Getting used to a wheel?

[MustangCobra95]

I just got a brand new G27 Racing Wheel for Christmas and absolutely love it, even though I can't find a perfect table for the whole setup. It's a lot harder to use than a controller because of the force feedback, but it's more fun and makes the game a little more enjoyable! I was wondering how long did it take y'all to get used to your racing wheel?

 

[pandadoudou]

I had one (G25) I placed on my desk for +2 years.

Later one, I bought a WheelStandPro : drasticly changed the whole feeling (in a very good way !)

That's really cheap and convenient when you don't use it !

For your initial question : my laps were worse at first, but with time I became quicker than ever*

Hope it helps


* (yeah thats what she said)


EDIT : I first put the FFB at 10, but since GT6, I set it at 8 and it is less "tiring" after some non-stop racing hours :-)

 

[varmintx]

I got my first wheel for GT3. I'd say it took 6 months before I was able to beat the lap times I was able to put down with a controller, but I've discovered over the years that most people seem to adapt faster than that. It took another month when I finally got a wheel with a clutch and h-pattern to learn how to use them for FM4 and GT5.

 

[optiongamers]

I got a DFGT about a year ago. It took me about 2 or 3 months to get used to the feedback and so on but over the time I have got better and my lap times have been better. It also makes challenges fell more easy to gold like licence tests.

 

[Rods]

I just got a brand new G27 Racing Wheel for Christmas and absolutely love it, even though I can't find a perfect table for the whole setup. It's a lot harder to use than a controller because of the force feedback, but it's more fun and makes the game a little more enjoyable! I was wondering how long did it take y'all to get used to your racing wheel?

If you want a provisional setup, I'd recommend an ironing stand. For a couple of months back when I got my G27, I placed it on the edge of a stand I had, and it worked perfectly fine after I put some counterweight on the other side.

I guess on a normal stand you could fit the pedals between its base. Finding a good spot to place the "gearbox" can be more of a challenge though... Finally I'd recommend one of those small kitchen non-skid mats, so you can use the pedals a bit better putting its spikes down, not hurting your floor and guaranteeing much better stability.

EDIT: punctuation marks

 

[RacingFreak2k3]

It took me a few months as well...I have a DFGT. Frustrating at first, but trust me, once you're consistently quick, you'll never want a controller again. Oh, and throttle control is your friend.

 

[HBR-Roadhog]

It takes a while, I found that the thing that worked for me was to get in a loose car with no TCS and a track with some tight corners then keep at it until you can control the oversteer. This will go a long way to making you feel comfortable and in control in a race usig a wheel.

I had tried just driving for a week on the Xbox with the MSWheel but that didn't seem to work to well and still had problems controlling the oversteer. When I got the DFGT and GT5P I went out in a high powered loose car RWD with no TCS on Suzuka and drove it hard for about 2 hours spinning out time after time until I was finially able to control the slide with proper counter steer and make it around the track. That seemed to do the trick

 

[raytard]

I've been playing since GT1, and have had DFP, DFGT, 2 Momo Wheels, a G25, and 2 G27's (3 ps1's, 2 ps2's, 2 ps3's so far).

I use a G27 currently, had it on a table while sitting in an office chair; that sucked.

Built a cockpit out of wood in college (roommate was a tech major, actually got credit for it). It was pretty sweet, worked well. A month of after-class play and I (and my roommates) were passably good wheel drivers (win races cleanly and consistently at the very least).

I now have a Playseat, big improvement in ergonomics and rigidity over my homemade one. 2 weeks or so with that and I can take just about any car around any track quickly.

So, if you ask me, it takes about a month to be good with a wheel from scratch, and a real cockpit/mount makes all the difference.

 

[USARMYCOMBATVET]

First, I chose a platform(built it myself with wood) which was sturdy in construction.
Second, I drove cars I previously knew well with the DS3. I took note of the different feel with the wheel.
Lastly, I practiced until my lap times began to improve over my DS3 times.

This took about a month of playing 1-2 hours a night 5-7 nights a week. That was my experience.

Drifting is a different beast and you may find the DS3 controls a slide better with drifting(as is the opinion of some).
Rally driving is much more intuitive with Force Feedback(I set mine to 8 to really get a workout) I recommend a setting of 5.
Overall, you'll find that since a wheel does not return to dead center on its own (DS3 spring loaded) you'll fight the car a little more. It helps to tape the center of the wheel(you probably already knew this if you're a racing fan).

 

[HBR-Roadhog]

I couldn't imagine setting my wheel up to 8 for rally racing but then I use a CSR Elite. There are times when it tries to tear your arm off even at 5 My wheel also snaps back hard to center in many cases. It always returns quickly but may not go to true center depending on the lay of the land, on banked ovals the wheels always try to turn a little to the left in the banked sections.

I find that when I drive on road courses with tight corners I can just let the wheel slide in my hands to return to center and it does so rather nicely, much like my actual car would do though maybe with a bit more strength than my real car.

 

[djslofstra]

A couple of months... You will love it more and more.

 

[MustangCobra95]

Thanks for all of this feedback! I really appreciate it! At the moment I have a very "college-like" setup (just use whatever is around to make a cockpit). After a couple of days with it I feel a little more controlled with the car, but am still sliding around. I'll be sure to use the tape trick once I can find my tape haha!

 

[eSZee]

Moved to a DFGT when GT6 came out. Never really used a wheel before that. Took a few days but I became quicker than DS3. Started using the t500rs a couple days ago and it's going to take time to get good. Difference between the dfgt and t500 is quite big. Much more feedback. Feel much more through the wheel.
Mounted to desk at the moment but starting next week I'm going to build another rig for the wheel. Something simple and really cheap.

 

[Dean]

Having owned the T500 for a couple of months, I can say practice makes perfect. I remember I got really annoyed when I started out with my DFGT but after a while I got it, and let's face it, I'm a monkey so if I can, anyone can get the technique required.

 

[mister dog]

I had one (G25) I placed on my desk for +2 years.
Later on, I bought a WheelStandPro : drasticly changed the whole feeling (in a very good way !)
That's really cheap and convenient when you don't use it !

Wheelstand pro has mister dog's seal of approval also 👍

 

[HBR-Roadhog]

I built my own for about $100.
A few 2x4s, 1 sheet of plywood, a piece of carpet, a Bucket seat from the junk yard, a few screws, a little glue and a few bolts.
I took all the measurements from my Mustang as to where to mount the wheel, pedals and seat. Built a little console off to the right to hold the shifter and added an arm rest with a hinged top a storage compartment under it.

I also added some casters on the bottom so I can easily move it around if need be. Not bad for ~$100

 

[JuiceMcGoose]

I built most of mine. I started with the original marine plywood Black and Decker Workmate, which is twice as heavy as my new Workmate. Cut a piece of 27" by 11" by 1 1/4" plywood leftover from my shop floor. Added a 9" piece of 3/4" plywood angled down 45 degrees to mount my CSR Elite. I keep another one in my shop with my GT2 mounted to it. At the opposite end I drilled one hole through the board and the Workmate surface and ran a bolt through the hole. That way it pivots out of the way when I get up or sit down on my Lazy Boy. I use a solid stop on the Workmate so it's always centered. I used to use a one hand clamp to keep it from moving the one direction it can, but I found if I adjust the nut on the bolt tight enough it stays put when driving and still moves out of the way.

As far as force feedback is concerned, I don't use it. At all. I don't like it. I used it for years but I gradually reduced it to the point where I turn it off now.

Here is my stand with the GT2 on it.

 

[Awong124]

My dad built me an awesome rig, and I have a 32" TV sitting three feet from my face. For the seat I used one of the seats from my car and bolted it in place.

 

[agentorunge]

Your PSN name looks familiar, think we friended recently? But keep at it, it'll be a few months. But you'll never go back to a controller again.

 

[DSkywalker01]

Got myself a G27 for Christmas along with GT6 and a PS3 (bundled with GT5 ironically enough).

Loving the wheel when I tested it at my mom's house took me about a day to get the H-pattern down and run competitive lap times, still working on not missing shifts though!

Anyone know of any good, cheap tables I can get for it? Don't have the budget for a Playseat right now

 

[RReed43]

While the amount of force feedback on the wheel is a matter of taste, most experienced wheel users don't max the FFB. It actually slows you down fighting the wheel. You want the force feedback to give you info about the position of the car and wheels but not more. This is particularly true of the higher end wheels which can produce a lot of force feedback.

 

[eSZee]

While the amount of force feedback on the wheel is a matter of taste, most experienced wheel users don't max the FFB. It actually slows you down fighting the wheel. You want the force feedback to give you info about the position of the car and wheels but not more. This is particularly true of the higher end wheels which can produce a lot of force feedback.

6 or 7 is the best setting from what I've read.

 

[varmintx]

I used to have it up to 6 or 7, but my taste has changed and I now only do 3 or (currently) 4.

 

[ace004]

I'm in the same boat. I've been driving on the controller since GT3 and I like to think I'm pretty good at it. I bought a fanatic wheel and built a cockpit. But I just can't get anywhere with it. It turns me into a noob instantly. I have tried to convert many times, but it always ends with me getting mad and grabbing that controller. Although it is more fun as long as I'm driving by myself.

 

[Punknoodle]

Built this set up a while ago (the table is just there to hold the tv and playstation/PC, it's actually been designed to be wheeled around and sit in front of the big TV, without the table but I don't do that any more as it's much more convenient just to leave it set up as it is here in the garage).

Cost me something like $70 in materials to make, although I already had all the tools to make it which is a big hurdle for people that don't generally have many tools.

Without the set up and just make shifting the wheel on whatever I could find I didn't like it that much, too awkward, but with the proper stable set up and sitting in the correct driving position it is amazing. I never drive with the controller, in fact if I try I am terrible at it.

I can't remember it taking much time to adapt, I found it very natural.

 

[oqvist]

It´s all about building muscle memory and getting used to it. As for console games physics etc is often optimized for gamepads so particularly if you run aids you will actually be less competitive with wheels. And in some cases joysticks is actually a superior control but then I am taking full size joysticks which have another level of precision then those small on the DS 3.

I have driven with wheels since I don´t remember and I activelly avoid racing with gamepads. I can surely do it in forza and GT as they really aren´t that challenging until you race real people but yes I recon I would need to dedicate some month to be really good with the gamepad with assists off.

But for example the red bull prototypes etc I am sure I am faster with gamepad then my 350 mm rim which is just to bulky for those cars. But on a GT40 MK1 ´66 I do tend to gain some time versus the 320 mm rim even because I can keep on the limit of traction longer and be just that bit more smooth that does pay off.

So don´t forget that it depend on what you drive also what controls may actually be superior. It has made life so much easier for me have the F1 rim and 320/350 mm rim on my T500RS. 320/350 could replace eachother pretty well don´t want to exhaggerate the difference here but it exists.

 

[dr3w]

With steering wheel, the game would never be the same again, just don't give up, it will be very rewarding in the end. I don't even know how to drive with DS3 anymore. Start from low powered FF car and work your way up. Good luck!

 

[fa1con]

I picked up the G27 fairly quickly. I jumped straight into a 24 hour on gt5. Around 6-7 hours into a 24 hour race and we was on par. I watch alot of motor racing and understand lines to take a breaking.

 

[djslofstra]

My humble setup:

I'm sorry for all the mess when I made this picture.
Now it's cleaner and the wires are well guided now.

 

[Bluntified]

Do the go kart events, good lesson in steering and throttle input!