On a sim rig, the centre of your steering wheel should sit roughly level with your lower chest, so the top of the rim stays just below your shoulders and below your line of sight to the screen. Your elbows then bend at about 100 to 120 degrees when your hands rest at a quarter to three. In a GT position the wheel sits a little lower and further away; in a formula position it sits higher and closer to your chest.
Below you find out how to measure this, how the wheel angle and seat work together and how to adjust the height on an aluminium frame without guesswork. The SIMGASM Hobby assembly video shows exactly where the wheel mount sits on the uprights, which makes the steps easy to follow.
Why does steering wheel height matter so much?
Wheel height changes how much force you feel, how long your arms last and how clearly you see the track.
Comfort and endurance
A wheel that sits too high makes you lift your shoulders. After twenty minutes your neck and upper back start to burn. A wheel that sits too low pulls your arms straight and your wrists bend down, so small corrections feel vague. The right height lets your shoulders hang relaxed while your hands steer. That is the key to a stint of an hour or longer.
Feel and control
Force feedback travels from the rim into your hands and arms. With bent elbows your arms act like springs and you read every small slip of the tyres. With straight arms you fight the wheel instead of feeling it. Johan Akkerman, the founder and CEO of SIMGASM, treats seating position, steering wheel angle and pedal geometry as performance and endurance factors, not as cosmetic details. He raced as Yoohan in esports, became Project CARS 2 World Team Champion in 2019 and has won real BMW E30 Cup titles, so he knows how much a few centimetres matter.
SIMGASM | Hobby Aluminum Sim Racing Cockpit - Silver
How do you find the right wheel height?
A simple three step check gives you a solid starting point in about ten minutes.
Step 1: set the seat first
Always start with the seat, because the wheel height only makes sense relative to your body. Set the seat height, the recline and the distance to the pedals first. Our guide on how high your seat should sit explains this part in detail.
Step 2: check your arms
Sit in your normal driving position with your back against the seat. Stretch one arm forward and rest your wrist on the top of the rim. Your wrist should reach the top without lifting your shoulder from the seat. Then put both hands at a quarter to three. Your elbows should point down and slightly out, with a bend of about 100 to 120 degrees.
Step 3: check your sightline
Look at the screen as if you drive on a straight. The top of the rim should sit just below the bottom edge of your view of the track. If the rim cuts through the road ahead, lower the wheel or raise the screen. Our guide on monitor placement helps you match both.
Does the wheel angle change with the height?
Yes, and the angle is just as important as the height itself.
The face of the wheel should roughly point at your chest. In a GT position with an upright seat, the wheel stands almost vertical. In a reclined or formula position, the wheel tilts back so the rim stays square to your arms. A good test is to drive a few tight corners. If your wrists bend up or down at full lock, the angle is wrong. Read more about the differences in our guide to GT or formula seating position.
SIMGASM | Sport Aluminum Sim Racing Cockpit - Red
How do you adjust wheel height on an aluminium rig?
On an aluminium profile frame you change the height in small steps with only the supplied hex keys.
Slide the wheel deck along the uprights
On an aluminum profile sim rig the wheel deck clamps to the uprights with T nuts. Loosen the bolts a little, slide the deck up or down and tighten again. Mark the old spot with a piece of tape first, so you always find your way back. Change one thing at a time and drive at least five laps before you judge it.
Choose the right mount for your wheelbase
The mount type changes where the centre of the wheel ends up. A bottom mount places the wheelbase on top of a plate, which raises the shaft. A front or side mount holds the base by its face or side, which gives more freedom in height and angle. SIMGASM offers Bottom Mount, Front Mount, Side Mount and Asetek Front Mount options. Our guide on bottom, front or side mount shows which one suits your base.
Keep the cables free
Every height change also moves the wheelbase cables. Leave a loop of slack at the deck so nothing pulls when you slide it. Read where your PC should go next to your sim rig for the full cable plan.
Which SIMGASM frame gives you the most room to adjust?
All four SIMGASM tiers let you adjust the wheel, but the height range and stiffness differ.
The Hobby measures 500 x 1270 x 580 mm and uses a 40 x 40 mm profile. It suits most racers with a direct drive base up to 16 Nm. The Sport stands 720 mm high with a 40 x 120 mm profile, and the Pro stands 750 mm high with a 40 x 160 mm profile and steel reinforcement at critical mounting points. Taller uprights and wider profiles give a larger height range and keep the wheel stiff even when it sits high, which matters for formula setups and strong wheelbases. Johan Akkerman himself drives a SIMGASM Sport with a Formula Atlas seat, VR and motion.
SIMGASM | Pro Aluminum Sim Racing Cockpit - White
Q&A about steering wheel height on a sim rig
Here are quick answers to the questions we hear most about wheel height.
Should the wheel be higher for formula cars?
Yes. In a formula position you sit lower with your legs higher, so the wheel moves up and closer to your chest. Expect a change of several centimetres compared with a GT setup.
Can a wrong wheel height cause pain?
It often does. A wheel that is too high strains your shoulders and neck, and a wheel that is too low strains your wrists. Most aches disappear after a small adjustment.
Does wheel height affect lap times?
Indirectly, yes. The right height gives you better feel and less fatigue, so you stay consistent for longer. Consistency usually brings faster laps.
How often should I adjust it?
Set it once after building the rig, then only when you change the seat, the wheel rim or the type of cars you drive.
Want to learn more? The SIMGASM experts are happy to help.
