My DIY iRacing cockpit - Triple monitors, bass shakers. Updated 07/19

  • Thread starter Thread starter Coxis
  • 11 comments
  • 33,398 views
Messages
3,446
Mexico
GTP_Coxis
Messages
Coxis
EDIT 07/19 - Got my TH8RS shifter. :)

It's got an aftermarket shift knob and a Phillip Yip short shift plate wrapped in carbon fiber. I also added another MDF board to the shifter assembly to have room to place my gloves / beverages. :)

7607476556_2c4d0cde51_b.jpg


7607481922_fc369b74c5_b.jpg


7607483666_d0e0684b42_b.jpg


This is "how I rolled" before building my rig. I think I've come a long way if I may say so myself...

7607545492_166582496b_z.jpg


EDIT 04/18 - Partial triple monitor stand mod and pictures of my ECCI pedals as requested by the_greeze.

Hey guys. Been working on this for more than a year, and finally my project has come to a state where I feel comfortable showing it to others. Both me and the cockpit have gone through changes. When I started out I was still a console racer, now I'm a full fledged PC sim racer.
biggrin.gif


I started off making a PVC rig, plans courtesy of SlowEddy and SIMUL8R. The plans can be found here in GTPlanet or the Lumenlab forums.

The cockpit in its early lifeforms:

6906045032_c398d67366_n.jpg

Full size

5564879996_84022de883_n.jpg

Full size

(Note the DFP)
5577376551_413ee61650_n.jpg

Full size

Painted before making switch to PC racing:

6039157799_4b3d582676_n.jpg

Full size

6039159523_ec033ce81b_n.jpg

Full size

6334050215_0c04edaa5d_n.jpg

Full size

After the doors that PC sim racing opened for me, I started acquiring some goodies. I went from a 40" Bravia TV to dual monitors and finally triple 24" monitors, I also swapped out my bungee corded DFGT pedals for an ECCI 2 pedal set, connected through a Leo Bodnar cable. I also installed a keyboard mount and finished the shifter mount. No shifter yet.

My old triple monitor setup:

7042157431_9b8e457d78_b.jpg


Finally, I ended up with this:

7052112631_14cc4ce5cd_b.jpg


6906024190_b0b825136b_b.jpg


6906024930_221d6f41f6_b.jpg


6906022458_a9d6915ac7_b.jpg


7052110779_d64cbfc496_b.jpg


7042157313_c45f611851_b.jpg


7052115153_47fae33e75_b.jpg


6906026736_0df9b3454e_b.jpg


Component list

Coolermaster 690 Case.
Intel Core i7 2.8 GHz.
ATI Radeon HD 6950.
6 GB RAM.
Razer Carcharias headset.
ECCI 2 pedal set with PMBII and Leo Bodnar cable. These are compatible with the DFGT and PS3 as well.
DFGT with Gran Turgismo paddle shifters.
70W Dayton Amplifier powering two bass shakers, one under the seat and one under the pedal "plate".
Triple 24" Viewsonic VX2439WM LCD monitors, 2ms response time.
GT Omega Racing free-standing triple monitor stand (planning to mod it in the near future).

Future plans:

Button box.
TH8RS Shifter.
ECCI clutch expansion.
Another bass shaker and amp.
Triple monitor mount modification to allow steeper side monitor angles.
Wanting to build my next rig out of MDF.
Android tablet for use with a telemetry application.

So there you have it, my humble cockpit and mancave. Don't mind the cable management, or lack of it, rather. :)

EDIT 4/18

Triple monitor stand modification

I have been partially succesful at performing the angle mod to my GTOmega monitor stand. I was able to cut an MDF board, add it as a spacer and bolt one of my TV arms to it. I get a nicer, deeper angle of my right monitor but the bad news is that the default monitor plate bracket can barely sustain the weight. Here's a few pictures of how it all ended up. If anyone has any ideas or suggestions on how to reinforce them, please let me know... Currently out of ideas.

Monitor plate from behind:
7092124893_e225b14604_n.jpg

Full size

6946061708_35021d4737_n.jpg

Full size

Monitor side:
6946055080_3cbfd9d7e1_n.jpg

Full size

Left monitor (unmodded) and right monitor angle comparison:
7092128737_0cfebd3a52_n.jpg

Full size

ECCI closeup pictures

Here are a few pictures of my pedals as requested by the_greeze. These pedals are 100% compatible with the DFGT and PS3/GT5. I bought these used and bought a refurbishing package from ECCI: Bought new potentiometers, a new cable and new springs. I had to disasemble them and refurbish them myself... It wasn't an easy task, but they felt like new once I did it. :)

Front view.
6906024930_221d6f41f6_n.jpg

Full size

Left side view - You can't appreciate it very well, but the brake pedal has two springs. The second one is the PMBII brake upgrade. Requires a lot of effort to fully depress it.
6946062610_fd3187fdfa_n.jpg

Full size

Top view.
6946056120_5eb8a8c02d_n.jpg

Full size

Pedal cable plug. It's a phone jack-like connector. You can see one of the pots.
7092126863_4d223e9c05_n.jpg

Full size

Cable plug connected to my Leo Bodnar adapter.
6946059736_33a9617823_n.jpg

Full size
 
Last edited:
Amazing work Coxis! Look forward to more updates and your MDF rig! As well your button box (I hope you're making your own :) )
 
Nice rig 👍

How do you find those Ecci pedals? Any chance of a few close-ups of those? :)
 
Great work Coxis, could you tell us more about the GT Omega Racing stand and the mod you plan on doing.
 
Great setup Coxis.👍

The only thing that needs improvement is the cable management , but you already knew that. :)
 
Thanks for the comments, everyone. :)

The ECCI pedals are fantastic. I got to confirm first hand what many sim racers out there say: having a good set of pedals is more important than having a good wheel. My braking is way more consistent and so are my times, I've improved a bunch since I got them, you just can't compare them to the plastic piece of crap the DFGT pedals are. The PMBII really adds some resistance to the brake pedal as depressing it all the way through really requires some effort which is great for treshold braking. I'll post some close ups later. :)

The GT Omega stand is great too and is in my opinion, the best bang for the buck free standing triple monitor stand out there. There are other options, but they simply aren't fit for sim racing, like desk stands which side monitor angles are very low, and then there's the RSeat mount which is very adjustable (And very expensive) but only has one pedestal so it has to sit in front of your cockpit so your monitors are so far away from you. I also received it in exactly 1 week, all the way from the UK. The mod I'm planning is simple, I plan on bolting an MDF board each to the default side monitor plates and then bolting a swiveling TV wall mount arm (like this one) to them, giving me full control of the side monitor angles. I already have the arms and everything, I just have to go to the hardware store and buy a few bolts and nuts.

Cable management is a toughie. To be honest I just got the computer desk out of the room since I got the monitor stand on Tuesday so I just wanted to get everything working without worrying about anything else. I bought some velcro strips and will see how to make it a little bit less of a mess.
 
Yeah, cable management can take a lot of time. :crazy:

It took me two whole days to get all the cables of my office race rig nicely in place.One of the toughest was the cable management of my tv lift, making sure nothing gets stuck when it moves up and down.

Nice idea of being able to change the angle of the monitors. 👍 You will love it, as did i in my rig
 
04/18 - Added the pedal pictures requested by the_greeze and a few pictures of my stand mod.
 
Updated the OP with pictures of my recently acquired TH8RS shifer. :)

The next thing on my to do list is making my own button box. Shouldn't be too far off!
 
Back