I’m looking for racing controllers…
I need a steeringwheel and pedals.
Fanatec looks good.
Their Podium series looks excessive to me.
What about the Club Sport vs. CSL series?
Will I be happy with CSL gear?
This is what I’m considering.
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You say that now… 
but remember, sim racing is like flight sim when it comes to hardware. Massive rabbit hole 
(and money pit!) I would say the gear is even more expensive because there is a very competitive community within (iRacing)… People are constantly looking for the upper hand in shaving off tenths here and there. Pros use the top end gear as well to train on. 1 or 2 years from now, don’t be surprised if you have the itch to upgrade even if you don’t race online/competitively.
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I think it’s a solid set of equipment. My GermanSimRacing team mate uses a CSL DD (not sure which version) and is quite happy with it. I had a v1 Clubsport wheelbase for years, and any DD will be a huge advtange.
The pedals are probably the first to be upgraded later on. I had the non load cell variant for years, as I did set them up temporarily under the desk - I had used load cell Fanatec v2 as well, but they were rubbish under the table.
On the wheel itself I had one of the older formula one style wheels for a long time and was quite happy with it.
Since I got a solid rig some 3 years ago I had upgraded from v1 wheelbase/CSL Elite pedals/Formula One rim to DD2/Heusinkveld Sprint/Precision Sim Engineering LMP2. I fully agree with @Chaz that it can be quite a bottomless pit. I don’t think you gain much speed with the nicer equipment, but it helps a lot with consistency.
Cheers,
TeTeT
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I´ve bought my kit from VRS : Shop | VRS
No comparison to Fanatec, but this is solid compared to the price.
My wheels are kit designs bought from pokornyi engineering.
At first I used fully 3d printed wheel, but it did not work well with a 20nm wheel base.
Only frame and small part are 3d printed and front/back is a cnc machined carbon plate on the pokornyi wheels.
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I’m a big fan of Fanatec gear and the CSL line. I’m currently running the CSL DD(8 Nm) base with three wheels: CSL Elite McLaren GT3 v2 for modern formula, endurance prototypes, and GT cars, a ClubSport R330 (round) wheel with ClubSport Universal Hub v1 for rally, and a ClubSport GT Alcantara v2 wheel with ClubSport Universal Hub v2 for vintage formula, endurance prototypes, and GT cars. For pedals I use the ClubSport Pedals V3 inverted. My sequential shifter and handbrake are from Aologs (St. Petersburg) before Russia had fallen out of favor. The Fanatec shifters and handbrakes are fine. I just liked the looks and detail of the Aiologs a little better.
I have the CSL Formula v2 wheel, but am going to sell it. It’s a fine piece of kit, but I have large hands and enjoy the larger diameter of the McLaren GT3. The CSL formula line is very high quality, but has a 270mm diameter wheel. Too small, IMHO. Modern F1 wheels are usually around 280mm and that 10mm is noticeable. Too bad, because it’s a great wheel otherwise.
The Fanatec ecosystem is a little confusing at first, but most of the CSL gear is backward compatible, allowing you to buy components over time.
Of the gear that you picked, I’m not a big fan of that wheel. I would rather see you spend 200 more Euros and get this wheel, which you can use for both rally and GT or vintage formula cars. It has more buttons too, which you will need. Everything else looks great. You can add the McLaren GT3 v2 wheel down the road.
.
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And relying on you guys to talk me out of the expensive gear was foolish… 
Kidding, but that’s why I asked. I know me… I will probably glance at the shinier toy, shortly after getting the cheaper one.
Rubbish…in what way?
That’s news to me… Will have a look.
Those are cool! I guess you almost need to be lying down, to use them properly?
Ok, will consider that. Vintage F1 is what warms my heart.
Thanks for your input, guys!
Will lift my eyes a little and look at the Clubsport line.
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The pedals I had before the rig were temporarily placed in front of a box and with literal no sliding protection under the desk. The v2 load cell pedals require much higher brake force than the non-load cell CSL Elite pedals. So the braking was more difficult with the v2 load cell, as the complete setup was too brittle. I also found that the load cell would wear out often, I think I had 2-3 replacements in 3 years.
Note that the load cell based Heusinkveld pedals are working nice in the fixed setup rig, where they are fixed in place.
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Yeah, that 1991 MP4/6 is so much fun to drive in AMS2. They nailed the sound. It’s one of the few cars that I have to turn down the volume in my VR headset, lest my ears bleed 
Yikes, I haven’t worn one out yet. I have it turned way down, so perhaps it will last longer.
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@Troll I can’t speak for Fanatec as I went with a competitor, MOZA Racing. But if I didn’t go MOZA, I would’ve gone with Fanatec. MOZA is a recent company that has gained popularity. Thrustmaster released their first direct drive (DD) wheel earlier this year and Logitech released their first DD wheel about a year ago.
When you want the high end stuff, then names like Simagic, Simucube, and Asetek will dominant the conversation. Pedals alone can go for insane prices, like the stuff TeTeT mentioned. There are even actual hydraulic powered pedals and FFB.
Assuming you go with a DD wheel, it is highly recommended to have a strong supporting structure/mount. These wheel bases produce a lot of torque/FFB which places a lot of stress on where the screws hold the base in place. Just something to consider.
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I have the older, non DD Clubsport 2.5 with a now discontinued Porsche steering wheel and a CSL Elite Pedals V2 which just replaced my initial pedals.
I very much enjoy my Fanatec kit and have found Fanatec support to be very good, the one time I needed it.
The V2 pedals are a dramatic improvement over the my earlier non load cell version. I’d recommend considering them.
The DD you selected will no doubt be better than my Clubsport 2.5 but as I really enjoy those I say good choice.
The steering wheel looks good.
As context, I wanted a desk mounted solution. I can set the above kit up in a few minutes which works very well for me.
Enjoy the process.
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Another thing that I really like about Fanatec is the Fanalab software. Having the 5 slots manageable from the wheel is great, but having Fanalab load a profile automatically when the game loads is even better.
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Had a look at these and wow… I thought Fanatec was the top of the line! 
No one mentions what force is practical on a DD wheel.
I think 8nm is not enough…
The high end wheel bases start at 16-17nm.
Wether You get a better tactile feedback with a strong motor tuned down on force is a matter for discussion.
I run my 20nm at 40-60% depending on sim and car.
I haven´t been using it too much, but I got my Afp pension yesterday so now I have time to spare for simming 
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I went for a near-new, used set.
The seller had second thoughts after using the gear for a couple of weeks.
And then the wheel base power supply died, so he decided to get rid of it all.
I got a cheaper deal, but must take care of the warranty repair of the PSU.
CSL DD 8Nm base.
CSL Pedals with clutch.
Clubsport F1 wheel with quick release.
Podium paddles.
Bertil approves!
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Bertil has taste.
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Nice choices mate! That CSL DD wheel base is phenomenal.
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Welcome to the club! When you get setup and all of your settings dialed in, I hope you can join us for some dirt rally!
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Ok… I’ve done some testing.
The SimBox will need som extensive remodeling to accommodate the racing hardware.
And even then, switching between flying and driving will require some effort.
I wonder if not a collapsible racing cockpit is needed…? Ideas? Examples? Thoughts?
Edit:
Oh…!
https://www.playseatstore.com/product/playseat-evolution-black-actifit
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I’ve read many good reviews on Next Level Racing’s collapsible cockpits. (I don’t own one.) This one in particular: F-GT Lite - Next Level Racing
Another one I’ve seen with good reviews on various sites: GTLite Pro - Next Level Racing
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