Do I Need a 25 Nm Wheel Base?

In sim racing, one metric that is often mentioned is a wheel base’s torque output. Products on the market offer a vastly different range, starting at just 2-3 Nm and with Fanatec’s latest Podium DD wheel base delivering 25 Nm of holding torque. While some users might consider such a powerful motor excessive, there are also significant benefits.

Simply put, torque is the rotational force a wheel base’s motor can output. This force is measued in Newtonmeters (Nm). The higher this value is, the more force can be transmitted to the steering wheel and ultimately the driver’s hands. Fanatec’s previous strongest Base, the Podium DD2, is able to output 20 Nm of holding torque with peaks at 25 Nm. The new Podium DD has a true holding torque of 25 Nm with short peak overshoot up to 33 Nm. Find out more about holding and peak torque here.

The new Podium DD is Fanatec’s most powerful wheel base to date implementing the latest technology. With improved motor design and thermal performance, the new motor can deliver 25 Nm of holding torque. While many real cars and racing disciplines might not even come close to such “raw” numbers, there are several advantages:

With a higher torque ceiling, the dynamic range of the force feedback signal improves. This means that the feedback provided can be much more nuanced – making it possible to feel even the smallest detail in either the track surface or characteristics as well as your car’s behaviour. This is also due to a higher slew rate (i.e. compared to the ClubSport DD and ClubSport DD+), adding to the base’s responsiveness by being able to change the torque output quicker than before.

A higher torque output is also beneficial when you have a steering wheel with a large diameter or relatively high weight (or both).
The larger your wheel’s diameter is, the more force from your base it takes to get the same level of responsiveness. For example, with a smaller Formula-style wheel of about 270 mm, the feedback you get will be felt much stronger than with a 300 mm or larger wheel that is more akin to a road car. Having enough headroom in your wheel base can counter this.
Similarly, a heavy wheel can somehow “dampen” the force feedback feeling, making it harder to pick up on small details. With the Podium DD, this effect can also be mitigated by adjusting your settings accordingly.

If you have several wheels and play different games, on PC you can use the Fanatec App to not only dial in game, but also car-specific profiles. If you play on Xbox (note: Xbox-licensed steering wheel required) you can also set up to five Tuning Menu presets directly via the display on your steering wheel.