I need help as a disabled guy looking for a setup.

[Lamboelite93]

Hello Sim Racing Community,

I need some much-appreciated advice on getting a setup with a disability as I want to get started with sim racing with a disability. I am unable to use both of my legs so need to have gas and brake on the steering wheel. I also won't be using much force feedback as I don't have much strength either in my upper body so a direct drive would be out of the question. I am looking for an entry level budget of up to 350-400 pounds (sorry not sure how much that is in dollars) and not really too sure where to look.

Thank you for your time reading this and looking forward to your help.

 

[Daniel R.]

Hey Mate, great you wanna start with sim racing.

I am not disabled but I played around with a solution just for interest. To see how it feels and works.... There is a thread at RD I started some time ago...

Thread 'Sim Racing with a physical handycap' https://www.racedepartment.com/threads/sim-racing-with-a-physical-handycap.175177/

Apart from that a bought solution with two analogue pedals in addition to shift pedals is pretty expensive if you consider price for wheelbase and wheel compared.

So a "DIY" or simpler Soulition would be best.

Cheers Dan

 

[Daniel R.]

The solution I tried used my Thrustmaster T300 and a DIY analoge Loadcell handbrake.

You said less FFB needed, then I would suggest a Thrustmaster T150 as a wheel.
A Logitech would also be fine but the TM is a bit smoother and less noisy due to belt- instead of gear driven.

I added a button to my handbrake like a trigger for down shifting.
I think there are no Loadcell handbrake on the market with a trigger like I built.
On the other hand I could built one LC handbrake with a Button for you.

Third question is a rig...
Or you wanna go for a desk setup.
Clamped Wheel and handbrake... Also possible and maybe easiest solution with a wheel chair...

That's it fo now....

Cheers Dan

 

[stigs2cousin]

The real live solution would one hand on the wheel, the other uses a combined gas/brake lever.
I´ve seen (and coached) drivers with this solution and can say that:

the modulation of brake and accelerator can be done well, you won´t see a difference to "four limb driving"
the combination of brake/gas and steering eg for trailbraking was much more difficult, but for a big part the G-forces were to blame for that.(because its much more difficult for handicapped drivers to be stable in the seat. That won´t be a problem when sim driving.)

The combined brake/gas stick would have to DIY, I don´t know any manufacturers for a pull-gas push-brake lever


There are steering wheels with 4 paddels, two digital for shifting, two analog which could be used for brake and gas. But these are small and would be awkward to control with bigger steering angles (hairpins) I´ve seen professional solutions with a big push/pull ring behind the wheel, but these have also "professional" pricing.

I think the best solution in the price range could be this:

Hand Controller HC1 -> Throttle and brake – Gaming is possible! (PC) | 3DRap

ENG: it is a "Hand Controller" for disabled simmers, which unfortunately can not use the legs for accelerator and brake. Our device is worn on the hand, with an ergonomic solution, and allows you to accelerate and brake with your thumb. It is a device, completely designed and manufactured by...

www.3drap.it

This device gives you both hands on the wheel which is good for precise steering and should allow for trailbraking and acceleration from the apex ( with practice)

Good Luck and Success Carsten

 

[RasmusP]

Hi,

One wheel that often gets overlooked for this:
The fanatec McLaren rim has 2 analogue paddles! And is probably the cheapest wheel with this functionality out there.
A friend of mine is using this for his son to enjoy some racing since he can't reach the pedals yet.

A few issues though:
The v1 of that rim wasn't very reliable and the v2 is way better. I've owned the v1 for a year and now have the v2.
The shifter paddles have quite a high resistance. So depending on your grip strength, it might be a bit too hard to shift. Or be a good workout to build the strength!

The next issue would be that the cheapest wheelbase from fanatec is the always sold out csl DD, which also seems to have some issues, especially with the McLaren rim..

However there should be plenty of used csl elite and csw wheelbases available.

It would be a bit above your price range but it would work well out of the box.

You would probably accelerate with the left hand to shift up with the right hand at the same time and brake with the right hand while shifting down with the left hand.

As Carsten said, a formula or GT wheel isn't perfect for driving road cars around hairpins but imo the McLaren rim is still working fine for that since it's pretty thick and smooth so you can just take off one hand and push from the other side while your other thumb rotates inside the grip.
Only when drifting/rallying it becomes too snappy and a bit awkward.

One solution for this is to simply use a lower max rotation. Cars might becomes a bit nervous then but you won't need to take off a hand to get full steering.

 

[blekenbleu]

use a lower max rotation. Cars might becomes a bit nervous

Some games support what is effectively variable ratio steering,
moderately slow around center but effectively faster ratio
as steering wheel rotation approaches 90 degrees.

 

[Daniel R.]

That's what I tried...
Works very well:

Race 1 with it (with issues):

Race 2 with it (much better) :

Both races with around one hour practice before with this solution.

 

[Daniel R.]

PS.:
The only "difficulty" in my solution is the button on the handbrake.
Since I have custom made pedals I had the button over the electronics of the pedals...
But anyway, it's doable, relatively simple and not expensive.