SimHub Haptic Setup: Buttkicker, Bass Shakers, and 4D Rigs
By Marcus Reeve · 8 min read · Updated June 2026
SimHub is free Windows software that reads live telemetry data from over 150 racing sims and converts it into vibration signals that drive a haptic transducer mounted under your seat. When done properly, you feel kerb strikes, tyre slip onset, engine RPM changes, and ABS pulse directly through your body rather than just seeing them in the HUD. The Buttkicker Gamer Plus is the easiest entry into this because it ships with its own amplifier and SimHub preconfigured profiles exist for every major title. Budget-focused drivers can build a strong setup around the Dayton Audio BST-1 at a fraction of the price, paired with an inexpensive plate amp and the same SimHub software.
Quick answer
SimHub haptic transducers deliver physical seat vibration cues from live sim telemetry, making kerbs, wheelspin, ABS pulse, and engine note physically felt rather than just heard. The Buttkicker Gamer Plus is the easiest setup with included amplifier and SimHub profiles. The Dayton Audio BST-1 delivers strong tactile output at a much lower per-unit cost for DIY multi-shaker builds.
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How SimHub and transducers work together
SimHub reads live telemetry from your sim, translates events like kerb impact, wheelspin onset, ABS activation, and engine RPM into audio frequency signals, and sends those signals to your PC audio output. The transducer, mounted to your seat or rig frame, is essentially a speaker without a cone: instead of pushing air, it pushes the structure it is bolted to. You feel the effect rather than hear it.
The Buttkicker Gamer Plus Haptic Transducer is the reference starting point because the entire signal chain (SimHub output to amplifier to transducer) is straightforward and the community support for configuring it in SimHub is extensive. Install SimHub, connect the Buttkicker amplifier to your audio output, load a community profile for your sim, and you are running within about 20 minutes.
The Dayton Audio BST-1 Bass Shaker Transducer produces strong tactile output at 20 to 80 Hz for a fraction of the Buttkicker's price. The trade-off is that you must pair it with a separate plate amplifier and do a short SimHub configuration session to tune the effect mix. For drivers comfortable spending 30 minutes in SimHub's interface, the BST-1 delivers most of the Buttkicker's effect at about 30 percent of the cost.
Buttkicker Gamer Plus Haptic Transducer
The most widely used sim racing haptic transducer, with a dedicated amplifier, SimHub preconfigured profiles, and strong community support for ACC, iRacing, and Assetto Corsa.
Dayton Audio BST-1 Bass Shaker Transducer
Low-cost passive haptic transducer that produces strong low-frequency vibration when paired with a small plate amp and SimHub.
Single vs multi-transducer setups
A single transducer under the seat is the starting point and delivers a significant immersion improvement over no haptic feedback at all. The Buttkicker Gamer Plus Haptic Transducer in this position handles all the major tactile events effectively.
A second transducer on the pedal plate adds localised foot-feel that the seat unit cannot provide. In iRacing and ACC, ABS pulse is a particularly useful foot-feel cue because it appears exactly when your brake pressure is triggering ABS lockup. Feeling that in your foot rather than just seeing the ABS light is information you can act on faster.
The SimHub 4D Haptic Seat Kit (4x BST-1 Bundle) bundles four Dayton Audio BST-1 Bass Shaker Transducer transducers with a channel map for a seat-base, seat-back, and pedal plate installation. The four-zone approach creates localised effects, for instance left-side kerbs vibrating more strongly on the left of the seat than the right, which adds a directional layer to the haptic immersion that a single central unit cannot produce.
The Buttkicker LFE Low Frequency Effects Transducer is the high-output option for drivers who want maximum intensity or have a larger, heavier rig frame where the Gamer Plus amplitude is insufficient. It requires a separate amplifier rated for its higher power output.
Buttkicker Gamer Plus Haptic Transducer
The most widely used sim racing haptic transducer, with a dedicated amplifier, SimHub preconfigured profiles, and strong community support for ACC, iRacing, and Assetto Corsa.
SimHub 4D Haptic Seat Kit (4x BST-1 Bundle)
Four Dayton Audio BST-1 transducers bundled with a mounting kit and SimHub channel map for a full 4D seat haptic installation covering seat base, back, and pedal plate.
Dayton Audio BST-1 Bass Shaker Transducer
Low-cost passive haptic transducer that produces strong low-frequency vibration when paired with a small plate amp and SimHub.
Buttkicker LFE Low Frequency Effects Transducer
Higher-output Buttkicker unit designed for permanent rig mounting, delivering deeper and more powerful low-frequency tactile output than the Gamer Plus.
Reducing floor vibration transmission
The most common complaint about haptic transducers in apartments or shared houses is floor vibration transmission. The low frequencies produced by a transducer travel well through rigid structures. Mounting the transducer to your seat rather than directly to the rig frame reduces transmission to the floor significantly.
Rubber isolation feet under the rig further reduce transmission. Some builders place a dense rubber mat under the entire rig footprint. Running the transducer crossover frequency above 60 Hz (adjustable in SimHub) cuts the deepest, most transmissive low frequencies while retaining most of the tactile effect. A combination of seat mounting, rubber feet, and a 60 Hz low-end cut handles the apartment use case effectively in most buildings.
The Aura Interactor Pro Wearable Haptic Vest wearable vest is an alternative approach that avoids floor transmission entirely because the vibration is applied directly to the body rather than through the seat or rig frame. It is less precise than a seat-mounted transducer but produces no floor vibration at all, which makes it the practical choice for ground-floor units or in buildings with strict noise policies.
Buttkicker Gamer Plus Haptic Transducer
The most widely used sim racing haptic transducer, with a dedicated amplifier, SimHub preconfigured profiles, and strong community support for ACC, iRacing, and Assetto Corsa.
Aura Interactor Pro Wearable Haptic Vest
Wearable haptic feedback vest that straps to the driver's torso and delivers tactile information directly through the body rather than through the seat.
Featured in this guide
Buttkicker Gamer Plus Haptic Transducer
The most widely used sim racing haptic transducer, with a dedicated amplifier, SimHub preconfigured profiles, and strong community support for ACC, iRacing, and Assetto Corsa.
Dayton Audio BST-1 Bass Shaker Transducer
Low-cost passive haptic transducer that produces strong low-frequency vibration when paired with a small plate amp and SimHub.
Buttkicker LFE Low Frequency Effects Transducer
Higher-output Buttkicker unit designed for permanent rig mounting, delivering deeper and more powerful low-frequency tactile output than the Gamer Plus.
SimHub 4D Haptic Seat Kit (4x BST-1 Bundle)
Four Dayton Audio BST-1 transducers bundled with a mounting kit and SimHub channel map for a full 4D seat haptic installation covering seat base, back, and pedal plate.
Aura Interactor Pro Wearable Haptic Vest
Wearable haptic feedback vest that straps to the driver's torso and delivers tactile information directly through the body rather than through the seat.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Does SimHub work with iRacing and Assetto Corsa Competizione?+
Yes. SimHub supports iRacing, ACC, Assetto Corsa, EA WRC, Dirt Rally 2.0, and over 150 other titles. Each sim exposes different telemetry channels and SimHub maps these to haptic effects. Community-built profiles exist for the most popular titles and are available within SimHub's dashboard library at no extra cost.
Do I need a separate amplifier for a Buttkicker?+
The Buttkicker Gamer Plus includes its own dedicated amplifier in the box, so you do not need to source one separately. The Buttkicker LFE requires a separate amplifier. The Dayton Audio BST-1 always requires its own amplifier. Budget around $30 to $60 for a Lepai LP-2020A or similar plate amp when buying passive transducers.
Where does the transducer connect to the PC?+
Haptic transducers are audio devices. They connect to your PC's audio output, typically via a 3.5mm jack or RCA cable, through the amplifier. SimHub creates a virtual audio device on your PC that outputs the haptic effects channel. You assign this virtual device to your amplifier output in SimHub settings, and the transducer receives the signal.
Will the vibration damage my rig frame or seat over time?+
At normal amplitude settings, no. Transducers run at frequencies below 200 Hz and the vibration forces are well within the fatigue limits of aluminium profile or steel tube rigs. Running at maximum amplitude for extended periods could loosen mounting bolts, so check that the transducer mounting bolts are tight every few months. Thread-locking compound on the mount bolts is worth the added step.
Can I add a second transducer on the pedal plate?+
Yes, and it is a popular upgrade. A pedal plate transducer adds foot-feel cues for wheelspin, ABS pulse, and lockup that complement the seat-mounted unit's body feel. SimHub routes the haptic effects to separate audio channels so you can assign different effects to the seat and pedal plate transducers independently. A two-transducer setup covers the most immersive range of tactile events.