Fanatec is a German company that makes some of the best Sim-racing wheels available for PC, Xbox and PlayStation on the market.

It offers a wide range of products at different prices but all of them are of very good quality.

While most Fanatec bases, wheels and peripherals are plug and play, there are still a plethora of configuration options you can modify to maximize your experience with your Fanatec wheel. It is not always easy to find your way around!

In this article, we will tell you everything you need to know to learn how to calibrate your Fanatec. We will explain all the steps you need to take to connect and configure your Fanatec base and steering wheel.

Connecting the Fanatec steering wheel base

Before you begin the actual configuration of your Fanatec steering wheel, you must ensure that the base is securely fastened to the platform of your choice, at the desk or wherever you plan to install it.

Because the calibration of the steering wheel and its configuration will be useless if you have to move your base and steering wheel to a different position again. You would have to start all over again.

Your steering wheel base can be mounted in many different ways, so we strongly recommend that you use the included mounting diagrams or watch instructional videos (you can find a number of them on the internet depending on the model) to ensure that your mounting is done correctly, is secure, and will provide you with comfortable gaming sessions.

If you are playing on PlayStation or Xbox, remember that you will need to connect your steering wheel base to a PC to install Fanatec software updates before you can calibrate the wheel and use it.

In the event that your PC is not within range of your running gear, you will need to complete steps 2 and 3 of our guide before mounting your base.

Once the base is properly and securely installed, you can move on to installing the rest of your equipment.

Installing the Fanatec handwheel

For the installation of your Fanatec steering wheel, you will have to take into account the model you have before connecting it to the base. Indeed, the installation is not quite the same, whether it is a steering wheel from the ClubSport range (which will be equipped with the QuickRelease system) or the CSL Elite steering wheel.

If you have a ClubSport steering wheel equipped with the QuickRelease system, follow these instructions:

1. Remove the storage pin and store it in a safe place because you won’t need it while your steering wheel is on its base.
2. Bring the steering wheel to the base and align it so that the groove is at the top center.
3. Pull the quick-release mechanism toward the steering wheel.
4. Slide the handwheel completely onto the base axle. Apply a little force as you near the end, firmly and with enough pressure to lock it in place. You will feel/hear a click when the steering wheel is properly installed.
5. Release the quick release mechanism, then pull the steering wheel a little to make sure it is securely attached to the base.

If you have a CSL Elite steering wheel without a QuickRelease system, follow these instructions:

1. Align the notch on the steering wheel shaft with the groove in the base support.
2. Slide the steering wheel stem firmly into the base, giving it extra pressure at the end to ensure that the stem is fully inserted.
3. Turn the steering wheel 180 degrees (the equivalent of half a rotation) so that the markings on it are right side up.
4. Apply further pressure to the handwheel – the stem should now be fully inserted and the screw hole at the bottom of the base pin should line up with the screw hole at the bottom of the stem.
5. Use the Allen wrench and screw provided with the steering wheel to secure the steering wheel shaft to the base.
6. Once it is screwed in, shake the wheel a little to make sure there is no play in the axle. If you find there is a little play, tighten as needed and repeat as necessary until the base and steering wheel are a single block.

Install Fanatec drivers and update the software

For the next step, you will need to connect your base to your PC to use the Fanatec software and install the latest drivers to ensure maximum performance and compatibility.

Even if you plan to use your steering wheel on a console, you can’t skip this step, which is absolutely essential for your device to work properly.

To install the drivers, follow these instructions:

1. Make sure your Fanatec base station is plugged into the power supply and the USB is plugged into a compatible USB port on your PC.
2. In your web browser, open the following page: www.fanatec.com/downloads
3. Click on the “select products” drop-down menu to find the model that matches your steering wheel and click on it. You should now be on the dedicated page for your product and you can access the “downloads” tab.
4. Click on the latest (most recent) driver and download/save it to your PC.
5. Once the download is complete, open the driver and follow the on-screen instructions to install it.
6. When the driver installation is complete, restart your PC.

You now have the drivers installed on your PC, so it’s time to use the Fanatec software to update the firmware of your wheel.

The associated software should have created a shortcut on your computer’s desktop, but if not, click on the Windows Start menu and type Fanatec to find it. Once you have found it, open the program.

Follow the instructions below to perform the firmware update.

1. Click on the “Select a product” drop-down menu, find the model corresponding to your base and click on it.
2. Click on “Properties”.
3. A pop-up window will ask you to update your firmware – click “yes”, then “start firmware update” when the message appears.
4. Follow the steps in the software until the update process is complete.

Calibrate the Fanatec handwheel

Calibrating your Fanatec wheel involves centering the wheel, and then (eventually) changing various settings to make everything as comfortable as possible for you to play.

If you are new to Sim-Racing or simply don’t know what kind of preferences you might have in terms of configuration, you can ignore these settings for now and, if necessary, return to the various menus later to make the necessary adjustments.

Centering the Fanatec steering wheel

To center your Fanatec steering wheel, follow these instructions:

1. On your steering wheel, press the button with a wrench icon – this opens the settings menu on your steering wheel’s OLED screen.
2. Turn the steering wheel until it is accurately set in its most central position.
3. Press the menu button and the A button on the steering wheel at the same time (on PlayStation wheels, press the menu button and the X buttons)
4. Start a racing game and check that the position of the steering wheel matches the one on the screen. If they do not match, then repeat steps 1 through 3 to rectify the problem.

Adjust Fanatec parameters

And there you go, everything should be ready to go now. But it is possible that you encounter problems, for example the force feedback not working and you will have to go back into the settings.

These settings are very useful for Sim-racing experts who want to continue to improve their skills. But they are also very useful for beginners as they develop their playing preferences.

We know that not all settings will apply to all configurations and will be used in all circumstances, but here is a handy list of some of the most useful and common settings that can be accessed by entering the settings menu on the steering wheel:

SEN – Sensitivity, 900° by default (90° to 1080°)

This allows you to adjust the range of motion of the steering wheel.

FF – Force feedback, default 100 (0 to 100)

Adjusts the strength of the feedback motor

SHO – Shock, 100 by default (0 to 100)

Adjusts the strength of the steering wheel vibration motor (only for compatible steering wheel models)

In a nutshell

Note that you can always restore your steering wheel to its default settings by opening the Settings menu and holding down the Settings button for 10 seconds. You will see “rSt” appear on the screen to confirm.