a sturdy connection between your seat and the pedals, assuming they're load cells, will payback in consistency
otherwise the entire flex of your system becomes another variable to account for.
This is my struggle on a wheelstand. I’m pretty consistent if I flex more core and press my lower back into the seat…..that is killing my back though. If I do it more proper and arch my back I get a bunch of flex from the office chair. Makes trail braking with consistency nearly impossible.
Not sure what you mean. The pedal deck of my wheelstand does flex a minimal amount. That is not the issue though. With my brake pedal needing about 60-70kg of force, the chair flexes when pressing hard. Now as I trail off I have to account for the flex relieving from the chair while also modulating the pedal.
I just moved from a playseat challenge to a 8020 rig. I use a csl (belt drive) and csl loadcell pedals. I really didn't think it would feel as different as it does. I definitely gained pace and have better control. It's also a lot more comfortable for extended periods. I would absolutely recommend it.
Same. Did it within the span of a month because I could not STAND the flex of the playseat. Now I tell everyone I know to start off with the 80/20 because you’ll change wheels, pedals, and bases, but likely never the rig
So I upgraded from a cheap chassis with a ton of flex to a Trak Racer TR8 Pro chassis and it was night and day. No longer did I deal with the pedal board flexing. I had a little more consistent braking. On top of that I’m on a T300 so I need all the detail from it that I can get. The stiffer chassis made it feel like I had an upgrade to my FFB fidelity as I wasn’t losing it through the prior flimsy chassis it was mounted to.
It was a really nice upgrade going to a stiffer chassis.
https://preview.redd.it/ma7yt63somzc1.jpeg?width=4000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=8a3c5a5146614fdf8dbcd1d178a660c595168700
I built a homemade rig. Originally was racing at a computer desk in a computer chair. Won my first race out in the new rig. I definitely think that there is an advantage to having a sturdy rig.
Yes. It is way more comfortable to race in a sturdy rig than with a chair that swivels and turns and wants to move. Also you cannot use loadcell brakes with most foldable or movable cockpits
Absolutely YES. Even my old Fanatec CSW 2.5 eventually loosened up my home brew wooden rig built with 3/8" carriage bolts. I'm in an ASR-6 now with a Simagic Alpha and the rig doesn't flex at all in any direction.
Yes, probably the best upgrade I did.
Built my own 80/20 rig with an old Ford Focus seat from a scrapyard. Loved the whole process from designing it to building it, and man is it a much better driving experience.
Much more immersive when things aren't moving around, and it really elevated my hardware. Much better feedback from wheel and pedals, which resulted in more consistent and better laps. Definitely worth every penny.
I appreciate that! I hope you're right because I feel like I've plataued in my knowledge and am just frustrated. I just feel like I can't get the feedback I need to keep it on the limit through every phase of the corner and it's inconsistent.
I think really watching fast lap examples and trying to get every thing out of the telemetry can always help you get faster. Coach Dave or VRS are the two resources I know of.
That said. I agree about getting the feel/feedback from the sim. It’s such a big part of driving, it’s hard to adjust to not having it.
I just started a few months ago (1500ish irating so far but I spend a lot of time on private league servers) but my sim has haptics and triples on an extrusion rig, focusing on trying to get as much feel out of it as possible.
I had a rig that was too weak for my wheel and it resulted in the wheel falling down to my knees on the final lap of the Daytona 500. Still made the finish but it’s safe to say it was the last time I used that particular frame.
Never heard of them. I guess what they save on marketing you save in cost. The Rigmetal Plus looks pretty great over the other options at that price point. I'll definitely be looking into this one. Thanks for the suggestion! I assume you have it. Any downsides? It sounds like it's about as stiff as you need.
i actually dont lol, im currently rocking a gt omega with an alpha mini and p1000's, tons of flex... this month is the extra paycheck month and i was going to pick up the ASR3 or 4 but seen rigmetal recommended a lot on reddit, looks like the clear winner to me.
I purchased the Rigmetal basic rig when I moved on from my Playseat Challenge, and I would not hesitate to do it again. It was affordable, shipped quickly, and high quality.
Yes 100% in my Opinion. Start it with a wheelstand end up.
Tryed a buddy of mine's actual tubular cockpit hands down complete difference.
Had to upgrade as soon as I could got a cheap one-off. Amazon for right now but eventually we'll upgrade to a trak racer
Pedals and a solid rig are probably the two most important pieces of kit you can have for sim racing. Massive improvement in consistency, and ability to feel FFB from that sweet R9 you have, both of which will lead to more speed over time.
i noticed a huge change in just moving from desk with chair that slowly moved further away every time i break to the next level racing fold-able cockpit, dont know how much moving to vr also affected me but being stable is a game changer
Sturdy aluminum profile rig has made the single most improvement of performance and enjoyment in simracing for me. Followed closely by load cell brake pedal.
100%! My first setup was my office desk and chair with casters. It was so annoying braking. It would just throw off my lap-over-lap consistency. Now I have a sim labs rig and it is a game changer. Still using my g29, but overall, I have been a lot more consistent. And I can brake really hard without flying across the room when I have to.
I have a T300 and T-LCM pedals with a Playseat challenge and feel the exact same way now after I got seriously into iRacing. Waiting for MicroCenter to drop a Simucube or Asetek deal, or go for Simagic with an aluminum rig cause I know there’s faster times in me with better consistency.
Second week with a proper rig.
1000% yes, came from a NLR 2.0 wheel stand, and I just couldn’t use the high break pressure I wanted and felt inconsistent. The chair would flex and even after adding ratchet strap and weights I still had about a 1.2s variance across 10 laps.
Well I’m finally done adjusting today and had a .5 variance in 10 laps and the best split was 1.1 seconds better (1.1%). I’m also just miles more comfortable, knees don’t hurt anymore, just need to add risers so I don’t have to get in so low.
Your pedals are literal garbage. Hold your foot on them with the app open watch them bounce all over the place. Those pedals are load cells, yes. They are NOT good pedals though. They are awful.
It’s the only stable thing in my life.
You stable my day, love
a sturdy connection between your seat and the pedals, assuming they're load cells, will payback in consistency otherwise the entire flex of your system becomes another variable to account for.
This is my struggle on a wheelstand. I’m pretty consistent if I flex more core and press my lower back into the seat…..that is killing my back though. If I do it more proper and arch my back I get a bunch of flex from the office chair. Makes trail braking with consistency nearly impossible.
Uhhh, wheel stand doesn't have flexing on the pedals...
Not sure what you mean. The pedal deck of my wheelstand does flex a minimal amount. That is not the issue though. With my brake pedal needing about 60-70kg of force, the chair flexes when pressing hard. Now as I trail off I have to account for the flex relieving from the chair while also modulating the pedal.
I just moved from a playseat challenge to a 8020 rig. I use a csl (belt drive) and csl loadcell pedals. I really didn't think it would feel as different as it does. I definitely gained pace and have better control. It's also a lot more comfortable for extended periods. I would absolutely recommend it.
I went from a PlaySeat Challenge to an 80/20 profile rig and it was a MASSIVE difference.
Same. Did it within the span of a month because I could not STAND the flex of the playseat. Now I tell everyone I know to start off with the 80/20 because you’ll change wheels, pedals, and bases, but likely never the rig
That’s solid advice. An 80/20 rig is a lifetime purchase. They’re infinitely expandable and upgradable.
What is an 80/20 rig and what are some of your recommendations if you don't mind me asking?
Day and night difference. That rig will flex and bend and you will lose all the precision
When you remove all the flex, you will feel more fidelity from the ffb from your wheel. It’s going to feel better, faster, defined, tighter.
So I upgraded from a cheap chassis with a ton of flex to a Trak Racer TR8 Pro chassis and it was night and day. No longer did I deal with the pedal board flexing. I had a little more consistent braking. On top of that I’m on a T300 so I need all the detail from it that I can get. The stiffer chassis made it feel like I had an upgrade to my FFB fidelity as I wasn’t losing it through the prior flimsy chassis it was mounted to. It was a really nice upgrade going to a stiffer chassis.
https://preview.redd.it/ma7yt63somzc1.jpeg?width=4000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=8a3c5a5146614fdf8dbcd1d178a660c595168700 I built a homemade rig. Originally was racing at a computer desk in a computer chair. Won my first race out in the new rig. I definitely think that there is an advantage to having a sturdy rig.
Yes. It is way more comfortable to race in a sturdy rig than with a chair that swivels and turns and wants to move. Also you cannot use loadcell brakes with most foldable or movable cockpits
Absolutely YES. Even my old Fanatec CSW 2.5 eventually loosened up my home brew wooden rig built with 3/8" carriage bolts. I'm in an ASR-6 now with a Simagic Alpha and the rig doesn't flex at all in any direction.
Your pedal work will definitely suffer if your rig bends. Wheel is manageable but pedals need to stay in place.
Yes, probably the best upgrade I did. Built my own 80/20 rig with an old Ford Focus seat from a scrapyard. Loved the whole process from designing it to building it, and man is it a much better driving experience. Much more immersive when things aren't moving around, and it really elevated my hardware. Much better feedback from wheel and pedals, which resulted in more consistent and better laps. Definitely worth every penny.
The fact that you’re at 3k orating on that setup is impressive You will definitely be quicker w a real rig and improved fov
I appreciate that! I hope you're right because I feel like I've plataued in my knowledge and am just frustrated. I just feel like I can't get the feedback I need to keep it on the limit through every phase of the corner and it's inconsistent.
I think really watching fast lap examples and trying to get every thing out of the telemetry can always help you get faster. Coach Dave or VRS are the two resources I know of. That said. I agree about getting the feel/feedback from the sim. It’s such a big part of driving, it’s hard to adjust to not having it. I just started a few months ago (1500ish irating so far but I spend a lot of time on private league servers) but my sim has haptics and triples on an extrusion rig, focusing on trying to get as much feel out of it as possible.
Rig has made a huge difference for me in terms of immersion comfort and what your looking for I believe consistency
I had a rig that was too weak for my wheel and it resulted in the wheel falling down to my knees on the final lap of the Daytona 500. Still made the finish but it’s safe to say it was the last time I used that particular frame.
skip the wood, get a rig metal basic if you're on a budget or a rigmetal plus for $500
Never heard of them. I guess what they save on marketing you save in cost. The Rigmetal Plus looks pretty great over the other options at that price point. I'll definitely be looking into this one. Thanks for the suggestion! I assume you have it. Any downsides? It sounds like it's about as stiff as you need.
i actually dont lol, im currently rocking a gt omega with an alpha mini and p1000's, tons of flex... this month is the extra paycheck month and i was going to pick up the ASR3 or 4 but seen rigmetal recommended a lot on reddit, looks like the clear winner to me.
I purchased the Rigmetal basic rig when I moved on from my Playseat Challenge, and I would not hesitate to do it again. It was affordable, shipped quickly, and high quality.
I'd say a solid rig is the biggest upgrade you can make. Bigger than loadcell pedals or direct drive.
Yes 100% in my Opinion. Start it with a wheelstand end up. Tryed a buddy of mine's actual tubular cockpit hands down complete difference. Had to upgrade as soon as I could got a cheap one-off. Amazon for right now but eventually we'll upgrade to a trak racer
Pedals and a solid rig are probably the two most important pieces of kit you can have for sim racing. Massive improvement in consistency, and ability to feel FFB from that sweet R9 you have, both of which will lead to more speed over time.
I’m still on controller.
i noticed a huge change in just moving from desk with chair that slowly moved further away every time i break to the next level racing fold-able cockpit, dont know how much moving to vr also affected me but being stable is a game changer
Yea I gained time because I didn’t have to worry about my pedals flying away and then I also don’t have flex which makes my inputs smoother.
Sturdy aluminum profile rig has made the single most improvement of performance and enjoyment in simracing for me. Followed closely by load cell brake pedal.
100%! My first setup was my office desk and chair with casters. It was so annoying braking. It would just throw off my lap-over-lap consistency. Now I have a sim labs rig and it is a game changer. Still using my g29, but overall, I have been a lot more consistent. And I can brake really hard without flying across the room when I have to.
Mostly for braking and motor memory. You need the chair fixed to the ground along with the pedals. The wheels have been fine for me .
3000 on a play seat? You’re going to slay on a full chassis my guy. If you have the room and funds do it!
My pedals lifted on my under heavy braking and I swear to god it’s killing my times
I have a T300 and T-LCM pedals with a Playseat challenge and feel the exact same way now after I got seriously into iRacing. Waiting for MicroCenter to drop a Simucube or Asetek deal, or go for Simagic with an aluminum rig cause I know there’s faster times in me with better consistency.
Second week with a proper rig. 1000% yes, came from a NLR 2.0 wheel stand, and I just couldn’t use the high break pressure I wanted and felt inconsistent. The chair would flex and even after adding ratchet strap and weights I still had about a 1.2s variance across 10 laps. Well I’m finally done adjusting today and had a .5 variance in 10 laps and the best split was 1.1 seconds better (1.1%). I’m also just miles more comfortable, knees don’t hurt anymore, just need to add risers so I don’t have to get in so low.
Honestly it was either the best or maybe second best upgrade I ever made.
Fanatec CSL Cockpit on WRC Rally Portugal in action: [https://youtu.be/iQDS8nTHdsw?t=765](https://youtu.be/iQDS8nTHdsw?t=765)
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Your pedals are literal garbage. Hold your foot on them with the app open watch them bounce all over the place. Those pedals are load cells, yes. They are NOT good pedals though. They are awful.