The Ultimate Rig Guide

Product Information

The TR8 Pro is the second evolution of the widely loved TR8. This is a 2″ Industrial Strength Iron Chassis sim rig that provides a huge amount of customisation. In fact, possibly more than some 8020 sim rigs! High-end aluminium profile and metal tube sim rigs allow for the most high-end sim racing equipment to be mounted without any stability issues. While all-in-one rigs and more budget-friendly options will limit the type of sim racing equipment you can mount. The best rig is one with a bait attached that they really want to eat." Is how rig and bait guru, Jason Hayward once put it. And how true that is. Monitor mounting comes in a few different varieties. Many sim rigs will have the option to directly mount it to your rig. This is a solid option as you can ensure your monitor is always correctly positioned even if you moved your rig. It also allows you to position your monitor closer to your racing wheel which is beneficial to achieving the correct FOV (field of view).

Hopefully, the above options give you a good insight into the different styles of sim rigs in 2023. I’ve highlighted the best sim rigs within each category to help narrow down the selection. But it is great for sim racers to have such a wide range of different sim rigs available. Aluminium profile sim rigs and sim rigs constructed from a metal tube go about achieving the same result with two completely different methods. They are both extremely strong and sturdy styles of construction and will allow you to mount the best direct drive sim racing wheels and best sim pedals to them.

An aluminium profile (8020) sim rig is designed for maximum versatility. You can configure your rig in an almost infinite number of ways, tailoring it to your exact needs. And if you want to mount any additional items to your rig such as keyboard trays or shifters, you can simply bolt on another piece of aluminium extrusion. One of the reasons that the Sim Lab P1X Pro is so strong is due to the large aluminium profile that is used. The P1X Pro uses 40x160mm aluminium extrusion to ensure there is no movement or rigidity. This is compared to 40x120mm and 40x80mm that a lot of other 8020 rigs use. Rigidity – Always think about the racing wheel and pedals you’re mounting, as stronger products require a sturdier sim rig. It starts by laying the the basics of how a carp feeds - knowledge which will help you develop and tweak your rigs. This leads onto analysing hook holds - the only sign that will tell you how well your rig is performing. We cover literally every knot known to man. We showcase 20+ of the latest rigs, each featuring clear, easy-to-follow illustrations or crisp-sharp photography. We look at 'the pro's' Gaz Fareham's Rig For A 50; Nigel Sharp's Stiff Bottom Bait Rig; Lewis Read's Fatal Rig and many more. We look at lead choice (why) and set-up (when). And finally we have a manual of How To's which will only aid in ensuring you get more bites after carrying them out.

And the best part is that this whole setup is very budget-oriented. It is the cheapest sim rig on this list and performs well above its price range. For a first delve into sim racing, this is a perfect sim rig. A pre-drilled mounting plate will allow you to mount a wide range of racing wheels to your rig from the bottom of the wheel base. With these, you must ensure the pre-drilled positions match the mounting points of your racing wheel. The most professional and heavy-duty sim racing rigs are known as 8020 sim rigs and are constructed using a heavy-duty aluminium profile. These can be highly customisable and can fit almost any requirement. The strength of the aluminium profile used allows for the strongest and best performing sim racing wheels to be mounted to them. Metal tube sim rigs When it comes to all-in-one sim rigs, these are rigs that include everything you need to go racing. That includes a racing seat. Many of the sim rigs that I spoke about above don’t include a racing seat, making them that extra bit more expensive. It starts by laying the foundations: the basics of how a carp feeds - knowledge which will help you develop and tweak your rigs. This leads onto analysing hook holds – the only sign that will tell you how well your rig is performing. We cover literally every knot known to man. We showcase 20+ of the latest rigs, each featuring clear, easy-to-follow illustrations or crisp-sharp photography. We look at 'the pro's' rigs: Gaz Fareham’s Rig For A 50; Nigel Sharp’s Stiff Bottom Bait Rig; Lewis Read’s Fatal Rig and many more. We look at lead choice (why) and set-up (when). And finally we have a manual of How To’s which will only aid in ensuring you get more bites after carrying them out.

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There are a whole host of all-in-one sim rigs across a wide range of budgets however, these normally cater for beginner sim racers or those with less budget and space available. All-in-one sim rigs will feature everything you need to start sim racing including a sim racing seat, which is normally an added extra for tubular and 8020 rigs.

As you grow as a sim racer, over time you may wish to add more elements to your sim rig. These could include a mount for a shifter, keyboard tray or monitor. It is hard to account for this when purchasing a sim rig, but try to keep an eye out for the potential to upgrade over time. Despite that, this sim rig is more than sturdy enough to handle a direct drive racing wheel such as the Fanatec CSL DD. There are sim rigs available for a wide range of budgets, including lower-priced 8020 sim rigs. So always keep your intended budget in mind when shopping. All in all, this is a quality publication, well worthy of the price tag. What I really like is the fusion of old and new, or to be more precise, new thinking which moves forward older tried and trusted approaches. Many of the rigs are nothing new, but the way that the authors are fishing them – especially some of the new breed of coming through – definitely is, and I don’t mind saying that I’ll be incorporating more than a few subtle changes to my own approaches this year as a result of reading this publication cover to cover – and I’ve been at it for over twenty years! For those fresh into the sport, this really is an invaluable addition to one’s carp fishing armoury.However, most sim racing rigs are heavy and cumbersome to move around. So you will want to look for somewhere rather permanent to position your sim rig that has a screen directly in front. Many sim rigs do have mounting points for screens which is the ideal solution, but again, this will take up even more space! Aluminium profile vs metal tube If you are looking at buying a high-end sim rig, you will often be presented with a choice of racing wheel mounting options. If you’re using a direct drive racing wheel, this will often be front-mounted or side-mounted. Upgradability And there is more adjustability with this sim rig than you would ever need. The rig comes equipped with a seat mount that allows you to side-mount your racing seat in almost any position. You can achieve an upright GT-style racing position or a fully reclined Formula 1 style seating position. Since we need a bit more power budget for this build versus the budget build, I've gone with the Be Quiet! Pure Power 12 M 650W here. It's a great platform, and a trusted manufacturer. You definitely don't want to pinch too many pennies when it comes to your power supply—that can have dire consequences. Best to play it safe and spend a little extra for peace of mind. A sim rig is a rather large commitment in terms of cost and floor space. Many sim racers will start out with a racing wheel mounted to a desk or a foldable wheel stand. But for many, this isn’t a viable long term solution. If you are looking to upgrade our equipment or sim race more often, a sim rig is the next natural step. But a limiting factor can be floor space.