Steering pod

Okay, let's tear this bad boy down. Don't miss the screws located under the rubber pads. Inside we find the analog to digital conversion board. They did some work to the stick shifter as well. Still a single torsion spring but it's also beefier and gone are the little "buttons" simply soldered to the board, it now has actual microswitches, albeit, plastic they are nicely sized. Big disappointment in the steering area. Yes Virginia, they've "unbeefed" the most worn part of the unit. The steering column/axis. This explains the slop in the wheel.(side to side). It stems from a poorly sized "fit" between the molded panel and the molded steering shaft. One thing
nice is that they no longer use a "push" fit pot connection. The end of the molded steering shaft simply has a half moon shaped hole so the pot shaft just pushes in....and it's tight, side to side. That's why the wiggle in the wheel doesn't translate to movement of the pot. The bungee still resides as the centering mechanism:-(. As a matter of fact, it's identical to the Naspro. I like the way the wires that travel through the steering column(from the paddle shifters,buttons)now go to the rear of the unit before attaching to the converter. This is much better than the board that
was mounted so close to the steering column on the NasPro and would fatigue the wires. So alas, an improvement in a past problem? Okay, let's give that one to them.


SUMMARY

This wheel is best described as a cost reduction project on a successful middle of the line priced wheel which resulted in bringing it down to a lower price-point. A lot of emphasis has been placed on the reduction of "shot size" for molded parts. Less tonnage required from the press to mold these pieces also reduces cost. You'll notice it throughout the D2. Smaller webs, less molded rubber on the wheel, no metal plate on the bottom of the pedal pod, etc. But let's discuss performance. Simply put it's "there". Steering, braking, gas operation is all smooth and performance enhancing. But what should we compare it to? That's the measure. I don't think you'll find a wheel in this price range that has better features or functionality. Dual shifters, loads of buttons for assignments a nice software package for interfacing to games, digital, usb, etc. My laps times right out of the box were comparable to my NasPro, which has been heavily modified, it's all but a TSW. This was surprising since I figured a little stick time would be necessary to get consistency which followed suit in a very short race. All in all I've made the transition from my NasPro to the D2 very easily.


NEGATVIE POINTS

• Wheel slop. I hope it was just my unit, but the wheel has way too much side to side play. Thankfully, due to the pot mounting technique, it doesn't transfer to movement in the game, but distracting nonetheless.
  
• Lack of a full rubber covering on the wheel. 'Nuff said.
  Gas/Brake springs. Would have liked to see extension springs instead of torsion units. But they have made some changes to the spring, the area it resides and the geometry. Keep your fingers crossed as to "life".
  
• Bungee.
  
• Gotta be a better way to center a wheel. It's understood that at this price-point that's a tough assignment. Don't get me wrong, it works well. But it eventually fails in some manner.
  
• Lack of disconnect at wheel pod. Damn, this is flat-out wrong. Being able to disconnect the wheel and hide it somewhere is a necessity.
  

• Pedal pod increased angle. Makes it much easier on the feet. Plus your pushing more "down" than "away" which will help keep the pod under ya.
  
• Pedals/steering precision. MUCH smoother results.
  
• Dual shifting. Your choice, stick or paddles.
  Buttons. Again, we need em. They are there. All 8 of em'(including shifters, paddles and stick)
  
• Digital.
  
• USB.
  
• My lap times :-)
  
• And of course the biggie......$45!!!!!