Help me build a $6k set rig!

[2020 Supraman]

I'm brand new to SIM racing - I purchased a 2020 supra a few months back, and started researching driving schools, tracks, etc. and I came across SIM racing. Thanks to everyone on this forum and youtube channels for what I've learned thus far. $6k is what I've got to spend. I am going to list what I think is best for me right now (mid-range system from what I've gathered). Please give me feedback, what you would change if you had 6k to spend! I'm currently stuck in the middle east, and am planning for my return to the states!!

1. $1,770 PC: Alienware R9, i7 9700k 8 core, RTX 2080 Super, 16 GB Ram, 512GH SSD (This PC will only be for SIM racing)

2. $1,140 Triple Monitors: BenQ EX3203R 1800r curved monitors, 144 hz, 1440p, HDR, Freesync
$550.00 *UPDATED 6/12 - save $$ on monitors and start with VR. Occulus Rift S vs. HP Reverb G1 (Both are about ~$550 now as Rift S prices soaring and Reverb prices dropping with announcement of G2. I need to purchase by early July so my options are limited).

3. $200 Tiple Monitor Stand: Obutto R3V Tr
*UPDATED 5/21 - switch to Sim-Lab triple monitor stand based on rigidity (price included in sim-lab rig
*UPDATED 6/12 - no triples, will start with VR

4. $525 Cockpit: GT Omega TITAN (new) Cockpit. This includes RS6 seat and shifter mount
$1,760 *UPDATED 5/21 - switch to Sim-Lab P1X. Price includes: Chassis, triple monitor mount, pedal slider baseplate & seat slider, bucket seat bracket set & seat slider, CS shifter side mount - tilt, buttkicker mounting plate, cup holder, keyboard tray, mouse pad, estimated ~300 euros shipping
$1260 *UPDATED 6/12 - took out monitor mounts, keyboard tray, buttkicker mounts - will hold off buttkickers initially

5. $400 *Updated 5/21 - Corbaeu FX1 Seat

6. $850 Steering Wheel and Base: Fanatec ClubSport Wheel Base V2.5 and BMW GT Wheel
$1000-$1400 *UPDATED 6/12 switch to DD. Deciding between Accuforce ($1k) and VRS ($1k + rim)

7. $400 Pedals: Fanatec V3 with Brake Performance Kit
$775.00 *Updated 5/22 Heusinkveld (HE) Sprint Pedals + baseplate + shipping

8. $250 Shifter: Fanatec ClubSport Shifter *UPDATED 6/12 - switch to HE Sequential Shifter (same price)

9. $200 Accessory: ButtKicker Gamer 2 with tubular adapter mount
*UPDATED 6/12 - will hold off on Buttkicker initially


TOTAL: $5,335.
*Updated 5/21 TOTAL: $6,770
*Updated 5/22 TOTAL: $7,145
*Updated 6/12 TOTAL: $5,980 - $6,380

 

[GEO147]

If your gona spend that money I would seriously consider an 8020 rig for stability.
Look at SimLab website.

 

[Noahbet]

about 1. not sure, but i think u could get the same for less money if u build the PC System on your own. Do you know what games you will play?

 

[Noahbet]

If your gona spend that money I would seriously consider an 8020 rig for stability.
Look at SimLab website.

@2020 Supraman
agree, if u spend that much Money on a rig i would go for a 8020 rig aswell. You can also download a Framedesigner or other CAD Softwares and create your own rig with alu extrusion profiles. You can build whatever u want.

 

[deandsfsdfewsad]

1. Make an 8020 rig and save money using MAY-TEC or Framedesigner, 2. Make your own PC using https://pcpartpicker.com/
3. Used the saved money and buy a direct drive wheel

 

[2020 Supraman]

Awesome, thanks. I've weighed pros/cons of building/buying a PC. I will ONLY be playing sim racing games on this setup. I have been looking at the several more popular games such as PC2, Iracing, asseto corso. My goal in choosing a game/platform is to get better at driving my actual car!! And have fun, of course.

I am not very technical and my troubleshooting skills are poor. Building a PC maybe, but definitely not up to the task of creating my own Rig. However, Sim-Lab is a possibility as I understand the base frame is the hardest thing to upgrade once built. The cost of Sim-Lab P1-X looks to be:

1,800 Euros / $2,000 USD shipped. I think I need all of the following:

Sim-Lab P1-x cockpit: 800 Euros
Seat ~500 Euros (?)
Seat slider 39 Euros
Bucket seat bracket set 39 Euros
Pedal slider baseplate 124 Euros
Pedal heel rest 35 Euros
Extra mounting plate (?) 59 Euros
Fanatec CS shifter side mount - tilt adjustment 29 Euros
2 sets of caster wheels 33 Euros
Buttkicker mounting plate 14 euros
Cup holder 12 euros
Shipping 150 Euros to USA

WHERE I COULD SAVE MONEY:
*Triple 27" monitors or start with just one 27" or 32" monitor, and then decide on VR or triples after playing for a while. Also, potentially save a few hundred if I build my own PC.

 

[BillyBobSenna]

If your gona spend that money I would seriously consider an 8020 rig for stability.
Look at SimLab website.

Interesting comment. Why do you think the 8020 rig would have a significant impact on drive-ability compared to the GT Omega TITAN? Is there objective data to explain the stability of different torque level drive units for the various cockpits?

 

[2020 Supraman]

Interesting comment. Why do you think the 8020 rig would have a significant impact on drive-ability compared to the GT Omega TITAN? Is there objective data to explain the stability of different torque level drive units for the various cockpits?

Objectively you could look at material strength of 2" steel tube (Titan) vs. 160x40 aluminum profiles (P1-X). The P1-X steering column is also vetical compared to the slanted uprights of the Titan. The P1-X also has that additional 4 foot bracket on one side that looks like it probably adds quite a bit.

I know a lot of what I said isn't objective as to your question on impact of drive-ability, but it looks the part. I think people's subjective opinions are all in line with the 80/20 being significantly more rigid. Will be interested to see what others say regarding this

 

[deandsfsdfewsad]

Awesome, thanks. I've weighed pros/cons of building/buying a PC. I will ONLY be playing sim racing games on this setup. I have been looking at the several more popular games such as PC2, Iracing, asseto corso. My goal in choosing a game/platform is to get better at driving my actual car!! And have fun, of course.

I am not very technical and my troubleshooting skills are poor. Building a PC maybe, but definitely not up to the task of creating my own Rig. However, Sim-Lab is a possibility as I understand the base frame is the hardest thing to upgrade once built. The cost of Sim-Lab P1-X looks to be:

1,800 Euros / $2,000 USD shipped. I think I need all of the following:

Sim-Lab P1-x cockpit: 800 Euros
Seat ~500 Euros (?)
Seat slider 39 Euros
Bucket seat bracket set 39 Euros
Pedal slider baseplate 124 Euros
Pedal heel rest 35 Euros
Extra mounting plate (?) 59 Euros
Fanatec CS shifter side mount - tilt adjustment 29 Euros
2 sets of caster wheels 33 Euros
Buttkicker mounting plate 14 euros
Cup holder 12 euros
Shipping 150 Euros to USA

WHERE I COULD SAVE MONEY:
*Triple 27" monitors or start with just one 27" or 32" monitor, and then decide on VR or triples after playing for a while. Also, potentially save a few hundred if I build my own PC.

you can find the designs online for rigs which are 90% the same as the P1-X, all that is different is you won't find the special plates they use for making the wheel deck or pedal deck

 

[BillyBobSenna]

Objectively you could look at material strength of 2" steel tube (Titan) vs. 160x40 aluminum profiles (P1-X). The P1-X steering column is also vetical compared to the slanted uprights of the Titan. The P1-X also has that additional 4 foot bracket on one side that looks like it probably adds quite a bit.

I know a lot of what I said isn't objective as to your question on impact of drive-ability, but it looks the part. I think people's subjective opinions are all in line with the 80/20 being significantly more rigid. Will be interested to see what others say regarding this

I don't have any experience with high torque wheel bases on a sim cockpit so I don't have a feel for what level of cockpit stiffness is significant. The P1-X looks amazing however is it more than enough for most people? Overkill compared to a Titan? Maybe its highly dependent on the power of the wheelbase and driving style of the operator. I am speaking from a position of ignorance.

 

[2020 Supraman]

I don't have any experience with high torque wheel bases on a sim cockpit so I don't have a feel for what level of cockpit stiffness is significant. The P1-X looks amazing however is it more than enough for most people? Overkill compared to a Titan? Maybe its highly dependent on the power of the wheelbase and driving style of the operator. I am speaking from a position of ignorance.

So there are no reviews of the GT Omega Titan yet, but Sim Garage did review the GT Omega Pro and had positive things to say about it. Start at the 16:00 minute mark. He is using belt-driven fantec 2.5v with force feedback turned all the way up. He does say that he thinks a Direct Drive could actually work ok, but he recommends upgrading if you're doing that. I emailed GT Omega and they said the Titan will be more sturdy than the PRO reviewed here, but the PRO has a lot more attachments.

 

[2020 Supraman]

I think I see what the additional accessories are the PRO offers. There are two accessories that stiffen the rig:
Lateral Support Bars https://www.gtomega.com/products/pro-simulator-support-bars
Chassis Supports: https://www.gtomega.com/products/pro-simulator-chassis-supports

Also a seat mounting plate and different shifter mount that will bring shifter closer to you and decrease the flex in it.

PRO Simulator Gearshifter Mount V2

The GT Omega Racing PRO Simulator Gearshifter Mount V2 suitable to be mounted on the left or right hand side. Compatible with all major brands.

www.gtomega.com

Now that does take it from a $440.00 rig to a $640.00 rig. The new Titan would be ~$545 and wouldn't appear to need the additional support based on its structure. The Titan also has the seat mounted shifter plate - so basically you wouldn't need any of these accessories with the Titan. The Titan also has a more adjustable steering plate and pedal plate.

GT Omeaga seems to be the best in this price range, the question is, is it good enough to save $1500 on compared to the Sim-Lab?

EDIT: you can buy GT Omega seat for ~$200. If that is a good option for the sim-lab, then that would lower the extra $1500 to only an extra $1200.

 

[BillyBobSenna]

I think I see what the additional accessories are the PRO offers. There are two accessories that stiffen the rig:
Lateral Support Bars https://www.gtomega.com/products/pro-simulator-support-bars
Chassis Supports: https://www.gtomega.com/products/pro-simulator-chassis-supports

Also a seat mounting plate and different shifter mount that will bring shifter closer to you and decrease the flex in it.

PRO Simulator Gearshifter Mount V2

The GT Omega Racing PRO Simulator Gearshifter Mount V2 suitable to be mounted on the left or right hand side. Compatible with all major brands.

www.gtomega.com

Now that does take it from a $440.00 rig to a $640.00 rig. The new Titan would be ~$545 and wouldn't appear to need the additional support based on its structure. The Titan also has the seat mounted shifter plate - so basically you wouldn't need any of these accessories with the Titan. The Titan also has a more adjustable steering plate and pedal plate.

GT Omeaga seems to be the best in this price range, the question is, is it good enough to save $1500 on compared to the Sim-Lab?

EDIT: you can buy GT Omega seat for ~$200. If that is a good option for the sim-lab, then that would lower the extra $1500 to only an extra $1200.

I actually have a GTtrack on order to go with the DD2 I ordered. I am excited about the order but I think I will be using my current entry level rig until the second part of June.

GTtrack

 

[2020 Supraman]

I actually have a GTtrack on order to go with the DD2 I ordered. I am excited about the order but I think I will be using my current entry level rig until the second part of June.

GTtrack

Nice - I like that one a lot too. Some of the things I didn't like about it is that it seems the seat flexed back a lot more than the GT Omega PRO, the shifter is somewhat far way from the seat and you don't get as much adjustability with it, and lastly the price being a lot more than the Omega. But there were a lot of pros too - seem to have really good customer service, good instructions, all the hardware comes with it, most reviews were positive, and overall seemed like a decent setup.

 

[Kurupt CDN]

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If your outside of Canada with the money saved from the conversion you could get a set of tires, racing shocks and a track day lol

 

[2020 Supraman]

Kijiji - Buy, Sell & Save with Canada's #1 Local Classifieds

Visit Kijiji Classifieds to buy, sell, or trade almost anything! New and used items, cars, real estate, jobs, services, vacation rentals and more virtually anywhere.

www.kijiji.ca

If your outside of Canada with the money saved from the conversion you could get a set of tires, racing shocks and a track day lol

Hahaha so you think I should buy a Miata instead of a racing sim? I don’t think I need a second car to take to the track..

 

[onearmedbandit46]

Seriously consider VR.

Time stamped for your convenience.

 

[2020 Supraman]

*UPDATED TODAY - Thanks for all the feedback. I'm a bit over-budget now, but I don't think I have a choice lol.... I looked into Sim-Lab in more detail, and it is a no-brainer. The quality of that rig is just on another level, and well worth an extra $1k. I watched Sim Garage and Boosted Media videos which made the decision easy. It look really fun to put together too, I think I'll really enjoy that.

I also switched from the $~200 Obbuto triple monitor stand to the $270 sim-lab monitor stand based on rigidity.

STILL CONSIDERING:
1. Triple monitors vs. single monitor (to start) vs. VR vs. combination.
2. Buying vs. building a PC
3 What seat for ~$400. Considering Corbeau FX1 or Ebay seat (S2000, dodge viper, Tiburon, STI, Veloster to name a few). Check out the Veloster - random, but I think it would make an awesome seat.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/2013-2017-Hyundai-Veloster-Seat-Assembly-Front-Right-Passenger-RH-OEM-13-17/302928922256?fits=Model:Veloster&hash=item4687f88690:g:Hz4AAOSwHTlbzKMA

Thank you everyone - this is an awesome community!

EDIT - Question for you guys. What would be the process to bolt in that Volester seat I linked? Direct bolt in with the Sim-Lab brackets and slider?

 

[2020 Supraman]

1. Make an 8020 rig and save money using MAY-TEC or Framedesigner, 2. Make your own PC using https://pcpartpicker.com/
3. Used the saved money and buy a direct drive wheel

Very cool site! But when I configured my own PC with similar components it was ~$2k, so no cost savings there.

And direct drive... looks awesome. But I want to stay somewhat on budget. I see how easily building a rig could become 10k+++

 

[2020 Supraman]

Seriously consider VR.

Time stamped for your convenience.

Wow that gets me really excited for this rig...