OT: Wheel Upgrade: What Should I Get? (Also a Brief History of My Sim Racing)

Yeah, I also will likely have a job by then, which will increase my budget by the time a T500/CSW/TX/other wheel goes out or I decide to upgrade.

 

One thing I've also realized is that the CSW BMW rim must be HEAVY! I bought a cheapo 320mm steering wheel for a halloween costume, and it's 1.6 pounds, but feels pretty sturdy. Just thinking of how the BMW rim must feel, and that must be BEEFY!!!

Also noting that the G25 rim is what, maybe 1 pound??

I'm just curious, CSW users, as to how well the BMW rim works in the forms of driving I'd use it in. I've recently taken a liking the the Corvette, and I want to make sure I can drive it pretty well...

 

BMW rim weighs around 3.5kb (~8 pounds) as a whole, lol.

But its the moment of inertia of the wheel rim that dictates the issue with heavier wheel rims.

 

Having owned a G25 and currently a Fanatec GT3 v2, I'd highly recommend the T500. Reliability and proper customer service you can trust cannot be underplayed here.

 

That's what I feared that that your hand position is exactly the same distance on the F1 vs the standard T500 wheel. If so then it's driving characteristics should be near identical to the standard rim (unless it's much lighter/heavier, which I doubt) and therefore would be pointless (other than the buttons of course).

The standard T500 wheel, to me, is thin. So is the G25 and Driving Force GT. If you ever have a chance to hold either of the 2 Logitech Momo wheels, well those are proper racing wheels . From pictures it looks like the G27 is improved over the G25 in this regard. Same with the 458 T500 wheel, looks thicker and better to hold than stock T500 wheel.

Let me know when you receive it yes it looks an absolute blast for early 90s open wheel cars and general open wheel cars and prototypes from the 60s to early 90s, and still up to this day with regards to lower formula open wheelers. I wonder if the 90s and early 00s CART/CHAMPcars and Indy cars' wheels were closer to the 11" rather than the 12" of the standard rim?

When measuring, is it measured from the outside of the rim, inside, or centre? I'm guessing outside?

 

Well when I say thicker maybe I mean the width rather than the depth, or a combination of both. I've had both Momos, and still have the red Momo it has a much thicker beefier grip to it. It feels amazing to hold to me like a proper racecar, I sometimes find myself grabbing it just to grip and turn it a few times lol.

Based on my experience race cars and high performance cars have always had a nice beefy rim to wrap your hands around. My dad used to have this car from this mid 80s and it normally came with this thin wooden wheel, but he ordered the sports package and it came with this beautiful leather 3 spoke rim, was noticeably thicker too, felt so nice to wrap your hands around. The few racecars I was in always had a nice wheel to grip as well, always much thicker than the stock T500 rim and similar to a Logitech Momo. Your experience may vary however, an we all have our preferences of course.

Going on the big feeling differences of the F1 T500 rim I guess I'll get it too, thanks.

 

I bought an OMP carbon fibre wheel for my kit car, it's the same one Solberg used. It is thin, much thinner than my fanatec porsche wheel, when I first got it, it felt strange then I had to drive the car in winter with the roof off, so wore gloves and then it made sense. With thick fireproof racing gloves on the thinner wheel feels perfect. And the grip you get with alcantara gloves against an alcantara covered wheel is simply insane. This should explain the difference in the thickness of wheel between a road and a race car. Do you want to play a sim with gloves on though.... not really.

 

Well like I said in my post above the real life wheels ive used in a variety of race cars were always thicker than the T500. Thats just my experience, i'm not saying one way is right or wrong but I just felt the T500 is a little thin compared to racecar rims ive held.

 

Well, I took the plunge and ordered the T500RS from Amazon. It was on sale for $449, and stock number was plummeting (last night was at 20 or something, this morning was at 9, and is sold out now). Should get it Tuesday or Wednesday.

I may have to cancel my "review video" though, since I beat up my face pretty bad today. I had a bad fall on my bike that left me needing some stitches >.<

 

I totally see what you mean about the thumb/grip part being chunky giving the feeling of a thicker wheel even though the rim itself is the same thickness.

Can you measure all 3 wheels for us? Maybe even weigh them too? Lol

I'm just trying to figure out if there is a point in getting the F1 wheel (other than the buttons) or if I should just get the 458 to go along with the stock gt rim....

 

Great thanks man