CAMMUS Direct Drive Base 15NM (DDWB) – Review

CAMMUS Direct Drive Base 15NM (DDWB) – Review

Since last year, a new manufacturer, CAMMUS, has appeared on the simracing market. The 15 Newton-metre DDWB tested here is the central pillar of the growing product range, which currently includes a button box with various steering wheel rims and pedals in addition to the wheel base.

Ordering and shipping

The base can be purchased directly from CAMMUS. The price is an unbeatable $499 for the base. For $698 you get the base including the steering wheel ( review to follow at a later date) and for $899 the complete package including the 3-pedal set.

You can save another 5% with the code simracingpc.

Here, of course, shipping costs and also tax and customs duties are added for shipping to the EU. This means you end up with about the same price as the European shops. The price for the wheel base is around 800€.

The wheel base reviewed here was provided by CAMMUS. No conditions were specified and there were no requirements imposed by the manufacturer.

Scope of delivery

The Wheel Base comes securely packed in a decent black cardboard box. In addition to the base, four screws including washers for mounting and the power supply unit are included in the delivery.

Technical data

The most important aspect of the Wheel Base is of course its maximum force of 15 Newton metres. CAMMUS makes the following further specifications:

Function keys

A rather unusual section for a wheel base relates to the function keys on the front. Here, the base stands out from the competition and provides a whole handful of buttons. Although they are very simple, they offer real added value and can definitely replace a smaller button box:

• 5 Buttons
• 2 Rotary encoders
• 1 Two-way toggle switch
• 1 latching two-way toggle switch

Mounting

The DD from Cammus can be mounted either via the side or via four threads on the underside. For this test, we used the latter, which allowed the base to be mounted without any play. The holes do not follow any current “standard” of larger manufacturers. Thus, if there are no slotted holes, it is highly likely that new holes will have to be drilled for mounting.

Steering wheels and quick-release

CAMMUS makes it easy for buyers to install their own quick releases. The 70 mm bolt pattern on the shaft also allows direct mounting of almost any current steering wheel.

Our pictures show the QR from CAMMUS, which simultaneously provides the power supply and the transmission of data between the steering wheel and the wheel base. It is practically free of play and therefore definitely a clear recommendation for use with the base.

Currently, a button box is available for which both a round rim and a rim in Formula style are offered. CAMMUS is currently working on further steering wheels, which will be available soon. .

Compatibility

The Wheel Base from CAMMUS is natively compatible with the PC only. CAMMUS states the following games as fully compatible (as of December 2022).

During the review, Assetto Corsa, Assetto Corsa Competizione, F1 22 and iRacing worked without any problems and with full support of the force feedback. However, this did not apply to the recently released WRC Generations. Here, the base could be configured as a gamepad, but FFB was not reproduced correctly. It is to be hoped that the manufacturer will react more quickly to new releases in the future.

In addition, the pedals and the E-Stop from CAMMUS can be connected at the back. Additional spaces for upcoming accessories from the manufacturer are also provided.

Software

To operate the Wheel Base, the in-house software is used. It is very straightforward and ready for use after just a few minutes. The Wheel Base (and also the matching steering wheel) were recognised immediately in the review and with the preset values we went straight onto the track in Assetto Corsa Competizione.

The preset is very heavily damped in this simulation and the following changes have therefore been made:

• Power: 100%
• Effects Ratio: 100%
• Natural Damper: 4%
• Natural Friction: 2%
• Natural Inertia: 3%
• Idle Spring: 0%

Updates to the hardware firmware can also be made via the software. Another practical feature is the possibility to export profiles and thus easily share them with other simracers.

App

A nice gimmick is the additional possibility to make settings via one’s own mobile phone. To do this, the app (available for Android and iOS) must be installed and the base connected to the smartphone via Bluetooth. Here, settings can then be made as desired.

Force Feedback

The most important aspect when buying a wheel base is, of course, the force feedback:

Here, the most important first step is probably to adjust the preset values to your own needs. They use a lot of damping, which can lead to a very indirect driving feel.

With the adjusted settings, the base feels very alive and can convey a lot of detail even with the relatively large steering wheel (32 centimetres in diameter) used in our review.

The 15 Newton metres of the wheel base, even in combination with the comparatively large steering wheel, are sufficient to drive GT3 cars in Assetto Corsa Competizione without getting into the area of clipping. Here, the 15 Newton metres are clearly noticeable and place the base above a CSL-DD from Fanatec or a MOZA R9.

Overall, the Force Feedback makes a very solid impression, even if it doesn’t quite reach the richness of detail of a Simucube 2 Pro base, for example, which is in a completely different price range.

Driving impression

Conclusion

The CAMMUS Direct Drive Base closes the gap between MOZA R9 / CSL-DD and the high-end wheel bases. For a price of $499, it is currently probably the wheel base where you get the most Newton metres per Euro. For Europe, the price advantage is somewhat relativised by taxes and customs duties, but the 15 Newton metre wheel base is also fairly priced at around 800€. Thanks to the 70-millimetre bolt circle, USB steering wheels can be screwed directly to the base if required, or alternatively the well-designed QR system from CAMMUS can be used, including power and data transmission.

The CAMMUS software still has weaknesses when it comes to supporting new simulations, so you should be prepared to be patient. The situation is similar with the selection of steering wheels directly from CAMMUS. However, there should be a larger selection in the future.