With the rise of better and cheaper direct-drive wheelbases over the last few years, sim racing has become more realistic and accessible than ever. Brands like Moza, Fanatec, Simagic, and Asetek have pushed the technology forward, offering incredibly detailed force feedback at prices that were once unthinkable. But with so many options now available, it’s easy to get lost in the numbers and marketing claims, especially when it comes to torque. How much do you actually need? Does a higher torque rating always mean a better driving experience? And where is the real balance between realism and overkill?
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For starters, there’s a real sweet spot in what torque you actually need. Many new sim racers assume that higher torque automatically means better performance, but that’s not necessarily true. For most people, a 3 to 5 Nm wheelbase will lack the punch, weight, and road texture you’d ideally want to feel. It can feel too light and vague, especially when driving heavier GT cars or trying to catch slides. On the other end of the spectrum, anything above 12 Nm can feel uncomfortably strong and even unrealistic. In most real race cars, especially formula and GT categories, the steering forces you experience through your hands are typically lower, aided by power steering systems or lighter setups. When you crank up a 20 or 25 Nm base to its maximum, you are often pushing far beyond what real drivers actually feel on track.
That’s why the 8 to 12 Nm range is often considered the “sweet spot.” At that level, you’ll have enough torque to reproduce realistic steering loads, maintain fine detail, and still get proper resistance through fast corners, kerbs, and slides. It’s powerful enough to feel authentic, but not so much that it becomes tiring or unrealistic after long sessions. Simply put; this is what the real drivers feel through their wheels.
So then, what’s the point of those ultra-high-torque wheelbases, the ones rated at 15, 20, or even 25 Nm? The main benefit isn’t raw strength, but dynamic range and motor efficiency. A higher-torque wheelbase can deliver the same forces as a lower-torque one, but with far greater precision and smoothness. For example, if you run a 20 Nm base at only 10 Nm of torque in-game, you’re using the most linear, controlled part of the motor’s output. The motor isn’t working near its ceiling, meaning the feedback signal won’t clip, distort, or lose subtlety under heavy load. The result is smoother, more consistent force feedback, richer detail through the steering wheel, and a better ability to sense grip loss, weight transfer, and surface transitions.
In short, high-torque wheelbases give you more headroom, and that headroom translates to clarity. You can still run gentle steering forces for long endurance races, but when you hit a kerb, lock the brakes, or experience oversteer, the wheel responds instantly without flattening the signal. It’s not about strength, it’s about fidelity.
That said, more torque isn’t always better. With higher torque levels come higher costs, more weight, and sometimes more noise or vibration. You’ll also need a solid mounting solution, since cheap aluminum rigs or desk clamps can flex or even fail under high loads. And because you’ll rarely use the full 25 Nm potential, many racers end up running their expensive flagship wheelbases at half strength anyway.
So while there are benefits to going high-end, most people don’t need a 20 or 25 Nm base to get an amazing experience. A well-tuned 8 to 12 Nm unit from Moza, Fanatec, or any other mid-high end brand will easily deliver all the realism, precision, and smoothness you could want. At that point, improving your setup with better pedals, a good wheel rim and proper rig stability will make a far bigger difference than jumping from 12 to 25 Nm.
The bottom line? High-torque direct-drive wheelbases do have advantages, but they’re not the magic ticket to realism that many think. Focus on balance, setup, and comfort, and you’ll get 95% of the experience for a fraction of the cost, and probably enjoy your racing a lot more.
