You mount a shifter on a SIMGASM Hobby on the included 27 cm shifter arm. That arm bolts to the base on the left or the right side of the seat, and you rotate it when your shifter needs an outer slot. Most drivers put an H pattern or sequential shifter on the right, at roughly the height of the top of the thigh, and a handbrake just behind it.
So you do not need an extra bracket to start. The real question is how you set height, reach and side so the shifter feels natural. That is what this guide explains.
What comes with the Hobby for a shifter?
Every Hobby already ships with the part you need, which keeps the first build simple.
The box of the Hobby sim racing cockpits includes the Core side profile shifter and handbrake arm. It is a 27 cm aluminium profile with two corner brackets, four T nuts and four countersunk bolts. A shifter, a handbrake or a shifter device itself is not included, so you bring your own.
Why a short profile works well
A short arm acts like a short lever. Less length means less movement when you pull hard on a handbrake. Because the arm bolts straight to the 40 × 40 mm base profile, the force goes into the main frame instead of into a thin plate.
Left or right side?
The arm fits on both sides, so you choose based on the cars you drive.
Right side for most cars
GT cars, road cars and most rally cars use a shifter on the right in left hand drive countries. This is also the side most sim racers pick for a handbrake, because the right hand is free after a gear change.
Left side for right hand drive and special builds
Drivers in the UK or Japan sometimes prefer a shifter on the left, just like in their own car. Some drift drivers also place a handbrake on the left and keep the shifter on the right. You simply move the arm to the other side. Tip: decide this before the final tightening pass, because the seat brackets and the arm share the same base profile.
SIMGASM | Hobby Aluminum Sim Racing Cockpit - Red
How high should the shifter sit?
Height decides comfort more than any other setting.
Sit in your normal driving position first. Let your arm hang down, then bend the elbow to roughly 90 degrees. The shifter knob should meet your hand at that point, slightly below the steering wheel rim. A knob that sits too high pushes the shoulder up. A knob that sits too low makes you lean to the side, and that costs time in a fast gear change.
The SIMGASM manual gives a clear rule: leave the arm adjustable until the seat and wheel position are set. Only set the final shifter height and reach while you sit in your real driving position. The recommended order is seat, then pedals, then wheel, and the shifter comes last.
When to rotate the arm
In the standard setup, the two slot face of the profile points inward. Some shifters and handbrakes need an outside slot for their bolts. In that case you rotate the profile, and the free slot faces outward. Our guide on Moza shifter mounting positions shows how much the right slot changes the feel of an H pattern or sequential shifter.
Shifter and handbrake together
Many rally and drift fans want both devices on one arm.
A typical layout puts the shifter in front and the handbrake about a hand width behind it. That way, you move from gear lever to handbrake without looking. Put the handbrake a little higher than the shifter, so you pull it in a straight line toward your body. The Moza HBP handbrake setup guide covers mounting height and calibration in detail.
Johan Akkerman, CEO of SIMGASM, has over 15 years of industry experience and won the DNRT BMW E30 Cup in 2023 and 2024 in real life. That mix of real cars and simulators explains why the Hobby keeps the shifter arm in the box: a gear change only feels right when the lever sits where your hand expects it.
SIMGASM | Hobby Aluminum Sim Racing Cockpit - Purple
What about a button box?
The same arm also works as a base for extra controls.
A small button box fits on the arm when you do not race with a shifter. For endurance racing, many drivers like pit limiter, wipers and lights within reach of the right hand. Read our button box layout guide to choose the right controls before you drill or mount anything.
Keep the arm quiet
A device on an arm acts like a lever, so small gaps turn into clicks. Tighten the four bolts firmly once you are happy with the position. If you hear a tick when you shift, follow the checks in how to keep a SIMGASM Hobby rattle free.
SIMGASM | Hobby Aluminum Sim Racing Cockpit - Green
Questions and answers
Here are quick answers to the questions we hear most about shifters on the Hobby.
Do you need to buy a separate shifter mount for the Hobby?
No. The 27 cm Core side profile shifter and handbrake arm comes with every Hobby. You only add the shifter or handbrake itself.
Does the arm fit on both sides?
Yes. It bolts to the left or the right base profile, and you rotate it when your device needs an outside slot.
Can you mount a shifter and a handbrake at the same time?
Yes, on one arm in a front and back layout. Check that both devices fit the profile slots before final tightening.
When do you set the final shifter height?
Last. Set the seat, pedals and wheel first, then sit in the rig and set the shifter height and reach.
Want to learn more? The SIMGASM experts are happy to help.
