Wheelstand V2 Next Level Racing

Our rating : 9.7/10

The sim-racing setups are numerous and above all varied. You have enough for the F1the rallyand GTsim-arcade and more. It’s a vast universe, full of different makes and models of sim-racing peripherals, where it’s easy to get lost. Take, for example, the Fanatecwith over forty steering wheels in all ranges. It’s really enormous, and the main aim behind such diversity is to offer a device for every rider. And it’s the same for chainstays, cranksets, shifters and gearshift levers, and monitors, across the whole spectrum of brands available on the market.

Of course, sim-racing setups don’t just stop at gaming peripherals, but also touch on gaming chairs, cockpits, screens and so on. Sim-racing doesn’t mean spending time in front of a racing simulator to beat the clock. The main aim of this discipline is to immerse you in the world of motor sports, to bring realism into your living room and, above all, to immerse you. Oh yes, when you see the budget it takes to go karting as a pro, you quickly realize that sim-racing isn’t all that expensive.

Speaking of immersion, it’s best to have a cockpit in your setup, and there are several players on the market, including Next Level Racing. The Australian brand was launched in 2009 and has been innovating ever since. Like Fanatec, Next Level Racing wants to reach the maximum number of racers in the world, and offers a wide range of cockpits, including the Wheelstand V2a rather promising medium. In what follows, I’m going to introduce you to this chassis, tell you about its strengths and weaknesses, and give you my opinion on it.

Main and technical cockpit features

• Tubular steel structure with folding design
• Dimensions: 92.5 x 57.5 x 78.5 cm
• 22 kg on the scale
• Compatible with peripherals from Fanatec, Logitech and Thrustmaster
• Able to withstand the forces of the bases Direct Drive bases and Load Cell

Design

Next Level Racing is a brand known for bringing us chassis that are both sober and elegant, and the Wheelstand V2 is no exception to this rule. The tubular structure is painted entirely in matt black, with a few brand logos here and there. It’s really sober and all-purpose, whatever your sim-racing setup.

In terms of design, it’s what’s done in the steering wheel support industry. Next Level Racing is certainly not going to reinvent the wheel, and with its Wheelstand V2 a folding tubular chassis, rather small and above all very sturdy. Overall, this product is beautiful and I really like its design.

Manufacturing and finishing

Given that most steering wheel brackets are in the “entry-level” category, with peripherals that are generally belt/gear-driven, NLR wanted to set itself apart by offering us a robust chassis that could accommodate Direct Drive bases. Its structure is extremely rigid, thanks to the use of 2mm-thick tubular steel. The Wheelstand V2 is a wheelstand that won’t budge during use, with most bases of course.

As for the finish, it’s just perfect. The entire chassis is painted matte black, beautifully finished and flawless. It has to be said that NLR’s almost 15 years of experience in the game enable it to manufacture very well finished and premium products.

Using the cockpit

The Wheelstand V2 is a chassis specially designed for racers new to sim-racing with a very limited setup budget. It has to be said that steering wheel brackets are inexpensive products, designed solely to make your mouth water with a more or less realistic setup.

But the Wheelstand V2 pushes the envelope by offering a rigid chassis that will easily accommodate Direct Drive chainstays with up to 8nm of torque, and Load Cell cranksets that aren’t too powerful when it comes to braking. Thanks to its folding steel design, this chassis won’t take up much space in your living room or sim-racing area, and will allow you to fit a pedalboard, steering wheel and shifter/handbrake. Well, the latter’s support isn’t the most robust and you can clearly see that there’s some play when you pull on the handles. Nonetheless, it will do for sim-racing enthusiasts and beginners.

Also, the rider-first design allows the Wheelstand V2 to be used with a gaming chair that won’t move, thanks to a plate that can accommodate 2 of the chair’s wheels, keeping it in place. It’s really clever, and from memory, only Next Level Racing offers this on a steering wheel mount. Hats off to you guys, really.

Sensation in play

Let’s move on to one of the parts you’re most interested in: in-game sensations. Since the Wheelstand V2 is not a cockpit in the true sense of the word, but in terms of rigidity and ability to withstand forces, it’s not one of the best on the market. Nonetheless, this steering-wheel mount does quite well with entry-level configurations.

Base, pedal and shifter/handbrake mounts are all adjustable, so you can get the right position for arcade or even sim-arcade titles. The base support is designed to take the torque of a Direct Drive up to 8 nm (Fanatec CSL DD), without too much movement. Sure, you’ll have just a little, but believe me, you won’t notice or feel it at all when you’re driving.

The driving position is rather neutral and will easily adapt to your chair. In fact, there’s a kind of plaque at the bottom of the Wheelstand V2 which holds 2 of the chair’s wheels in place.

Another good thing about this stand is that it can be folded in 2, so you save a lot of space when storing it. You can do this while keeping the sim-racing devices in place. With it, the ride is fairly stable (within the base’s power limit), and the only major flaw of the Wheelstand V2 is its gearshift/handbrake support, which moves a little too much for my taste. During my sessions with it, I totally kicked it out because it was getting on my nerves with its movements. But the rest of the chassis is stable.

Compatibility

The Wheelstand V2 is an entry-level product from Next Level Racing and is compatible with virtually all Logitech and Thrustmasterand all Fanatec too, provided you have a base that’s not too powerful (8 nm max torque). Of course, the Wheelstand V2 is designed to accommodate DD bases, but it’s not that strong either, and if you take one that’s too powerful, there’ll be a lot to play for. These media are not really designed to work with DD bases, except for the Wheelstand DD which can handle Fanatec DD1 and DD2 couples. But this support is a completely different product, a little more expensive than the Wheelstand V2.

Value for money

Priced at €249, this bracket offers excellent value for money for sim-racing enthusiasts, or runners new to the discipline. The build quality is simply perfect, with a high level of attention to detail. The Wheelstand V2 is well made, functional with all its adjustable brackets and even modular thanks to the manufacturer’s add-ons. At this price, you won’t find better, especially compatible with Direct Drive bases, believe me.

My verdict

I loved using the Wheelstand V2as has been the case with virtually all Next Level Racing products. The company has a great deal of experience in the cockpit and chassis game, and has offered us an excellent product that’s not too expensive, and that will be perfect for amateur racers and sim-racing beginners alike.

The foldable, lightweight design of Wheelstand V2 makes it easy to use, whatever your sim-racing setup (living room, bedroom, etc.). What’s more, this chassis is quite rigid for an 8 nm DD base, and for less than €250. It’s a golden opportunity if you ask me.