Any advice on my massive rig upgrade ($20-25k)

[lovemesomespeed]

First, just wanted to say thanks to everyone's involvement on this forum - I haven't posted much but I've spent a long time reading and learning!

I wasn't going to start a "Help me with my rig" post, mainly since I've come up with all these items based on individual threads already on here. But I figure if I'm going to spend so much money, I might as well throw my plans out there in case someone sees something that I could do better.

I've been sim racing for about 2 years with a Playseat/Thrustmaster/Xbox/TV setup. I'm ready to make a massive leap, and I'm a buy-once, cry-once kind of guy, so I really just want to go all-out. My budget isn't limited to $20-25k, but as I add up all this gear, it looks like that's about what it comes out to. Here's my list... please chime in if there’s something you think would be better. My goal is ultimate immersion.

Nothing has been ordered yet unless specified.


***** Just to mention… I am completely and utterly incapable of DIY. I can barely put together IKEA furniture - so SFX-100 just isn’t an option. I need plug and play. ***



CHASSIS:
- SimLab P1X (just ordered, 4-6 week wait)


SEAT:
- SimXperience GS-5
- SimXperience seatbelt tensioner (whenever it gets released)
- 4 point harness


MOTION:
- PROSIMU P5MP (may wait to see if the P7MP is released anytime soon)


WHEEL BASE/WHEEL/PEDALS:
- Simucube 2
- Precision Sim Engineering GT3
- HE Sprints (already purchased and delivered)
- No plans at the moment to add shifter/handbrake since I rarely use my current shifter


COMPUTER:
- i9-10900k (already purchased)
- All other computer components purchased except for GPU - I am waiting for the new NVIDIA card


VIEWING/MONITORS:
- HP Reverb G2 (placed my pre-order)
- I will start off with VR, I’ll only do a triple monitor setup if I feel I’m missing anything or want to play non-VR titles


TACTILE:
- Haven’t nailed down the specifics of this yet, but it will likely be a combination of Buttkicker LFE, Mini-LFE, and some transducers. I know this is a crucial part of the build, but I feel like this will need some amount of flexibility/tuning/tweaking once I have the actual rig setup. Seems pointless to develop and buy a hard-set list of tactile gear until I've got everything else up and running.


Thanks so much!!!

 

[Elaphe]

I would add a wind simulator. Inexpensive in comparison with the rest of your devices and it will add fun and inmersion to your driving with open wheelers, convertibles, etc. Also, you can use it as normal fans. At least here where I live, it's a torture to wear a VR headset and a pair of circumaural headphones for more than one minute during the summer unless you have a powerful stream of air straight to your head.

 

[lovemesomespeed]

Funny you should post about the wind simulator... I was just looking into that right now!

It seems like most options are DIY builds. Any decent products from companies?

 

[johnny_91]

Funny you should post about the wind simulator... I was just looking into that right now!

It seems like most options are DIY builds. Any decent products from companies?

I would shoot for PT-Actuator in terms of motion. There systems are very qiuet and also look industrial solid. Maybe have a look at simracinggarages review about it.

 

[TedBrosby-]

Agreed on PT Actuator. Also which Simucube? Spending $20k and getting Sport would be a waste. IMO Pro is the best value since it’s about 80% as good as Ultimate but only 45% of the price. Also IMO give sequential another consideration. In iRacing I have issues driving certain cars with paddle because the clutch is important to rev matching for the car - Mazda MX-5 and Skip Barber to name two. Paddles seem to miss shift or prone to neutral shifts and much harder for rapid down shifting for a sharp corner. The HE sequential is honestly a small price to pay.

 

[Elaphe]

Funny you should post about the wind simulator... I was just looking into that right now!

It seems like most options are DIY builds. Any decent products from companies?

Let me recommend the fan controller by Symprojects and its sofware called SimDash. I have been using it for years and everything works like a charm, apart from the fact that the post-sales service is awesome. It's plug and play: just plug it to any USB port, connect a 12v power supply to it and a couple of PWM fans (the model you like or purchase the fans sold by them with their custom mounts). Run Simdash and that's all. I've been using Thermalright fans but now I have replaced them with more powerful industrial Delta fans (4000 rpm). Simdash now also allows to run the fans at a predefined speed. I have made a script to be able to switch between wind simulator and 2 fixed speed presets, from my button box and without leaving the game.

 

[5teveC457]

How much space do you have? If your budget is not limited, what about something like this 6DOF system . https://motionsystems.eu/product/simulators/qs-s25-motion-platform/

That thing looks amazing. MotionSystems is the same company that builds the NLR stuff (Motion v3, Traction Plus).

 

[lovemesomespeed]

How much space do you have?

I was about to tell you I have plenty of space, until I clicked on that link you sent... that thing is huge! It would MAYBE fit in the space I’ve got but it would probably take up literally the entire room. Unfortunately I think it’s too big.

 

[Beef36]

.

 

[lovemesomespeed]

Oh my gosh! Santa came early this year!!!

((We got too lazy to take down the Christmas tree each year, so now it's a "holiday" tree and my wife changes the theme throughout the year... the red and blue is for the 4th of July in the US))

 

[Jason Reiser]

Merry Christmas! As Beef36 said, with a budget like that, a D-Box motion system should be high on your list. I have their 3 actuator setup and it’s nothing short of phenomenal. I can only imagine what more degrees of freedom can do.

Good luck & enjoy the new toys.

 

[JeremyH]

Platform 4 Actuators + Double TL + Surge_Xuzhou PuTuo Machinery Technology Co.,Ltd_电动缸_普拓机械_徐州普拓机械科技有限公司

Pre-built platform by 4 Mega-Monster Actuator which mounted perpendicular+ Double TL+Surge (Payload 300kgs for the weight of person cockpit rig pedal and other accessories) ( AC110V~220V World Wide ) 1 set ofAMC-AASDcontroller 4 set of

www.pt-actuator.com

This!!!

With the Double Traction Loss and Surge actuators swapped out for his 450mm "U" series.