Got the chassis set up with the Logitech G25 components last night and I have to say I am fairly pleased with the results. My observations:
- The box had taken a bit of abuse enroute from Washington state to Alabama, courtesy Fedex Ground Freight. Otherwise, all components were in fine shape upon arrival in spite of a couple of half-fist sized holes in the shipping box.
- Assembly: I might have spent 45 minutes assembling the chassis from start to finish. The most time consuming part was removing the plastic wrap from each component. The only difficulty I encountered was mounting the steering wheel mount which means the two pipes that support the steering wheel mount have to be inserted into and slid inside the chassis base risers. I recommend having a can of WD-40 on hand to make this easier. Some rusty dust was forced out of a couple of tubes as I pieced components together. It's steel. It's normal. But, just be aware that you might not want to perform assembly on your wife's new carpet. And, keep an old towel handy to wipe grease/grime from your hands and to wipe down the completed assembly. This is not a complaint. Just be prepared for a bit of grime and some lubricant on your hands during assembly. The chassis is safe for use on a carpeted surface once assembled. I almost forgot to add this next part. Mounting the seat isn't very difficult. But, there is potential for interference between the heads of the mounting bolts and the heads of the fasteners holding the seat to the seat slide components. When you get to this part of the assembly, just put the mounting bolts in per the instructions and get the spring washers and nuts started. Then, roll the whole assembly on its side and begin tightening the fasteners. The process of tighening the fasteners should pull the bolt heads down enough to resolve the bolt head interference allowing for free adjustment of the seat position. Overall assembly was a breeze.
- Overall stability/feel: The chassis is very sturdy. The tube and pipe construction works well. In my opinion, this is due to the way the parts go together but more so to the wall thickness chosen for use. Wall thickness is critical to structural soundnesss - nicely done.
- The seat is very comfortable and holds my 230# frame well. It adjusts forward and backward nicely.
- The mount for the shifter is an easy reach as it falls close to my elbow to wrist length so it's comfortable. I have it mounted on the right side of the chassis.
- The keyboard/mouse table is a very convenient surface to lay a drink, my cell phone, the PS3 controller, and the remote for my surround system. I'm very glad it's there.
- I have not used the monitor stand. So, it's pushed all the way down in position. As of this writing, my Obutto is nosed up to my 40" LCD crowding what little walking space I have in my living room. Single guys can get away with this. You married fellas might wanna consider space requirements before ordering.
- While the chassis is both comfortable and sturdy, I am working on finding the right distances and heights for the pedals versus the seat and the steering wheel height. I would prefer to have the steering wheel as low as possible. However, in doing this, it is necessary for me to back the seat up a bit putting me a little too far from the pedals. So, I'm working on this.
- The pedal platform is nice and sturdy. But, even with the carpet grabber locked into position I still manage to move the pedals around to the point that I have to stop and reposition the pedals. Otherwise, my clutch foot hits the left side of the chassis frame after a few laps causing me to miss gears. I am going to install 3 wooden blocks (at the left, right, and front of the pedal component) on the pedal mount to stop the movement so that the pedal component is locked into place. This idea requires drilling a few holes through the pedal mount. But, it'll be a worthwhile modification. Once the blocks are in place, pedal problems will cease to be a factor.
- Wearing an old pair of house shoes (slippers if you will), keeping my right foot half on the brake and half on the accelerator works well making downshifting for corners a big thrill. Once the pedal movement is resolved, this will get even better. I climbed into one of my favorite cars, my 2004 Integra, and went online for a free run at Suzuka Circuit. That was the most fun I've had with GT5P since getting the game. The Obutto is definately worth the money spent. I plan to spend a whole lot of time turning laps in this new toy of mine.
That's it for now, I'll come back and add more as I have time or new thoughts. Feel free to ask about things I overlooked. I'll be glad to answer questions.
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