Wheel recommendation

[Joseph Maxx]

Hi guys (and gals)

I'm looking to pick-up a wheel and pedal set to use with AC. I've been using a keyboard but have reached a point where my driving will not improve without the ability to make proper steering and throttle/brake inputs.

So my question is... without getting into crazy $$$$$$$$ what wheel and pedal set would you recommend for the sim. I'm willing to consider a separate wheel and pedal purchase if a wheel set (like the G27) is not sufficient.

Thanks.

 

[Chris]

It really depends how much dough you're willing to fork out.

I have a G27, but it can be pretty tough on the wallet, just because it still costs around $300 AUD, and doesn't seem to be depreciating even though it's been on sale for a looooooong time.

Then you've got things like the T500 which are quite a bit more expensive, around double the price of a G27.
And then at the other end of the scale you've got some cheaper wheels that are still pretty decent, and wont set you back too far, like the Thrustmaster Experience (~$60 AUD), and the Logitech Driving Force GT wheels (~$90-$100 AUD), the latter of which is far better than the former, and you get a lot of bang for your buck.

Which is why I went for the G27. Because it's not the most 'knock your socks off' wheel like the T500RS, and it's not a complete novelty item like the TomCat wheel. lol.

It's not exactly cheap, but it's worth the money if you're looking to get a solid start in the Sim Racing world with a wheel that will provide excellent FFB and last a long while.

But, purchase what ever the best compromise is between the amount of money you're willing to spend versus how much value you'll get out of the wheel (I.e. Are you looking to become a pro who races almost 24/7? Or are you more casual about it and only get to race for a couple of hours a week? Or are you somewhere in between? Like me).

Hope this helps some

 

[Joseph Maxx]

Thanks Chris,

I've been doing quite a bit of research and have found everything from $700 pedals and $800+ wheels to the cheap $99 combined set. I'm OK with a $300-$400 purchase for the set but want to avoid any pitfalls. Have you experienced any issues with the performance or reliability of the G27?

 

[Aris Teidis]

Very wise said above! Tell us how much are you willing to spend and would be clear what to buy. DFGT or G27 are good enough to start (and to continue), but they still lack in good feedback from their pedals, especially the DFGT. I would recommend the Fanatec Club Sport Pedals, but they cost more than a new G27 set.
I have the Club Sport set (wheels, pedals, shifter) and I'm very satisfied but have changed more than 5 wheels to decide to go for a very expensive one.

As a conclusion I would say, go for the DFGT for a start or for a combination with the CS pedals if you are willing to spend much more.

 

[Joseph Maxx]

If that's the case it would be cheaper long term to just buy the Fanatec kit and forego the 3 to 4 purchases in between. Could I get away with the wheel and pedal but no shifter (at least initially just using the paddle shifters)?

 

[Michael Hornbuckle]

For 300 to 400 there are really two choices...A G27 or a DFGT with Fanatic Clubsport or CSR Elite pedal combination.

I have the DFGT/CSR Elite combo and absolutely love it so I would obviously be biased if I were to recommend one over the other.

 

[Rikksy]

You can also find a G25 2nd hand maybe, i have it long now, work's perfectly. Basicly the G27 is an upgraded version of g25.

 

[Blkout]

Having owned a G27 and now a T500 and TX, I have to say I recommend saving your pennies and going with the T500 or TX, yes its worth it.

 

[Ho3n3r]

G27 is fine.

 

[Chris]

Have you experienced any issues with the performance or reliability of the G27?

Nope

I've had mine for almost 2 years now, and nothing has broken or shown signs of wearing out. It's pretty sturdy. The only thing is that the pedals will need a clean out like every 6 months or so, because they tend to get dust in them which can affect their performance.

 

[Joseph Maxx]

Thanks for all the input guys. But you're not making it easy

Now I need to know, should I buy a Mac or PC? Just kidding

 

[Blkout]

Thanks for all the input guys. But you're not making it easy

Now I need to know, should I buy a Mac or PC? Just kidding

The G27 is a nice kit for the price and its reliable. It does however have a deadspot at center which is intentional because of the opposing dual motors. It has also makes a loud clacking/popping noise when going over curbs or off-road which I found to be really annoying. The G27 has lots of mods and and a big community to support it and its compatible with most games made since 2010 or so. I still prefer the T500 or TX.

 

[Joseph Maxx]

If anyone has had the opportunity to use both, how do the CSR Elite pedals compare to the G27 pedals?

 

[Jorge Alves]

i had a g27 and now i have fanatec gt3 rs v2 http://eu.fanatec.com/RacingWheels/Porsche 911 GT3 RS V2 Wheel EU

if you can go for 500-600 eur go for fanatec gt3 + clubsport v2 + thrustmaster h-shifter ... otherwise just go for g27 ... its a complete pack with good quality / money. Fanatec GT3 is superior with better ffb and thicker rim that delivers a better feeling and a good improvement over g27 .... i had issues with fanatec on amd motherboard usb config (have to disable usb3 ports or wheel may disconnect) but i will never go back to g27 .... unless i had no other choice

 

[CCX]

I have a G27 (my first wheel) and a wheelstand pro, and I'm really happy with the setup. It's very well made, and works perfectly with most games, plus it's very easy to set up. While it's probably noisier than some other wheels, it's not too loud and certainly doesn't bother me. I'd highly recommend one, especially as your first wheel.

 

[Paul Lock]

If you remove all the canned effects, the G27 really isn't that rattly tbh.
Personal choice but I like the car specific feedback to be as clear as possible, and you cant get that if (for example) curb effects are set to shake your fillings out.

Don't forget the wheel mounting plays a big part in overall noise levels too. Any wheel activity is generally amplified by what you have the wheel anchored to rather than the wheel itself.
If its attached to a desk with the usual sorts of desk paraphernalia lying around on it, it will make all this stuff vibrate and create more noise.
Attached to a bespoke stand or PlaySeat, you will find it much less severe.

 

[Blkout]

If you remove all the canned effects, the G27 really isn't that rattly tbh.
Personal choice but I like the car specific feedback to be as clear as possible, and you cant get that if (for example) curb effects are set to shake your fillings out.

Don't forget the wheel mounting plays a big part in overall noise levels too. Any wheel activity is generally amplified by what you have the wheel anchored to rather than the wheel itself.
If its attached to a desk with the usual sorts of desk paraphernalia lying around on it, it will make all this stuff vibrate and create more noise.
Attached to a bespoke stand or PlaySeat, you will find it much less severe.

Paul, I like the canned effects though. I turn them down to about 50% but without them you lose a lot of vehicle information that would otherwise have in real life through the vehicle itself and seat of the pants. Since most people don't have motion simulators, you have to rely on the wheel to give you that feedback even if its not realistic. I like to feel the curbs and wheel slippage, it lets me know what the car is doing. The G27 just gets noisy when I set the FFB levels to which I prefer. While I can avoid curbs, its part of racing, and while I try not to go off track, it still happens sometimes. Don't get me wrong, I'm not putting down the G27, I had one and loved it while I had it, I just didn't know anything better at that time. When I tried my brother's T500 for the first time, the G27 went up for sale the next day and I had a T500 3 days later. I wouldn't want to go back to a G27 unless I had to. I can live with the weaker FFB output but I can't live with the clacking and popping sounds it makes. I know it doesn't bother some people but it really irritatated me.

 

[Paul Lock]

Paul, I like the canned effects though. I turn them down to about 50% but without them you lose a lot of vehicle information that would otherwise have in real life through the vehicle itself and seat of the pants. Since most people don't have motion simulators, you have to rely on the wheel to give you that feedback even if its not realistic. I like to feel the curbs and wheel slippage, it lets me know what the car is doing. The G27 just gets noisy when I set the FFB levels to which I prefer. While I can avoid curbs, its part of racing, and while I try not to go off track, it still happens sometimes. Don't get me wrong, I'm not putting down the G27, I had one and loved it while I had it, I just didn't know anything better at that time. When I tried my brother's T500 for the first time, the G27 went up for sale the next day and I had a T500 3 days later. I wouldn't want to go back to a G27 unless I had to. I can live with the weaker FFB output but I can't live with the clacking and popping sounds it makes. I know it doesn't bother some people but it really irritatated me.

I have to disagree that canned effects give you essential vehicle information. They might give you more immersion, but it is exactly those immersion factors which detract from the more subtle 'car to wheel' feedback information which makes up for that lack of 'seat of pants' sensations.
I don't need to see my monitor dancing across my desk to know i'm running over a curb, there is plenty enough curb feedback for me even with this effect set to 0%, but I do need to feel if the car is under steering over the curb, which (for me) is totally lost if the curb effects are too high.

Horses for courses and all that.
I like my sugar with coffee and cream

 

[Blkout]

How do you feel the curbs if you set it to 0%? This is strictly AC talk because most sims/games don't have a seperate slider for curbs, its just part of the overall FFB. At 0%, you should not be getting any curb feedback which means you run over a curb, you get no FFB effect at all. You may not want that feedback, but I like to know when my wheels are on the curbs. Are you saying that you just prefer the FFB from the understeer of the tires more than the effect of running over the curb? If so, I guess I can understand what you're saying since that is just a driving style preference. I prefer to feel the curbs to know when I'm at the edge of the track, you prefer to know when you're understeering and don't care as much about where the edge of the track is. Is that correct?

 

[Jari Vinnari]

Driving and FFB in general feels very different with G25, GT3 V2 and CSR wheels but I could not say which one is clearly the best one.
Now I have Thrustmaster TX wheel and without of doubt its the best wheel I have driven and own.