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OP baseline adjustments
When looking for optimal driving ergonomics, it is important to get the complete package in place. The wheel, pedals, seat and monitor adjustments are the biggest factors in completing the driving ergonomic adjustments. If all aspects are in place, your driving will be effortless and you will be able to focus on the simulation to the fullest. If an area needs improvement, the driver will usually experience minor distractions during driving, such as muscle pain or eye strain.
The purpose of this guide is to help you find good basic adjustments to fine-tune for your body to acquire perfect driving ergonomics.
Steering wheel
Placing the steering wheel in the optimal position for driving ergonomics significantly improves performance and driving comfort. When the steering wheel is in the optimal position, it is easy to use, the muscles do not get tired so easily and you can conveniently learn different steering wheel control techniques, such as push or pull turning style.
In Overpower rigs, the steering wheel is conveniently adjustable with four handles, which you can easily adjust to adjust the height, angle, and distance of the steering wheel.
The rule of thumb for our turnkey driving simulator steering wheel presets is as follows:
- The distance is in place when your hands are straight with your wrists on the steering wheel
- Angle towards the chest
- The center of the steering wheel at the level of the pectoral muscles
Pedals
When the height, distance and angle of the pedals are adjusted, it is extremely easy for the driver to perform foot control in tough racing situations. The optimal position of the pedals is usually found by looking at the tension in the muscles of the legs and lower back. If you experience muscle tension or pain, it is a good idea to start changing the position of the pedals.
In all Overpower rigs you will find a convenient height, angle, and distance adjustment for the pedals. By loosening a few screws, you can fine-tune the position of the pedals with ease, making it easy to find the perfect driving ergonomics.
As we prepare the OP turnkey racing simulators, the rule of thumb for our presets are:
- Angle of the pedals with the pedal surfaces pointing vertically upwards, a few degrees towards the driver
- The pedals are adjusted so that the back pressure is applied to the driver's lower back. The height of the pedals is thus slightly higher in Formula rigs than in GT rigs.
- The distance is extremely easy to adjust, especially with the electric adjustment of the OP Pedal Rack, so the only thing to consider is to get the pedals a little closer in the GT rigs than in the OP Formula rigs due to the more vertical driving position of the GT rig.
Monitor
The eyes are one of the most important sensors in sim racing. Information about racing events, such as oversteering the car or a crash in front, comes the fastest from the eyes. And the faster you get the information, the better you can react to sudden situations in tough racing environment.
Properly positioning the screen significantly supports racing performance. Once the screen distance, height and angle are optimized, it is effortless for the eyes to process the information coming from the screen and you can easily run long racing sessions. And when the ergonomics of the eyes are good, your performance on the track stays excellent.
Overpower's integrated display stands are designed with ergonomics in mind, which means to us the stand's stability, easy adjustability, and wide adjustment scales. And what’s more awesome than getting your screen easily fine-tuned, which complements your driving ergonomics perfectly.
When we adjust the screens for the OP Racing service simulators as well as in other turnkey solution deliveries, our rule of thumb for the display adjustments are:
- For 16: 9 displays, the distance between the monitor and the eyes is the same as the width of the screen, but never closer than 50 cm because it puts a strain on the eyes, impairing performance
- 21: 9 and wider displays 60 cm from the eyes
- For 32: 9 super ultra-wide displays, the distance from the eyes is 70 cm
- The angle of the screen is aimed directly at the eyes
- The height of the screen is aligned with the height of the eyes, approx. 40% / 60% of the line
OP Formula Seat
Last year, Olli made an extensive review on how to acquire the perfect seat ergonomics using OP Formula. As this tutorial ages well, please refer to the article on how to adjust the OP Formula Seat!