that most confine themselves to.

You will also have a hard time getting a gt seating position with the seat you are looking to get. Sure, it reclines but the base doesnt move with the back so you either have your legs out straight to get seat support - which is bad or you have your legs bent which is good but then they are not supported by your seat - which is bad. Good leg support will stop all the weight ending up on your tail.

A properly set up bucket seat and one that fits your width is the most comfortable seat you will ever sit in.

 

[Deleted member 197115]

Second to that. Properly set up fixed back racing bucket seat will outcomfort the most exotic ergonomic office chair. The recline angle is controlled by the mounting holes on brackets, so you are not fixed to a certain out of the box degree.
Just a little tip, don't go for a too tight fit, you are not exposed to G-forces, get more comfort instead.

 

[Rainman2020]

I would certainly go for the P1-x, its the one to get now and the one you will be happy with in a year/2/3/5 when you might change your gear around but find the p1x still keeps up with it all.

The other stuff, I wont comment on to much, I have my preference but I built up my gear over time with a larger combined budget. I could not have got it all at once if I had to fork out at once so fully understand compromises need to be made.

When you talked about bass shakers I was going to comment that when you get around tot it the best/cheapest way to get fantastic results would be to mount ot your seat direct and in that case you want a seat with a hard shell, commonly a fixed seat/bucket seat.

Then I saw your last comment about going with that seat because you are concerned about comfort, position, other people comfort and having a GT seating position is OK.

So I would point out that a bucket seat can be the most _uncomfortable_ seat in the world when set up badly and it's unfortunate that I see so many people setting them up badly and posting pics of their rigs that will be killing their neck and their back and letting others think its normal to have a bucket seat set up in an upright position with no lean. Thats not how you do it and if you look at a lot of GT3 cars you will see considerable recline, more than you will get from a basic set of seat mounts that most confine themselves to.

You will also have a hard time getting a gt seating position with the seat you are looking to get. Sure, it reclines but the base doesnt move with the back so you either have your legs out straight to get seat support - which is bad or you have your legs bent which is good but then they are not supported by your seat - which is bad. Good leg support will stop all the weight ending up on your tail.

A properly set up bucket seat and one that fits your width is the most comfortable seat you will ever sit in.

I am 5'9, 175 lbs, normal build, but also want my slightly overweight dad to be able to fit in the seat (he is about 40 lbs overweight), and if i want a not tight seat that is the type of non-reclining seat yall are talking about. What kind of seat(s) should i be looking at instead? Could yall point me to some sites that have the seats (and are not expensive)?

 

[Raysy]

Hi @Rainman2020

I've not read up to see where you live, your budget or when you need delivery, so these might not be applicable.

Sim-Lab SPEED2 XL - Bucket seat - SIM-LAB

AVAILABLE ONLY FOR EU CUSTOMERS Orders of 14th of July and after - Lead time 4-6 weeks Continue Reading →

sim-lab.eu

SPEED2 - Sim racing bucket seat XL

sim-lab.eu

I have recently received the Speed 1 XL, and being a fat lad I really appreciate that it's large and comfortable. One word of caution, I couldn't get a seat slider to work as the bar wasn't made for the additional girth required.

 

[metalnwood]

I am 5'9, 175 lbs, normal build, but also want my slightly overweight dad to be able to fit in the seat (he is about 40 lbs overweight), and if i want a not tight seat that is the type of non-reclining seat yall are talking about. What kind of seat(s) should i be looking at instead? Could yall point me to some sites that have the seats (and are not expensive)?

Thats a tough one for me, I am down the bottom of the world so not really able to help with the selection of seats you probably have available to you. We had cheap rubbish that I bought to save money and then we had the premium stuff that I moved to. The cheap seat didnt fit my shoulders well enough but the more annying thing was the bottom popping in and out as I got in and out.

I moved to a sparco evo 2, which was considerably more expensive but a lot better for myself.

My dad would never fit in it I have to say, I spent many years making rigs that would accommodate different people (for when friends wanted a go) and finally came to the conclusion that the time, $$ and effort making choices that were not for my benefit didnt make sense. I am in it close to 100% of the time, others just have a joy ride very occasionaly and now being selfish, I dont care if they have to stretch a little for a pedal It's now a rig that is no compromises - for me and makes things a lot easier.

Very selfish I know but my rig would be quite different if I tried to make it fit many people, right now most people could use it but certainly not all and it fits me perfect.

 

[Rainman2020]

Ted Brosby, i think i am going to go start off the sim racing gear with something super simple to use just for a few months to prove to myself that i 1) like sim racing as much as i think i will and 2) can handle sim racing in a VR headset.

One of the questions i will be asking in the other post is, for this simple several month test to prove that i like sim racing and can use VR, should i get the G29 for $310 or get the T300RS GT with the T3PA pedals for $400 that come with that package?

Note that i will install the best simple brake/pedal mod that i can with whichever one i get (G29 or T300RS), so the pedals will be usable at least. Don't want to get the loadcell Thrustmaster pedals, they are too pricey for this quick test setup.

Just started a new post about what exact super simple beginner setup to get, but the gist is that i want to get something like the G29 that i can bolt to my computer desk very easily, put the pedals under the desk (supported by a piece of wood behind them to keep them from moving), and then just use that for a few months with the intention of selling them very quickly once i determine that i like or don't like sim racing and can or can't use VR in sim racing. Note that i don't want to spend the money to get a cockpit for this test setup.

If i find using the G29 that DO like sim racing like i think i will and can use VR in sim racing, i will quickly buy the Accuforce V2/V3 pedals/Fanatec H-pattern shifter/P1-X, and as soon as all of that is setup, i will sell the G29 and take a 25% loss on it, not much at all since i can get a G29 for about $310 new.

If i don't like sim racing or have issues with VR, i can sell the G29, take a $75 hit or so, and i still have my new computer for everything else and still have the Valve Index for other games (or can sell it and get almost all my money back if i don't like VR at all). So, this way, i get to test the waters in both sim racing and VR very inexpensively before i plunge in feet first with the P1-X, DD wheel, etc.

Here is my new post on the subject

G29 or T300RS GT for Sim Racing 'Test' Setup?

Hey yall... I have been bitten by the bug of doing sim racing for the last 3 months, and it has been a hoot figuring out exactly what computer to upgrade to, what VR headset to get, and what sim racing gear to get. Note that i was not aware that sim racing (or VR) had advanced so much until...

www.racedepartment.com

Randy