Looking to kickstart your sim racing by building your own cockpit but don’t know where to start? Overclockers UK is here to be your pit crew and help you get on the road with this dedicated guide all about sim racing.
This blog post has absolutely everything you need to know about sim racing, from what it is, the required hardware, and even a step-by-step to putting it all together.
What is Sim Racing?
Sim racing is a collective term for racing games that try to recreate the real-world experience and racetrack as much as possible. These games often try to accurately represent the real thing such as fuel usage, tire wear, grip, and other environmental effects. This paired with the use of dedicated hardware like gear shifters, racing seats, wheels, and pedal sets all help to emulate a true-to-life racing experience.
What Are Some Popular Sim Racing Games?
Some popular sim racing games include:
- Assessto Corsa
- Gran Turismo
- Forza Horizon
- Forza Motorsport
- F1
- iRacing
- Le Mans Ultimate
What Hardware Do You Need for a Sim Racing Set-Up
Building your own sim racing set-up can be quite a daunting task with so many different components and accessories to choose from. It’s enough to give you a headache!
Thankfully, we’ve broken it down starting with the essentials that every sim racing rig needs and then detailing all the extra accessories.
The Essentials
Let’s start with the base. At its core, a sim racing rig features five main components.
- The chassis (or cockpit)
- A pedal set and racing wheel
- Gear shifter
- A seat
- Monitor
- Your gaming PC
The Cockpit
The cockpit is your base. This is the foundation on which you build all your other components and, as a result, you need to ensure your cockpit is sturdy and built from high-quality materials. There are three key factors that you need to take into account when your browsing different sim racing chassis. This includes:
- Stability – as the foundation for your racing cockpit, the chassis needs to be stable. You can’t have a chassis that shifts with every movement as this not only puts your hardware at risk but will affect your ability to cross the finish line.
- Durability – on a similar note, your cockpit needs to be durable, capable of supporting heavy loads, and resistant to the odd knock now and then. You want a cockpit that will stand the test of time and continue to be reliable even after extended hours of use.
- Customisation – your racing rig is your own and you should be able to reflect your own personality and preferences through your cockpit. Your chassis should feature plenty of customisation options allowing you to opt for different accessories or configurations to perfectly suit your needs and aesthetic.
Nitro Concepts C-Racer Sim Racing Cockpit
GAM-NIT-02606
£149.99
(incl. VAT)
FREE SHIPPING
in stock
ADD TO BASKET
Nitro Concepts E-Racer Sim Racing Cockpit
GAM-NIT-02610
£334.99
(incl. VAT)
FREE SHIPPING
in stock
ADD TO BASKETThe Seat
For the ultimate racing experience, you want your cockpit to truly emulate the real thing. That’s where your seat comes in.
Picking the correct seat can make (or break) your immersion and performance. You don’t want one that is uncomfortable to sit in, doesn’t support your back properly, or makes you too hot and sweaty. A well-designed sim racing seat has been crafted to mirror the look and feel of real race cars. These cradle your back to envelop you in the race while also providing all the essential ergonomic touches you need to stay comfortable for longer.
Nitro Concepts R300 Seat Base For Sim Racing
GAM-NIT-02611
£249.95
(incl. VAT)
FREE SHIPPING
in stock
ADD TO BASKET
Next Level Racing ERS1 Elite Reclining Seat (NLR-E030)
GC-06A-NR
£398.99
(incl. VAT)
FREE SHIPPING
in stock
ADD TO BASKETYou can choose to pair your racing chair with a seat slider. A seat slider will allow you to further adjust your racing chair to suit your cockpit and comfortable levels, along with providing extra stability for all your shifts and excess movements.
Nitro Concepts Seat Slider- And Holder For Sim Racing
GAM-NIT-02608
£39.95
(incl. VAT)
FREE SHIPPING
in stock
ADD TO BASKET
Nitro Concepts Bucket-Seat Slider- And Holder- Set For Sim Racing
GAM-NIT-02612
£49.99
(incl. VAT)
FREE SHIPPING
in stock
ADD TO BASKETPedal Set and Racing Wheel
The last essential of your racing rig is a pedal set and racing wheel. These will grant you pixel precise control over your movements which is paramount to blaze across the finish line.
There are two types of pedal sets, each with their unique impact on your racing experience. This includes:
- Hydraulic
- Load Cell
Hydraulic pedals utilise fluid to provide resistance and mimic the feel of a real car’s brakes and clutch pedals. Alternatively, load cell pedals measure the force applied directly for a more precise and realistic sensation. Which you choose depends on your own individual preferences and how authentic you want your experience to be.
Hydraulic or load cell – what really makes it is that your pedal set is comfortable. You want the pedals to feel good under your feet to ensure rapid responsiveness.
Moza Racing CRP2 Pedals Throttle And Brake (RS066)
GAM-MOZ-03042
£398.99
(incl. VAT)
FREE SHIPPING
out of stock
ADD TO BASKET
MOZA Racing SR-P Clutch Pedal – Compatible With SR-P Pedals
GC-00B-MR
£45.95
(incl. VAT)
FREE SHIPPING
out of stock
ADD TO BASKETNow onto the steering wheel.
The steering wheel and wheelbase are what connects you to virtual road, granting you control over your chosen car. Every wheelbase and steering wheel will typically feature force feedback for that extra realistic touch and greater precision.
There are three types of racing wheels and wheelbases:
- Gear driven – gear-driven wheelbases are better suited to those on a stricter budget and provide reliable force feedback which can generate some noise.
- Belt driven – belt-driven wheelbases are smoother, and quieter compared to gear-driven and do offer lifelike sensations.
- Direct drive – direct-drive, however, is better suited for enthusiast racers as these wheelbases deliver the most accurate force feedback and realistic experience yet where you can feel every bump in the road.
MOZA Racing Vision GS Steering Wheel (RS064)
GAM-MOZ-02864
£698.99
(incl. VAT)
FREE SHIPPING
in stock
ADD TO BASKET
MOZA Racing ES-Xbox Steering Wheel (RS052)
GAM-MOZ-01591
£138.95
(incl. VAT)
FREE SHIPPING
in stock
ADD TO BASKETGear Shifter
Another essential for your racing rig is a gear shifter. Gear shifters replicate the action of shifting gears in a real car, allowing you to experience a more realistic sensation. There are two types of gear shifters:
- H-Pattern – replicates the traditional manual car gear shifter with a level that moves in an H-pattern.
- Sequential – quicker changes with a gear shift that moves up and down in a single motion. Often used in racing cars.
The Gaming PC
You’ve got the right chassis and a comfortable seat – now it’s time to pick the perfect gaming PC. There’s no one-fits-all solution here as you’ll need to pick the computer that suits the type of racing games you want to play. However, if you’re in the market for a new PC for your racing rig, there are three main questions you need to ask…
- Does the PC meet the recommended hardware requirements for your favourite racing games?
- What resolutions can your PC support? Is the resolution high enough?
- Does the PC include enough storage to handle all your gaming library?
We first recommend you go through all the racing games you want to play and make a note of their recommend specs. You’ll want to refer to this list when browsing for your PC to ensure the computer can handle rendering these games at a high-quality without any unwanted performance drops or latency at a high enough resolution.
What’s more, you’ll also want to consider your storage. A good racing sim gaming PC should include an SSD as, unlike traditional HDDs, these don’t feature any moving parts to deliver rapid loading times. This SSD will also need plenty of room for your favourite games. If it doesn’t, you could consider investing in one with a higher capacity or an external hard drive for the files and applications that you don’t use daily.
OcUK Gaming Scimitar – AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D, GeForce RTX 5080 Gaming PC
FS-106-OG
£3199.99
(incl. VAT)
FREE SHIPPING
out of stock
ADD TO BASKET
OcUK Gaming Khopesh – AMD Ryzen 7 7700X, RTX 4070 Ti Super Gaming PC
FS-124-OG
£2099.99
(incl. VAT)
FREE SHIPPING
in stock
ADD TO BASKETThe Monitor
Without a monitor, you can’t possibly blast across the finish line. With the right monitor on your racing rig, however, you can truly level up your performance and immersion. Cutting-edge features such as high resolutions and refresh rates will render your real-time actions at incredible speeds which are sure to help you secure the win.
What type of monitor and how many you have is entirely down to personal preference. However, curved or multiple monitor set-ups are perfect for sim racing thanks to the extra screen real estate and positioning which puts you at the centre of the action.
MSI 32″ MAG 321CUP 3840×2160 VA 160Hz 1ms A-Sync HDMI 2.1 Curved Gaming Monitor
MON-MSI-02166
£548.99 £ 498.95
-9.11%(incl. VAT)
FREE SHIPPING
in stock
ADD TO BASKET
LG 27″ Ultragear 27GS60F-B 1920×1080 IPS 180Hz 1ms FreeSync/G-Sync Widescreen Gaming Monitor
MON-LGC-02149
£199.99 £ 139.99
-30%(incl. VAT)
FREE SHIPPING
in stock
ADD TO BASKETYou can choose to lift your monitor(s) up using a monitor stand to deliver an unparalleled view of the road ahead and further immerse you in the race.
Next Level Racing ELITE Single Monitor Stand – Black (NLR-E035)
GC-06U-NR
£298.99
(incl. VAT)
FREE SHIPPING
in stock
ADD TO BASKETMust-Have Sim Racing Accessories
You’ve got the essentials of a great racing rig, now let’s make it even better with some must-have accessories.
This could be adding a handbrake, motion platforms, haptics, and even LED boxes. All of which work in sync to revolutionise your racing and ensure you have a true-to-life experience.
Next Level Racing Traction Plus Motion Platform – Advanced Simulation
GC-04P-NR
£5499.95
(incl. VAT)
FREE SHIPPING
in stock
ADD TO BASKET
Nitro Concepts IMMERSION Metahaptics Haptic Feedback Sim Racing Seat Pad
GAM-NIT-03492
£849.95
(incl. VAT)
FREE SHIPPING
in stock
ADD TO BASKET
Nitro Concepts IMMERSION LED Box (NC-SR-AC-007)
GAM-NIT-03434
£44.99
(incl. VAT)
FREE SHIPPING
in stock
ADD TO BASKETBundle Up!
If you don’t want to purchase all your components separately, you can also find plenty bundles on the Overclockers UK website with all the essential hardware and must-have accessories you need to create your racing sig.
MOZA R3 Racing Simulator Bundle – R3 Base, ES Wheel, SR-P Lite Two Pedals, Table Clamp (RS053)
PER-MOZ-00752
£358.99
(incl. VAT)
FREE SHIPPING
out of stock
ADD TO BASKETAnatomy of a Sim Racing Cockpit
TDLR; we’ve even got a handy infographic that breaks down everything you need to build your own sim racing rig.
How to Build a Sim Racing Set-Up: A Step-by-Step Guide
Let’s fast forward a second. All your shiny new hardware has arrived and now you’re sitting in a sea of boxes thinking how do I put all this together and make a racing rig?! We’re here to show you how.
Before you rip open those boxes, get your tools together. You’ll most likely just need an assortment of screwdrivers, but the product manuals should provide you with a detailed list of what tools you need before you start building.
We recommend you take it step-by-step starting from the cockpit and slowly work your way up. Make sure you are building in a large room and arrange all the different parts in front of you so there’s no rummaging to find the next component – everything is all laid out in front of you for when you need it.
We also suggest you split apart any screws into separate bowls for each section you’re working on, as keeping track of all those little baggies can get quite confusing.
Now that’s over, let’s move onto the actual building.
First up, is the foundation of your racing rig – the cockpit. There’s no one fit all instructions for your rig chassis as it all depends on the model and manufacturer. However, your chosen cockpit will come with a detailed manual which will include assembly instructions so be sure to follow these exactly. You can also find dedicated online video guides for popular brands so if you’re struggling to follow the written manual, you can try this.
From the cockpit, you move onto attaching the seat, any seat sliders, the pedal set, and wheelbase. These will also come with dedicated assembly instructions. Whilst you’re assembling the chassis, we recommend you don’t tighten all the screws fully until these extra components are mounted properly in a place that is comfortable for you. Keep checking the position of your seat, pedals, and wheel as you build to ensure you find that sweet spot.
Once the cockpit is built, the next thing on your list is to assemble the monitor stand(s) if you’ve opted for them and attach your monitor. Similar to the chassis, these will have their own instructions so follow those exactly. When it’s built, we recommend you go back and test the position of the monitor and stand(s) to find the correct height and distance that is comfortable for you.
A general rule of thumb is that you shouldn’t be straining your neck to look up at the screen or eyes if it’s too far away. It’s all about finding that sweet spot that works for you.
Now you’ve got the cockpit and monitor stand(s) built, let’s move on to setting up your PC and plugging in those accessories.
First, double check all the fittings on your chassis and stands are mounted correctly before you attach anything. We don’t want your screens to suddenly fall off and break.
Your PC needs to be positioned where it’s close enough to your cockpit so you can connect your accessories but will still have plenty of access to lots of airflow so realistically the floor or on carpet isn’t the best choice. Your computer should ideally be raised and not pushed into a corner if you can help it.
If you’ve treated yourself to a new shiny PC and don’t know how to set it up, be sure to check out our Overclockers UK Academy before you move on to the next step.
Once your PC is set up and plugged in, let’s start connecting those accessories. Most, if not all, of them will require a spare USB port. Thankfully if you quickly run out of USB ports, you can find dedicated hubs.
Nitro Concepts UH1 10-Port Hybrid USB Hub – UK Plug
GAM-NIT-02926
£44.99
(incl. VAT)
FREE SHIPPING
in stock
ADD TO BASKETTo keep your racing rig tidy, it’s best to cable manage as you go. You can do this with clips or ties and bunch together groups of cables to make it easier to tuck them away so there are no loose wires hanging everywhere.
Once everything is plugged in and built, it’s time to test. Your gaming PC may recognise some of your accessories and automatically start downloading the required drivers. However, you may have to manually complete this step. Simply search the manufacturer’s website or product page to download the correct drivers. You may also need to calibrate any extra accessories, which you can also find on the manufacturer’s website or even video tutorials on YouTube.
And that’s it. You’ve successfully built and configured your own racing sim rig. Aren’t you a smart cookie.
TDLR; you can check out this video from MOZA Racing for a detailed step-by-step on how to build your racing rig.
Learn More About Sim Racing
Share Your Racing Sim Tips
Do you have any top tips for building a racing sim rig? Help out your fellow gamers and leave them in the comments below.
*Prices correct at time of writing and PC specs are subject to change.
- 12 min read
Ruth Rowley
Author
Ruth has been with Overclockers UK for over a year and has gone on to write about everything ranging from in-depth hardware guides to monthly game releases.
Outside of writing blog posts, she can be found wrapped in a blanket with her black cat, engrossed in a book or playing life-simulation games such as The Sims, Stardew Valley, and Animal Crossing.
Read More >>