Whether you play truck sims or farming sims, a good PC steering wheel is one of the best investments you can make to immerse yourself in the sim. Unlike with racing sims, neither truck nor farming sims are particularly demanding when it comes to just driving, so even cheaper wheels can do the job just fine.
In this guide, I’ve collected what I think are five of the best steering wheels for truck sims and farming sims. I’ve included wheels that offer true force feedback (so the wheel pushes back against you as you make a turn), as well as cheaper wheels that forego that technology for price savings. Let’s dive into it!
Top Pick: Logitech G29/920
The Logitech G29/920
The TMX/TMX Pro, utilizes a mix of both belt and gear force feedback systems, allowing for a smooth feel when driving, which is supplemented by the force that the gear portion outputs. From the start, you can thus tell that the target audience for this wheel is most likely one which focuses on racing, or at the very least driving on asphalt like you would in a trucking simulator. It’s not particularly pretty either.
That being said, what it does as a farming sim wheel, does laudably. The build quality is quite good, as it’s made of robust hard plastic, and feels as though it can take quite a bit of punishment. Despite the lack of leather covering it also feels quite comfortable to play with, having an ergonomic feel to it. Finally, it has a rotation range of 900° (which is less than the PlayStation equivalent, the T300) and generally is incredibly responsive.
The last point to consider is why I’ve included both the TMX and TMX Pro. The normal TMX model comes with a pair of pretty awful pedals. As a start there’s only two of them, meaning that you can forget about the clutch. The break doesn’t get stiffer as you press down on it, again detracting from the realistic feel. If this isn’t a deal-breaker for you that’s okay, but wait until you look at….
The Pro set, which comes with the incredible T3PA pedals. These fix all of the faults of the normal set, from the stiffness to the case of the missing clutch. What’s more interesting however is that, on occasion, you can find the TMX Pro bundled with the T3PA for a cheaper price than the basic model, which is a fantastic steal!
Best Value: Hori Racing Wheel Apex
This wheel isn’t as great as the top two, but it’s price to quality ratio is incredible, making it an alluring pick for those looking for cheaper alternatives.
The Hori Racing Wheel Apex (RWA)
I’m not going to sugar-coat it: the Subsonic SA5426 Racing Wheel is not a great wheel. It has a 180° rotation range, is a controller-based wheel, and the pedal set it comes with only has an acceleration and brake pedal.
What it does have going for it is an accessible price (though the Hori is by far better) and an easy set-up. As soon as you unpack it, it’s ready to go. It also has around 10 programmable buttons and adequate build quality.
This is perhaps best considered as a gift for a younger fan of the series. This wheel is easy to multi-use, it’s compatible with a large variety of devices, it can easily be re-located thanks to the suction cups, and it’s not expensive.
What to Consider When Buying Steering Wheels for Truck and Farming Sims
Price
When looking for wheels for simulators a main consideration has to be price or at least a price to quality ratio. Wheels on this list don’t need all the power or features that you’d expect to find on a sim wheel that is built to reproduce F1 tracks. For this reason, the wheel should also not cost as much. It’s for this reason that we’ve tried to keep this list fairly accessible. Moreover, don’t assume that a higher price point equates to a better wheel. As you’ll see, some cheap wheels do their jobs much better than other more expensive and “high quality” alternatives out there.
Ergonomics
Farming and trucking both take time, and for this reason, it’s important that the wheel be ergonomic. It shouldn’t just be well built, but also well suited to be used for a long amount of time without becoming uncomfortable. Comfortably built, made from good materials, and designed to not strain you, these are all fundamental qualities for a good sim wheel.
Rotation Range
Rotation range what differentiates between how an arcade wheel and a simulator wheel feel. If you have to turn the physical wheel more than what the in-game sim asks of you, it will detract for the authenticity. You’ll no longer be feeling like you’re driving actual farming or trucking equipment, which is the entire purpose of purchasing this peripheral. We recommend looking for wheels that offer 900° or more of rotation range. Anything extra is a welcome bonus, but 900° is the magic number.
Force Feedback
Force-feedback is how the wheel behaves vis-à-vis your actions and what is happening in the farming sim. It tracks and opposes your movements by applying force depending on the conditions under your wheels. This is not a crucial factor. Nevertheless, it is still a very welcome factor when it can be found, as it adds to the realism of your experience. As a final note, force feedback is not the same as vibrating. Force feedback tries to replicate the push-back an actual wheel would have in that specific situation. Vibration is inferior as it only shakes the wheel around.
Last Updated on May 4, 2022