Sim Racing
Direct drive
A wheelbase where the wheel mounts straight onto the motor shaft, with no belts or gears between.
A wheelbase design where the steering wheel mounts straight onto the motor shaft, with no belts or gears in between. Removing that intermediate drivetrain is generally credited with reducing the lag and slack that belt- and gear-driven bases can introduce, which is why most enthusiast and professional setups have moved to direct drive. Peak strength is measured in newton-metres (Nm) of torque, and consumer bases commonly land in roughly the 5–25 Nm range.
What it means when you're buying
higher torque feels more lifelike but needs a sturdier mount and desk, and entry direct-drive units now overlap on price with high-end belt bases — so the practical question is how much torque your rig (and your hands) can actually use.