The Asetek Forte Wheelbase 18Nm Direct Drive has a clear ambition to become a Best Seller for the Danish brand. After 2 years of design, company takeovers, recruitment and license purchases, Asetek finally unveils the result of their hard work. And on paper, the Forte Wheelbase has plenty to make us salivate, thanks to a list of high-end components.
So will this simracing base be able to shine and make us forget its competitors? And how does it compare with its big sister, the Asetek Invicta base? As a reminder, the Invicta Wheelbase and its 27Nm had the luxury of making all reviewers agree on the exceptional quality of its force feedback. Let’s hope this legacy won’t be too much for its mid-range sibling to bear.
What does the Asetek Forte base give you technically?
| Compatibility | PC |
| Dimensions Weight | Length 29.3cm, Width 13.2cm, Height 13.3cm 8,5 Kg |
| Motor | Direct Drive – True Servo MiGE |
| Torque | Peak: 18Nm Continuous: 16Nm Slew Rate (torque rise): 6.2 to 6.7 Nm/ms |
| Encoder | 22bits (4M points per wheel revolution) |
| Turning range | 180° to 1440° Adjustable via RaceHub software |
| Connections | 1 USB-C output to PC 1 power supply 5 USB-C for connecting other peripherals 1 Connection for ON/OFF button 1 connection for torque cutter |
| Wheel attachment | Asetek Quick Release based on Simucube model (license purchase) |
Design and ergonomics
Unpacking the box reveals the imposing power supply that will feed the beast. And there it is, right underneath. Just over 8Kg to lift, it’s a real handful in the morning.
In the box you’ll find everything you need to install the base, except for the 4 M6 screws that allow you to place the machine on the chassis. Personally, I would have appreciated it if these screws had been included. Luckily, I have everything I need at home.
Well, let’s talk design, because I know it’s going to divide people. The look of the base won’t please everyone, as we’ve already remarked many times in the comments of our videos. But let’s face it, at least it has the merit of being unique. When you see an Asetek base, you’re sure you can’t confuse it with any other. The rest is a matter of taste.
- In the box :
- Asetek Forte base
- Power supply unit
- 3 plugs for different geographical zones
- 1 USB / USB-C cable
- 1 remote ON/OFF button
- 1 remote Torque Cut button
- Stickers board
- QR code for online instructions
The aluminum body features 2 RGB stripes on the top and one RGB stripe on each side. The front and rear panels are made of plastic, perfectly matching the rest of the base body. The body itself is a little smaller than the Invicta base, and is strictly thesame size as the La Prima base.
If the La Prima and Forte bases are the same size it is because they share the same engine. Asetek has created its products so that they can be improved over time with kits sold separately. You can therefore start for example with a La Prima base (entry level of the brand) then transform it later into a Forte base. On the other hand, a Forte base cannot be transformed into an Invicta base because of the size of its engine.
And it’s the same for the brand’s pedals and steering wheels, which are also upgradeable, but we’ll talk about this in detail soon.
Finally, the front features the Quick Release. And on the rear, the connectors. 5 USB-C ports for connecting your Asetek ecosystem. A USB-C connection to your PC, and sockets for the ON/OFF and Couple Cut buttons.
The Asetek SimSports team decided not to place buttons directly on the base, but in separate boxes. The reasons are practical. With separate buttons, if a button is faulty, it can be easily replaced without having to send the base back to the after-sales service.
And, above all, these buttons can be placed wherever you want for easy access. This is particularly important for the Torque Cut button, because with a maximum torque of 18Nm, you need to be able to disable your machine at any time in the event of a problem, for your own safety.
Top-of-the-range components
Well, we’ve looked at the exterior of the base, now it’s time to see its “inner beauty”. On the motor side, we find a MiGE Servo Motor that develops 18Nm of peak torque. On the encoder side, it’s a 22Bit model, identical to that of the Invicta, which provides the base with 4M reference points for each turn of the wheel. 4M points is 57x more than the best-selling Direct Drive models on the market.
And to take advantage of this torque and precision, you also needed exemplary responsiveness. The Asetek Forte base delivers 6.2 to 6.7Nm/Ms. This means that the base is capable of delivering its peak power in just 3Ms. This is the kind of responsiveness usually found only on high-end bases. So let’s cut to the chase. Numbers are great, but what we’re really interested in is how it feels on the track. So let’s get down to chassis installation!
Installing the Asetek Forte DD base on the chassis
Asthmatic chassis, wobbly stands and glass tables, please refrain. The Asetek Forte Wheelbase weighs its weight, but above all it’s capable of developing a torque that would jeopardize your safety if you put it on an unsuitable support. A rigid chassis is imperative, unless of course you don’t want to take advantage of your base’s full potential.
For installation, you can use the 4 T-nuts on two rails below the base. The width of the nuts is 8.7cm apart, and you can move them on their rails by 16.4cm. But if this solution doesn’t suit you, you can also opt for another mounting option:
- Bottom mounting plate.
- Front-mounted plate.
- Front-mounted with tilt adjustment.
- Bottom mounting with tilt.
Personally, I chose to use the bottom-mounting plate to avoid having to drill the support plate of my chassis, which had no hole corresponding to a spacing of 8.7cm. This also enabled me to easily install my remote buttons.
RaceHub settings
OK, the Forte base is installed and connected, now it’s time for calibration and force feedback settings. To do this, we’ll use the RaceHub software. The Asetek software gives you two basic settings: “F1”, developed with Kevin Magnussen’s recommendations, and “GT3”. The settings are fairly straightforward, but I think it’s worth taking the time to explain them properly. So I’ve prepared a full article on RaceHub settings. You’ll find it by following the link below.
In addition to the FFB settings, the RaceHub is also where I’ll be adjusting the colors and intensity of the RGB bands, which can be deactivated for those who don’t want ambient lighting. As well as the base’s security options, which are there to protect your precious fingers.
See also: Force feedback settings tutorial on RaceHub!
Please note: as I write these lines, I’m having a little trouble switching on RaceHub. In fact, every time I start up my base, the “Slew Rate” setting, which corresponds to the base’s reactivity, resets to the minimum. This is a visual bug only, as the Slew Rate remains at the maximum when in use. Asetek has informed me that this bug will be corrected in the next update.
The Asetek Quick Release
A quick reminder before things get too heated 😉 In 2020, Asetek wrote a huge check to Granite Device, the company that owns the Simucube brand. In return for Asetek’s €6.8 million, Granite Device provided the license for its Quick Release, consulting, technical drawings and software. So it’s hardly surprising that the Asetek QR bears a strong resemblance to the Simucube model, since it’s an evolution of the latter.
To install the steering wheel, simply slide it over the top, and a clip locks the QR in place. To remove the steering wheel, simply press the lever to release the clip and slide the wheel upwards.
At the bottom of the QR are the 6 pins connecting the steering wheel to the base. These 6 pins, which are spring-loaded to prevent breakage, provide power to the steering wheel as well as information transfer, since Asetek has chosen not to use a Wifi or Vlan module in its base.
Another aspect of this QR is safety. After 50Kg of pressure, the lever automatically releases to prevent the steering wheel from injuring you.
Comfort and sensations: a slap in the face
We spent just over 3 weeks on the Asetek Forte. This gave us the opportunity to test its return to form on iRacing, Assetto Corsa, AC Competizione, RaceRoom, rFactor 2, BeamNG, Dirt 2.0, WRC Generations and F1 2020 (yes, I know it’s old, but I refuse to pay for Formula One again). The same protocol we followed for the Invicta test.
And I have to admit that, against my own expectations, I was very pleasantly surprised by this base. With its fearsome precision and sufficient power to satisfy the vast majority of simracers, it rises to the level of its big sister without much difficulty.
Of course, I won’t hide the fact that the Invicta allows you to achieve an even higher level of detail. Make me go on vacation for a week and test both bases blind, I’m not sure I’ll be able to tell them apart.
After spending a few hours fine-tuning the settings, it’s a pure pleasure. If I had to sum up my feelings about the Forte in a few words, it would be: controlled strength, incredible detail, confidence in the machine. I’d add that, while I obviously love the Invicta and this is the base that’s now permanently laid on the chassis, I think the Forte is a better deal, at least for the lambda player. For 1/3 the price, you get very similar precision and identical playing pleasure.
Any clipping with this base?
The Forte base’s 18Nm were enough to ensure that I never had any clipping when racing. As a reminder, clipping is when your base’s force feedback becomes saturated and is no longer capable of transmitting detail but only brute force. On low-power chainstays, it’s a recurring problem that’s easily observed in long, fast corners, as in Indycar, for example.
So obviously, I’m no Hulk, with my 65Kg all wet on a chair on a full moon night. But to reach the clipping point with this Direct Drive, you really have to like fighting against your steering wheel. Again, for the vast majority of simracers, that’s more than enough.
Heating up the base
Over the weeks, I’ve had the opportunity to run the base for entire afternoons, including 2-hour indycar races. This kind of test allows you to push the base to its limits and quickly see if it’s overheating or not. In my case, I had no problem with overheating. For the record, my settings were: 18Nm on the base and 65% force in play.
However, I have seen comments from other users who have noticed heating. According to André Eriksen (Asetek CEO), this is due to software management and will be corrected in a future update. As I haven’t had any problems myself, I imagine it’s down to the settings you make on the base (as was the case with the overheating of the Simagic Alpha a few years ago).
Who would I recommend the Direct Drive Asetek Forte Wheelbase to?
I’d recommend this base to any player who wants top performance for “not too much money”. Yes, it’s a bit over the €1,000 mark, but in this price range, I’ve yet to come across a base with better performance than this one.
On the other hand, it’s imperative to bear in mind that the Asetek ecosystem is currently in full development. If you don’t want the Asetek Forte Formula steering wheel, you’ll have to go through one of the 7 partner brands, which are all top-of-the-range, or buy a Quick Release separately, and these Quick Releases are not yet available to the public.
Well, let’s talk about compatibility with other brands!
As you may have noticed, the Asetek ecosystem now includes bases and pedalboards, but only 1 steering wheel. This is to be expected, given the brand’s recent arrival. To overcome this problem, the Danes have come up with a very good idea: to partner with other manufacturers. As a result, you can natively install the steering wheels of 7 other brands directly on your Asetek base.
- Ascher Racing
- Bavarian Simtech
- Cube Controls
- GSI (Gomez Sim Industries)
- Rexing
- Simcore
- VPG Sim
What we thought of the Asetek Forte Direct Drive baseplate
Sam
I have always dreamed of becoming an F1 driver or an ocean liner captain. Eventually I bought a PC and started simracing. I regularly discover simracing equipment and experiences to share with you on the blog!
