Community Question | Your First Sim Racing Wheel

[Paul Jeffrey]

Us sim racers tend to quite like our toys... from rigs, to wheels, pedals, button boxes, VR headsets, apps, software, PC's and plenty of stuff in between.... and for those of us lucky enough to own a wheel, I'd love to know which one was your first...

Not everyone runs with a wheel and pedals, but of those of us that do, I'd like to know which one was your first, and what you thought of that hardware and how in impacted your experience playing racing games and simulations.

For my part, my very first wheel was the little white plastic Microsoft Xbox 360 wireless unit - I thought that was the absolute pinnacle of technology back in the day. Oh, how the hobby got serious after that!

Although ownership of a racing wheel came late on for me, I also clearly remember playing IndyCar Racing over at my mates house using a really old, spring force PC wheel. That piece of kit brought the whole experience to an absolutely unthinkable level of immersion. The passage of time has dulled my memory of its name now, but suffice to say I was very, very envious of that bit of hardware...

Anyway, have fun reliving days gone by in the comments section below!

 

[Ed Cullen]

and then my 1st ForceFeed back wheel

 

[Diede]

Started with a Trust F1 Race Master (picture). Played Grand Prix 2 and 3 with it as a kid. After that a 360 modena for years. Then a second hand g25 for the first taste of proper sim racing. Had that for 2 years and a few weeks ago bought my T300, TH8A and T3PA Pro set

 

[Lennart Groessl]

I started out on a Driving Force GT

 

[Dave Thayer]

My first wheel controller before Force Feedback came along was a custom built wheel controller by a small group which I dont think they are around anymore. I dont have pictures of it, but it was a very solid-sturdy device with heavy duty pedals and much bigger size Wheel than my Thrustmaster TMX I have now. I used this wheel controller back in the years of early Papyrus racing games such as Nascar 1-2 and Indycar 2, and used it first online racing with Nascar 2003 and GPL.

 

[GRaFkiyv]

Logitech Formula Force EX (2008-2019) the bottom of the base under the clamp broke.
Thrustmaster T300 RS (2019- ....)

 

[michelforest]

My first was a Thrustmaster Grand Prix:

I used it with Geoff Crammond GP2. I was so used to steering with a keyboard that it took me quite a while to get used to it.

 

[Andrew King]

my trusty g29, have had it for almost 3 years now and not one issue with it, still going great!

 

[OldRebel]

My first wheel was the ACT Labs Force RS including pedals and the gated shifter. It was a darn good product for its time and I got a lot of use out of it. It was quite a powerful wheel and seemed to be well made. I ultimately replaced it with a G27 which I used for about seven or eight years. I now have a Thrustmaster TS-PC Racer with pedals and shifter which I am really enjoying.

 

[turbo86]

Microsoft Sidewinder Precision. Back when Microsoft was making some of the best peripherals ever made. Still works well and actually performs really nice.Very good FFB action. A bit noisy but who cares.

 

[Daniel Waridel]

Mi primer volante, año 1999 aproximadamente

 

[Robert Mitchell]

My first wheel was the Microsoft Sidewinder Non FFB wheel.

 

[boomn]

Microsoft Sidewinder to play NFS SE. Not much of a sim, but even as a kid I remember doing lots of hotlaps trying to shave off seconds

Fast forward many years and I saw a Logitech Formula Force at a thrift store and felt inspired by those memories. The FFB was a bit wonky, it wouldn't calibrate on center properly, and it didn't last long but it got me hooked again

Now I wish I had either of those wheels still! I currently have a SRW-S1 and find it humblingly difficult to steer without the wheel attached to anything, and to accelerate, brake and shift all with paddles, and to steer past 90deg while reaching the accelerator or brake paddles

Why is the market for used wheels so expensive and small? Used Logitech wheels seem to go for more than the new price, and really old wheels sell for almost as much!

 

[MaSe87]

1. Can't remember the first wheel manufacturer, but it was a three in one controller, with a detachable full rim wheel and the small handles could be pulled a little and then rotated to either form a flight stick / formula wheel or a bike handle bar. Black plastic and two buttons and spring force, no force feedback. Maybe someone still knows it and knows the manufacturer and model?
Edit: The answer is: MSC Super MS-200E Multi-System - the slipstream controller from the never released Konix Multisystem console that where then sold as a PC compatible controllers.

2. Guillemot Ferrari Force Feedback Wheel
3. Logitech Momo Racing Wheel
4. Logitech G25

 

[Ole Andreasen]

My beloved Logitech MOMO Racing wheel. Man I loved that wheel... I was SO close to buying a new one in a garage sale just weeks ago, purely for sentimental reasons, but in the end didn´t. Now I kind of wish I had.. Still some used ones around, cheap... hm...

 

[michelforest]

My beloved Logitech MOMO Racing wheel. Man I loved that wheel... I was SO close to buying a new one in a garage sale just weeks ago, purely for sentimental reasons, but in the end didn´t. Now I kind of wish I had.. Still some used ones around, cheap... hm...

View attachment 364574

I had one too, for many years. Played rfactor, NR2003 and GTR2 with it. Great quality for the price, at that time.

 

[Wayne Hutchison]

Thrustmaster Formula T2 circa 1992.

 

[SlendeRAMk]

Microsoft SideWinder Precision Racing Wheel USB (photo taken from the internet, my steering wheel is more worn hehe)

and first and still current and fully functional steering wheel

since I was 4 years old (2001) until today

Despite being a woman, since I can remember I have always been fascinated by cars.

greetings from Argentina

 

[erba72]

Thrustmaster T80

 

[UnixRoot]

Microsoft Sidewinder Force Feedback Wheel here. Later on the black Logitech Momo.

 

[cteters]

Built up two paychecks flipping burgers to afford the Sega Saturn + Daytona USA + steering wheel after getting to play the game in an arcade mall

Unfortunately the graphics and game play didn't hold up the same.