Steering Wheels for GPL

[MrBluesman1]

What is a good steering wheel to use for GPL? I am currently using a Joystick but am just not getting a good enough feel due to not being able to feather the throttle or just tap the brakes lightly. It is only on or off as I am sure most of you would understand that isn't good enough for this high class game. I am looking for a wheel that will attach to the edge of my desk top and doesn't sit up high like a bus or trucks wheel does but also doesn't cost the earth.


plus I am still after a lot of graphics upgrades for the standard tracks because they still look very bland. I have upgraded Kyalami but put on the Ilse Of Man and Bathurst tracks and the difference in graphics between those and all the other tracks makes the orig ones look boring. Saying that Kyalami is a great track to drive though.
Any help/advice would be most welcome
thanks

[MrBluesman1]

forgot to mention that my O/S is WinXP Pro

[Aysedasi]

Mr. B, if you go to the forum at http://www.gplea.org and go to the editing part of the forum, you will find a seemingly endless supply of track updates. There are also a num,ber of other sites which I can't tell you about now (as I'm at work). I or pirenzo can get back to you on this.

On the subject of wheels and joysticks - I've never used a joystick for GPL. I did use a gamepad for about a week, which was so awful, it made me go out and buy my first steering wheel! Having said that, joysticks can still be very effective. I believe our own Ozy is still using a joystick and he's very fast indeed, although I don't know what stick he's using.

As for wheels, if you can source one anywhere (and I fear you may not be lucky), the MOMO Force is the bees knees (both I and pirenzo have one). It really is brilliant. But it was only a limited edition from Logitech. The subsequent MOMO Racing is said not to be as good, but as I haven't tried it, I can't really say.

I would recommend Logitech though. I have a spare (old) yellow Logi non-FF wheel which was very good before I upgraded to the MOMO Force. My MOMO cost me £125, but the last few were selling for the ridiculous sum of around £85 - I really wish I'd picked one up as a spare.

Again, there are questions such as yours which crop up regularly on RSC's forum.

[Aysedasi]

BTW, make sure you get a Force Feedback (FF) wheel. You will notice the difference in a sim like GPL (trust me!).

[MrBluesman1]

cheers Ayse will have a look there. the fastest I have managed so far around The Glen is 1:08:39 in the Lotus using my joystick

[spanner]

In terms of wheels there are a few available;

Logitech offer 3, the momo racing which is the cheaper brother to the MOMO force and two older models one with FF and one without. Cant remember there names but the ff one is red, non-ff is yellow.

Microsoft have there sidewinder FF wheel not so common now as i think they have stopped making it. its been available for a long time and is showing its age in its performance.

Thrustmaster were offering their ferrari FF GT, but are now releasing one based on the enzo wheel. The Ferrari FFGT is the one ive had and will be going back to, nice wheel easy to hold, strong FF. have just bought the enzo wheel and didnt like it, its too light, feels weak and you need to have the table at the level of your arms as the wheel isnt angled at all.

these are pretty much available anywhere in most PC World/ currys etc

There is also Act-labs based in the US if you want to go mail order.

There's no easy answer as some people have problems with them, some dont so all i can suggest is you somehow try the wheel out to see if you like it.

[Buzzin]

I'd like to second Ayse's opinion that a Logitech is the one to buy - I'm lucky enough to have a MOMO Force and it's fantastic.

Before that I had a Formula Force GP (the FF version of your old one I think Ayse), and that was great also - they're going pretty cheap now - gotta be worth a shot if you can't get a MOMO!

I've used both Microsoft and Thrustmaster wheels (though admittedly not owned any), and to be honest, I don't think they're worth having.

[Aysedasi]

The old yellow Logi wheel is still pretty good. I had a problem with the screw brackets on my Force - stripped the threads by tightening them too much (so be careful!), so I took the ones off of my old yellow Logi (exactly the same - but, surprisingly, better made) and used those. I then complained to Logitech and asked for some new brackets and screws. They won't send out components, but, to keep me happy, no doubt, they sent me another brand new yellow Logi wheel. So I now have three. My MOMO Force, a brand new (and unused) yellow Logi and another (bracketless) yellow Logi.....

[pirenzo]

BTW, our Ozywoodwards uses a joystick and he is able to go just as quickly (indeed quicker) than we are able to go with Wheels. So it's not impossible. Does mean you need certain kinds of setups though because you can't trail brake with a joystick.

[pirenzo]

Originally posted by Aysedasi
The old yellow Logi wheel is still pretty good. I had a problem with the screw brackets on my Force - stripped the threads by tightening them too much (so be careful!), so I took the ones off of my old yellow Logi (exactly the same - but, surprisingly, better made) and used those. I then complained to Logitech and asked for some new brackets and screws. They won't send out components, but, to keep me happy, no doubt, they sent me another brand new yellow Logi wheel. So I now have three. My MOMO Force, a brand new (and unused) yellow Logi and another (bracketless) yellow Logi.....

I'm noticing that my bolts are starting to loosen a bit too

I'm trying to avoid extra damage atm, but it's difficult when you still need to have the wheel fairly firmly clamped to the desk. If it's loose you tend to put more strain on the clamps as the wheel moves around side to side and up and down.

[MrBluesman1]

thanks guys heaps

[Aysedasi]

With my old clamps I was literally tightening them up as much as was physically possible. (I had a couple of situations online where the wheel slipped, which is disconcerting, to say the least). Suddlenly, the threads gave way and after that they got worse and worse until they became virtually unusable. They're very easy to take apart and you can take the bolts out (its the bolts that strip not the inserts), but I guess they are a non-UK size as I've never been able to replace them.

[pirenzo]

I tighten them enough, not too much though. I mean, they could go tighter. The wheel does slip a bit, but it always has when lose. Still i am worried cos i don't want to have to replace the bolts by buying a new wheel.

[Es Nes]

i hate my logitech driving force. 180 degrees total steering range and the f1 shifter paddles were made to be useable as gas/brake instead of shifting. amazingly enough, gpl doesnt reconise them so i cant use one of them as the clutch

[pirenzo]

that sounds like a good design then

[Aysedasi]

Hearing this, it is almost impossible to understand why Logitech binned the mighty MOMO Force. If they made it available again in the UK, I could sell dozens for them.....

[Buzzin]

Yeah. Was any reason given for stopping making them? Or was it simply that they were "always intended as a limited edition"? I did wonder if it was MOMO who pulled out, but then the MOMO Racing came out.... :confused:

[Aysedasi]

I really don't know Buzzin. I was amazed when I heard they were disappearing. Although I think they may still be available in the States, probably because there were a lot more available spread over such a wide geographical area....

[ElScOrChO]

You can still order the Mighty Momo from the internet.
I got one 2 weeks ago and its great!

I also have a driving force but it has a major problem:
If you brake, turn and shift at the same time, sometimes you won't be able to shift until you go straight! Its a hardware problem because I have the same problem with Grand Prix 4 and Gran Turismo 3.

Anyway, if you can find the red Momo, go for it! it's great!
I didn't try yet it but I heard that it also works on the PS2.

[MrBluesman1]

anyone tried the adaptors for PS-pc? I have a steering wheel for the PS and found you can get these adaptors for under £9, would rather use that if I can then go spend loads of money on another wheel

[Az]

I use a cheap MS Sidewinder Precision Pro which cost £40 a year ago. Tidy thing that does the job