TREQ Ace Simrig
TREQ is now a well-known name and needs no further introduction among us simracers. Many of you are already familiar with the TREQ discount codes that we are able to give out. Last year, we had the opportunity to review the TREQ One Simrig, and now it’s time for the TREQ Ace Simrig. We were able to place the order ourselves through the webshop and chose to review the TREQ Ace in combination with the Fanatec DD side mount, Simucube front mount, cup holder, leveling feet, single monitor stand, mouse tray, headphone holder, and keyboard tray.
At the time of writing, the TREQ Ace is available for € 725.00, but you will still need a seat and, of course, your equipment. You can easily expand this simrig with all kinds of optional accessories so that you are provided with all the conveniences. For our configuration (excluding seat and equipment), you will spend just over € 1100.00.
Packaging & Contents
Just like we did with the TREQ One, we choose to pick up our orders at the TREQ headquarters. We have a cup of coffee, catch up, and load up our car before heading back. If you were to order the TREQ Ace and have it delivered, TREQ usually ships your order the next business day. From the moment we placed our order, we were kept informed of its status via email. Our order was packed in four sturdy brown boxes, generously covered with the TREQ logo. Once you open the boxes, everything is neatly wrapped in bubble wrap and any empty spaces are filled with paper to keep all the parts securely in place during transport. After carrying everything upstairs, unpacking, and sorting, our building adventure can begin.
Engineering & Quality
The TREQ Ace is a simrig based on aluminum extrusion profiles. This can be described as aluminum beams in which you can slide so-called T-slot nuts and connect them to each other with connector pieces. The concept of a simrig with aluminum extrusion profiles is not new to most simracers, and it offers endless possibilities for adjustment to build the perfect simrig for you. The aluminum extrusion profiles, normally in aluminum color, are black anodized for a nice, sleek look. The profiles are reasonably scratch-resistant, but we always recommend being careful and avoiding moving sharper parts. The parts of the pedal deck and DD side mount are made of thick steel plates to provide extra rigidity. With a little insight and the included manual(s), building a simrig with aluminum extrusion profiles is very easy to do.
Assembly & Adjustment
Like its little brother, the TREQ One, which we have already reviewed, the TREQ Ace simrig is based on aluminum extrusion profiles. Building it can be a bit of a puzzle, especially if it’s your first time. However, since we have gained some experience, building the TREQ Ace simrig is pretty easy for us. We still kept the manual at hand just to make sure we didn’t run into any issues, but this was not the case. Each step is clearly indicated in the manual with the necessary mounting tools. The black aluminum profiles are susceptible to scratches, but if you handle them carefully, you can put the simrig together almost scratch-free. We were able to build the frame in just one evening, and we expect that for a first-timer it might take an extra hour or so. We are very perfectionistic and therefore like to spend some extra time on building, adjusting, and working on cable management.
Base
The base of this simrig consists of four profiles, two long ones on the sides and two shorter ones in between where the profiles for the seat will eventually be mounted. We ordered the leveling feet so that the whole simrig can be raised a few centimeters, which greatly improves stepping in and out. You can also use the leveling feet to perfectly level the simrig, which is almost impossible with the standard rubber feet that come with it. As far as we’re concerned, having the base level is definitely a must, as you will only benefit from it later in the build process. To protect the floor, we placed a fitting rug from Speedy Rugs under the Ace.
Pedal deck
The pedal deck consists of two steel side plates with three aluminum profiles in between. It is designed in such a way that almost any pedal set can be easily mounted. The side plates have holes instead of slots, which makes mounting and adjusting much easier. We ordered a number of M8 handle screws for mounting the pedal deck to our base. These handle screws are used to adjust parts of your simrig without tools. The holes prevent the parts from falling down when you loosen the bolts, making it easy to slide the pedal deck back and forth between the base. Adjusting the height is also easier by first adjusting the front of the pedal deck and then the back. Once everything is assembled, we can easily mount our Asetek Forte pedals on top of the pedal deck using four M6 bolts.
Seat
Mounting our LCD Pro Drift seat is done on two aluminum profiles that you mount on top of the base. On top of this, you can mount the seat brackets with a possible slider. We don’t use a slider, so we mount the seat brackets directly on the profiles. It’s convenient, we think, to first mount the chair between the seat brackets so you can position the chair properly before securing everything.
Steering Column
The steering column consists of two upright profiles with the Fanatec DD side mount in between. First, we mount the upright profiles on the side of the base. Once these profiles are mounted, it is advisable to place a level on top to ensure both profiles are the same height. In between, we mount the Fanatec DD side mount and also secure it with M8 handle screws for easy adjustment. Then, we hang the Fanatec Podium Wheelbase DD2 between the side mount, and we’re ready to start adjusting everything.
Adjustment
Now that the building is finished, we can start adjusting our sim rig. The TREQ Ace is very versatile, which makes it suitable for any type and length of body. Adjusting the TREQ Ace is not a very difficult task, but do pay some attention to it. A well-adjusted sim rig can save you a lot of physical discomfort.
We prefer to first adjust the seating position in relation to the pedals. Since we have the seat in a fixed position, we only need to adjust the pedal deck to the right height and distance. Then it’s a matter of setting the steering column at the right distance, and the TREQ Ace simrig is ready to use. We still need to tidy up the cables, but we’ll save that task for a later moment so we can fine-tune the adjustments without having to undo everything.
Usage
We have been driving around in our TREQ Ace for over a month and a half in order to provide the most accurate review possible. Racing in this simrig has been a great experience for us, providing a lot of pleasure and comfort during our many sessions in Assetto Corsa Competizione. We do not experience any flex during racing. The TREQ Ace is a very sturdy simrig, thanks to its size and the aluminum profiles used, which make it very stable. The extra high profiles and leveling feet make the entry and exit very comfortable, which we consider to be one of the great advantages of the TREQ Ace.
As we also noticed on the TREQ One, the cover caps of the corner brackets are still a weak point of TREQ. These caps are not securely attached to the corner brackets, causing them to fall out regularly. The cover caps are optional and meant to make the appearance more streamlined by covering the bolts in the corner brackets. But apart from this point, there are no negatives to mention about the TREQ Ace.
Because we chose handle screws instead of regular bolts for the pedal deck and the DD side mount, making adjustments is very easy and quick to do. We did some fine-tuning to the setup on the first evening of racing, and haven’t made any changes since then. These adjustments were minor and mostly involved shifting the pedal deck or steering column a few millimeters to ensure that we can drive comfortably in our simrig.
Conclusion
The TREQ Ace is a very pleasant, sturdy, and versatile simrig. There is no flex to speak of, this simrig really stands firm like a house. The simrig is not an out-of-the-box construction but is easy to build, even if you have no prior experience with it. You have infinite adjustment possibilities, and the simrig is suitable for all types and lengths of bodies. Everything is ready-made, and mounting all peripherals is basically very easy to do. The entry is very pleasant due to its higher profiles. The TREQ Ace does not have any major drawbacks, but we do find the covers on the corner brackets a point where TREQ should definitely do something if you want to make the appearance of your simrig completely smooth. The extra accessories we have chosen offer you a lot of comfort and convenience, but are of course not a must. The looks of the TREQ Ace are also very good, it really is an impressive whole.
As previously mentioned, we have had the opportunity to review the TREQ One. We do not want to do a one-on-one comparison, but we can point out the differences well based on our experience with both sim rigs. The main differences are in the profiles used. While the TREQ One mainly consists of 80/40 and 40×40 profiles, the Ace uses 160/40 and 120/40 profiles. This means, for example, that the base of the TREQ Ace is already 8 centimeters higher, which benefits the entry. In addition, the profiles of the steering column are slightly higher, and 120/40 profiles are used instead of the 80/40 profiles on the TREQ One for extra rigidity. Ultimately, this benefits the stability of the TREQ Ace. Where there is already little to no flex with the TREQ One, it is definitely a thing of the past with the TREQ Ace.
Overall, we are extremely satisfied with the TREQ Ace simrig. For € 725.00, you are purchasing a very solid frame that you can use for your entire sim racing life. If you are now just as excited as we are and want to order the TREQ Ace and/or accessories, please fill out our contact form, and we will send you a personal discount code.
Do you want to stay informed about SimRaceBlog content, news, announcements and (future) give-aways? Follow us on Instagram @simraceblognl and/or our Discord channel.
