On a SIMGASM Pro, you mount your shifter on the Apex side profile arm that comes in the box. The arm bolts to the side of the frame, next to your seat, so your hand drops from the wheel to the shifter in one short move. Most drivers put it on the right, at about the height of the wheel rim bottom, roughly a forearm length in front of the hip.
That is the short answer. Below you learn how to fine tune side, height and distance for sequential, H pattern and handbrake setups.
What the Pro gives you for shifters and handbrakes
Good news first: you need no extra bracket to get started.
Every SIMGASM Pro ships with the Apex side profile shifter and handbrake arm, together with the profiles, brackets, wheel mount, tools and assembly guide. In the official Pro assembly video, the arm goes on right after the uprights, as step five of the build. The video above shows that same moment during the Club build, so you see exactly how the arm meets the frame.
Why a side arm works so well
The Pro uses a 40 x 160 mm main profile with steel reinforcement at critical mounting points. That deep profile gives the side arm a very solid anchor. A shifter that wobbles feels vague, and a handbrake that flexes loses its sharp bite. On a stiff base, every pull lands in the device and not in the frame.
SIMGASM | Pro Aluminum Sim Racing Cockpit - Orange
Left or right: which side suits you?
The right side is normal for most road cars, but it is not the only choice.
Right side for GT and road cars
Left hand drive cars, as in most of Europe and the US, shift on the right. So for GT, touring cars and drifting, the right side feels natural for most drivers. Your muscle memory from a real car carries straight over, which helps in long stints.
Left side for right hand drive and rally
Some drivers prefer the left, for example because they drive a right hand drive car in daily life. Rally fans sometimes split things up: shifter on one side, handbrake on the other. The arm bolts to either side of the frame, so the choice is yours. Our rally sim setup guide shows how rally drivers often place a handbrake.
How high and how far forward?
Height and distance matter more than side, so spend a few minutes here.
Height for H pattern and sequential shifters
Sit in your normal driving position first. Then let your right hand drop from the wheel. The shifter knob should meet your palm without you leaning or reaching up. For an H pattern shifter, that is often just below the wheel rim. A sequential shifter often sits a little higher, because you push and pull in a straight line.
Distance for a handbrake
A handbrake needs room for a full pull. Place it slightly further back than a shifter, closer to your hip, so you pull with your arm and shoulder and not with your wrist. That gives you more force and more control in a long drift or a hairpin.
SIMGASM | Pro Aluminum Sim Racing Cockpit - Green
Running a shifter and a handbrake together
Many Pro owners run both devices, so it helps to plan the layout as one unit.
Mount the shifter in front and the handbrake behind it, on the same side. Then your hand moves in one line between wheel, shifter and handbrake. If both feel cramped, add the SIMGASM Shifter and Handbrake Mount. It fits all SIMGASM simulators and gives you a second adjustable platform. A button box often finds a home on the same arm; see our tips on button box layout and mounting.
Tighten and test
Once you like the position, tighten the T nuts firmly and test with ten hard shifts and ten full handbrake pulls. If anything moves, tighten again. Route the USB cables along the profile and through the integrated cable passthroughs of the Pro, so nothing hangs near your legs.
SIMGASM | Pro Aluminum Sim Racing Cockpit - Red
Why SIMGASM puts the arm in the box
The arm in the box fits the way SIMGASM thinks about value.
SIMGASM founder Johan Akkerman started sim racing in 2008, moved up to a Logitech G25 and G27, and later won the 2019 Project CARS 2 world team championship. He also races for real, with DNRT BMW E30 Cup titles in 2023 and 2024. He believes every racer deserves professional level equipment without a professional level budget. Shipping the Apex arm with every Pro fits that idea, and each SIMGASM product is tested as part of a full simulator.
Planning a full build? Start with the SIMGASM Pro cockpits, then follow our guide on how to assemble the SIMGASM Pro. Club owners find a matching guide in where to mount a shifter on a SIMGASM Club.
Questions about shifters on the SIMGASM Pro
Here are quick answers to the questions we get most.
Is the shifter arm included with the Pro?
Yes. The Apex side profile shifter and handbrake arm comes with every Pro cockpit. The shifter device itself is sold separately.
Which side should you choose?
The right side suits most GT and road car drivers. The left side suits right hand drive habits or a rally split layout.
Is it possible to move the arm later?
Yes. It bolts to the profile with T nuts, so you move it to the other side or adjust the height in a few minutes.
Want to learn more? The SIMGASM experts are happy to help.
