need some help choosing a steering wheel

Fraggle42 · Post by **Fraggle42** » 11 Jan 2009, 04:50

Hi guys,

Trying to decide what streering wheel/pedal combo to buy. My problem is that most of the ones i've looked at seem to be very light and fragile. Does anyone have some sugestions for sets to look at.

Frag Maniac · Post by **Frag Maniac** » 11 Jan 2009, 06:22

I've been considering a set myself. The main things I want are a wheel with fast response, pedals that don't lose their calibration due to cheaply made and retained potentiometers, and good game compatibility. About the only thing in the price range I was looking in that seems to have that is the Microsoft Xbox 360 Wireless Wheel, which can be used for PC games if you get their Wireless Gaming Receiver.

I considered the Logitech Racing Force GT too, but it's pedals are about as cheaply made as the Momos. It's also made for the PS3, so a couple of the buttons like horn for instance, won't work with PC games. It has been reviewed to be one of the best sets to use for PC games though and has a fast response wheel with a light feel similar to ball bearing ones. You can steer effortlessly with your fingertips. It also has good game compatibility, even better than the MS one from what I've read.

I'd love to see something like the Logitech G25 without clutch and H shifter at a lower price range. Many games don't support either anyway. If you end up going with something that has plastic pedal potentiometers held loosely in place, I suggest you read up on some of the tricks used to keep them from slipping, dislodging, and getting dirty. Some use putty, O rings, etc. It can keep them from becoming misaligned and causing calibration problems.

Post by **Paradigm Shifter** » 11 Jan 2009, 20:24

I've not got any experience of the XBox wheel, but the Logitech MOMO and Racing Force wheels are horrible. Plastic and sub-par all the way. :(

I picked up the Logitech G25 just before Christmas as it was going 'cheap' (cheap being relative, but it's since gone up nearly 50%, so I'm not complaining...) and have absolutely no complaints about it. The build quality is superb.

Of course, for the sort of price it is, you'd expect it to be damned near perfect. ;)

You can set the H-shifter of the G25 to be a two position one with the twist of a dial, where more games support it like that.

But I have to say, I've only really tested it in the higher end racing games anyway... GRID, GTR Evo, GTR2... I had a bash in Need for Speed Most Wanted, and while it works fine, NFSMW is decidedly insensitive to the throttle on it. I think I'll need to do some playing with the setting software there.

packerfan · Post by **packerfan** » 11 Jan 2009, 21:05

Yea, I have the Momo wheel, it is ok for my basic needs but not the worlds greatest.

Paradigm in response to need for speed most wanted, that game ust seems to semi suck with steering wheels anyway, so I have heard, and it didn't work well when i tried in game :/

Post by **Paradigm Shifter** » 11 Jan 2009, 21:39

Paradigm in response to need for speed most wanted, that game ust seems to semi suck with steering wheels anyway, so I have heard, and it didn't work well when i tried in game :/

Yeah, I think best case the new NFS games are designed for controllers, and worst case, they're pretty much keyboard-type racers.

Odd, as NFS3SE worked like a charm with an old MS steering wheel I had.

Frag Maniac · Post by **Frag Maniac** » 12 Jan 2009, 00:28

You can set the H-shifter of the G25 to be a two position one with the twist of a dial, where more games support it like that.

Yeah I know, but IMO that is like making the customer pay a lot more for a shifter that doesn't make sense. There are no stick shifters in cars that shift up or down one gear at a time. Better to just offer an economy model that uses paddle shifters and no clutch, because that would sell more units and support more games. It's only a select few games and a small percentage of the race game players that are interested in paying $300 on a wheel set that has two features which few games support.

What did you pay for your G25 btw? Lowest I've seen them new is $240 on eBay.

Shintsu · Post by **Shintsu** » 12 Jan 2009, 03:38

The one that's on my wish list is the Logitech G25 racing wheel. In case you're not familiar with what it looks like:

My huge attraction to this thing is the true clutch. Very cool and just like a real car. I hate those other ones that just have a little knob you move forward and back to pick gears - so fakey. But at $270 I'm not running out to buy this any time soon. I don't even play racers on the PC so I'd have to run out and buy one. I don't even remember but there is one particular one that works perfectly with this steering wheel (clutch and all). I imagine any of these newer wheels are much better than the old stuff. I can't mention how crappy some of the old steering wheels I've used were lol. These new ones turn very well and realistically unlike some of the cheap old ones I've used.

YouTube · Post by **ViciousXUSMC** » 12 Jan 2009, 06:17

The one that's on my wish list is the Logitech G25 racing wheel. In case you're not familiar with what it looks like:

My huge attraction to this thing is the true clutch. Very cool and just like a real car. I hate those other ones that just have a little knob you move forward and back to pick gears - so fakey. But at $270 I'm not running out to buy this any time soon. I don't even play racers on the PC so I'd have to run out and buy one. I don't even remember but there is one particular one that works perfectly with this steering wheel (clutch and all). I imagine any of these newer wheels are much better than the old stuff. I can't mention how crappy some of the old steering wheels I've used were lol. These new ones turn very well and realistically unlike some of the cheap old ones I've used.

Thats what I would need. I drive a stick and cant stand a auto car. So for a racing game you know I drive stick too!

I used to have a cheap wheel in the day that had a clutch and stuff it was like $80 nothing fancy but it got the job done.

Viper Racing was the main game I used it on, would have been nice to have Daytona USA.

Shintsu · Post by **Shintsu** » 12 Jan 2009, 06:32

Eh, I don't see anything wrong with auto cars but it's fun to drive manual and since I drive a big luxo-coupe they wouldn't come with manuals anyways! Easier to get the clutch stuff for a game than to get a car with a clutch (Believe me I tried lol). I believe Ultima GTR or something like that is the game everyone uses that steering wheel with that allows the clutch movement like a real car and everything. Too bad they don't have something this good for the 360, I'd love it for Forza 2.

Fraggle42 · Post by **Fraggle42** » 12 Jan 2009, 06:54

Thanks guys for the help.

Have decided to go for the G25 as i got to have a feel of a display model today.

Now to convince my girlfriend that it is the perfect gift for me for my 30th in a bit over a week. :D

Shintsu · Post by **Shintsu** » 12 Jan 2009, 07:46

Thanks guys for the help.

Have decided to go for the G25 as i got to have a feel of a display model today.

Now to convince my girlfriend that it is the perfect gift for me for my 30th in a bit over a week. :D

Nice choice, hehe let us know how you like it. I'm sure you'll love it though!

YouTube · Post by **ViciousXUSMC** » 12 Jan 2009, 07:46

Even though it was not a mainstream game that Viper Racing game I used to play had full analog clutch control and all that.

It was a kinda lame game, but it kept me playing due to the very good controls and also because I could edit my car skins directly in photoshop and drive around any kind of cool creation of a car I wanted.

Post by **Paradigm Shifter** » 12 Jan 2009, 19:57

What did you pay for your G25 btw? Lowest I've seen them new is $240 on eBay.

Got mine for Â£139 from Amazon (new, factory sealed, etc... I hate buying stuff second hand... bad experiences) which at the current exchange rate is around the $210 mark. The cheapest it had been was Â£129 five days previously... the price was all over the place - Â£129 one day, Â£160 the next, Â£145 the day after that... Â£139 for two days, then the price rocketed the day after I bought it as it hit Â£200...

And yes, I agree about the 'turn it into a two direction shift' is not really a 'feature'... aside from the fact that it allows racing games that don't properly support the 7-position shifter (6 forward, one reverse) to work.

But you can also get it to treat the 7 positions as 'buttons' so while the clutch doesn't work for them, it means that you can shift to first, second, sixth, reverse, whatever with the correct location on the gearbox.

Yui · Post by **Yui** » 12 Jan 2009, 21:17

Currently the best steering wheel is the Logitech G25.

Shintsu · Post by **Shintsu** » 13 Jan 2009, 00:02

Currently the best steering wheel is the Logitech G25.

Really? I find that hard to believe. It's such a high priced one and it seems like many people would assume just drop $100 on a decent one than go all out for an excellent one. Usually people's attitude in other areas so it strikes me as odd for them to do it here.

The only reason I don't have a G25 asides from the fact I don't have any racing games for the PC (All on my 360), is the fact that these things are always pesky to find somewhere to mount (usually involving sticking the keyboard somewhere else - and I'm not using a wireless one). That and the fact $200+ on a steering wheel is high. I'd just assume pickup a nice joystick that I'd probably get more use out of. Hell, all these ridiculous game controllers have gotten crazy anymore. That two-piece Saitek joystick and throttle thing are still on my wish list - a flight simulator just isn't proper without a joystick!

Post by **Paradigm Shifter** » 13 Jan 2009, 13:10

The problem with steering wheels, at least in the UK, is that there isn't anything in the mid-range.

There is the G25, which is the undisputed king of the PC steering wheel market... and there are wheels that are less than half the price, but really aren't worth the amount of money they cost. When MS did game controllers for PCs still (I'm thinking the Sidewinder range) they had a couple of good steering wheels. A bit plastic (OK, very plastic) but they were solid bits of kit that worked well even if put through a fair amount of punishment.

I've not got experience of the console aimed steering wheels, so I can't comment about them... but other PC oriented ones like the MOMO and the Formula Force EX really don't feel like they're worth spending money on.

Yui · Post by **Yui** » 13 Jan 2009, 15:00

Why are you talking about flight sim? Anyways, mostly all of these game controllers need to be mounted on the desk. There is no escaping that, unless you only want a joystick. I've bought the saitek pro flight yoke, the throttle quadrant and the flight rudder before. They are nice but again, I have to mount them each time I play FSX. So I returned them all.

TMK · Post by **TMK** » 13 Jan 2009, 20:21

I've not got any experience of the XBox wheel, but the Logitech MOMO and Racing Force wheels are horrible. Plastic and sub-par all the way. :(

I can't agree with that. I've got 8 years experience with sim racing and believe me, there's a much difference between Momo Force (the red one) and Momo Racing Force (black). Racing Force has no ball bearing, has no metal pots, has a plastic shifters, etc. The red Momo, IMO has one little weak point - plastic pot in the wheel but I've never had any problems with this wheel :)

Post by **Paradigm Shifter** » 13 Jan 2009, 20:41

I bow to your greater knowledge in the matter. :) I've only got the quick trials I gave various wheels in the shop to go by and basically the only one that stood out was the G25... all the others felt cheap and nasty.

Post by **BHawthorne** » 13 Jan 2009, 23:43

One thing I find universal about sim enthusiasts is they take their wheel, stick, throttle and rudder controllers apart and swap out the cheap stuff like pots and switches. After a sim enthusiast gets through with either wheel they're both good. The trick is finding the how-to webpages to do it. :wink:

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