Direct Drive
Force feedback wheels come in three varieties – gear-driven, belt-driven, and direct drive. Gear and belt driven wheels use a small motor and the indirection of gears or belts to exaggerate the forces it generates. Torque is lower on these types and inefficiencies in the system make them slower and looser. Direct Drive wheels use a large, more powerful motor directly connected to the steering wheel to deliver high torque and accuracy. This comes at a cost as direct wheels will run you at least $700.
Why would I want a direct drive wheel?
When you’re steering through corners and the wheels start to slide, you’ll feel the strength of the force feedback change. The resistance may suddenly lessen as you lose grip or may start to pull gently in the other direction. The sooner you get this signal, the sooner you can correct it. When racing competitively, you want to push your car to it’s limit, so being able to take the corner hard but not push it over the edge will make you faster. Because the response time is much quicker with a direct drive wheel, you will be able to ride that edge more confidently and recover or “catch” a slide more easily. Making your mistakes less costly will help your overall average lap time.
The increased amount of force is also helpful in amplifying the amount of feedback you get through the wheel. This will let you feel bumps and forces with greater resolution. It’s more fun and immersive and can give you a competitive edge. Some DD wheels have so much force that they can actually injure you if you crash in the game. Don’t worry though – the maximum force is configurable.