ehsia.com - my stuff

19 Jun

Wheel Stand Pro

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The Wheel Stand Pro is a wheel mount for steering wheels. Specificially, it’s major advantage is it’s ability to fold away when done.

The wheelstandpro is a godsend for me. Back in the day when I use to play race sims on my PC with a 14″ CRT, I would attach my wheel on my desk and get everything set up just right and then after I was done I really didn’t want to play anymore. It was a hassle to hook up the wires, clamp everything down fire up the game, etc.

In order to not go through this hassle all the time I needed my wheel mounted to something all the time. I want to be able to move the whole unit out of the living room when I’m done. I looked at lots of solutions on the net. Some very nice looking cockpits and others made hilarious contraptions. I never thought an ironing board could be used as a wheel mount lol. I didn’t want to be that ghetto so I made my own.

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This was my old wheel setup. I made it out of a chair frame and a piece of wood. I worked very well but I felt it was too low and not adjustable.

I’ve always dreamed about getting my own racing cockpit like the ones from PlaySeat. But who has the room for it? Not only that, it’ll always be there in my living room. When I was young and single, it would be perfect. Now that I have a room-mate (my girlfriend), I know she’s not gonna like it. Just like how I wouldn’t want a sewing machine table in the living room.

The perfect compromise is a wheel mount that folds away. The Wheel Stand Pro is what I need. Although a bit pricey considering the fact a PlaySeat is just like $70 more. With my WSP, it disappears when I’m done and I can set it back up in a couple of minutes.

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Included in package:

wheel stand
shifter mount (a $30 piece of metal lol)
2x hex keys
wrench
2x zip ties
wedges for shifter clamp
instruction sheet

The WSP is shipped directly from Poland for $199CAN. In 3 business days, I received it. Pretty fast eh? I didn’t have to pay any local Canadian taxes but I was lucky :) The unit itself is pretty much assembled. You just have to mount this plate that holds the shifter and bolt on your wheel. I suggest you zip tie the shifter mount to the stand before attempting to put your wheel on. It was hard trying to clamp the wheel onto 2 pieces of metal while they are moving…. you’ll see.

The WSP comes with 2 wedgy type of things for your shifter cause the mount plate is too thin for the shifter clamps. They don’t work very well since they keep on falling off. Get a piece of wood to give the shifter something to clamp too.

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Upon first inspection you’d think that it’s very wobbly. Not so, the thing is very well made. There is some side-to-side movement but it’s minimal for a stand like this. It’s not as solid as a full racing cockpit but pretty stable nonetheless. I had the base on carpet and it didn’t move an inch. However, my pedals did fall off the rails one time ’cause I was heel-toe’n too hard.

To prevent the G25 pedals from falling off, I zip tied it to the rails. Find yourself some M6 screws and screw them into the 4 holes on the bottom of the pedal base. Then use zip ties to fasten them to the rails. It doesn’t move an inch after this slight modification.

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I had to really lock it down the clamps so it wouldn’t tilt forward or swivel on me when I was doing some serious driving. Even when I tightened it up, it still moved if I really pushed on it. But only if I tried. The clamps are super hard to unclamp once you lock them down. You pretty much have to be superman.

After mounting the wheel I decided the tidy up the cables a bit. The WSP comes with 2 zip ties. It’s not enough I’m afraid but I had tons at home so it didn’t matter. I’m a neat freak when it comes to cable management. I bought some wire tubing from the dollar store so I can put all 3 wires in it. (see pics below)

For those with a Logitech G25 wheel. Skip getting the G25 version of the stand and buy the normal $169 Logitech model. All that extra $30 gets you is a piece of metal. You can probably find a piece of wood that does the same job for way less.

I usually use the WSP with my AK Rocker 100. However, it’s quite comfy to use on my sofa too. I just like sitting close to the TV so I usually use my rocker.

If your significant other won’t let you buy a race seat/cockpit, this is a good compromise. Until I get a bigger place where I have my own room for a full racing setup, this will have to do. Other than the minor issues I’ve come across, it’s not a bad stand to have. It’s the perfect addition to my PS3. Playing games like F1 Championship and GT5 is a much better experience.

Update:

Puck mod - I noticed how when the WSP was folded, it would press down on the brake pedal.  I decided to use half a puck to use as a stopper

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PVC pipe mod:

The whole steering wheel has a tendancy to pivot downward when you’re not gentle.  I added a piece of PVC pipe, to use as a stopper. Cut about 1.5-2″ and put it just below the main base which lets you adjust the angle of the wheel.

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One Response to “Wheel Stand Pro”

  1. 1
    Shane Says:

    Thanks for this site! I was on the fence on buying this or not… but your great in depth review sealed the deal for me. Great photos and updated improvements- thanks!

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