steering wheels

can anyone tell me the available steering wheels that are out and which one is the best and the most reliable

TSW Thomas Super Wheel Crash

My favorite is the TSW wheel -- check The IRL Insider Sim Site for some wheel reviews: http://irlinsider.adnetweb.com/sims/ Enjoy! -- JB can anyone tell me the available steering wheels that are out and which one is the best and the most reliable

Tonepone, You might want to look at the ECCI lineup... http://www.ecci.net Andy Cers ECCI > can anyone tell me the available steering wheels that are out and which one > is the best and the most reliable

Tonepone, Check out the ECCI lineup. Meets your description precisely. http://www.ecci.net > can anyone tell me the available steering wheels that are out and which one > is the best and the most reliable

SRC http://www.mindspring.com/~srcwheel/ Dave Trager - DTrager 1998 NROS Pro Div. Finalist Team Xtreme http://members.aol.com/xtremechvy/Xtreme3.html

tonepone heeft geschreven in bericht ... Have a look at my gpl ultimate linkspage which has lots of wheellinks http://users.bart.nl/~hansvd/links.html -- Hans van Dam HotGrid Legends http://www.bart.nl/~hansvd/ For an easy recognizable Alfa-Brabham car in replays go here http://www.fan.net.au/~stevephi/overrev/indivcars.htm

>can anyone tell me the available steering wheels that are out and which one >is the best and the most reliable For the very best wheels available, check out: http://thomas-superwheel.com with all the options available you can custom design your own setup and this will be the last wheel you will ever have to buy :).

"with all the options available you can custom design your own setup and this will be the last wheel you will ever have to buy :)." Because You'll Be Just Too Broke To Ever Consider Buying Another Wheel....

And you'll still be envious of the guys with force feedback... Jjnascar wrote

Anyone who is serious about their sims won't hesitate spending a lot of money for something they can keep and upgrade for years to come. Sounds more like you're envious of those who have forked over the money. BTW, this applies to ANY expensive well produced wheel, not just TSW. You pay Thrustmaster money, you get Thrustmaster quality and longevity I'm afraid. -- Nathan Wong http://www.nectar.com.au/~alfacors Super Touring - Club Cars - Alfa Romeo http://fullspeed.to/astc Australian Super Touring News and Information

>Anyone who is serious about their sims won't hesitate spending a lot >of money for something they can keep and upgrade for years to come. >Sounds more like you're envious of those who have forked over the >money. BTW, this applies to ANY expensive well produced wheel, not >just TSW. You pay Thrustmaster money, you get Thrustmaster quality and >longevity I'm afraid. Nathan, thanks couldnt have said it better myself, nice to see someone has the sense to understand the difference between a toy and serious racing equipment :)! Trev

>And you'll still be envious of the guys with force feedback... Hardly. My Saitek R4 Force wheel is gathering dust; my preferred controller of choice is my TSW2. When all those FF wheels out there start to wear out (and they WILL), the TSW owners will still be driving while the FF owners are shelling out more bucks for another wheel . . . and after the second one, they'll probaby be asking themselves if Force Feedback really IS all that great. I don't think it is, currently -- it tends to get in the way for me, and I find it more intrusive, rather than immersive. Go with a TSW. Or check out the ECCI. Maybe take a look at the SRC wheels, but don't assume that you can get the same quality and longevity with a Force Feedback wheel. They're well-built, to be sure, but there's way too much plastic to compare FF wheels to the top-of-the-line non-FF models. -- John Bodin Publisher, The IRL Insider Magazine http://irlinsider.adnetweb.com/

you guys speak of longevity....dont slam the wheel into the corner with both hands like martin...and you'll have longevity... In 5 years i had one wheel....its fine...i just now decided to go to this ff thing...we'll see....

On Sun, 8 Aug 1999 20:39:34 -0500, "Thomas Enterprises" >with all the options available you can custom design your own setup and this >will be the last wheel you will ever have to buy :). Not likely. Really good FF is clearly coming. GPL is more than halfway there already. bob - happy TSW2 owner and realist

Hardly. I tried a TSW2 and it was home made crap. When I wrote TE to inform them they responded "if you wanted quality , why did you buy our cheapest product?" LOL! Like I want a wheel that is going to last me a lifetime when new and better technology will be available in a year. But the TSW2 didn't even last a month! My old trusted TM Pro still does the job with dos sims (N2) and my Logitech FF wheel should hold up until the new even better FF wheels are introduced. No matter how much money you spend it's still just a toy. I like to be able to replace my toys every year. Do you drive the same car every year? When one of these wheel companies starts taking trade-ins I'll consider spending big money on a wheel. John Bodin wrote

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>Hardly. I tried a TSW2 and it was home made crap. When I wrote TE to inform >them they responded "if you wanted quality , why did you buy our cheapest >product?" LOL! Like I want a wheel that is going to last me a lifetime when >new and better technology will be available in a year. But the TSW2 didn't >even last a month! My old trusted TM Pro still does the job with dos sims >(N2) and my Logitech FF wheel should hold up until the new even better FF >wheels are introduced. No matter how much money you spend it's still just a >toy. I like to be able to replace my toys every year. Do you drive the same >car every year? When one of these wheel companies starts taking trade-ins >I'll consider spending big money on a wheel.

Tracy, Did you return the TSW2 for a refund? And exactly what did you feel were the short comings of the TSW2 to be termed "crap"? Joel Willstein

I have a fully load ECCI Pocono. The best 1400 bucks I ever spent!! If I want Force Feedback, I'll go to the local arcade shop where the kids play but for serious simulation controls, I'll stick to the CDS4000 Pocono with Fluid Dampening, for the ultimate in driving feel. Let the flames begin!!

Wong) writes:

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>>"with all the options available you can custom design your own setup and >this >>will be the last wheel you will ever have to buy :)." >>Because You'll Be Just Too Broke To Ever Consider Buying Another Wheel.... >Anyone who is serious about their sims won't hesitate spending a lot >of money for something they can keep and upgrade for years to come. >Sounds more like you're envious of those who have forked over the >money. BTW, this applies to ANY expensive well produced wheel, not >just TSW. You pay Thrustmaster money, you get Thrustmaster quality and >longevity I'm afraid.

Well, I guess it's a trade-off. After owning 3 Thrustmaster wheels, I'm considering(again) getting a TSW. Hey, I bought a new computer JUST because of GPL. But, no way in HELL am I going to spend $1000+ for a steering wheel for a computer. I didn't pay that much for my first CAR... It must be nice to have enough money that you can spend that much without hesitating... Eldred __ Put your message in a modem, and throw it in the ***-sea... remove SPAM-OFF to reply.

"It must be nice to have enough money that you can spend that much without hesitating..." For Those Of You Who Fit The Above Statement...Email Me ...I Have A Great Deal On A Bridge I Must Sell... :)

TSW2 modified (includes clutch, single/dual axis plug, and wheel buttons) + paddle shifters is a great (but non FF) GPL wheel for a little less than $500. About the same as 3 Thrustmasters :-). bob

Joel Willstein wrote Yes, one good thing I can say about TE is they lived up to the 30 day money back guarantee, minus shipping of course. Well, I think I was expecting too much to begin with. At 3 times the price of a TM Pro wheel I expected 3 times the product. When I opened the box at work some of the other guys literally started laughing. The thing looked like I slapped it together out in the garage. The pedals, especially the gas as I recall, had an extremely short throw - about like the Logitech Wheel. The wheel itself was much bigger than the TM, and the slightest movement seemed to make my car (N2) wiggle. I remember lowering the wheel lock on all of my setups in attempt to compensate. I quit racing Taledega altogether for the month that I had it because there was simply no way to be smooth (fast). Strangely it seemed to make me faster at the short tracks, almost a year later I still haven't beat some of the times I posted at places like Myrtle Beach and Nashville. Just when I had convinced myself that I could put up with the short comings of the product for the sake of the durability this wheel would have (I was tired of changing TM springs) the darn pots went out in the pedals. Suddenly letting off the gas caused the brakes to slam on. So much for that famous TSW durability. That was when I contacted TE for a refund. I then bought another TM Pro wheel ($79) and ordered the Pro Pedal spring replacement Kit ($35). I haven't had a broken spring, pot, or any other wheel related issue since. For everything except N2 I use my Logitech, and I got both for the same price as the TSW2. The best part is that they are disposable, so when something better comes along I can buy it with no regrets.

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> [SNIP] > Just when I had convinced myself that I could put up with the short comings > of the product for the sake of the durability this wheel would have (I was > tired of changing TM springs) the darn pots went out in the pedals. Suddenly > letting off the gas caused the brakes to slam on. So much for that famous > TSW durability. That was when I contacted TE for a refund.

If you read their web site they make it very clear that they have not been able to find pots that are guaranteed reliable, which is why they will supply replacement pots free of charge if one goes within the first few months. This happened to me, and they sent me a new one. Anyway, you can buy replacement pots mail-order for about $2 each, so you might as well have a stock of them to hand!

I've never had to replace a pot on a Thustmaster product, including the T2 I had for 2 years. I expected at least that lifespan in a product costing 3 times the amount. 3 months would have been disappointing, 3 weeks was completely unacceptable. Neil Raine wrote 0

FWIW, I use a Thrustmaster GP1 wheel. And I also own a Mad Catz wheel and pedals. I have no intention of spending enough to buy a TSW, ECCI, or any other "specially produced" wheel because of the sheer cost involved. If I had the money, for sure I would get one. I am tempted by a second hand Ferraro Advantage 1 - one of the most recommended to me, and locally produced, but even at $180 Australian dollars (which is roughly $120 US), it's a stretch of my budget. These are ROUGH prices to get an idea of what its like over here TSW2 loaded up = US$500 = AUS $770 ECCI someone mentioned was US$1400 = AUS$2150 Thrustmaster GP1 AUS$100 = US$65 (way overpriced compared to what you pay) Logitech FF = AUS$350 = US$230 (and you guys pay what, about $120?) Advantage 1 = AUS$400 = US$260 As far as us Aussies are concerned, you guys have it easy when it comes to wheels! Your 3 Thrustmasters probably cost you less than me buying ONE! :) -- Nathan Wong http://www.nectar.com.au/~alfacors Super Touring - Club Cars - Alfa Romeo http://fullspeed.to/astc Australian Super Touring News and Information

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> Neil Raine wrote > >If you read their web site they make it very clear that they have not > >been able to find pots that are guaranteed reliable, which is why they > I've never had to replace a pot on a Thustmaster product, including the T2 I > had for 2 years. I expected at least that lifespan in a product costing 3 > times the amount. 3 months would have been disappointing, 3 weeks was > completely unacceptable.

Well, I had one go after only a month, and have not had another one go in the next 6 months, despite playing a couple of hours a day (and more at weekends). The point is that pots can't be guaranteed - they might last a couple of years, or only a week - it's just a lottery. The thing is that no matter how good the wheel is, if it uses standard pots then they are always a potential problem. Thomas Enterprises do offer "military grade" spec pots as an alternative, but they are a lot more expensive and still can't always be guaranteed not to fail. I did manage to obtain some from another source for only $7.50 each, but still haven't tried them as my current ones are still working fine - "If it ain't broke, don't fix it!".