My thoughts after 5 Years with my DIY Sim Rig

Pros, Cons, and who should build their own DIY Sim Cockpit

Chapters
00:00 Why you should listen to me
01:23 Are DIY sim rigs ACTUALLY a better value?
03:34 The tools you need to build a wood cockpit
04:31 That other precious resource people undervalue
04:55 The SERIOUS trade-offs when you build
06:03 The double edged sword of DIY simulators
08:50 Mobility and Rigidity
09:24 Performance of DIY Rigs vs Aluminum Profile Cockpits
11:10 Can a wood cockpit look GOOD instead of cheap?
12:38 Who are DIY sim cockpits for? Should YOU build one?

Drift Techniques, Behind The Scenes, and Bonus Content Inside!

📚 *Drift Technique Tutorials-----------------------------*

🚗 *Follow KT ----------------------------------------------------*

💻 *Recommended Sim Drift Gear (affiliate links)*

*Sim Accessories*

🛞 *Gear Drive Wheel* (I don't recommend)

🛞 *Belt Drive Wheel*

🛞 *Direct Drive Wheel*

🦯 *Handbrakes*

⚙️ *Shifters:*

#Drifting #HowToDrift #AssettoCorsa

[eddyd.]

I'm started sim racing/drifting around 4 years ago on a logi strapped to my desk. I had so much fun and within a week had made well over 20+new friends with similar interests. Fast forward to now I've got the moza r12 a diy wood rig designed to look like a old arcade racer with a functional center console and triple screens and vr depending on how I'm feeling that day. Best part is you where the one that got me into sim racing all those years ago! I thankyou and my wife hates you 😂 jkjkjk she even jumps on it from time to time.

[run_stop_restore]

Another Tip regarding aquiring a seat: FIA for race seats is only valid for 10 years. A lot of Race Teams are literally throwing away their seats because they cant use them anymore. If you have a local Team, just ask if they have some over. Got my Recaro for 50$.

[mutha_fnmikey]

I built a wood rig 3 1/2 years ago for DD2, V3 pedals, podium shifter and Fanatec Ebrake after seeing the video of your being built. Still using everything and works perfectly.

[MrRealeyesrealize]

I built mine after seeing yours. It’s been perfect. Once I got a button box I made a middle console that fits into it perfectly

[DazDaz]

I'm still using my DIY wooden sim rig 4 years after I built it. Mine is essentially a copy of the most common layout you see in aluminium profile rigs (base box, goalpost for the wheelbase, deck for pedals) but made from 140mm x 40mm timber. It's screwed and glued in some places but bolted together in other places where I was concerned I'd need adjustment in future.

I did sand and fill my rig before coats of paint and lacquer and it is practically impossible to see that it is made from wood until you get to touch it and actually knock on the wood.

[alecmillea]

This was an absolutely fantastic video! Best one I’ve seen covering all aspects of diy rigs! I built my own out of 2x6s and it’s lasted me about 4 years of upgrades and modifications. Rigidity can be drastically improved by using parts of profile rigs like a wheelbase front mount or aluminum profile pedal tray. Gt omega has great affordable options! Only thing I would add to this video is that from my experience in mostly open wheel cars in iracing using around 16nm of torque. Because of the sharp peaks I’m fighting in racing compared to drifting which is smoother on the wheelbase I found that over time whatever fasteners I use wear into the wood and it start to creak and move under load. I’m very experienced in diy and engineering, it’s simply a matter of woods compressive strength. It all bolts together strong and solid but after extended use the constant vibration and peaks make the fasteners wear into the wood and it loses its structural integrity. Best way I found was to use m8 carriage bolts and locking flange nuts as opposed to regular deck screws. Deck screws just pulled through the wood over time. With the carriage bolts you can go around with a 13mm wrench and crank them down to make up for the woods compression over time. For reference the bolt heads and nuts are now about 1/2” sunk into the 2x6s after 3 years of use. I’ve got an aluminum profile rig on order and waiting for delivery. I don’t regret for a second saving my money for other things over all these years. A DIY rig is all that most people will ever need. It’s only since having 200kg load cell pedals and a 23nm dd base that over time it fails.

[stevek]

Here in Australia, I'm a Boilermaker by profession. Not too sure what the profession is called in the US, possibly fabricator/welder. I designed and built a fully adjustable steel sim rig. 8020 rigs are great for what they are, but with a custom fabricated sim rig there are no compromises. However, being a professional I had the tools and resources available, most of which the average person will not for such metal fabrication works. Thats why this timber (lumber) option is great for the average DIY person, as timber is more workable and accessible. Even if you aren’t the best DIYer, I implore you to give it a go and build your own custom rig. Because if you put the effort in, chances are you will end up with something much better than the flimsy cheap ‘n nasty options out there for less cost- just like @KameTrick says. Give it a go!

[Sgt.Snoopy]

Bro I've missed your videos. hope all is going well. You were a big part of me getting into sim drifting. Thank you 🙏

[vrdrifters]

Dude just hopped to say I'm glad this video did well - don't stop creating!

[robertt]

Awesome that you shared this.

Somethings I have learned from this video I need to remember when I attempt a DIY wood rig:
- Modularly. This allows for disassembly, replacement of sections. Will increase costs.
- Design with the idea of upgrades/replacements down the road. Build the sections to allow for easier adjustments when dealing with upgrades. For example the wheel deck being between the uprights can allow for it to be lowered without cutting.
- Add removable cross members to help with rigidity. This will also help support the top two items.

[JesperSandersen]

Your original videos on a DIY wood rig inspired my own build in a big way, and I'm happy I did it.
I put a floor on mine, and have bass shakers hidden away underneath.

My main learnings are these:
- You will make adjustments and probably won't get everything positioned right in the first attempt. Build your rig in such a way things can be moved forward/back, up/down. Maybe wait with painting until you've gone through an iteration or two.
- You will most likely need to change stuff when you upgrade. For me it's main been wheel deck going front flat to angled and having to move base forward or back. Handbrake and shifter also have taken several attempts to get just right.
- Not sure how typical this is, but the seat I got (from a VW Golf) was asymmetric. I sit maybe 4cm to the right relative to a center measure from seat rails. This affected my build significantly, i.e. wheel base is mounted with an offset to the right to compensate.
- Seat and pedals on rails is fantastic, both for when someone else gets to try, or if different wheels have different lengths. Fanatec formula wheels are shorter than hub based wheels for example.

[pna]

Incredible quality video. I had already decided when I'm through strapping my wheel to my computer desk I want to go the DIY route for a cockpit, but I feel like this is a much more thorough explanation than I could come up with myself, as well as being very nicely filmed and edited. Thank you!

[lukea]

Appreciate the sim build inspiration!
I started off by drilling holes into my basic 6 foot desk from Ikea to mount my wheel base to, built a simple pedal frame/stand out of wood to mount my pedals to in a way that they don't slide on carpet, added an adjustable monitor desk mount for a single ultrawide curved monitor, and use a chair that sits next to me to clamp a shifter to.

[halcyoncarnival]

Awesome and comprehensive build vid! One thing I'd like to suggest the the 4:15 segment; another potential option is joining a local makerspace if you don't have access to tools, don't want to make a mess in your home during fabrication, or live in a space where loud power tool sounds could get neighbors calling in on ya'. Makerspaces are sometimes not worth the cost of membership, but some are amazing as they are filled with people ready to advise and mentor with their own fabrication expertise, generally have access to LOTS of standard and specialty tools, and can not only offer a space to complete your build, but can give suggestions on how to make it more modular and portable (since you'd definitely need to take it home when finished). When I started off with welding and working with steel projects, my local makerspace was super invaluable for learning how to work with a new medium I was unfamiliar with and took all the space/tool variables out of the process.

[aidan]

My dad built me one many years ago out of wood and angle iron. It's great, and I'm still using it. For the seat, I used the one out of my car when I replaced it with a racing bucket.

[franckchalut]

I use a custom diy wood sim too, I love that its infintly customisable, you can get really creative and replicate your real car mesurements. I used 2x6 and 2x4 with 3inch deck screws. If you already have wood laying around its a no brainer, like me I had some left from building my house deck. Im not even looking at a metal rig, I love the raw wood look and the feeling of doing it yourself. I even did a inverted setup for my fanatec pedals. Nice video Kame ! ✌️

[jamesromano]

Great setup! I really enjoyed your video and I'm inspired to build my own. What I like about your setup is it's still a "desk" as well... whereas many of the premade kits you buy are dedicated dricing seats only. I need to keep some desk functionality to my design as well. As for the dusting the surfaces of your build...it's an easy solution that will change how you paint wood furniture. Valspar (maybe Bear as well) makes oil based water clean-up cabinet paint that is applied with a sponge roller. Very easy to work with, tintable and applied with a sponge roller on pre-sanded plywood or any wood. A few coats, then apply either a wipe-on or paint on Polyurethane and you're good for the long haul. Just light sand the poly before coats. 3 should be plenty. I have used this method with many Arcade machines/cabinets I have built over the years that come out looking like you spray painted them.

[zachgrabow]

On the paint/dusting the desktop, get matte black house paint (latex) and apply it with a roller. If you used rough plywood just keep filling it with paint and you’ll definitely see a difference and you’ll be able to clean it up easily

[corgidogman]

this is such a well made video, really captivating and educational - maybe i'll build my own rig soon!

[gov]

The largest factor that pushed me to choosing an 80/20 aluminum setup is resale value. For any reason in the future, I know I can sell the cockpit on the secondary market and recover quite a lot of the original cost as they hold their value over time very well.