Direct Drive Lap Times: Old Wheels vs a 32Nm DD
Quick summary· AI-generated
Darin Gangi and three Sim Motion drivers run controlled lap-time tests in iRacing using three setups spanning 30 years: a 1990s Thomas Super Wheel (spring-loaded, no FF), a 2007 Logitech Driving Force GT (light FF, 900°), and a modern 32Nm direct-drive VNM rig with 200kg load-cell brakes. All drivers were faster on DD, but the time gaps varied significantly (0.3–1.5 sec), and notably, two drivers credited the pedals—not the wheelbase—as the bigger performance driver. The article walks through the specs of each setup and the drivers' observations on what made the difference.
Excerpt from Inside Sim Racing
A 32Nm direct drive wheelbase costs a lot more than a Logitech wheel from 2007 or a spring-loaded wheel from the 1990s. But how much faster does it actually make you? To find out, Darin Gangi and three sim racers from the Sim Motion team ran real direct drive lap times in iRacing, then did the same on a Logitech Driving Force GT and a Thomas Super Wheel, the same kind of wheel and pedal set Darin raced on for about a decade.
The short version: direct drive was fastest for all four drivers. But the gap ranged from about three tenths of a second to around a second and a half, and when we asked what made the biggest difference, two of the four drivers, Darin included, said it was the pedals, not the wheelbase. Watch the full test below, or read on for the lap times and what the drivers said.
Watch: Does Direct Drive Actually Make You Faster? 4 Drivers Put It to the Test
The Three Setups
The test spans about 30 years of sim racing hardware, from no force feedback at all to 32Nm of direct drive torque.
Thomas Super Wheel (TSW) Logitech Driving Force GT VNM direct drive setup
Era 1990s Released December 2007 Current
Force feedback None (spring-loaded) Yes 32Nm direct drive
Rotation 270° 900° Not covered in the video
Pedals Potentiometer, no resistance No resistance 200kg load cell brake
Mounting Pedals sat on rubber pads, unbolted Wheel clamps; pedals ratchet strapped down Bolted to a Sim Motion 160mm chassis
Price when new About $400 (Darin’s recollection) Under $200 (Darin’s recollection) Current pricing at the product links below
Thomas Super Wheel
The TSW is a spring-loaded wheel with no force feedback, and its pedals use potentiometers, which work a lot like the dimmer switch on a light. Potentiometers were the weak point, Darin remembers, and they were always wearing out. You also shift with a small handle on the unit itself. The TSW in this test belongs to Cole’s dad, who has had it since the late 1990s or early 2000s.
The TSW has no force feedback, 270 degrees of rotation, and pedals with no resistance. This one belongs to Cole’s dad. Logitech Driving Force GT
The DFGT was the budget version of the Logitech G25 and worked with PlayStation. It has 900 degrees of rotation and force feedback, though Darin noted it’s light by modern standards. It only mounts with clamps, and the pedals have carpet grabbers underneath, so the team ratchet strapped them to the pedal deck. It ran on a Sim Motion 80mm chassis.
The DFGT pedals rely on carpet…
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