CONSPIT Ares 10 Nm Wheel Base – Review

CONSPIT Ares 10 Nm Wheel Base – Review

The Ares Wheel Base is the first direct drive base from the Chinese manufacturer CONSPIT and is now completing their range to form a complete set consisting of a base, steering wheel and pedals. It offers up to 10 Newton metres of torque and is currently available for just under 600 euros.

Ordering and shipping

The Ares Wheel Base is available in two versions (10 and 18 Newton metres), whereby the 10 Newton metre version was provided by CONSPIT for this review. CONSPIT makes use of a network of distributors for sales, such as our partner Sim-Motion for the German market, where the base is available at the following prices:

• Conspit – Ares 10Nm Wheel Base: 589€
• Conspit – Ares Platinum 18Nm Wheel Base: 879€

The product tested here was provided by the manufacturer. No influence was exerted on this review at any time.

Scope of delivery

The scope of delivery is typical for wheel bases and in addition to the base, the package also includes the matching USB cable, the matching power supply unit and a few stickers. The additional screws supplied in two versions, each 16 millimetres long, are ideal and should therefore be suitable for most mounting options.

• Wheel base
• Power supply unit
• USB cable (USB-A to USB-C)
• Allen key (M8, M6, M5, M4)
• Allen screws M6 X16 mm
• Cylinder head screws M8 X16 mm
• Pan head screws M6 X16 mm
• Pan head screws M8 X16 mm

Technical data

The Ares Wheel Base is relatively compact (134 x 150 x 260 millimetres) and weighs 5.6 kilograms. For the Direct Drive Base (the force is transmitted directly to the user without any redirection), CONSPIT uses an optical encoder which, according to the manufacturer, should offer a faster response time and higher precision than a magnetic encoder. Cogging (cogging occurs when the magnetic poles of the motor are not optimally distributed or the number of magnetic poles and stator teeth are not ideally matched. This can lead to a noticeable irregularity in torque, especially at low speeds or when the steering wheel is moved slowly), CONSPIT uses various techniques: Dual Skewed Pole Design, Asymmetric Slot-to-Pole Configuration and a Segmented Stator Core. Further technical explanations can be found on the manufacturer’s website.

Mounting

CONSPIT has developed two options for attaching the base, which should make it possible to attach the base to almost all currently available rigs:

• Bottom mount: Two grooves with pre-installed sliding blocks are provided on the underside for this purpose, which are spaced eight centimetres apart with the same channel length (the width of the sliding blocks makes them effectively usable at approx. 60 millimetres). This allows the base to be attached to a suitable mounting plate on the rig on the underside using the M6 screws supplied. Depending on the distance between the selected mounting holes, the base can then be moved slightly through the grooves. The 80 millimetre spacing makes it compatible with many rigs where the holes are generously dimensioned for the Fanatec hole pattern (78.4 millimetre spacing). However, these may then have to be drilled out slightly.
• Side mount: As an alternative to the bottom mount, the base can be attached to the two threads provided on both sides of the base using a suitable side mount (CONSPIT sells its own bracket with a variable angle). These are located at a distance of 54.5 mm and are designed as M8 threads. The matching screws are also included with the base.

Compatibility

The Ares Wheel Base is currently only intended for use on a PC and is connected via the USB-A cable supplied. CONSPIT recommends connecting it directly to the mainboard, but a USB hub with an external power supply did not cause any problems in the test and worked without any restrictions.

CDP (Quick Release)

When it comes to quick release, CONSPIT uses its own solution, the CDP made entirely from aluminium (7075 aluminium alloy). This offers power and data transfer without additional cables between the wheel base and the in-house steering wheels via the integrated pogo pins. A Formula-style steering wheel (290GP – €779) and the H.AO hub (€579) are currently available, which can be combined with various steering wheel rims. There are currently no inexpensive entry-level steering wheels available.

To connect, the steering wheel is aligned using the purple marking and then the golden ring is pulled back with a spring, which brings the QR into position. While an initial test sample still showed slight play, CONSPIT reacted quickly and sent a new, corrected QR. As promised, this then delivered play-free operation even with the maximum possible force feedback settings. Data transfer was also reliable throughout the entire test period and there were no disconnections.

Third-party steering wheels

CONSPIT also offers the Quick Release separately for the use of third-party steering wheels. It has a 50 mm hole pattern and therefore requires an adapter to the standard 70 mm hole pattern for most steering wheels.

A special feature is the integrated USB connection, which can be modified for DIY steering wheels, for example, so that the steering wheels are supplied with power and data (USB) directly via the Ares Base. However, according to CONSPIT, an internal USB hub chip was used here which, depending on the design of the steering wheel, may not offer sufficient capacity for image transmission for VoCore displays, for example. Here it is up to the DIY community to explore the possibilities to the maximum, but there are certainly some interesting options.

In addition to the CONSPIT QR, you could theoretically also use your own solution. The base side QR is fastened with six M6 screws and can be replaced by any customised solution (see picture above), as CONSPIT has not provided an artificial FFB lock like Fanatec, for example.

Ports

In addition to the USB-C port for the base itself and the power connection for the power supply unit, the Ares Wheel Base offers various other connections:

• 5 USB-C-Ports: These can currently only be used for hardware from CONSPIT itself, e.g. for the CPP.Lite pedals we tested. Unfortunately, it is not possible to connect your own USB-C devices.
• E-Stop-Port: An optional emergency stop can be connected here, but is not yet available separately.
• 6-Pin Port: On the front of the base there is an additional port with a magnetic cover for future accessories from CONSPIT.

Software

Another important aspect of the overall wheel base package is the associated software, which plays a significant role in the user experience. CONSPIT offers predefined profiles out of the box for various sim racing titles such as Assetto Corsa, iRacing or rFactor 2. Particularly noteworthy here are the two profiles that can be selected directly in the software from the esports driver and now also established racing driver Laurin Heinrich, who provides his setups for Assetto Corsa and iRacing in collaboration with CONSPIT. Further setups from various racing drivers and esports drivers are to follow in the future. This is a very good approach that can be a great help, especially for beginners, when developing their own setups. The following profiles are available:

• Default
  • Road
  • Dirt
  • Drift
• Sims
  • Assetto Corsa
  • Assetto Corsa Competizione
  • iRacing
  • Automobilista 2
  • Dirt Rally 2
  • EA WRC
  • F1 24
  • Forza Horizon 5
  • Raceroom
  • rFactor 2
  • Rennsport
  • Le Mans Ultimate
  • Euro Truck Simulator 2
• Pro Driver
  • Assetto Corsa
  • iRacing

The settings themselves can be made in both Basic Mode and Advanced Mode, with Advanced Mode allowing significantly more extensive adjustments. Here, for example, you can increase the maximum force (Max Force) of the base to 10 Newton metres using the Boost mode and also adjust the filters to your own requirements. However, more in-depth explanations of the individual parameters would be a welcome addition and would make it easier to get started, but CONSPIT offers an actively used interface to users through its own Discord server, where any uncertainties can be quickly clarified by contacting the manufacturer’s technicians.

Otherwise, the clearly organised software offers everything you need. For example, firmware updates can be imported, the base calibrated or the maximum desired steering angle can be set. Profiles can also be created and saved or loaded in a matter of seconds. Thanks to the export and import function, the config files created in this way can also be exchanged within the community. As an additional gimmick, the various base temperatures (Phase U, V, W Temperature, MOS Temperature) and the current torque output are also displayed in the Basic tab of the software.

Force Feedback

The Ares Wheel Base from CONSPIT provided very good force feedback over the entire test period. The preset profiles serve as a good starting point and were then customised with a few small adjustments. The maximum 10 Newton metres specified for the base is explicitly stated as a force that can be reproduced over a longer period of time (e.g. long cornering) and not a peak torque that can only be reached for a short time. Despite the relatively new software, the Base does not have to hide from the currently proven competition (Simucube, Asetek, Fanatec, MOZA, etc.) and offers precise force feedback, which at the same time manages with relatively little damping without tending to oscillate (rocking of the force feedback around the centre position, particularly when releasing the steering wheel).

Especially in combination with the 290GP wheel from CONSPIT, the 10 Nm of the Ares Base are within a range in which clipping was rarely reached during testing. Most users should even have a small buffer zone here, especially if a non-direct-drive base was previously used. However, if, for example, the H.AO hub from CONSPIT is used in conjunction with a larger steering wheel rim and comparatively high forces are aimed at, the technical limits of the Ares Base are likely to be reached. In this case, you might want to take a look at the Ares Platinum Wheel Base with a maximum torque of 18 Nm.

The publication of the test results of the base in continuous operation is both exemplary and unusual. In a long-term test, the Ares Wheel Base stabilised at a temperature of around 90° after several hours of continuous load, which corresponds to a reduction in maximum torque of only around six to seven percent. In our test scenario with an ambient temperature of 18 to 20 degrees in winter, the base could not be brought close to its maximum temperature during a one-hour endurance test at full torque.

Driving impression

Conclusion

CONSPIT has made a successful entry into the sim racing market with its first direct drive wheel base. The Ares Base delivers a very balanced force feedback up to its maximum 10 Newton metres of torque, making it a worthy competitor. The manufacturer also scores with the force feedback profiles provided for various simulations, wireless data and power transmission via its own Quick Release and the compact dimensions of the wheel base, which is easy to mount on the rig.

Overall, with the Ares Wheel Base, CONSPIT provides another very good alternative on the already well-stocked sim racing market. If you are interested in a base around 10 Newton metres and have your eye on one of CONSPIT’s steering wheels in particular, the Ares Base is a clear recommendation to buy.