Wanted Newbie wheel / pedals setup (UK)

[Mike_J_Smith]

Hi All,

I’m looking for a cheap wheel/pedal set that I can use to test the waters of sim racing. I’ve used a pad for years on all types of racing games but got Forza Motorsport on GamesPass and then downloaded ACC which is awesome.

I’ve been looking at Moza/Fanatec packages but I don’t feel like I can justify the cost without trying it out on something cheaper first to see if it’s something I want to get deeper into. Especially as that would likely mean a rig and monitors, which makes it a big investment.

So I’m looking for something like the T300 RS GT, or anything I can use on a desk clamp to start with.

Let me know if you have some of your starter gear that you’ve upgraded from and would move on.

I’m based in Buckinghamshire, UK.

Cheers, Mike

 

[justageezer]

Hi Mike, welcome to sim racing

I don't actually have anything for sale myself but I've recently been exactly where you are now - I got into racing with a gamepad on Xbox when I got FM7 via Gamepass, then got a MS Wireless Wheel (and Drivehub), then a Logitech G920, then a Thrustmaster TS-XW with T-LCM pedals, and am currently using a CSW 2.5 full Fanatec setup, on PC with VR. It totally rocks I may get a used DD1 if they come down in price but the setup I have now is enough to be competitive - my skill is the limiting factor!

Thrustmaster basically do two levels of belt-drive base which put out 4.5 and 6Nm of torque IIRC, if you can find the better ones cheap enough with the load cell pedals it's a decent enough drive, but the CSW bases put out 8.5Nm and are silly-cheap on eBay ATM for some reason, and while it's a more expensive ecosystem to get into it's also much better gear. If you can get a good deal on a used base, wheel and pedals and then decide it's not for you you'd get most / all of your money back if you sell it on.

I personally found loadcell pedals made a big difference, and while the T-LCMs weren't terrible the Fanatec v3s are a level above - I actually prefer them to my friends Heusinkveld Ultimate+ set - others may disagree! Of course, if you want to mix and match components, have the widest choice of the best gear or the biggest choice of the best sims you end up on PC, as sim racing on a console is a poor relation at best.

And while there have been a few entry level setups for sale here on RD it's mainly high-end gear, eBay is probably a better option but you might get lucky - I wish you the best.

Finally, from what I've read of the latest Forza the previous entry FM7 might actually be a better game if you can find a key on eBay, and as long as you don't get motion sickness then PC/VR is the only way to sim race - but a bit of a step up in cost from a console and gamepad!

Have fun, and maybe see you on the leader boards,
Paul

 

[Rebel_488]

Sell - Heavily modded Logitech G29

Logitech G29 wheel and pedals. Comes with v1 trubrake load cell brake. 3 gt eye springs included, only clutch and accelerator installed obviously as brake has the load cell instead. Acelith Ferrari gt3 aluminium wheel and standard round rim included. Magnetic shifters from MVH Studios. £220...

www.racedepartment.com

 

[Mike_J_Smith]

Hi Mike, welcome to sim racing

I don't actually have anything for sale myself but I've recently been exactly where you are now - I got into racing with a gamepad on Xbox when I got FM7 via Gamepass, then got a MS Wireless Wheel (and Drivehub), then a Logitech G920, then a Thrustmaster TS-XW with T-LCM pedals, and am currently using a CSW 2.5 full Fanatec setup, on PC with VR. It totally rocks I may get a used DD1 if they come down in price but the setup I have now is enough to be competitive - my skill is the limiting factor!

Thrustmaster basically do two levels of belt-drive base which put out 4.5 and 6Nm of torque IIRC, if you can find the better ones cheap enough with the load cell pedals it's a decent enough drive, but the CSW bases put out 8.5Nm and are silly-cheap on eBay ATM for some reason, and while it's a more expensive ecosystem to get into it's also much better gear. If you can get a good deal on a used base, wheel and pedals and then decide it's not for you you'd get most / all of your money back if you sell it on.

I personally found loadcell pedals made a big difference, and while the T-LCMs weren't terrible the Fanatec v3s are a level above - I actually prefer them to my friends Heusinkveld Ultimate+ set - others may disagree! Of course, if you want to mix and match components, have the widest choice of the best gear or the biggest choice of the best sims you end up on PC, as sim racing on a console is a poor relation at best.

And while there have been a few entry level setups for sale here on RD it's mainly high-end gear, eBay is probably a better option but you might get lucky - I wish you the best.

Finally, from what I've read of the latest Forza the previous entry FM7 might actually be a better game if you can find a key on eBay, and as long as you don't get motion sickness then PC/VR is the only way to sim race - but a bit of a step up in cost from a console and gamepad!

Have fun, and maybe see you on the leader boards,
Paul

Thanks Paul for the detailed response!

I’ll be on a PC primarily; if it’s PS5 compatible for GT7 then that would be a bonus but not necessary.

I hadn’t considered the older Fanatec at all, I don’t know the models but there does appear to be quite a few available at a decent price.

For a CSW base, do they need specific wheels? How would I know what wheel would fit it?

I’ll have a good look through eBay now

 

[Mike_J_Smith]

Sell - Heavily modded Logitech G29

Logitech G29 wheel and pedals. Comes with v1 trubrake load cell brake. 3 gt eye springs included, only clutch and accelerator installed obviously as brake has the load cell instead. Acelith Ferrari gt3 aluminium wheel and standard round rim included. Magnetic shifters from MVH Studios. £220...

www.racedepartment.com

Thanks I’ll take a look and keep it in mind

 

[EIF]

If you were local I'd give you my old G27 wheelbase for nothing, no gearstick or pedals though since I still use them

 

[Mike_J_Smith]

If you were local I'd give you my old G27 wheelbase for nothing, no gearstick or pedals though since I still use them

That’s very kind of you to offer.

The more I think about it, the more I think I should just buy the t300 gt re for £300 from Argos, use it for a few months and then sell on eBay; they seem to hold their value ok and then I’ll probably know whether it’s something I can spend enough to get a decent setup.

 

[Mike_J_Smith]

Well that escalated quickly and after some eBay searching I found a Fanatec CSW 2.5 with a CSL Elite steering wheel, CSL Elite v1 pedals, along with the desk clamp and what looks like everything else that should come with it. Everything looks in v good condition, so hopefully that is correct.

I guess the pedals are the weak point, but no worse than what I would have got with the Thrustmaster?

Should be with me later in the week; can’t wait!

 

[justageezer]

Hi Mike,
That did escalate quickly lol!

Re your question, every Fanatec wheel will fit every Fanatec base except for brand new bases with the new QR2 base-side quick release, which would need any recent wheel (with a replaceable QR), and a matching QR2 wheel-side adapter - that won't be an issue for you, and ATM new bases come with both QRs anyway.

This does mean that the now obsolete QR1s have plummetted in price - about £60 delivered from SRM, for the last of their stock, but going fast as they usually go for about £100 used on eBay.
Which is what I paid recently for two of mine. Doh.

And with a Fanatec CSL / Universal / Podium hub or SRM emulator you can build any wheel you want - I have five wheels atm and only two are Fanatec.

The plastic QR1 Lites are OK if you get a good fit on the wheel base shaft, however the shafts weren't made particularly well, and you can get some that are looser than others. With a loose shaft and plastic QR Fanatec bases can suffer from broken wheel pins, which is repairable (with bits from SRM), but a pain. My main base actually has an aftermarket shaft made to better tolerances - it cost £50 but my wheels are rock solid and I haven't broken any wheel pins since I fitted it. Hopefully you'll get a decent base, and if you got a metal QR that's a bonus.

You're right that the pedals are the weak link (but still better than the Thrustmaster), however having the Fanatec base makes it simple to swap pedals in the future if you want, and being on PC does enable you to mix and match components, so either Fanatec v3 pedals or any decent USB load cell pedals would be a good upgrade if you get into the hobby enough.

Being on PC also gives the option of VR (as does having a PS5), which really is the killer gear for sim racing, unless you get motion sickness. With the Quest 3 coming out recently a used Quest 2 can be found for a frankly ridiculous £100ish, and it's perfectly good enough for a starter headset if your PC can handle the minimum requirements.

You need either a link cable or decent 5Ghz wifi, but it blows 2D racing away. Getting better driving gear did make me quicker, but getting VR made me much quicker - and it's far more immersive if it's an option for you.

Hope your gear all turns up OK and you have some fun racing - whether it's career mode, multiplayer or just hot lapping the Nurburgring in under five minutes like me there's a potential lifetime of fun and challenges (and also expense!) ahead of you

Cheers,
Paul

 

[spurs2274]

Hi Mike

Sorry I seem late to the party! If your still looking for wheel and pedals I'm selling my Moza R5. Moza ES standard wheel with formula face too.
I'm also selling my Fanatec CSL Elite V2 pedals.
If you want to also push the boat out, got my DOF REALITY H3 for sale also

Cheers

Dave

 

[Mike_J_Smith]

Hi Mike

Sorry I seem late to the party! If your still looking for wheel and pedals I'm selling my Moza R5. Moza ES standard wheel with formula face too.
I'm also selling my Fanatec CSL Elite V2 pedals.
If you want to also push the boat out, got my DOF REALITY H3 for sale also

Cheers

Dave

Wow that DOF thing looks amazing, but way outside my budget!

Not that I should even be asking as I’ve just shelled out for the Fanatec kit, but what would you be looking for for the pedals?

 

[Mike_J_Smith]

Hi Mike,
That did escalate quickly lol!

Re your question, every Fanatec wheel will fit every Fanatec base except for brand new bases with the new QR2 base-side quick release, which would need any recent wheel (with a replaceable QR), and a matching QR2 wheel-side adapter - that won't be an issue for you, and ATM new bases come with both QRs anyway.

This does mean that the now obsolete QR1s have plummetted in price - about £60 delivered from SRM, for the last of their stock, but going fast as they usually go for about £100 used on eBay.
Which is what I paid recently for two of mine. Doh.

And with a Fanatec CSL / Universal / Podium hub or SRM emulator you can build any wheel you want - I have five wheels atm and only two are Fanatec.

The plastic QR1 Lites are OK if you get a good fit on the wheel base shaft, however the shafts weren't made particularly well, and you can get some that are looser than others. With a loose shaft and plastic QR Fanatec bases can suffer from broken wheel pins, which is repairable (with bits from SRM), but a pain. My main base actually has an aftermarket shaft made to better tolerances - it cost £50 but my wheels are rock solid and I haven't broken any wheel pins since I fitted it. Hopefully you'll get a decent base, and if you got a metal QR that's a bonus.

You're right that the pedals are the weak link (but still better than the Thrustmaster), however having the Fanatec base makes it simple to swap pedals in the future if you want, and being on PC does enable you to mix and match components, so either Fanatec v3 pedals or any decent USB load cell pedals would be a good upgrade if you get into the hobby enough.

Being on PC also gives the option of VR (as does having a PS5), which really is the killer gear for sim racing, unless you get motion sickness. With the Quest 3 coming out recently a used Quest 2 can be found for a frankly ridiculous £100ish, and it's perfectly good enough for a starter headset if your PC can handle the minimum requirements.

You need either a link cable or decent 5Ghz wifi, but it blows 2D racing away. Getting better driving gear did make me quicker, but getting VR made me much quicker - and it's far more immersive if it's an option for you.

Hope your gear all turns up OK and you have some fun racing - whether it's career mode, multiplayer or just hot lapping the Nurburgring in under five minutes like me there's a potential lifetime of fun and challenges (and also expense!) ahead of you

Cheers,
Paul

Thanks again Paul. I'll see what the QR is like; it's definetly plastic so we'll see. I've done some reading and I found a whole side of the hobby I never realised existed with the customisation of parts. I think I'm going to shelve that for another day!

Excellent advice about the VR, I have an Oculus Quest 2, so will prise that out of my sons hands and give it a go!

The seller has already contacted me to say it's all boxed up and ready to go out today, so fingers crossed everything works out well. I think you are pretty well covered as a buyer on eBay.

 

[justageezer]

Good luck with the VR Mike, it really is transformative for sim racing. Everyone who has tried mine is either blown away - or feels sick. Or both! So if you like racing and don't get sick I'm pretty sure you'll love racing in VR, and the Quest 2 is what I started with. The Pro and v3 headsets have better lenses, and the Pro is a better design for glasses-wearers like myself but I had a lot of fun with my v2.

And yes, modding both hardware and software is a thing in sim racing; most of my bases / pedals / shifters have been modded, I built my own fold-away rig and everyone is generally looking for that next neat widget that might just shave a thou or two off your lap times. Unfortunately most widgets don't actually make you faster - but we still all live in hope

For software if you have ACC then AC is worth a look. Wait for the regular Steam sales and you can grab it really cheap, and as it's the most moddable sim that one game can last a lifetime, with all of the free cars and tracks you can download (RD has a good selection). And the VR is stable. Other games worth a look are AMS2, Dirt Rally 2, PC2 (if you can get a key off eBay), rF2 and R3E. Each has decent VR, and each has their followers and fans, the main difference for me is their pricing models. iRacing is popular with online multiplayer - but it has a subscription fee model I don't personally like.

Basically if your PC can handle running the Quest 2 (and if it can run ACC OK then it should) then with the gear you've got coming you've got everything you need for hours of glorious time-wasting!

Best of luck,
Paul

 

[Rebel_488]

Make sure to look into open xr for better performance than steam vr

Quickstart

OpenXR Toolkit

mbucchia.github.io

 

[graham123]

Hi All,

I’m looking for a cheap wheel/pedal set that I can use to test the waters of sim racing. I’ve used a pad for years on all types of racing games but got Forza Motorsport on GamesPass and then downloaded ACC which is awesome.

I’ve been looking at Moza/Fanatec packages but I don’t feel like I can justify the cost without trying it out on something cheaper first to see if it’s something I want to get deeper into. Especially as that would likely mean a rig and monitors, which makes it a big investment.

So I’m looking for something like the T300 RS GT, or anything I can use on a desk clamp to start with.

Let me know if you have some of your starter gear that you’ve upgraded from and would move on.

I’m based in Buckinghamshire, UK.

Cheers, Mike

Hello mate im in towcester, I have an old set up stored in the shed doing nothing I will sort it out and you can have it. let me know if your still after one cheers Graham

 

[Mike_J_Smith]

Hello mate im in towcester, I have an old set up stored in the shed doing nothing I will sort it out and you can have it. let me know if your still after one cheers Graham

Thanks for the very kind offer Graham; this forum has some top people here! I have bought a set up now from eBay following some good advice received here, so no longer need anything. But thank you again!

 

[Ruttman98]

I use a CSW V.2.5 and a USD $200 Podium hub for third party wheels.

I wish this new Mini Fanatec emulator innovated by at Sim Racing Machines (SRM) was offered earlier! Just reviewed last week by A Casual Racer and also Boosted Media (link inside the CR video):

 

[Mike_J_Smith]

I use a CSW V.2.5 and a USD $200 Podium hub for third party wheels.

I wish this new Mini Fanatec emulator innovated by at Sim Racing Machines (SRM) was offered earlier! Just reviewed last week by A Casual Racer and also Boosted Media (link inside the CR video):

Cool thanks. Dumb question but do 3rd party wheels then need to be connected to the PC directly too for buttons etc to work? Or is that picked up by the wheel base too?

 

[Ruttman98]

The electonics of a third party wheel / button plate need to connect to the PC for communication/power via USB and comms for wireless Bluetooth (a battery also being required for the latter.)

I use an Ascher USB button plate with a variety of 70mm and 74mm PCD wheel types with spacers/adapters mounted to the Podium Hub, which--in fairness and full disclosure--has now been reduced to USD $150 MSRP.

 

[Mike_J_Smith]

Boom!