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How Our Racetech Sim Rigs Grew With Us: From Gear-Driven Wheels to Direct Drive
3 October 2026 · Ping Zero
We've been running Racetech sim rigs at events since 2020, and the same chassis we started with are still out working today. Over that time the wheels, pedals, shifters and screens bolted to them have changed completely. The chassis hasn't needed to.
That's the point of this guide. If you own a Racetech sim rig, or you're deciding which racing simulator chassis to buy in NZ, this is what six years of upgrading at events has taught us: what to upgrade first, what to watch out for, and why a good chassis is the one part you shouldn't have to replace.
Why the chassis matters more than the wheel
Most people start a sim racing setup by choosing a wheel. We'd argue the chassis is the bigger decision, because it's the part that decides what you can upgrade to later.
A direct drive wheelbase puts out far more force than a gear-driven wheel. Bolt one to a desk clamp or a flimsy stand and it flexes every time you turn in, which you feel through the wheel and the pedals. A rigid chassis keeps all that force going into your hands instead of into the frame.
Racetech is a New Zealand company based in Wellington, better known for its motorsport seats. When they launched their simulator chassis in 2020, we were their first partner in the gaming space. Their chassis is modular and made from aluminium, which matters for an events company: it's light enough to load in and out several times a week, and every attachment is slotted with multiple mounting points, so we can move parts to suit the driver and the event.
Where we started: gear-driven wheels and console racing
We started in 2020 with two Racetech rigs running Logitech G29, G920 and G923 wheels on consoles. They made their debut at Armageddon, and the Racetech team came along to see them in action. Seeing the rigs running at the Christchurch show was enough to convince one visitor to buy their own, which was Racetech's first sale from an Armageddon.
By April 2021 we had four rigs, and by September 2023 we had six, running at everything from Armageddon and Big Boys Toys to university and corporate events. Gear-driven wheels were the right choice at the time: affordable, reliable, and easy for first-timers to pick up.
Upgrade 1: direct drive wheelbases
The biggest change was moving from gear-driven wheels to direct drive. We didn't do it all at once. Our first two MOZA R3s arrived in August 2024. Our first R5 followed in September, just in time for the Red Bull space at Spark Game Arena Live, NZ's largest gaming event. We built a triple-screen Racetech rig on site and ran it alongside four Red Bull F1 sims. A week later, the two R3 rigs went into SkyCity for Heineken 0.0's six-week F1 activation, fitted with MOZA ESX Formula wheels.
Since then we've upgraded one rig at a time, adding a Racetech direct drive mount each time a rig moved to direct drive, so the cost was spread over time instead of landing all at once. Today all six rigs run direct drive: four on the MOZA R5 and two on the MOZA R3.
What changed on the chassis:
- Direct drive mounts. Racetech makes a dedicated direct drive mount for its chassis, so the wheelbase bolts on solidly.
- A few extra holes. The R3 and R5 have a smaller footprint than the wheels we started with, with a 40mm × 80mm bolt pattern, so we drilled new holes to suit. It's a straightforward job, but it's worth knowing before you start.
- Nothing else structural. The frame took the extra force without any bracing.
What drivers noticed: sharper, more detailed force feedback. You feel the car start to slide instead of guessing, which matters when you're chasing a leaderboard time.
Tip: check your wheelbase's bolt pattern against your mount before you buy. If it doesn't line up, a few carefully drilled holes are all it takes, but it's better to know before event day.
Upgrade 2: pedals, shifters and handbrakes
Once the wheel is sorted, the next upgrades are the ones that change how a car feels to drive.
- Pedals. Our four R5 rigs run three-pedal MOZA SR-P Lite sets with the MOZA SR-P Lite Performance Kit, which stiffens the brake so it takes 50 to 75kg of force to press fully, much closer to a real race car. At that force, the pedal mount and seat mount don't flex at all, which is exactly what you want from a chassis. MOZA pedals are modular, so you can change the spacing between them, and that moves the mounting holes. We drilled a few extra holes in the pedal plate to match. Our two R3 rigs run the standard two-pedal SR-P Lite, which is lighter and easier for first-timers.
- Shifters. We run H-pattern and sequential shifters for drift and V8 Supercars, on both high-mount and low-mount brackets, because different cars and drivers need the shifter at different heights. The slotted mounting points on the chassis mean we can move a shifter in minutes. We're also testing MOZA's force feedback shifter, and we'll write that up separately.
- Handbrakes. Essential for drift. Every rig we send out now has one.
Because the chassis is modular, each of these bolted on as its own part. When one shifter didn't suit an event, we swapped it without touching the rest of the rig.
One thing to know: the Racetech layout is built for GT-style racing, with the seat, wheel and pedals set up like a GT car. That suits about 90% of our clients and works best at events, where most drivers want to jump in and race. The seat sits on adjustable rails, so we can slide it forward or back between drivers and fit almost anyone, from teenagers to tall adults, in seconds.
Upgrade 3: screens, from a single monitor to triple screens
Screens change the experience more than people expect. We started with single 32-inch monitors, which is still what our dry hire rigs run. For events we've added ultrawide screens and triple screen setups. Our first triple screen went on a Racetech rig at Spark Game Arena Live in 2024, and we added a second for REVCON, where more than 300 drivers went through our rigs in a day.
What we learned:
- Triple screens are worth it for serious drivers. Being able to see through your side windows makes a big difference in wheel-to-wheel racing and drifting.
- Ultrawides are a good middle ground. Less setup and easier to transport than triples.
- Plan the stand with the screens. Screen mounts need to line up with the seating position, so measure before you buy.
Upgrade 4: PC trays
A PC tray is a must. It keeps your PC or console off the floor, away from feet, drinks and cables, and it keeps everything mounted to the rig when you move it. All our sims are fitted with one as standard, which makes them ready for both events and hire.
Our dry hire rigs run on consoles, but for bigger events we run PCs, because that's what drives our live leaderboards, tablet registration and automatic lap timing. With the tray, swapping between the two is a quick job.
What we'd tell anyone upgrading their own Racetech rig
After six years and a lot of events, here's the order we'd upgrade in:
- Start with a solid chassis. Everything else depends on it.
- Upgrade the wheelbase to direct drive when you're ready. It's the biggest single improvement. Check the bolt pattern first.
- Upgrade the pedals. A stiffer brake makes you more consistent, as long as your chassis doesn't flex.
- Add a handbrake or shifter for the type of racing you do most: handbrake for drift, sequential for GT and V8s.
- Upgrade screens last. They make a big difference, but they're the most expensive part and the easiest to change later.
Buy parts for the chassis you already have, and keep the ones you replace. Our old Logitech wheels are still earning their keep: they're our spares, and they run our PlayStation events until direct drive wheelbases for PS5 arrive.
You can find Racetech's simulator chassis and parts at racetech.co.nz.
Try it before you build it
Want to feel the difference a direct drive rig makes before you buy one? You can hire our Racetech sim rigs for a night or a weekend through our sim rig rental, delivered and set up for you. And if you're planning a bigger event, our activations team runs full sim racing setups with live leaderboards.
Got a question about upgrading your own rig? Get in touch and we're happy to talk sim racing.
