A few months ago, I decided to buy myself a wooden steering wheel to complete my kit of the perfect Gentleman Driver, fan of cars from the 50s to the 70s. And I clearly didn’t expect to have such a hard time finding what I was looking for! So I’m taking advantage of this purchase to give you all the information I was able to find during my research. I hope it will save you from struggling like me for 2 days to find the combo you need.
Yes, because if you think (as I did at first) that all you’ll need to do is find a steering wheel… You’re just kidding yourself! Let’s take a look at the points to watch out for, the different types of wooden steering wheel and the accessories you’ll need to install it on your simracing base.
Get your notebook ready, you’re in for a treat!
Why on earth are you looking for a wooden steering wheel?
A wooden steering wheel isn’t just a SimRacing accessory. It’s a state of mind, almost a way of life. It’s a promise of freedom, but it’s also a comfort, a feeling of being reunited with an old friend. Forget about performance, forget about stopwatches and just ROLL. Enjoy a moment that belongs to you alone.
The wind in your hair, Iggy Pop blaring through the speakers, the smell of Provence caressing your nostrils as you speed along a winding seaside road between Hyères and Bandol. And then you arrive at the Auberge du Port, where the terrace awaits you, the beer is cold and the evening is just beginning.
In short, a wooden steering wheel is more than just a racing accessory. So let’s take a closer look at what you need to consider when choosing yours 🙂
Be careful before choosing your wood steering wheel!
The first thing you come up against when choosing a model is certain terms. Sometimes, the dimensions are unclear. Then there are the mounting options. So before you embark on a frantic search, here’s some information that’ll save you a few precious hours 😉
Choosing the right diameter
To begin with, diameters are often expressed in inches. Since we’re still in a free country and use the metric system, here’s a little table of conversions in millimeters!
| Inches | 13 inches | 14 inches | 15 inches |
| Milimeters | 330mm | 355mm | 380mm |
Now that you’ve got the hang of conversions, a quick reminder of the differences in feel between different diameters. The larger your wheel, the wider the movements you’ll need to make. A larger-diameter wheel tends to increase the precision of the movements you make, but this is not an infallible rule. What is certain, however, is that the smaller the wheel, the greater the force required for movement. A large wheel acts like a lever on the steering shaft, so the bigger it is, the easier the movement.
This also means that to obtain the same felt force on a large-diameter wooden wheel, you’ll need more torque. So be careful if you have a low-torque base (below 10Nm). You may end up with a fair amount of clipping as you push the force feedback to its limits to regain the turning force you’re used to.
In any case, wooden flywheels are larger than most other simracing flywheels. For the record, simracing is generally between 28 and 32cm. So even with wheels of “only” 33cm, you’ll still get the vintage, out-of-this-world effect.
What is Tulipage?
No, it’s not about gardening. Tulipage is the difference in depth between the steering wheel attachment point (where the Quick Release is placed) and the steering wheel itself (where you place your hands).
On a steering wheel with zero tulipage, the grip is at the same height as the QR. It’s a flat steering wheel. Whereas with a 40mm tulip, for example, the grip will be 40mm closer to the driver than the Quick Release. In short, the greater the tulipage, the closer the steering wheel will be to the driver.
Beyond the aesthetic aspect, a tulipage steering wheel is above all a means of finding the ideal driving position. If your chassis lacks depth adjustment for the steering wheel, this can be a solution to help you feel more at ease on the track.
The ideal center distance to make life easier
You’ll notice that many steering wheels, whether in simracing or in the real world, have a 6x70mm center distance. But not all of them! So keep an eye on this before you buy. Almost all SimRacing Quick Releases are compatible with 6x70mm centers, but there are also adapters you can buy from wheel suppliers if you need them.
The shopping list 🛒
So concretely, what we need to adapt a wood steering wheel to our simracing setup is the steering wheel itself. Then a Quick Release system adapted to our base. Depending on the steering wheel center distance we choose, we may also need an adapter to fit between the steering wheel and the Quick Release. Screws and bolts , if not supplied with the steering wheel.
With this type of wheel, you’ll also have to do without the numerous buttons usually found on simracing wheels. If you really can’t do without these buttons, then a HUB would probably be a good idea. And when it comes to choosing a Hub, I’ll leave it to you to see what’s compatible with your base, of course.
Oh, and I forgot: some steering wheels come with a horn to be installed in the center of the wheel. In some cases, the horn housing may not fit into your Quick Release. In this case, a badge bearing the effigy of our favorite brand is always nice to avoid having a big hole in the center of the wheel.
Cheap wooden steering wheels (under €100)
If you want to ride for less, there’s a huge range of wooden steering wheels for under €100. You’ll find them on the Aliexpress website. Don’t expect miracles in terms of finish, and in most cases these are Chinese knock-offs of Italian models such as Nardi. They are often made of common wood and plastic.
I wouldn’t promote counterfeits, so for these models you’ll have to do your own research. But I can only urge you to avoid these products, not only because counterfeiting is illegal, but also because of their very low quality.
DriftShop wood, chrome temples
DriftShop is a French distributor offering steering wheels in all ranges at prices starting from the very low end. They have DriftShop-badged models as well as Nardi, Sparco, Momo and other ranges, which I’ll let you discover for yourself.
Please note: Driftshop is not a partner of our site. I’m telling you about them simply because it was there that I found my steering wheel, and everything went smoothly with their service.
- Material: Wood – metal
- Diameter: 350mm
- Tulipage: 0mm (flat steering)
- Horn: Yes
- Center distance: 6x70mm
- Price: 80€
DriftShop wood, black spokes
If you’ve been paying attention during the tests we did on Asetek SimSports bases, you’ll recognize this steering wheel. It’s the one I’ve chosen to accompany me on my old-school rides.
- Material: Wood – metal
- Diameter: 350mm
- Tulipage: 0mm according to the site but I measured a tulipage of 17mm myself
- Horn: Yes
- Center distance: 6x70mm
- Price : 100€
Since I’m familiar with this model since I frequently drive it, I’ll give you the pros and cons:
OCC Motorsport Classic Wood, black temples
- Material: Wood – metal
- Diameter: 350mm
- Tulipage: 63mm
- Horn: Yes
- Center distance: 6x70mm
- Price: 76€
The Momo range of wooden steering wheels
We’ve covered the inexpensive models, and now we’re going to move on to the wood steering wheels from slightly more reputable brands. Prices rise quickly, as do the quality of finish and choice of materials. For prices ranging from €260 to €511, Momo offers a number of attractive wooden shuttlecocks with 6×70 centers. And to make matters worse, all these models have been made in Italy since the 1960s.
The Thrustmaster 250 GTO
Owners of Thrustmaster bases may have fewer questions than others. After all, the French brand has produced an 8/10 replica of the wooden steering wheel of the legendary Ferrari 250 GTO. Ferrari license notwithstanding, the price is a little high when compared with real steering wheels from other brands, such as Nardi.
- Materials: wood – metal
- Diameter: 330mm
- Tulipage: 0mm (flat steering wheel)
- Horn: Yes
- Center distance: 6x70mm
- Weight: 1Kg
- Price : 400€ (often on sale at retailers)
Find a Nardi or Moto Lita steering wheel?
You’ll find out soon enough, once you start poking around, there are tons of manufacturers of top-of-the-range steering wheels. The Italians at Nardi and Moto Lita also offer exceptional wooden steering wheels. However, prices are well over €350. Prices can easily rise to €500 to €800 for the best series. It’s up to you to decide whether simracing is worth your while.
There’s one detail you’ll need to bear in mind: with Nardi, you’ll need a 6×74 to 6x70mm adapter.
So, which wooden steering wheel will join your simracing setup?
You can also find a used wooden steering wheel on sites like LeBonCoin, for example. This is the way to find a genuine vintage steering wheel to adapt to your simracing base. One less frontier between simulation and reality! In fact, I think I’m going to do a little assembly with a Jeep Willys steering wheel later this year.
Which model will you choose? If you choose a wooden steering wheel, don’t hesitate to give me your feedback in the comments. It’ll certainly help other readers to get a fair idea of what’s best for them. We’ll be happy to talk about it below 🙂
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!
