Need advice on new GT setup

  • Thread starter Thread starter Iwannarace
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Iwannarace

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Hi All,

I'm looking to buy a new seat and steering wheel combo for Gran Turismo (preferably GT6, but I'll gladly race GT5 instead if there's better accessories to use with it).

I'm overwhelmed by the choices out there, but here's what I think would work for me.

My needs: (updated)
Sturdy setup (reliable wheel, stable seat). I can't sit on my couch while playing.
Somewhat foldable with little setup/breakdown time(I need to store it in my living room every night)
Compatible with GT6 or earlier GT games
Heel-toe shift ability
Little equipment noise


I'm thinking to go with the Playseat Revolution (sturdy and semi-foldable) plus a Logitech G27. The Thrustmaster T500RS looks amazing but I've seen a lot of Amazon reviews about it breaking after a few days of use. I don't mind spending a bit more for a quality wheel since the seat is already going to cost me, but I do want a reliable wheel. (update -based on forum feedback, now leaning towards T500RS and T8RS shifter)

Thanks for your help!
 
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I'm pretty sure that the T500 is actually quite reliable. Owners can chime in to add more, but if cost is not the concern, I'd very much keep it in the picture if I were you.

As far as I know GT6 is effectively the same as GT5 in terms of what matters in this context.
 
My setup is a GranStand cockpit. It's made from 80/20 aluminum extrusion tubing, so it's light and can be folded away, and you can buy a mount to go on the side of the posts. It may seem like it's a little flimsy, but tighten all the bolts down and it is quite stiff.

If you want a T500RS and compatibility with, say, GT5, you're in luck as the T500RS was created specifically with GT in mind as the replacement for the DFGT. It is reliable as I've had mine for 8 months and it never broke.

There is also the Fanatec option for a wheel...
 
I own a g27 and love it, my brother has the t500 and loves it too. He has put about 25k virtual miles on it in gt6 still works perfectly. My g27, about 20k virtual miles again perfect.

T500=$600+ for new
G27=$215-250 on amazon.
 
I've had a T500 for quite a while for GT5 and GT6 (150k+ miles) and have been very pleased with it. I replaced the pedals with another set because unfortunately I damaged them - not Thrustmasters fault. I have no problem with the fixed shifter paddles - some people prefer ones which rotate with the wheel like on the Logitech G27. If that is a problem you can get an F1 rim and a GTE rim - I wish I hadn't also bought the F1 rim because I very rarely if ever use it as now I don't tend to use the fastest cars in the game.

I also have the T8RS shifter and spent a very long time building a console / sofa module to house it so I could get a realistic mounting position when using a Wheelstand Pro. I don't use the shifter for online as I'm not fast enough with it - only for arcade mode or career mode. I used it a lot in GT5, but not much in GT6 as the career mode is short - I would use it a lot if there was the event creator which I expected in GT6.

The fans on the wheel are fairly noisy and once they are running you have to leave the wheel on for 45 miutes after you stop playing - this isn't a problem for me.

I have friends with the G27 and Fanatec GT3RS who are very happy with their wheels - the only negative comments being that the G27 has gear wheels and is therefore noisy for rallying or bumpy tracks - so can't drive those events after the family have gone to bed. G27 shifter is very toylike so doesn't get used.

Re a rig - I have a friend with a G27 who uses a real car seat bought from a scrap yard and mounted on some wood - the wheel is on a wheelstand Pro - a real car seat will be much higher in quality and more comfortable than the cheap seats fitted to most rigs (especially if you are a big chap like my friend). If you are buying a seat from a breakers avoid the ones with built in motors as they are incredibly heavy.

Below, homemade TH8RS mount.

GT5 Shifter 1.jpg
 
Awesome, thanks so much all! A few more questions:

-Azure Flare - do you have any pics of the Granstand cockpit folded?
-noise is definitely a concern - how would the T500RS fare?
-I really want to heel-toe shift, so that plus T8RS shifter sounds like a winner.

So currently, I'm leaning towards:
-Playseat Revolution or Granstand cockpit (depending on how foldable, keeping in mind I have to fold it away every night)
-T500RS and T8RS shifter
-Any mounts if needed for the T8RS shifter

Updating my OP to add the need to heel-toe shift and play with little noise as I'll have kids upstairs sleeping :)
 
I don't have a picture, so looking at this page will have to do. A GranStand will fold flat, even with a wheel mounted on it. The full GranStand cockpit can be split so that it can be used as a wheelstand, so that does add to the portability of it too.

Noise - Any of the Logitech options, even a G27 is noisy with the gears. A T500RS is much quieter, but the stock fan on it can get a little noisy. The Fanatec CSW is even quieter than the T500RS, I barely know it's fans are running when they're on. The huge FFB motor in the T500RS makes some noise, and again, the CSW is quieter there as well.

Heel and toe? A TH8RS is a good shifter, but converting it to sequential mode takes a couple of minutes, and movement of the stick when in sequential mode is too short to feel like the real thing. I really want to get my hands on the Clubsport sequential shifter, but that would be October at the earliest. :grumpy:

Comparing the Playseat to the GranStand is a no brainer for me. The Playseat has a center post, and the GranStand doesn't.

Playseat doesn't say what wheels can be used on it's website, but I can assume that the base is drilled for Logitech, Thrustmaster, and Fanatec wheels and pedals. It does look like they are heavily biased towards the G2 though. The GranStand however is drilled for Logitech, Thrustmaster, and Fanatec wheels and pedals.

As far as mounting hardware, the Playseat does have a shifter mount for the G27, but a TH8RS can be fitted to it as it has a universal clamp, so it can be put anywhere you like. GranStand has a piece of 80/20 aluminum extrusion tubing (that the GranStand is made from) that can be bolted to either side of it and can be used for either Logitech or Thrustmaster shifters, and I assume the Clubsport shifter as well.

And exhale...
 
Hello Everyone .. I'd like to ask about an issue that happened .. I just bought a new TH8RS Shifter and it's not detected on any USB port on my PC, Laptop & even PS3 .. I've contacted the Thrustmaster Customer Support about this case and they told me about the Boot loader method .. and it still doesn't work (not detected) .. so I told them about that defect and they said that they will send me another electric board for my shifter .. but did anyone try to find what is wrong with that Version 1 electric board ?!! and what is the difference between that board and the version 2 board?!! is it all about the IC's ? and is there any probability that I can fix this defected board till the new one arrives?! Thanks for your cooperation :)
 

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