Gear/belt driven vs direct drive wheel base - What is better?

Although the market is moving to Direct Drive Systems, and gear or belt driven wheel bases seem like something from the past, this question can still bring a lot of discussion, especially among those who have been playing on a controller and are considering getting their first steering wheel.

So, what are the main differences between them?

Gear-driven wheel bases use cog wheels to turn the shaft, just like a regular machine does. You can see below an example of how this works.

This system is usually a low-cost investment, and maintenance, although regular, is still quite affordable. The main downside is that these systems are much weaker, and they don’t usually perform well under longer or more intense sessions. It is also very straightforward to use and requires almost no knowledge about the different settings.

Belt-driven wheel bases work the same way, but instead of cog-wheels turning on each other, the shaft uses a tension belt to distribute the forces.

This allows more torque to be applied, as generally speaking, belt-driven wheel bases allow higher forces than gear systems, and they also provide slightly more detail compared to gear drive systems. However, they are still not ideal for prolonged use.

Just like gear systems, this requires some maintenance because the belts might lose tension or wear out, and as this happens, the details of feedback will fade gradually. Longer sessions are also not ideal for these types of systems.

Although you should know the different settings to apply, this is usually very easy to adjust on this system.

This is the pinnacle of systems. A direct drive system requires fewer components because the energy is provided directly to the shaft, which allows for the strongest forces to be applied, as well as the ability to drive for longer periods. Maintenance tends to be more expensive, but much less frequent than in the other systems.

It provides great feedback with the maximum detail, also enabling longer sessions without compromising quality, making this the ultimate choice for the most serious sim racers.

With a Direct Drive, you must know your way around all the settings, as the wrong adjustment can ruin your experience, and you will have a hard time finding where it went wrong.

The good news is, at the Fanatec Forum, you can find the settings for your Fanatec wheel base, based on the game and platform (Windows-PC, PlayStation, or Xbox) you intend to use it. If you don’t have a Fanatec wheel base yet, please reach out to our Product Consultation team, and we will happily guide you through the best options for your needs!