My first SimRig build!

[DrRob]

Gents,

after playing on a wheelstand setup for quite some years, I decided to upgrade to a proper rig. I was always hesitant to litter the living room witha full blown rig, so made do with a GT Omega "Classic".

The whole journey started for me with a PS3, GranTurismo 5, a 100" front projection home theater setup and a Thrustmaster T500RS with TH8A. Later I switched to a PC with R3E and AC, modified the pedals with stiffer Mardo Media springs, upgraded to a TM Sparco 383mod, added a Nextion display and braced the wheelstand including Sofa hook-up.

Now playing mostly ACC and got a taste of what it is like with a proper rig and DD wheel which left me wanting.
I guess it is time for a radical change....and even got permission from the missus.

 

[metalnwood]

The three inch belts are good for me. I never used 2" but with the active belt tensioner I can tell that 3" will be better. Even when they are pulling hard it may get close to uncomfortable but it's not small pressure points. They are wide enough to spread the pressure.

 

[DrRob]

I dont think on the seat mount I could get it that far back but mounting it directly in to the P1

I'm also curious if the Sim Lab seat bracket will allow for such a lean back postion....

 

[metalnwood]

I'm also curious if the Sim Lab seat bracket will allow for such a lean back postion....

I am guessing not.. If you can get it at the maximum you may be around 30 degrees.. This depends on the seat a little bit as some seats wont go in the the lowest position at the back.

 

[DrRob]

I will find out and report back, I guess.

 

[Kek700]

The problem with triples and single monitor is that,
I like my monitor or monitors quite close, certainly not greater than 50 or so centimetres. trying to get the monitors at mid eye level and the steering wheel close and quite “high” as you would see in a Gt3 car is a constant problem. If I have my steering wheel as high as I like it, that has the consequence of my monitor being too high, putting the monitor behind the steering wheel means they are too far away. For me, bigger monitors would solve this, but from my point of view just look wrong, like sitting in a chair looking at your TV.
This is one reason I hope that future VR resolution gets much better than at the moment. ( no hope there )
It’s enough of a problem for me just dropping from a single 1440 to triple 1080, I am talking about the loss
of resolution. I do sometimes envy VR users for the ability to get seating and steering just as I would like it.

Bit off topic, ( sorry ) but I have been looking with great interest at some of the suggestions and conclusions this article is throwing up.

Like the angle of the seat, I have to have mine very upright, due to the problem I have outlined above.

 

[RCHeliguy]

After all this discussion about seat angle I realized that I probably would not be able to get the seat I ordered to recline far enough with the stock seat brackets that come with it, so I ordered the bracket that Barry uses. If nothing else, it's pretty. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B013FR3970

 

[Kek700]

thanks folks, put my front and side screens at a dropping angle, reclined seat to match, probably about 20 deg not quite the 30 to 40 degrees, but for the first time I am actually very comfortably sat in my Sparco race seat.
Not sure about the OCD defeating drop in the side monitors, sure I will get used to it.

 

[RCHeliguy]

A rig that isn't comfortable, isn't done.

 

[metalnwood]

@Kek700 you bring up a good point actually. I am 100% VR and dont have to worry about monitors or how the seat/wheel arrangement might change where my monitors would have been.

I have seen some people go to a bit more trouble and put their steering wheel on a steering shaft to make it less obtrusive so the monitors can come down lower. Only something you can do well on a DD wheel though.

 

[DrRob]

With the new SimRig I will also update my Gaming PC. Since I almost exclusively play ACC at the moment I need a bit more grunt. I am thinking of:

• MSI MAG Z390M Mortar
• Intel i7-9700K
• Enermax Aqua 120
• HyperX Predator DDR4-3200 16GB
• Samsung 970Evo Plus M.2 250GB
• BeQuiet! Straight Power 11 850W
• Silverstone Sugo SG10
• BeQuiet! Silent Wings 3 PWM fans

About 1k €. I will reuse my trusty Geforce GTX1070.
May even order later today....

 

[DrRob]

I have seen some people go to a bit more trouble and put their steering wheel on a steering shaft to make it less obtrusive so the monitors can come down lower. Only something you can do well on a DD wheel though.

^^ This! Have ordered a 120mm steering shaft extension from SimLab. Will see how that works out. Gives me also a bit more space to the uprights to get in and out of the rig. Plus it looks cool and matches the setup of real life GT-cars

 

[RCHeliguy]

^^ This! Have ordered a 120mm steering shaft extension from SimLab. Will see how that works out. Gives me also a bit more space to the uprights to get in and out of the rig. Plus it looks cool and matches the setup of real life GT-cars

That sounds pretty good, except that I have all my controls and button box mounted to the uprights so I would have to find a way to get all of that closer to me. Of course if I started out that way I'm sure I would have found solutions.

 

[RCHeliguy]

VR!! VR!! VR!! VR!!

LOL! I tried.

 

[metalnwood]

^^ This! Have ordered a 120mm steering shaft extension from SimLab. Will see how that works out. Gives me also a bit more space to the uprights to get in and out of the rig. Plus it looks cool and matches the setup of real life GT-cars

Yes, I use one to move the mount forward so it doesnt get in the way of my knees. They are good for that.

A few people have gone a bit further and mounted the DD base somewhere above their pedals with a long steering column like this.. So you dont have a big base keeping the monitors high, just a 25mm shaft.

 

[EsxPaul]

This reminds me of an extension shown on the GD forum recently. My jaw hit the floor when I saw it

 

[RCHeliguy]

That looks Spartan and bad ass at the same time.

 

[metalnwood]

Yes, perfect @EsxPaul if you can do it with a straight shaft it would get rid of any possible play in the column.

I have also seen it on some formula style rigs where the servo couldnt be place in the cockpit with the rim.

 

[RCHeliguy]

I don't need any crazy ideas at this point. Just saying no and trying to flush that image from my mind

 

[Kek700]

Well that’s a new one on me, certainly solves some of the positioning my monitors. Will have to see if i can come up with something similar. But not the same.

 

[cirris]

This reminds me of an extension shown on the GD forum recently. My jaw hit the floor when I saw it

View attachment 332394

View attachment 332395

would this affect the fidelity of the wheel at all?