How to use the wheel tester
- Connect the wheel to your computer and make sure its driver software is installed. If the wheel has a console/PC switch or a start-up mode, choose PC.
- Press any button on the wheel. The browser only reveals the device after the first input; the bar at the top of the tool then shows its name and manufacturer.
- Turn the wheel slowly from full left lock to full right lock. The tool picks the axis with the widest travel that rests in the middle of its range — that is almost always the steering axis. You can change it manually if needed.
- Set the rotation to the value configured in your wheel's driver or on the wheelbase (for example 900° or 1080°). The on-screen wheel then turns by the same angle as the real one.
- Hold the wheel straight and press “Mark center” to measure how far the reported center is from the middle of the axis.
- Press every button, paddle and shifter position. Each one is ticked off in the button grid, so you can see which inputs you have not tested yet.
Understanding the results
Full left and right lock
A healthy steering axis reaches −1.000 at one end and +1.000 at the other. If one side stops short — say at +0.93 — the game will never see a full turn in that direction. Common causes are a rotation limit set lower in software than on the wheelbase, an old calibration stored in Windows, or a game that applies its own steering range. Recalibrating the wheel and checking the rotation settings in the driver usually fixes it; our guide to wheel rotation and steering lock explains how these settings interact.
Center offset
When you hold the wheel straight, the steering value should be very close to zero. The tool converts the offset into degrees using the rotation you set. A fraction of a degree is normal. Several degrees means the car will pull to one side in every game; re-centering the wheel in its driver, or running a calibration with the wheel physically straight, normally removes it.
Distinct positions and reported resolution
Every wheel converts the steering angle into a number with a fixed number of steps. As you turn the wheel, the tool counts how many different values it has seen and estimates the resolution in bits. Treat this as an estimate of what reaches the browser, not a lab measurement: the operating system and browser can scale values, and turning the wheel quickly skips positions. Turn slowly across the full range for the most meaningful number. A jumpy line in the steering graph while you turn smoothly is a more practical warning sign than the exact bit count.
Steering graph
The graph shows the last eight seconds of steering input. A smooth turn should draw a smooth curve. Sudden spikes, flat steps or a line that shakes while the wheel is still can point to a sensor problem, electrical noise or a loose connection.
What this test cannot check
The Gamepad API in browsers only reads inputs. It cannot send force feedback to the motor in your wheelbase, so it cannot tell you whether the motor, belt or gears are healthy. It also cannot change settings stored on the wheel itself. For those, use the manufacturer's software, such as Logitech G HUB, Thrustmaster's control panel or the Fanatec and MOZA apps, or a game's force feedback test.
Many wheels pass their pedals through the wheelbase, so the pedals appear as extra axes of the same device. You can see them under “Other axes” here, or check travel and spikes in detail with the pedal tester.
Supported wheels
Any wheel that your operating system recognizes as a game controller can be tested, including popular models from Logitech (G29, G920, G923, G Pro), Thrustmaster (T150, TMX, T248, T300, T-GT), Fanatec, MOZA and others. Chrome and Edge on Windows give the most reliable detection. If your wheel does not appear at all, work through our guide on what to do when a racing wheel is not detected on PC.
Frequently asked questions
Why does the wheel only appear after I press a button?
Browsers hide game controllers from web pages until you interact with one. This prevents websites from silently identifying which devices are connected to your computer.
The on-screen wheel turns less than my real wheel. Is something wrong?
Usually not. Set the rotation selector to the same value as your wheel's driver or wheelbase. If the axis reaches ±1.000 at both locks, the device is reporting its full range correctly.
The steering axis jumps between values while I hold the wheel still.
Small movement in the last decimal place is normal. Visible jumps on the graph while the wheel is held still can indicate sensor wear or interference. Try another USB port and cable, avoid unpowered USB hubs, and test again.
Does the tester work with console-only wheels?
A wheel must be recognized by your computer to be tested. Many console wheels support PC mode; models that are locked to a console may not report any inputs to a computer.
