Goldilocks, the Three Bears, and Wheel Stands

[DigiDogRob]

Hi all,

I just got into console racing and within a week of monkeying about with a controller decided that I liked racing enough to invest in a wheel and wheel stand. I don't have space for a full rig, so it is not an option for the foreseeable future.

In most cases, I will be sitting on a sofa (or on a folding chair in front of the sofa) with my wheel and pedals mounted to a wheel stand. (I'm currently using a clunky rigged up solution with a folding tray table for the wheel and a short length of 2x4 along the front edge of a coffee table that the pedals are pressed up against.)

My requirements are simple:

• Minimal (or no) wobble
• No center post
• Easily adjustable so both myself and my son can use it
• Folds/collapses enough to put it out of the way in my family room

After looking at a lot of wheels stands and corresponding with manufacturers, I've narrowed my choices down to:

• Granstand
• GT Omega Racing
• Next Level Racing (Pagnian)

The GT Omega is the lowest cost option and looks solid, albeit probably the least compactable. The Granstand is in the middle with respect to pricing. It would collapse really well and can be adjusted in any way possible. However, I'm concerned about wobble, given it is made of 80/20 extrusion tubing. The Next Level Racing stand looks solid and could possibly stand upright when folded shut. It is also the heaviest and most expensive ($300 USD) of the bunch.

In the interest of reducing buyer remorse/regrets and avoiding trial-and-error buying and paying for return shipping (on something fairly hefty), what are your experiences with these three wheel stands? Love em? Hate em? Just right?

---Rob

 

[super_gt]

Useful information on page 14 and 15. 👍

 

[DigiDogRob]

Useful information on page 14 and 15. 👍

Thanks super_gt!

I had already looked over info on the master list pages and watched the review videos on YouTube from both Inside Sim Racing and Sim Racing Reviews. The review videos got me to the point of posting here to try and get firsthand comments from folks that purchased the stands for their personal use.

When all is said and done, ANY of the rigs will be a profound improvement over my "clamp wheel to flimsy folding table tray and wedge pedals up against 2x4 against table" set up. :-) My quandary is that if I am going to drop $175 to $300 USD on a wheel stand, I really want to get the biggest bang for my buck.

The only rig-specific comments I saw on the master list thread mostly pertained to the GT Omega, which everyone seems to like. I would like to hear from some folks who have purchased the Granstand or Next Step stands for their personal use and what they think of them.

Like I said, I'd probably be happy with any of them. Maybe I am making this more of a process than it needs to be. :-)

 

[DigiDogRob]

I just happened upon the following video clip on YouTube of an unboxing and setup of a GT Omega wheel stand.



The video shows an aspect of the stand that is not apparent on their website or in other reviews of the GT Omega wheel stand. At approximately 5:49 into the video it shows the wheel stand folded and free standing in a vertical position. The ability to store this upright in this way with gear still mounted makes it very easy to move it out of the way when not in use!

 

[sesselpupser]

I have the GT Omega with the other style shifter mount (the pole that slides into the either of the tubes at the base, which sucks because you have to pull it all the way out, turn it 90 degrees then put it back in and wrangle it in such a way that the shifter fits in between the wheel rim and base), it's decent for the price - it definitely works - but I don't really like using it because:

a) It's smooth on the bottom so will slide around under use. It is at least quite heavy, but the feet it has are just smooth plastic. If your brake is any stiffer than a stock G27's I'm sure you'll end up pushing it away from you every time you try to slow down.

b) Neither of the two rake angles you can set fit either my chair or sofa.

c) The screws that hold the arms at whatever length you select are, well, just screws, so you have to set the length manually every time. I'd hoped they'd be spring-loaded lugs with holes drilled in the arms, but they aren't. Also there's the risk that over-tightening them will bend the steel so you have to get it right...

d) The worst one is the top deck where the wheel goes, there are slots instead of circular holes so you can adjust the angle but the winged screws don't hold it firmly enough, so several times when I've been using it they've come loose which means the whole wheel just flops around. I would've far preferred a fixed deck or some preset holes, I'm really not sure why they didn't just go with those.

If you have access to some fairly basic tools you could fix these quite easily - I will someday get around to drilling and tapping some holes in the arms for the screws to lock into, adding another rake angle (although I haven't checked to see if that's actually possible) and fixing the top deck in place using some aluminium angle with holes in - but if you're not handy like that you might find these minor-ish issues become huge annoyances. As I mentioned it's also quite heavy, I'd guess from memory about 10Kg, so if your son is still young he'd probably find it difficult to move it around.

If you want any measurements or have any more questions I'd be happy to help.

 

[DigiDogRob]

Thanks for your comments neema_t!

...Neither of the two rake angles you can set fit either my chair or sofa.

This was my big concern with the GT Omega. Based on the stated wheel plate heights and what appears to be 45 degree and 30 degree rake angles, I was able to put my high school (secondary school) trigonometry to work to figure out the rake lengths and pedal to wheel floor distances. They all look like they may work. (I don't have the measures with me right at the moment.)

In comparison the GranStand is adjustable in almost every way possible. However, that same adjustability makes it less appealing to me. I don't want to have to loosen and retighten all of those bolts to fold the stand and then set it back up each time.

Best,
Rob

 

[DigiDogRob]

I'd hoped they'd be spring-loaded lugs with holes drilled in the arms, but they aren't.

That has me thinking. I may do some research into adding snap buttons (spring lugs, as you called them). I'm not keen on the idea of tapping holes in the inside pole because it would require exact alignment when tightening the tension screws. I also thought of possibly drilling holes through and then using pins, but this would not provide as tight a coupling.

[EDIT] One additional thought regarding the span buttons: After using the stand with the tension screws for myself and my son, the inside slide tube will be marked, making it very easy to locate snap buttons at just the right heights and then practical increments between and outside of the preferred heights. :-)

 

[gt_fan]

I have the Next Level Racing (Pagnian) stand. Used it for a few months and was disappointed that I could not find a setting that was just right for me. Ended up buying a GTpro (also from Pagnian). The stand is just collecting dust now.

Just my 2 cents.

 

[sesselpupser]

That has me thinking. I may do some research into adding snap buttons (spring lugs, as you called them). I'm not keen on the idea of tapping holes in the inside pole because it would require exact alignment when tightening the tension screws. I also thought of possibly drilling holes through and then using pins, but this would not provide as tight a coupling.

[EDIT] One additional thought regarding the span buttons: After using the stand with the tension screws for myself and my son, the inside slide tube will be marked, making it very easy to locate snap buttons at just the right heights and then practical increments between and outside of the preferred heights. :-)

Those aren't actually what I had in mind, the thing I'm thinking of looks roughly the same as the hand screw that the stand already has, but in addition to being threaded it also has a pin running down the centre, attached to the handle which is spring loaded.

My old exercise bike used a thing like that for the seat height adjustment, you'd unscrew it by a couple of turns then pull the handle out to disengage the saddle pole (which had a number of holes along its length), slide it to the height you want, let go of the handle so the pin would locate in a hole then screw it in to tighten it again.

Using a threaded hole might be a bit fussy (although if you tapered it it should be ok) but you'd get a nice solid hold with no slop or rattle, then again using the buttons you've linked would probably be better. And you're right, the inner poles get marked up very easily.

 

[DigiDogRob]

Those aren't actually what I had in mind, the thing I'm thinking of looks roughly the same as the hand screw that the stand already has, but in addition to being threaded it also has a pin running down the centre, attached to the handle which is spring loaded.

Ah. Right. I know exactly what you are referring to now. Those would be fantastic and a significant improvement to the stand! Something like these... http://innovative-components.knobso...pins-pop-pins-plungers-1-2-short-tip-pop-pins

If they can be found with matching thread and depth to what is already tapped in the GT Omega, it would be a simple matter of drilling the mating holes into the inner tube.

Brilliant idea, neema_t!