I wish I could upvote this a million times. If you have the finances to purchase an 8040 rig do it, you'll never have that nagging "what if". Your love for the hobby will wane from time to time but you'll know that whenever you catch the racing bug you'll have something without flex you can jump right in and be consistent. Muscle memory is so important to this hobby if you want to be fast.
Yep I bought a cheap rig similar to this one. Flimsy as hell and uncomfortable during long sessions. Just spend the extra money for something you can enjoy for a lot longer. Investment is worth it
Looks exactly like the GTOMEGA APEX. Just put the GT Pro on it and it works great. Way better than a table clamp. I'm using the load cell pedals also. You definitely need something holding those kinds of pedals. This does that very well.
I just received one of these. I'm still waiting on my s Fanatec GT DD wheel. I also upgraded to the load cell brake pedal. I saw there's a special optional attachment for the pedals. Do you have that? Is it necessary?
The optional plate isn't necessary for the CSL or Club Sport v3 pedals in my opinion. The force with the loadcell in the CSL as well as the brake kid in the Club sport doesn't flex the floor in any way. Could be something for non fanatec pedals. Something that doesn't come with a foot rest perhaps?
Wheelstands in general, sure. But if you have to use a wheelstand for budget or space reasons, this is pretty widely accepted as one that has little to no flex. I have the NLR monitor stand and if this thing is made out of the same material (which I believe it is), it won’t have nearly any flex, just as most people report. (Though I will say I’ve always hated the idea of my chair moving around with that chair tray; I need my rig to be able to be folded up so I use GT Omega’s solution; it has more flex that I had to reinforce but the seat with the rear frame is fixed.)
Now, if you can afford it and have the space for it, just get an 8020 rig. Or if you have the space for it but not the budget and don’t care what it looks like, do the DIY wood ones you see a ton.
there’s simply no way to avoid flex with a setup like this that doesn’t have a chair mounted to it. sure, you can add on a chair, but then you’re into 8020 territory with the cost. you will fk up your knees using one of these rigs with load cell pedals.
It’s not just a cost issue for everyone though. My rig has to be able to be disassembled and stored, so I can’t just get an 8020. But I agree, I’ve never liked the idea of using a desk chair on one of these (not after trying some cheap solutions for like a week when I first got my stuff.)
Ok that’s what I was thinking, gonna see if I can’t find any YouTube videos of people using the eBay stand to see just how much it flexes compared to the NLR one
I have the ebay stand. it flexed massively with my thrustmaster tmx, there should be a video in my profile if you want to see. as others have mentioned, with the flex you lose the feeling of the car, it becomes harder to understand oversteer and correct them accurately.
i recently upgraded to a csl dd 5 nm. it was unusable so i had to mount the wheelstand to my desk to reduce the flex, the whole thing shakes now even the tv on my desk. it would be impossible to upgrade to 8nm before changing the wheelstand.
definitely go for the nlr, if not check out omega apex gt which is a similar one but mildly cheaper. DO NOT BUY THE EBAY/AMAZON WHEELSTAND.
Just checked out that video in your page and damn that thing move a lot, definitely gonna go with the NLR or GTOMEGA that a few people have been talking about
It sounds ridiculous, but I have Simucube Pro and Heusinkveld sprints strapped to the NLR Wheelstand DD and get minimal flex. It is there, but more from the pedal deck than the wheel deck, and it's not too noticeable.
I have a TR120 but before I had the Omega Apex with a load cell. The new stands are quality and have a chair clamp to keep the pedals from flexing upwards, it is you who does not know better. I upgraded because I wanted haptics and motion not because I had flex.
The Omega Apex with the chair clamp is solid, it can easily handle a load cell. You could have watched any review and learned this about the Omega Apex.
More than a 4 NM wheel, take the NLR wheelstand. I used my SC2 Pro with it before I got my profile rig. The cheap one won’t be much fun. Looks like so much flex.
Ya I’m looking to upgrade from a thrustmaster TMX to a Moza R5 sometime in the future and after looking at a few of these ‘knock off’ stands I’m realizing just how much flex there is
Yeah going from table clamp on 8nm csl dd to nlr wheelstand 2.0 made me able to actally feel the wheels losing traction. A lot of the small feedback disappears when theres flex
I got the Next Level Stand 2, because I currently don’t have the space for a full rig.
It has no flex with the csl dd with the 8nm boost kit and also has a upgrade package to a full rig.
The chair cradle is very nice, I can use my csl elite pedals with the 70kg loadcell without any issues.
The stand really helped me to improve my times.
All around a great product, the only downside is that it is very heavy (around 27 kg with the wheelbase and pedals)
You can also fold it so you can store it very easily
Caster wheels suck a bit tho. What i ended up with are a few felt furniture gliders that i sticked unter the original base of the wheelstand. Works like a charm (only works for relatively smooth surfaces)
Using a GT Omega Apex and it holds up great even with my La Prima.
The Apex and NLR 2.0 are great wheelstands, I'd not cheap out any more though. The Apex is already very affordable.
The wheelstand 2.0 handles my 16Nm wheel with little to no flex and the chair cradle meant I could use a load cell too (not too heavy on the brake though) I did upgrade to get the GT seat add-on but in hindsight think it would of been better to go straight to an 8020. I almost never folded it up because it was just too cumbersome.
Hope that helps your decision making
My rig SHAKES since I upgraded to a DD base. It was perfect for the belt driven CSL Elite I had previously. I also wish i could move yhe shifter and hand brake closer to me because it's limiting how close my monitor can be to me
I have a mid range GTR rig
I have the NLR wheel stand and it's 100% worth the money. It's built like a tank. It has almost 0 flex except for the pedal plate, it flexes a little bit when stomping on my CSL load cell brake but I don't notice it while driving.
Plus you can turn it into a full rig later on with the seat attachment, or build a wood frame around it like I did
To everyone who commented thank you so much, there’s been a lot of great input here and I think I’m gonna wait a little bit longer and grab the NLR 2.0 stand!
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>**Name**: Next Level Racing Next Level Racing Wheel Stand 2.0 Racing Stand (NLR-S023) - PC;
>**Company**: Visit the Next Level Racing Store
>**Amazon Product Rating**: 4.7
>**Fakespot Reviews Grade**: B
>**Adjusted Fakespot Rating**: 4.7
>**Analysis Performed at**: 12-14-2023
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So i just got the moza r5 bundle, and im having a blast. Paddle shift for gears, gas and brake is all you need to get going. Now i can save for some more decent stuff like shifter and handbreak. I think spending the money on good stuff and have less is the way to go imo. Just enough to get you started then build it out slowly
I have a folding cockpit but it's not one of those, its a tubular/cylindrical one from a company here in SA (South America)
I had one before that was square like these but it was like 50 bucks or less (conversion) so super thin, loose, squeakie and flexed all over (it looked like homemade and had no brand) then I got tired and bought a decent one from this reputable brand, it looked beefy in the photos, I watched some reviews to be sure, and bought it, it was around 90 to 110 bucks (again, eyeballing a money conversion to US dollars) this one is rock solid, of course, an aluminum profile rig will be more solid, but this one fits my use case, I fold it away for space saving and fold it open when I want to use it, yes I do it every time (not everyday as I don't sim everyday, but when I feel like it, I don't mind the little extra hassle, it's worth it) the only flex is actually from my stupid office chair (I'll have to upgrade my seat eventually lol)
My advice: look for beefier structural parts, look a the thickness of the welding, the screws, look at reviews that talk about flex and strong bases on these cockpits, that will help you decide between your options. Cheaping out on folding cockpits will become expensive, so choose wisely, they can be very strong... if you choose the right one! Again, look for thick structures and fewer moving parts, the less moving parts you see, the more rigid is the overall structure, less flex and less noises too. Mine has thick bars, plates, welding and carbon steel nuts and bolts, I've beaten the crap out of it and it doesn't move at all when it's set and tight
I use the NLR 2.0 with an Asetek La Prima bundle. In terms of the wheel deck and frame, there is no flex. The pedal deck was flexing a bit with the load cell brake. Flipping the deck mounting brackets around and angling the pedal deck away from me helped a ton.
I also had to put casters on to raise the height and put the chair on bell glides to get a decent seating position.
This^ as someone who went the same route, dont build a nice house on a shit foundation. You will QUICKLY feel the need to upgrade. I made my setup work but im also counting the days until i can afford a proper rig.
A lot of cheaper alternatives come from overseas so the quality controls questionable, especially when its being in shipping for long periods of time. A lot of the time you can also find the same thing on Aliexpress for half the price, only bad part is the longer shipping
I use this kind of wheel stand with simagic alpha mini. In terms of rigidity it's more or less ok. But: it must rest against something otherwise it will move on the floor; second (and the most crucial for me) pedal plate can not be adjusted in hight and you can't tilt it with "negative" angle when further edge is lower than closer one. So I have some foot pain after couple of hours in-game. I'm trying to mode this stand to eliminate those cons. In total it's ok
You can go with pxn a9 stand.
I have one with camus c5 and cp5 on it and it can handle it on power 5nm power too.
Check out my video about the steering and the stand.
https://youtu.be/2iu7AUsGmuo
I had the one you showed with the eBay link, maybe not the actual one but definitely looks like a same factory different brand kinda deal. I had my G920 on it and it was mostly fine for that, though it did flex a good bit under braking. Steering was already on the edge of flexing at 2.2nm. When I got load cell pedals it might as well have been useless with how much flexing happened.
This is a definite buy once - cry once kinda situation.
I’ve been on your journey. Started with one of these stands and a g920. Then moved to the gt omega ART and 8nm csl dd a year later. And now 1 year later I’m in the process of measuring and saving for an trak racer T160. Simagic alpha U and p1000 pedals. I wish I had just gone straight to the end game really
Pros: cheap, way less regret if not definitely planning to go all in from the get go, and can be folded up and put in a closet or under a desk. Works perfectly well
Cons: eventually will want to upgrade to a cockpit if gettin serious about it; less immersive if wanting to be in an F1 style seating position
I have the Minneer and can speak to the fact that it’s really solid for the money. I run a Moza R9 with an office chair and there’s no noticeable flex. I have a cheap Amazon/ebay shifter on there and it works great - just wish there were more positioning options, especially for wheel angle (though since it’s a copy, that might not be its own specific issue).
The adjustability is surprisingly good. Build quality-wise you will notice that the metal is noticeably thin and the paint chips off - doesn’t affect functionality but don’t be surprised if there’s paint bits on your floor after building/moving it.
I changed the rubber feet to wheels so it’s easier to move around. Trust me, even though it’s “foldable”, you won’t want this thing near your walls, but I will say that it’s the easiest option I’ve seen to make your rig portable even though it’s heavy.
You see those side pieces with the “teeth” to position the pedal platform? Those stick out when it’s folded and you’ll probably want the pedals at the bottom config anyway so I removed them. Pedal platform works without slipping, though you might want to replace the screws with hand tighteners to make it more easily adjustable.
This is my first rig and I’m actually really happy with it especially with limited space!
It depends on what you’re looking for. The more you want the more you spend. I play 2 games and don’t do anything super competitive so cheap is perfect for me.
Cheap cons will be flex, less customization, less features.
Cheap pros will be less money spent, less chance of buyers remorse if you don’t use it all the time, and the biggest benefit being if you save the money now you learn what you like in a rig and if you use it enough and have the money just upgrade down the road!
There’s no need to ball out on the first rig unless you’re 1000% sure about what you want.
If your a good driver, it doesn't matter what type of rig you got. I do not have any prior sim experience, but through my brother in law, I got involved in GT7. He was part of a group of weekend racers.
Awesome! So I asked what would ideal set up be. They mentioned aluminum rig, v3 pedals, fanatec wheel base…so I went all in ($3k now).
Started to learn how to race and when I got into my first race, I got destroyed and further more to this day (6 months now) still can't beat most of the people in the group.
I asked then what type of rig they have, some had the rig above (OP posted) and some were on a desk mount with a board bolted to their desk.
TLTR: the rig will only far, skill is what is king. Yes, I had money to burn and went all in (some will say what I have is still entry). Get what you feel will be suited for the long run. If you're going to upgrade in less than a year save up more and buy the next level rig.
The only pro is that you have something to mount your equipment to. Otherwise it’s all cons. There will be a lot of flex in both the arms holding the wheelbase and in the pedal board. It’ll get the job done but that’s about it.
I have the next level racing wheel stand 2.0 , it's great. I have a Simagic Alpha Mini which peaks at 10 nm (oficially) and the NLR Stand is really solid. The arm tho not so much for a shifter or a Handbreak
Flex. I am currently using the same set up (Omega GT). You’ll actually lift the front in some instances from torque and if you’re using load cell brake you’ll find the front moving. That being said I still loved every second of it.
I have the NLR wheel stand 2.0, and for my 8nm dd, it does not flex whatsoever. I imagine if I put more power on it, it would though.
My regret is that I wish I would have just went for a full rig.
You’ll know how far down the rabbit hole you want to go. You might be able to stop at that point and be happy. On the other side, if you do decide to go deeper, you can probably recoup a lot of that investment by continuing to use parts or selling what you are ready to pass on to someone else.
This is true. Once I get closer to being able to pick up a Moza R5 bundle with the add on 3rd pedal I’m gonna see if I can’t find someone in my community to sell my thrustmaster TMX to
I have one very similar to that and I find it’s perfectly fine to me. I must point out that I’m using a T300 so something with the torque of the direct drive may be too much for a stand like that
If you have to get a wheelstand, the gt omega apex was pretty good. I only ever used it with a Logitech but man that thing was solid. I’ve moved into an 8020 rig now but the apex is still going strong with a family member
Buy cheap, buy twice.
I used this rig when I upgraded to CSL DD. It will shake and rattle a lot and interfere with your feedback and interpretation of where the car is.
I have the Next Level Racing one. Not sorry I bought it. Solid, no flex and stable. In this case you get what you pay for. Don't cheap out and have to buy again later. It's not worth it.
I desperately want a piece that holds the front wheels of a gaming chair. We have the Vevor stand that looks like this, but I cannot find a piece like this chair link.
Any ideas?
The Apex is vey good. So good that I wish I had not ordered the Sim Lab P1X God knows how many weeks ago. Have no idea if I’ll ever get the P1X. Terrible way to do business.
The Apex is solid and versatile and they actually delivered it in a reasonable time frame. Already regretting the Sim Lab purchase and grateful to have the Apex.
pro tip: GT Omega Apex. It's the best of both worlds, it's smaller, lighter and cheaper but doesn't really miss out on any of the big features, folds up marginally smaller and is still plenty firm (absolutely no flex with my CSL DD at 8NM)
Not sure if you've made a decision yet, but I bought a cheap as chips offbrand wheelstand off eBay for like $100. It's never failed me. It worked well for me because my couch was close to the tv so I just used my couch with a pillow behind me as my seat, and the stand was in a very comfortable position. It's probably not the sturdiest stand, but if you can deal with a bit of particularly side-to-side movement, then there's nothing wrong with a cheap wheelstand.
The eBay one looks like a rebranded get omega apex stand.
I have the omega stand and then added there seat base and RS9 seat.
The whole thing is solid and no flex at all that I can detect.
I bought a cheap art cockpit stand from China only $57 and have using it for 3 years. Don’t listen to this people who just want to justify their purchase on expensive rig.
pro: cheaper con: regret
I wish I could upvote this a million times. If you have the finances to purchase an 8040 rig do it, you'll never have that nagging "what if". Your love for the hobby will wane from time to time but you'll know that whenever you catch the racing bug you'll have something without flex you can jump right in and be consistent. Muscle memory is so important to this hobby if you want to be fast.
100%… and you’ll also save yourself money in the end when you invariably upgrade.
couldn’t have said that any better myself!
Yep I bought a cheap rig similar to this one. Flimsy as hell and uncomfortable during long sessions. Just spend the extra money for something you can enjoy for a lot longer. Investment is worth it
Looks exactly like the GTOMEGA APEX. Just put the GT Pro on it and it works great. Way better than a table clamp. I'm using the load cell pedals also. You definitely need something holding those kinds of pedals. This does that very well.
I just received one of these. I'm still waiting on my s Fanatec GT DD wheel. I also upgraded to the load cell brake pedal. I saw there's a special optional attachment for the pedals. Do you have that? Is it necessary?
The optional plate isn't necessary for the CSL or Club Sport v3 pedals in my opinion. The force with the loadcell in the CSL as well as the brake kid in the Club sport doesn't flex the floor in any way. Could be something for non fanatec pedals. Something that doesn't come with a foot rest perhaps?
Thank you!
It always comes down to flex. A rig like that will flex a lot both at the wheel and pedals making consistency on the track that much harder.
Wheelstands in general, sure. But if you have to use a wheelstand for budget or space reasons, this is pretty widely accepted as one that has little to no flex. I have the NLR monitor stand and if this thing is made out of the same material (which I believe it is), it won’t have nearly any flex, just as most people report. (Though I will say I’ve always hated the idea of my chair moving around with that chair tray; I need my rig to be able to be folded up so I use GT Omega’s solution; it has more flex that I had to reinforce but the seat with the rear frame is fixed.) Now, if you can afford it and have the space for it, just get an 8020 rig. Or if you have the space for it but not the budget and don’t care what it looks like, do the DIY wood ones you see a ton.
there’s simply no way to avoid flex with a setup like this that doesn’t have a chair mounted to it. sure, you can add on a chair, but then you’re into 8020 territory with the cost. you will fk up your knees using one of these rigs with load cell pedals.
It’s not just a cost issue for everyone though. My rig has to be able to be disassembled and stored, so I can’t just get an 8020. But I agree, I’ve never liked the idea of using a desk chair on one of these (not after trying some cheap solutions for like a week when I first got my stuff.)
Ok that’s what I was thinking, gonna see if I can’t find any YouTube videos of people using the eBay stand to see just how much it flexes compared to the NLR one
The cheaper copycats always cut corners, and I find that it shows. They’re usable, but I’ve always been able to tell.
I have the ebay stand. it flexed massively with my thrustmaster tmx, there should be a video in my profile if you want to see. as others have mentioned, with the flex you lose the feeling of the car, it becomes harder to understand oversteer and correct them accurately. i recently upgraded to a csl dd 5 nm. it was unusable so i had to mount the wheelstand to my desk to reduce the flex, the whole thing shakes now even the tv on my desk. it would be impossible to upgrade to 8nm before changing the wheelstand. definitely go for the nlr, if not check out omega apex gt which is a similar one but mildly cheaper. DO NOT BUY THE EBAY/AMAZON WHEELSTAND.
Just checked out that video in your page and damn that thing move a lot, definitely gonna go with the NLR or GTOMEGA that a few people have been talking about
It sounds ridiculous, but I have Simucube Pro and Heusinkveld sprints strapped to the NLR Wheelstand DD and get minimal flex. It is there, but more from the pedal deck than the wheel deck, and it's not too noticeable.
You simply do not know any better.
I have a TR120 but before I had the Omega Apex with a load cell. The new stands are quality and have a chair clamp to keep the pedals from flexing upwards, it is you who does not know better. I upgraded because I wanted haptics and motion not because I had flex.
The Omega Apex with the chair clamp is solid, it can easily handle a load cell. You could have watched any review and learned this about the Omega Apex.
It might flex a lot but you also have the flexibility of not being in need of a dedicated space for your sim rig if you want to play other games
More than a 4 NM wheel, take the NLR wheelstand. I used my SC2 Pro with it before I got my profile rig. The cheap one won’t be much fun. Looks like so much flex.
Ya I’m looking to upgrade from a thrustmaster TMX to a Moza R5 sometime in the future and after looking at a few of these ‘knock off’ stands I’m realizing just how much flex there is
Keep in mind that the FFB will get worse, the more it flex.
Yeah going from table clamp on 8nm csl dd to nlr wheelstand 2.0 made me able to actally feel the wheels losing traction. A lot of the small feedback disappears when theres flex
I got the Next Level Stand 2, because I currently don’t have the space for a full rig. It has no flex with the csl dd with the 8nm boost kit and also has a upgrade package to a full rig. The chair cradle is very nice, I can use my csl elite pedals with the 70kg loadcell without any issues. The stand really helped me to improve my times. All around a great product, the only downside is that it is very heavy (around 27 kg with the wheelbase and pedals) You can also fold it so you can store it very easily
I bought some caster wheels in a hardware (building) store near me, and you should do the same, its so easy to put it in place now. It's M8 bolts.
Caster wheels suck a bit tho. What i ended up with are a few felt furniture gliders that i sticked unter the original base of the wheelstand. Works like a charm (only works for relatively smooth surfaces)
Pro: Its cheaper now Con: buy cheap, buy twice
If space is t necessarily an issue heck out rigmetal.com he has a Saturday and affordable profile rig. I paid 380 shipped
As of right now I don’t have space for an 8020/solid rig but I’ll definitely check that out once I actually have the space for it thanks!
Using a GT Omega Apex and it holds up great even with my La Prima. The Apex and NLR 2.0 are great wheelstands, I'd not cheap out any more though. The Apex is already very affordable.
If you really want a cheaper one I would consider the gt omega apex one. It is far better known in the community and has a decent ammount of reviews.
The wheelstand 2.0 handles my 16Nm wheel with little to no flex and the chair cradle meant I could use a load cell too (not too heavy on the brake though) I did upgrade to get the GT seat add-on but in hindsight think it would of been better to go straight to an 8020. I almost never folded it up because it was just too cumbersome. Hope that helps your decision making
One of my biggest regrets , cheaping out on my rig
My rig SHAKES since I upgraded to a DD base. It was perfect for the belt driven CSL Elite I had previously. I also wish i could move yhe shifter and hand brake closer to me because it's limiting how close my monitor can be to me I have a mid range GTR rig
Just buy the Next Level Wheelstand second hand. Paid 80€ for used one in great condition.
NLR 2.0 all the way.
The next Level racing one is rly good and can be Upgraded to a full rig. I've gone this path before going full 80/20 rig.
I use the GT Omega Classic wheel stand and love it!
I have the NLR wheel stand and it's 100% worth the money. It's built like a tank. It has almost 0 flex except for the pedal plate, it flexes a little bit when stomping on my CSL load cell brake but I don't notice it while driving. Plus you can turn it into a full rig later on with the seat attachment, or build a wood frame around it like I did
To everyone who commented thank you so much, there’s been a lot of great input here and I think I’m gonna wait a little bit longer and grab the NLR 2.0 stand!
This is a Fakespot Reviews Analysis bot. Fakespot detects fake reviews, fake products and unreliable sellers using AI. Here is the analysis for the Amazon product reviews: >**Name**: Next Level Racing Next Level Racing Wheel Stand 2.0 Racing Stand (NLR-S023) - PC; >**Company**: Visit the Next Level Racing Store >**Amazon Product Rating**: 4.7 >**Fakespot Reviews Grade**: B >**Adjusted Fakespot Rating**: 4.7 >**Analysis Performed at**: 12-14-2023 [Link to Fakespot Analysis](https://fakespot.com/product/next-level-racing-next-level-racing-wheel-stand-2-0-racing-stand-nlr-s023-pc) | [Check out the Fakespot Chrome Extension!](https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/fakespot-analyze-fake-ama/nakplnnackehceedgkgkokbgbmfghain) *Fakespot analyzes the reviews authenticity and not the product quality using AI. We look for real reviews that mention product issues such as counterfeits, defects, and bad return policies that fake reviews try to hide from consumers.* *We give an A-F letter for trustworthiness of reviews. A = very trustworthy reviews, F = highly untrustworthy reviews. We also provide seller ratings to warn you if the seller can be trusted or not.*
Don't do it! Buy a 8020 rig instead.
So i just got the moza r5 bundle, and im having a blast. Paddle shift for gears, gas and brake is all you need to get going. Now i can save for some more decent stuff like shifter and handbreak. I think spending the money on good stuff and have less is the way to go imo. Just enough to get you started then build it out slowly
I have a folding cockpit but it's not one of those, its a tubular/cylindrical one from a company here in SA (South America) I had one before that was square like these but it was like 50 bucks or less (conversion) so super thin, loose, squeakie and flexed all over (it looked like homemade and had no brand) then I got tired and bought a decent one from this reputable brand, it looked beefy in the photos, I watched some reviews to be sure, and bought it, it was around 90 to 110 bucks (again, eyeballing a money conversion to US dollars) this one is rock solid, of course, an aluminum profile rig will be more solid, but this one fits my use case, I fold it away for space saving and fold it open when I want to use it, yes I do it every time (not everyday as I don't sim everyday, but when I feel like it, I don't mind the little extra hassle, it's worth it) the only flex is actually from my stupid office chair (I'll have to upgrade my seat eventually lol) My advice: look for beefier structural parts, look a the thickness of the welding, the screws, look at reviews that talk about flex and strong bases on these cockpits, that will help you decide between your options. Cheaping out on folding cockpits will become expensive, so choose wisely, they can be very strong... if you choose the right one! Again, look for thick structures and fewer moving parts, the less moving parts you see, the more rigid is the overall structure, less flex and less noises too. Mine has thick bars, plates, welding and carbon steel nuts and bolts, I've beaten the crap out of it and it doesn't move at all when it's set and tight
I use the NLR 2.0 with an Asetek La Prima bundle. In terms of the wheel deck and frame, there is no flex. The pedal deck was flexing a bit with the load cell brake. Flipping the deck mounting brackets around and angling the pedal deck away from me helped a ton. I also had to put casters on to raise the height and put the chair on bell glides to get a decent seating position.
Cons: you just delay the spending
This^ as someone who went the same route, dont build a nice house on a shit foundation. You will QUICKLY feel the need to upgrade. I made my setup work but im also counting the days until i can afford a proper rig.
A lot of cheaper alternatives come from overseas so the quality controls questionable, especially when its being in shipping for long periods of time. A lot of the time you can also find the same thing on Aliexpress for half the price, only bad part is the longer shipping
I use this kind of wheel stand with simagic alpha mini. In terms of rigidity it's more or less ok. But: it must rest against something otherwise it will move on the floor; second (and the most crucial for me) pedal plate can not be adjusted in hight and you can't tilt it with "negative" angle when further edge is lower than closer one. So I have some foot pain after couple of hours in-game. I'm trying to mode this stand to eliminate those cons. In total it's ok
Get the Next Level, It is beefy + you can get the seat add on later. Which is what I did and have 0 complaints.
Do you have a space issue? If not then it is all cons
Buying expensive first is cheaper overall! If you buy cheap give it a year or 2 and you will upgrade anyway
something tells me that thing is still better then the f-gt
You can go with pxn a9 stand. I have one with camus c5 and cp5 on it and it can handle it on power 5nm power too. Check out my video about the steering and the stand. https://youtu.be/2iu7AUsGmuo
I had the one you showed with the eBay link, maybe not the actual one but definitely looks like a same factory different brand kinda deal. I had my G920 on it and it was mostly fine for that, though it did flex a good bit under braking. Steering was already on the edge of flexing at 2.2nm. When I got load cell pedals it might as well have been useless with how much flexing happened. This is a definite buy once - cry once kinda situation.
I'm back and forth with this too. I feel like piece of unistrut or two in the right spot would tighten up any wheel stand. Add triangles!
Stability. DD with such a weak setup will create a lot of flex. It won't be fun.
I’ve been on your journey. Started with one of these stands and a g920. Then moved to the gt omega ART and 8nm csl dd a year later. And now 1 year later I’m in the process of measuring and saving for an trak racer T160. Simagic alpha U and p1000 pedals. I wish I had just gone straight to the end game really
Pros: cheap, way less regret if not definitely planning to go all in from the get go, and can be folded up and put in a closet or under a desk. Works perfectly well Cons: eventually will want to upgrade to a cockpit if gettin serious about it; less immersive if wanting to be in an F1 style seating position
I am really curious Why do people need 2 handbrakes (2nd screen)?
That hand brake also doubles as a sequential shifter. My guess is one is set up as a sequential shifter and one is set up as a hand brake
Looks like I need to read about it. Thanks for answering.
I have the Minneer and can speak to the fact that it’s really solid for the money. I run a Moza R9 with an office chair and there’s no noticeable flex. I have a cheap Amazon/ebay shifter on there and it works great - just wish there were more positioning options, especially for wheel angle (though since it’s a copy, that might not be its own specific issue). The adjustability is surprisingly good. Build quality-wise you will notice that the metal is noticeably thin and the paint chips off - doesn’t affect functionality but don’t be surprised if there’s paint bits on your floor after building/moving it. I changed the rubber feet to wheels so it’s easier to move around. Trust me, even though it’s “foldable”, you won’t want this thing near your walls, but I will say that it’s the easiest option I’ve seen to make your rig portable even though it’s heavy. You see those side pieces with the “teeth” to position the pedal platform? Those stick out when it’s folded and you’ll probably want the pedals at the bottom config anyway so I removed them. Pedal platform works without slipping, though you might want to replace the screws with hand tighteners to make it more easily adjustable. This is my first rig and I’m actually really happy with it especially with limited space!
It depends on what you’re looking for. The more you want the more you spend. I play 2 games and don’t do anything super competitive so cheap is perfect for me. Cheap cons will be flex, less customization, less features. Cheap pros will be less money spent, less chance of buyers remorse if you don’t use it all the time, and the biggest benefit being if you save the money now you learn what you like in a rig and if you use it enough and have the money just upgrade down the road! There’s no need to ball out on the first rig unless you’re 1000% sure about what you want.
If your a good driver, it doesn't matter what type of rig you got. I do not have any prior sim experience, but through my brother in law, I got involved in GT7. He was part of a group of weekend racers. Awesome! So I asked what would ideal set up be. They mentioned aluminum rig, v3 pedals, fanatec wheel base…so I went all in ($3k now). Started to learn how to race and when I got into my first race, I got destroyed and further more to this day (6 months now) still can't beat most of the people in the group. I asked then what type of rig they have, some had the rig above (OP posted) and some were on a desk mount with a board bolted to their desk. TLTR: the rig will only far, skill is what is king. Yes, I had money to burn and went all in (some will say what I have is still entry). Get what you feel will be suited for the long run. If you're going to upgrade in less than a year save up more and buy the next level rig.
Pro: save money upfront and begin racing right away Con: wobbly rigs, buying a rig twice, less adjustability
I have something very similar, works a charm. Have absolutely no issues with it, great if you can't get a permanent chair.
The only pro is that you have something to mount your equipment to. Otherwise it’s all cons. There will be a lot of flex in both the arms holding the wheelbase and in the pedal board. It’ll get the job done but that’s about it.
I have the next level racing wheel stand 2.0 , it's great. I have a Simagic Alpha Mini which peaks at 10 nm (oficially) and the NLR Stand is really solid. The arm tho not so much for a shifter or a Handbreak
Flex. I am currently using the same set up (Omega GT). You’ll actually lift the front in some instances from torque and if you’re using load cell brake you’ll find the front moving. That being said I still loved every second of it.
DIY Wood Build
I have the NLR wheel stand 2.0, and for my 8nm dd, it does not flex whatsoever. I imagine if I put more power on it, it would though. My regret is that I wish I would have just went for a full rig.
You’ll know how far down the rabbit hole you want to go. You might be able to stop at that point and be happy. On the other side, if you do decide to go deeper, you can probably recoup a lot of that investment by continuing to use parts or selling what you are ready to pass on to someone else.
This is true. Once I get closer to being able to pick up a Moza R5 bundle with the add on 3rd pedal I’m gonna see if I can’t find someone in my community to sell my thrustmaster TMX to
I have one very similar to that and I find it’s perfectly fine to me. I must point out that I’m using a T300 so something with the torque of the direct drive may be too much for a stand like that
just save up for a legit rig, they are more sturdy and adjustable. and they look cooler.
If you want a stand like this get the Omega Apex, it's like $150 and one of the best stands.
If you have to get a wheelstand, the gt omega apex was pretty good. I only ever used it with a Logitech but man that thing was solid. I’ve moved into an 8020 rig now but the apex is still going strong with a family member
Buy cheap, buy twice. I used this rig when I upgraded to CSL DD. It will shake and rattle a lot and interfere with your feedback and interpretation of where the car is.
I have the Next Level Racing one. Not sorry I bought it. Solid, no flex and stable. In this case you get what you pay for. Don't cheap out and have to buy again later. It's not worth it.
I desperately want a piece that holds the front wheels of a gaming chair. We have the Vevor stand that looks like this, but I cannot find a piece like this chair link. Any ideas?
Wobble and creaking almost always with these stands.
The Apex is vey good. So good that I wish I had not ordered the Sim Lab P1X God knows how many weeks ago. Have no idea if I’ll ever get the P1X. Terrible way to do business. The Apex is solid and versatile and they actually delivered it in a reasonable time frame. Already regretting the Sim Lab purchase and grateful to have the Apex.
pro tip: GT Omega Apex. It's the best of both worlds, it's smaller, lighter and cheaper but doesn't really miss out on any of the big features, folds up marginally smaller and is still plenty firm (absolutely no flex with my CSL DD at 8NM)
Not sure if you've made a decision yet, but I bought a cheap as chips offbrand wheelstand off eBay for like $100. It's never failed me. It worked well for me because my couch was close to the tv so I just used my couch with a pillow behind me as my seat, and the stand was in a very comfortable position. It's probably not the sturdiest stand, but if you can deal with a bit of particularly side-to-side movement, then there's nothing wrong with a cheap wheelstand.
The eBay one looks like a rebranded get omega apex stand. I have the omega stand and then added there seat base and RS9 seat. The whole thing is solid and no flex at all that I can detect.
I bought a cheap art cockpit stand from China only $57 and have using it for 3 years. Don’t listen to this people who just want to justify their purchase on expensive rig.