Official iRacing Thread

[baddbullitt]

I'm going to look into it!! Thanks for the info Matt!!

Any recommendations on a wheel and pedals?!

[Raider]

Really, really want to start this.

Just don't want to spend the money for a decent setup!

[Not4you]

There are a couple of entry level choices that are okay.

First is the Logitech Driving Force GT (DFGT). It was originally designed for the Gran Turismo series for PS3 but it works for PC as well. It is decent and I still have mine packed up in the basement. It served me fine when I got started. They retail for about $200 but watch for sales at BestBuy, Canada Computers etc. The weakest link in the DFGT is the pedals. No clutch and the brake pedal has a VERY soft spring behind it so you can't really feel any brake pressure. Braking becomes just muscle memory as there is no feedback. The feedback in the wheel is great and it has a lot of buttons to map functions too (for the team radio channel, exiting to pits after a crash etc). The shifter is only sequential and it is build into the body of the wheel so there is no ability to mount it in different places within your rig. Flappy paddle shifters are just small buttons.




The next best option is the Logitech G27 which retails at about $300. This is basically the same wheel as the DFGT but it has "real" flappy paddle shifters under the wheel, a separate h-pattern shifter, and 3 pedals including a clutch. The brake and clutch springs are much stiffer so you get much more of a real brake pedal feel. This makes a HUGE difference. Also, there are mods available to install progressive rate springs to get a better feel or even a hydraulic load cell mod to get a real car brake feel. The only main drawback to the G27 is that it does not have a sequential shifter so you need to either use the flappy paddles or you can rig up something with springs that will convert the h-pattern to a seq. For $20 I'll hook you up with a complete mod kit for this.




there are a number of other options out there but these would be the best to get started with.

[hsousa88]

IRacing looks sweet.. dont want to dish out the loot for a setup tho. How does it control with a keyboard? Lol

I remember playing the ooold NFS games with a keyboard on my pentium 1.. ahh good times

[Not4you]

yeah, I remember those days. and the early NASCAR games using an old school joystick!

the one issue with iRacing for some is the realism and the efforts made to keep racers in check. so the car physics is more than can be properly handled with a console controler or keyboard, and, since there are penalties for going off track, contact, spins etc, you'd end up getting booted out of the service pretty soon. a wheel and pedals, at minimum like the DFGT I posted above, is required.

[baddbullitt]

Thanks Matt. I'm gonna look into the G27. Looks like it's the best bang for the buck!!! And it had a lot more goodies than the DFGT!!

Cheers

[hsousa88]

yeah, I remember those days. and the early NASCAR games using an old school joystick!

the one issue with iRacing for some is the realism and the efforts made to keep racers in check. so the car physics is more than can be properly handled with a console controler or keyboard, and, since there are penalties for going off track, contact, spins etc, you'd end up getting booted out of the service pretty soon. a wheel and pedals, at minimum like the DFGT I posted above, is required.

if winter was approaching us.. maybe i'd consider it

but winter is gone dammit! and my beast computer catches dust april-november

[Not4you]

mine too. when this series season ends I'll be done iracing until fall most likely

except practice laps on Mosport

[Not4you]

for those interested ... iRacing launched today the new BMW Z4 GT3 car and the Circuit of the Americas track. Think I may need to download these and run some laps tonight!!

This new BMW will now be racing in a single class, multi-car series with the McLaren and RUF GT3 cars!! its going to be awesome.

[Not4you]