A WHEEL WITH REAL FORCES
In this article, we will focus on an essential component of our simulator: the Force Feedback (FFB) steering wheel, which transmits all the sensations occurring while driving or racing, capable of delivering the vehicle’s G-forces in real time.
Among the commercial and professional steering wheels on the market, one is drawing all the attention: the Open Sim Wheel, a Direct Drive wheel (gearless servomotor) that emulates the forces of a race car, achieving up to 30Nm (Newton-meters) of torque.
DIRECT DRIVE STEERING WHEELS
Several years ago, a company in the simracing sector developed the first Direct Drive steering wheel in 2009, featuring an industrial servomotor with torque starting at 16 Nm and beyond, without using gears or toothed belts like commercial wheels do. This was the SimSteering by Leo Bodnar, a UK-based company, but its price was very high for the average simracer (starting at €4,000). It can be said that 95% of its market consisted of professional teams and drivers able to afford such an expense.
However, thanks to a group of simracers and engineers from various international communities and forums, the “Open Sim Wheel” (OSW) project was born, led by figures like Bernhard Berger and Beano (Phillip VanRensburg), with the goal of creating a wheel with the same characteristics as the Leo Bodnar, and even surpassing it in certain aspects, at a much more affordable price.
The project explained what to buy, how to buy it, and where to get each component so users could assemble their own OSW, as well as how to make it work with specific software and firmware and which configuration profiles to use.
For the vast majority of simulation enthusiasts, assembling it was very challenging as it required some knowledge of electronics and tin soldering, despite the availability of schematics.
This led to the emergence of several assemblers worldwide to make it easier for anyone wanting to enjoy this technology. Among them is Augury Simulations, a Spanish manufacturer that innovated with proprietary development boards to improve assembly and even designed its own kit to offer a premium product at a low cost, transitioning from a homemade solution to a highly professional one.
These Direct Drive steering wheels consist of:
An electronics box that includes:
A USB controller that acts as a joystick so the PC software (simulator) detects it as an analog axis.
A driver (Argon, Ioni Pro HC, etc.) to control the servomotor, positioned between it and the USB controller.
A power supply for the electronic components and servomotor.
Other components like integrated boards, resistors, switches, fuses, etc.
The new “Simucube” (from Granite Devices) simplifies all this by integrating the USB controller, motor driver, components, and connections into a single board.
A Servomotor: Available from different manufacturers, with varying torque and quality levels, but the most widespread today is the Small Mige (20 Nm).
Adapter or Quick-Release: Necessary to mount a wheel rim with or without button panels and paddles.
What sets these Direct Drive wheels apart is their high torque (motor power), allowing you to perfectly feel the forces the car’s steering would produce in reality. Additionally, they let you sense almost without lag (delay) all kinds of information, such as loss of grip, bumps, curbs, etc.
A REVOLUTION IN SIMRACING
Undoubtedly, 2016 saw a huge surge in the purchase of these wheels, thanks to the information generated within the simracing community, videos from various YouTubers and industry professionals, reviews, informational pages, and above all, several companies that decided to make things easier for users by selling pre-assembled and tested kits, ready to plug in and play on any PC simulator.
More and more people are using them, and none regret the investment, which typically starts at around €1,200 and up. Simracers like Pablo López (Gopro López), Marcelo Arconada (Digiprost), and Barry (Sim Racing Garage) already own one and speak wonders of it.
At this link http://www.simracingcoach.com/open-sim-wheel/, all the details to consider about these wheels are explained through tutorials and video reviews with simulators like iRacing, Assetto Corsa, and Automobilista.
Arguably, the simulator that offers the best sensations today is “Automobilista.” Driving the V12 on some of this simulator’s tracks is an extreme experience that leaves your arms feeling as if you’d raced a kart for 10 minutes. Assetto Corsa and rF2 follow in terms of sensations, with iRacing coming last, though it significantly improves the feel with the New Tyre Model they’ve developed.
WILL IT MAKE ME FASTER?
If a simracer thinks about buying this type of wheel with the sole goal of being faster than with more affordable commercial wheels, they’re mistaken.
The main reason to get one should be to gain immersion, feel the car, and sense what it’s doing at every moment. You might be just as fast or faster on a single lap with a Logitech G29 or Thrustmaster T300, but that’s not the point here. Simply put, the most demanding simracers seek a simulation that’s as close as possible to reality, and the Open Sim Wheel is a vital accessory for that.
That said, we should clarify that many drivers have improved their times with these wheels; it just takes an adaptation period to see consistent results.
In short, if a wheel helps you better perceive the car’s reactions, it will make you drive with more confidence, knowing the vehicle’s limits, and as a result, you’ll end up being more consistent and faster in your driving.
CAN I INSTALL IT ON MY DESK OR COCKPIT?
It depends. Since it’s a powerful industrial servomotor, the place where it’s mounted needs to be very rigid. No desks, unless we’re talking about a very sturdy, thick, and stable one. As for chassis, it’s essential that it be solid and rigid, whether made of iron tubes or aluminum profiles. The latter is 100% recommended, as it provides maximum rigidity and adjustability.
We’d say that before getting an Open Sim Wheel, you need to have a suitable place to mount it: “You have to build the house from the foundation up, not from the roof down.”
AUGURY SIMUCUBE KIT
The Spanish company “Augury Simulations” distributes this pre-assembled and tested kit, ready to plug in, at a competitive price, with the exclusivity of featuring an electronics box and motor mount made of stainless steel, with passive ventilation and excellent cooling, plus top-quality components, including internal lighting. Additionally, it offers highly professional after-sales service, ready to resolve any questions in the shortest time possible.
This kit includes the Simucube controller board from Granite, which integrates everything needed to connect to the PC and control the motor. All the R&D being done on the Open Sim Wheel project is now focused on this board, meaning its firmware and configurations will keep improving in the years to come. In short, the “Augury OSW Kit” is here to stay.