After seven long years with my Thrustmaster T300RS wheelbase, the upgrade to a direct drive base was finally on the cards. With just over a month of experience with the base, here is everything I have learnt while upgrading my entire setup.
To begin with, I took advantage of Fanatec's Black Friday deals and picked up their CSL DD 5Nm base with the sturdy WRC wheel rim, QR2 quick releases, and the simply brilliant V3 pedals. With shipping included, the overall price was £603.50. Fanatec has cleaned up its reputation for poor shipping times and communication, especially in the UK. I received all my parcels just eight days after ordering. I would say that is impressive for international postage.
My new Fanatec setup after over a decade of using a DIY cockpit and a belt-driven T300RS Wheelbase.
About three weeks before I decided to make the jump to Fanatec and direct drive, my brother-in-law had mentioned he was very interested in giving sim racing a try, so my Thrustmaster was donated to him so that he could give the hobby a proper go without having to buy something like a Logitech wheel.
With this, my trusty DIY cockpit was also donated. I had built this with my father ten years ago when I was thirteen, so for this to stay in the family was a great relief to me. It certainly was not anything too spectacular, but for a wooden rig, it never gave me a single issue in the decade of use it saw. The seat was from my old BMW E36 drift car, so the seating position was fantastic, and the inverted T3PA Pro pedals gave me the perfect starting simulator.
My old DIY cockpit before I donated it to my younger brother-in-law
Since I now lacked a cockpit, I had to invest in something relatively compact and lightweight. Immediately, I wrote off complete aluminium profile cockpits from brands like SimLab and Trak Racer, so after some searching around, the new Fanatec CSL Cockpit became my new base for my sim racing antics.
With its lightweight tubular design, it was the perfect fit for my needs. It was light and small enough to fit into my office space. Having an entirely new setup was a rather strange feeling, but after a decade of sim racing, it was about time I upgraded my setup.
Fanatec CSL DD 8Nm. Image: Fanatec
After about an hour of testing, I was thrilled with the wheelbase. It was not all good news, though; a metallic grinding sound was coming from the wheelbase, but after some extensive research and investigating a few screws were replaced and torqued, it was sorted, and the wheelbase was back to working order.
So far, I am slower than I was with my Thrustmaster setup, but I'm sure my lap times will improve with time. I have noticed that my consistency with my trail braking has massively improved. With the 90kg loadcell pedal on the Fanatec V3 pedals, it's much easier to brake in the same manner each time I approach a corner. Check out Angus' column on how he adapted to loadcell pedals if you want to learn more.
My brilliant Fanatec V3 pedals mounted on the CSL Cockpit.
If you are happy with your wheelbase, but maybe your wheelstand or desk is holding you back, check out our guide on a few of the best cockpits €500 can get you. This upgrade can make all the difference regarding comfort and stability whilst racing, especially for those longer sessions.
Overall, the upgrade was worth it. It took me some time to adjust to the new seating position, and a new monitor is undoubtedly required, but for now, this setup is more than enough for me.
What aspect of your setup do you want to upgrade next? Let us know in the comments down below!
To begin with, I took advantage of Fanatec's Black Friday deals and picked up their CSL DD 5Nm base with the sturdy WRC wheel rim, QR2 quick releases, and the simply brilliant V3 pedals. With shipping included, the overall price was £603.50. Fanatec has cleaned up its reputation for poor shipping times and communication, especially in the UK. I received all my parcels just eight days after ordering. I would say that is impressive for international postage.
My new Fanatec setup after over a decade of using a DIY cockpit and a belt-driven T300RS Wheelbase.
About three weeks before I decided to make the jump to Fanatec and direct drive, my brother-in-law had mentioned he was very interested in giving sim racing a try, so my Thrustmaster was donated to him so that he could give the hobby a proper go without having to buy something like a Logitech wheel.
With this, my trusty DIY cockpit was also donated. I had built this with my father ten years ago when I was thirteen, so for this to stay in the family was a great relief to me. It certainly was not anything too spectacular, but for a wooden rig, it never gave me a single issue in the decade of use it saw. The seat was from my old BMW E36 drift car, so the seating position was fantastic, and the inverted T3PA Pro pedals gave me the perfect starting simulator.
My old DIY cockpit before I donated it to my younger brother-in-law
Since I now lacked a cockpit, I had to invest in something relatively compact and lightweight. Immediately, I wrote off complete aluminium profile cockpits from brands like SimLab and Trak Racer, so after some searching around, the new Fanatec CSL Cockpit became my new base for my sim racing antics.
With its lightweight tubular design, it was the perfect fit for my needs. It was light and small enough to fit into my office space. Having an entirely new setup was a rather strange feeling, but after a decade of sim racing, it was about time I upgraded my setup.
Adapting to a new setup
After so long with a belt-driven wheelbase, upgrading to a direct-drive wheelbase was a dramatic change. The wheelbase slides perfectly into the CSL Cockpit, so mounting and setting up the wheel was straightforward. The software was also straightforward, with everything available directly from the Fanatec website. Unfortunately, the wheelbase is still in its 5Nm guise, but the 8Nm upgrade pack is due very soon.Fanatec CSL DD 8Nm. Image: Fanatec
After about an hour of testing, I was thrilled with the wheelbase. It was not all good news, though; a metallic grinding sound was coming from the wheelbase, but after some extensive research and investigating a few screws were replaced and torqued, it was sorted, and the wheelbase was back to working order.
So far, I am slower than I was with my Thrustmaster setup, but I'm sure my lap times will improve with time. I have noticed that my consistency with my trail braking has massively improved. With the 90kg loadcell pedal on the Fanatec V3 pedals, it's much easier to brake in the same manner each time I approach a corner. Check out Angus' column on how he adapted to loadcell pedals if you want to learn more.
Is Direct Drive a worthwhile upgrade?
I think it goes without saying that all direct-drive wheelbases will outperform something like a T300RS or a Logitech G29, but there are plenty of other options outside of the Fanatec ecosystem if that is not a route you want to go down.My brilliant Fanatec V3 pedals mounted on the CSL Cockpit.
If you are happy with your wheelbase, but maybe your wheelstand or desk is holding you back, check out our guide on a few of the best cockpits €500 can get you. This upgrade can make all the difference regarding comfort and stability whilst racing, especially for those longer sessions.
Overall, the upgrade was worth it. It took me some time to adjust to the new seating position, and a new monitor is undoubtedly required, but for now, this setup is more than enough for me.
What aspect of your setup do you want to upgrade next? Let us know in the comments down below!
