1. I am looking to buy a steering wheel in the next few days. Could everyone please take the time to tell me what brand and model they have. Then tell me the features they do and dont like about it.
2. I am looking for a wheel that wont wear the finish on my desk and it goes on easy and comes off easy.
3. Are there any tips to mounting a wheel to a desk.
Thanks,
Ryan Goodlett
Full Version: Buying a steering wheel
Are you talking about a steering wheel for a race car or a computer game. 
I suggest just going with a Microsoft Sidewinder wheel. You can get force feedback and non. Both are great. If you want the full feel you can purchase the Act Labs performace pedals (clutch) and shifter later.
I"ve got a thrustmaster nascar steering wheel and have had it for about 4 years I bought it new for like 99.99. I've seen ads today where you can get the wheel for 19.99 to 29.99. I havent had any problems out of it and like it very much.
This is what I use now
www.simpros.com
Used to have the Microsoft Sidewinder FF.
The Simpros is worth every penny. I highly recommend it.
Bill "Sarge" Masom
www.simpros.com
Used to have the Microsoft Sidewinder FF.
The Simpros is worth every penny. I highly recommend it.
Bill "Sarge" Masom
Alright heres the low down on my spiffy new wheel I just bought. I bought a Microsoft SidewinderWheel w/o force feedback. Take a look at the reciept and you will see why I chose this one for sure.
Thats right $5.40......I think I could afford to make a mistake and buy the wrong wheel for that. By the way Sarge that set up is a little hard to swallow for a rookie for me.
Howd ya do it?
I'm off to best buy. 
OK, I got my new steering wheel, now what?
I am doing good with all of the help on such as traction control, stability control, and about 15 % steering assistance. I would like to turn these off. Does it make your car faster to turn the driving aids off? Maybe I could get a little help with the set up of my wheel. Anyone wanting to help would be great. I'm just so far behind the learning curve on this stuff. The car is fine on superspeedways (lacks a little top end speed) as far as handling. On the short tracks I have a hard time getting the car to repond with the wheel. I feel like I have to oversteer to get it in the corners. In fact I do better with a game pad on the short tracks. Havent raced any road courses. Let me know what you think. All answers are appriciated and get your check from Jason.
Microsoft Sidewinder NON FF
Thanks,
Ryan Goodlett
I am doing good with all of the help on such as traction control, stability control, and about 15 % steering assistance. I would like to turn these off. Does it make your car faster to turn the driving aids off? Maybe I could get a little help with the set up of my wheel. Anyone wanting to help would be great. I'm just so far behind the learning curve on this stuff. The car is fine on superspeedways (lacks a little top end speed) as far as handling. On the short tracks I have a hard time getting the car to repond with the wheel. I feel like I have to oversteer to get it in the corners. In fact I do better with a game pad on the short tracks. Havent raced any road courses. Let me know what you think. All answers are appriciated and get your check from Jason.
Microsoft Sidewinder NON FF
Thanks,
Ryan Goodlett
Its all in the setup 
Thats what I'm getting at Jason..... a little help please!!!!
By the way car set up or controller set up?
It is the controller setup that Im after. Do yall run traction control or stability control, steering assistance?
By the way car set up or controller set up?
It is the controller setup that Im after. Do yall run traction control or stability control, steering assistance?
TheLegend96
Turn OFF all aides! All of them ('cept auto clutch). They will only make you slower.
Papy coded it in the game to make the cars slower when using the aides, so that it wouldn't be a "cheat" on line. If you wanted to use the aides for offline running with the AI only, great knock yourself out, cause you can slow the AI down also.
But for online play they had to make the cars perform slower if aides are turned on. Other wise online racing wouldn't be worth a flip.
Only way your every going to get fast is with the aides turned off, so do it NOW. They are only a crutch and the longer you use them, the longer your going to be slow.
BTW, this does not apply to the automatic clutch. Most wheels/pedals don't have clutches, so again Papy had to do something. Auto clutch is a good compermise.
On the setting up the wheel part I am not sure. I had a MS Sidewinder FF. The things to play around with are the steering linerity and the steering ratio. The linerity is found under the advanced button in the controller setup in the game. If I remember right (been a while) I was using about 60% for the short tracks and road corses and as little as 35% for the super speedways. The higher the number the "quicker" the steering is.
On the steering ratio, that can be found in the garage. Look at the top right of the setup screen. Basically, the higher the number the tighter the steering is going to be, the lower the looser. Super speedways need higer numbers, short tracks lower numbers. You can also use this to tighten or loosen a fixed setup. If a fixed setup is tight going in, lower the steering ratio to loosen it up.
With my Simpros wheel and pedals, I run 75 to 85% linerity, and usually have to lower the steering ratio because I have a big wheel. Again, I run way different wheel setting with the Simpros from what I did with the MS. But it all comes down to personal perference.
For setups try going here http://www.onlineracin.com/pwf/download.asp?cid=7 and download all the expert setups. Look on the bottom of the page. They are very good, a mile above the "fast" default setups. At least those should get you in the ball park
Get your wheel sorted before trying a bunch of different setups. That way you can get the feel for the wheel, without wondering if it was the wheel setting you changed, or the setup setting that you changed that caused it to feel funny. Once you get a good idea of how to set the wheel up, then you can make intelligent changes to either the setup or the wheel to make it feel good.
Hope this helps.
Bill "Sarge" Masom
Turn OFF all aides! All of them ('cept auto clutch). They will only make you slower.
Papy coded it in the game to make the cars slower when using the aides, so that it wouldn't be a "cheat" on line. If you wanted to use the aides for offline running with the AI only, great knock yourself out, cause you can slow the AI down also.
But for online play they had to make the cars perform slower if aides are turned on. Other wise online racing wouldn't be worth a flip.
Only way your every going to get fast is with the aides turned off, so do it NOW. They are only a crutch and the longer you use them, the longer your going to be slow.
BTW, this does not apply to the automatic clutch. Most wheels/pedals don't have clutches, so again Papy had to do something. Auto clutch is a good compermise.
On the setting up the wheel part I am not sure. I had a MS Sidewinder FF. The things to play around with are the steering linerity and the steering ratio. The linerity is found under the advanced button in the controller setup in the game. If I remember right (been a while) I was using about 60% for the short tracks and road corses and as little as 35% for the super speedways. The higher the number the "quicker" the steering is.
On the steering ratio, that can be found in the garage. Look at the top right of the setup screen. Basically, the higher the number the tighter the steering is going to be, the lower the looser. Super speedways need higer numbers, short tracks lower numbers. You can also use this to tighten or loosen a fixed setup. If a fixed setup is tight going in, lower the steering ratio to loosen it up.
With my Simpros wheel and pedals, I run 75 to 85% linerity, and usually have to lower the steering ratio because I have a big wheel. Again, I run way different wheel setting with the Simpros from what I did with the MS. But it all comes down to personal perference.
For setups try going here http://www.onlineracin.com/pwf/download.asp?cid=7 and download all the expert setups. Look on the bottom of the page. They are very good, a mile above the "fast" default setups. At least those should get you in the ball park
Get your wheel sorted before trying a bunch of different setups. That way you can get the feel for the wheel, without wondering if it was the wheel setting you changed, or the setup setting that you changed that caused it to feel funny. Once you get a good idea of how to set the wheel up, then you can make intelligent changes to either the setup or the wheel to make it feel good.
Hope this helps.
Bill "Sarge" Masom
Thanks a buch Sarge
On yall's computers, how many frames per second (FPS) do yall get when your racing on the NR 2002 and 2003 season games?
NR 2003 : I'm getting 48 - 100 online. I am personally happy with it as low as 48, but then again maybe I dont know any better....lol
I'm still in awe of the $5 steering wheel...
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