Thrustmaster T128 racing wheel mounted at a flat angle on a desk clamp, with a spinner knob on the rim and a Designed for Xbox badge

Truck Simulator Setup: Wheel, Shifter and Seating for Trucking and Farming Sims

A truck simulator setup needs three things a racing rig does not prioritise: a wheel with a wide rotation range that can sit at a flatter, truck-style angle, an H-pattern shifter with a way to switch gear ranges, and one free hand for equipment controls. A force feedback wheel, pedals and a shifter cover Euro Truck Simulator 2 and American Truck Simulator on PC. Farming Simulator adds a need for a one-handed steering knob and, for many players, a separate control stick. This guide explains each part and which hardware claims are actually documented.

Quick Answer

  • Wheel: choose a force feedback wheel with a wide rotation range, up to 900°, for the long steering turns of trucks and tractors.
  • Shifter: an H-pattern shifter plus a button mapped as a range or splitter toggle. SCS Software's documentation describes how the games combine the two.
  • Mounting: a flatter wheel angle and a spinner knob make long sessions and one-handed manoeuvring easier.
  • Platform: buy the wheel version for your console or PC, and check game support per platform before ordering.

How a Truck Setup Differs From a Racing Rig

Racing hardware is built around fast, small steering inputs and a reclined seat. Truck and farm simulation is slower and more upright, with long steering turns, frequent reversing and many secondary controls: lights, wipers, differential locks, implements. That changes what matters in each part.

Part Racing priority Truck and farming priority What to check
Wheel Strong, fast force feedback Wide rotation and a round rim Maximum rotation angle on the maker's page
Wheel angle Near vertical Flatter, like a cab Whether the mount tilts, or a kit is included
Shifter Sequential or six-speed H H-pattern plus range and splitter toggles Number of positions and spare buttons
Extra controls Buttons on the rim Spinner knob, stick or button panel What is in the box and what is extra
Seat and stand Low, rigid cockpit Upright seat, desk or wheel stand Clamp range or stand compatibility

The Wheel: Rotation and Angle

Thrustmaster builds a pack for exactly this use. The T128 SimTask Pack combines the T128 force feedback wheel, the T2PM pedal set and a SimTask Steering Kit. Thrustmaster lists the T128's rotation as adjustable from 270° to 900°. The Steering Kit positions the wheel flat for driving heavy machinery, clamps to desks between 0.6 and 2.0 inches thick, and lets you adjust tilt and height without tools. It also includes a rotary spinner knob for one-handed steering, which frees your other hand for a joystick or shifter.

The pack does not include a shifter or a control stick. Thrustmaster's box list is the wheel, the pedals, the Steering Kit, the power supply and cables. ProSimHQ stocks both versions: the T128 SimTask Pack for Xbox and PC and the T128 SimTask Pack for PlayStation and PC.

The Shifter: Ranges and Splitters Explained

This is the part racing guides skip. SCS Software's documentation for its truck games explains that consumer shifters copy car gearboxes with up to six forward gears, while trucks have many more, so an additional control selects the active gear set. The documentation describes a simulated gearbox with twelve forward gears and one reverse, and three shifter layouts you choose in the controller options:

  • Range: the default. A toggle switches between gears 1 to 6 and gears 7 to 12.
  • Splitter: a toggle switches between odd-numbered and even-numbered gears.
  • Range-splitter: two toggles combined, which SCS says tries to emulate a real Scania H-shifter.

In practice you need an H-pattern shifter and one or two spare buttons within reach. Thrustmaster's TH8S has an eight-position H-pattern plate, seven gears plus reverse, and Thrustmaster says you can double the number of gears to drive trucks with up to 14. It is sold with the wheel in the T128 Shifter Pack for Xbox and PC. SCS notes that its H-shifter support was written for Logitech G27-compatible hardware, and that custom shifters can work if they report each position as a continuously pressed button. For shifter types in general, see our shifters and handbrakes guide.

Farming Simulator: What Changes

Farm work adds loaders, implements and constant low-speed turning. A spinner knob matters more, and so does a second input for the loader. Thrustmaster describes its SimTask pack as a complement to its separate SimTask FarmStick, which it lists as a PC device. GIANTS Software, the developer of Farming Simulator, also publicises a licensed HORI control set with a wheel, side panel and pedals. GIANTS states that set is compatible with Windows 10 and 11 and that consoles are not supported, and that compatibility with similar peripherals from other brands cannot be guaranteed. We found no official GIANTS list of supported wheels for Farming Simulator 25, so check the wheel maker's game list before you buy for that title.

Platform and Game Support

Buy the wheel version for your platform first. Thrustmaster lists the Xbox T128 for PC, Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One, and the PlayStation T128 for PC, PS5 and PS4. Then check the game:

  • Euro Truck Simulator 2 and American Truck Simulator: PC games. SCS Software announced PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S versions in August 2025. When we checked in October 2026, its site still described them as coming to consoles and had published nothing about wheel support on console.
  • Farming Simulator: Logitech's compatibility list for the G29, G920 and G923 names Farming Simulator 15 through 22 on PlayStation, Xbox and PC. It lists the two truck games under PC only.

Seat, Stand and Screen

You do not need a racing cockpit. A desk works with a clamp-on wheel, and a wheel stand gives a solid mount you can fold away. If you want a permanent seat, pick one with an upright position. Our sim seat guide covers seating positions, and the space-saving rig guide covers small rooms.

Frequently Asked Questions

What steering wheel do I need for Euro Truck Simulator 2?

A force feedback wheel with a wide rotation range and pedals is the base. Add an H-pattern shifter if you want manual gears with range and splitter. SCS Software does not publish a list of supported wheel models, so check the wheel maker's compatibility list.

Do I need an H-shifter for a truck simulator?

No. A wheel and pedals are enough to drive. An H-shifter is for players who want to use the range and splitter layouts described in SCS Software's documentation.

Can I use a racing wheel for Farming Simulator?

Yes, where the wheel maker lists the game for your platform. Logitech lists Farming Simulator titles up to Farming Simulator 22 for its G29, G920 and G923. A spinner knob and a separate control stick make loader work easier.

Can I play Euro Truck Simulator 2 with a wheel on PS5 or Xbox?

SCS Software has announced console versions of Euro Truck Simulator 2 and American Truck Simulator. As of October 2026 it had not published wheel support details for them. Check SCS Software's console page for the current status.

Build Around the Wheel and Shifter

Pick the wheel version for your platform, decide whether you want manual gears, then choose a desk clamp, stand or cockpit.

Shop Racing Wheels Shop Wheel Stands

Sources

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