XL21 Xlerator Wheel Stand, Big Boy Lap Bar for Thrustmaster, Logitech, Fanatec Wheels

Seller & Buying experience : I contacted the seller (Mike) prior to ordering this item with a few questions and concerns I had and within 12 hours I had a reply with most of the information (he was out of town) and then he contacted me again once he got back with the rest. He was very nice and prompt with the information and along with the stellar reviews I had seen both on Amazon, Ebay, and several video reviews by sim racing fan sites I decided to pull the trigger and buy it.It arrived quickly and was very well packed and despite a very large hole in the box (thanks UPS) the wheel stand was 100% undamaged.I have since contacted the seller again (Mike) and requested a custom modification and not only did he offer me several cheaper alternatives that I could buy locally but he also said he would be happy to do the work for a nominal fee. You don't see many retailers take the time to offer you suggestions that takes money out of their pockets nor ones that will do custom work without charging you an arm and a leg for it.Pros:1. The stand is lightweight and is easily assembled with a 10mm socket/wrench, took about 10 minutes, there are complete assembly instructions as well as videos online.2. Stand is very adjustable and will easily fit a wide variety of chairs/couches etc. As well as player sizes big and small, short and tall!3. STABLE! I had my doubts about the overall stability of this product and being able to control my driving with a rather powerful wheel's force feedback, my previous mounting proved woefully inadequate and the force feedback made driving with that mounting impossible. Several video reviews from sim racing sites gave me the encouragement to buy this. It is also pretty stable in the upright position4. Powder coating is well done.5. Product versatility, this stand is designed to fit a great number of wheels and pedal sets however if you are purchasing the newer Xbox One wheel(s) you should contact the seller immediately and he will gladly drill the appropriate holes to accommodate them. (I have the Xbox One/PC Thrustmaster TX Racing Wheel Ferrari 458 Italia Edition)6. Several shifter mounting brackets included to allow many different shifter types and brands7. ALL assembly AND mounting hardware is included! Most alternative options to this product do not supply you with the screws/bolts/nuts to mount any brand/type of wheel sets but this one had them all, and also comes with several Allen wrenches to make it even easier.Cons:1. No built in or supplied wire management, but I knew this prior to ordering and it's not worth deducting any stars for it. Below are suggestions to easily fix this.2. The pre-cut slits in the main arm just aren't quiet wide enough and when you tighten the clamps on these joints they meet just prior to being clamped enough to make the lap bar completely immobile. Again, I'm being picky here and in most cases no one else will notice this but I'm trying to leave a fair and informative review.3. The adjustable legs on the lap bar are not long enough to accommodate my wife who is shorter than I. There is information about the size and types of people this product does fit so I cannot fault the product or seller. This is my only real complaint, and once my wife was able to reach the pedals the wheel was resting in/on her stomach, but with legs that are 3in longer the problem has been resolved. I think future models should have longer lap bar legs to fit a wider variety of people.4. There are two metal pieces on the pedal pan that angle up for what I assume is to keep the pan from catching on carpet, sometimes when your feet are at rest (between races) I've set my foot on these and it can be a little painful, it would be nice if these had some sort of rubber tips on them to prevent this. But this is VERY minor and is just me nit picking.Suggestions for modifications at home:Cable management - This can be fixed with zip ties, velcro cable straps, or in my case I bought 1in rubber pipe insulation ($1.60 for 6ft) and then used velcro cable straps to secure it, this provides the cable management I desired as well as personal protection for myself and my kids from accidental knee/foot bumps and bangs. This also protects the powder coating from when the pedal pan is flipped up for storage, and it looks pretty nice and gives it that racing cockpit feel.General usage feedback:Prior to buying this wheel stand my driving experience was horrible and I was unable to finish a race without being dead last. Now, with this stand I am in my favorite chair in a comfortable and natural driving position and I am able to execute maneuvers and corrections I never thought possible. It is stable, compact, and easily hides away when not in use. I am very happy with the seller and the product!

I ordered this for use with a Logitech G27 and it is a good alternative to more expensive solutions. Setup took me approximately 3 hours. Be sure to have a couple adjustable wrenches handy, and be ready to fiddle. I'm not sure if it's a common problem, but the holes in the legs where the pedal pan connects were too small for the bolts. I had to hone them out a little more to get the bolts to fit. Additionally, the pedal pan itself is narrower than the legs, so I had to squeeze the legs together against the pedal pan in order to get the second bolt on with the lock washer.One change I would have liked to see is getting rid of the allen tube clamps and using quick-release bike seat post clamps, so it can be adjusted easier. To get the included clamps to hold the stand steady, you have to tighten the allen screws in the clamp down HARD.Additionally, consider your seating before you buy. I have some bigger friends so I bought the Big Boy version. I Imagine it may be slightly wide for some recliners. I tested it on my couch, and the stand was "bouncy" due to the couch cushion. Unless the lab bar tips are on a solid surface, expect some "bounce" to the setup.Otherwise, no complaints. The stand itself is solid. The G27 attached easily and is stable.Price-wise, a Playseat may be a better option. The lower end options are only $350, $200 more than this stand, and include a seat, which negates the lap bar issue. If you already have a seat that will work with this, this is the better option. If space is a concern, this is the better option. If space is no concern and you don't have a seat that will work well with this, you are probably better off with the Playseat.Edit: I would advise the manufacturer to move the Logitech G27 Peddle mount screw holes 1 centimeter toward the user. When folding the pedal pan up when not in use, the back edge of the pedals and the cable coming out of the pedals rubs on my carpet. I put some duct tape from about 1/2" under the pedals over the wire where it comes out of the pedals, and taped the wire along the top. The tape rubs on the carpet, but at least the wire isn't being moved around.

I am not giving this product 4 stars due to it's quality. The stand works as advertised and holds the wheel/shifter/pedals very well. You need to assemble the stand yourself. You are given all the tools necessary (except a wrench) and instructions which suffice. I am rating this 4 stars because I don't think the overall quality reflects the price point. I'm not entirely sure how much the cost of materials but $180 doesn't seem right. You're not going to find a better alternative for cheaper however so your decisions are limited. I could have nearly purchased a second G27 for this price. But over-all it's worth it if you don't personally feel like getting up and creating your own contraption to hold the wheel setup. It twists and pivots at every junction no matter how much you tighten it, which irks me but I've come to accept it as part of the stands personality. You have to straighten to whole rig out prior to each session which really isn't an issue it takes a few seconds.