The Trak Racer TR40S is the company’s most affordable aluminium profile cockpit ever. It keeps things simple and straightforward while offering the adjustability, stability, and long term upgrade potential that people usually expect from far more expensive rigs. It is very clear that this chassis aims to give you the core benefits of an aluminium profile setup without the usual premium price tag, and based on my testing, it succeeds at that more often than not.
Before we go deeper, it is important to highlight something many buyers overlook. The heavily advertised price of around 340 dollars includes the chassis only. Once you add the optional Trak Racer bucket seat, which I have here, the total jumps to almost 800 dollars because that seat alone retails for about 420 dollars. With that said, both pieces deserve their own separate look.
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Trak Racer’s newest GT style fiberglass bucket seat is without question one of the more unique looking options in this part of the market. Most sim racing seats look nearly identical, so it is refreshing to see something with a more distinct design. The shell is entirely fiberglass and the padding is made from a slightly firmer high density foam rather than the softer memory foam Trak Racer uses in some other seats.
Comfort is decent for a fixed bucket. It keeps me planted, the bolstering works well, and the overall shape does a good job at maintaining a sense of immersion. It is not the most comfortable seat I have ever used though. For example, I still prefer Trak Racer’s own rally seat, and anyone who wants long session comfort may want to explore third party options like Sparco or OMP alternatives. Thankfully, the TR40S supports universal seat mounts, so swapping to your own seat is simple and often cheaper.
The seat also has zero flex. The fiberglass shell is solid and does not move, which adds confidence when driving aggressively.
The TR40S uses 4040 aluminium profile for its main frame. It is thinner than the 4080 profiles found on higher end rigs, but Trak Racer compensates for some of that with large corner brackets and solid mounting plates. Under normal driving, even when using high end hardware, the rig holds up better than I expected for the price.
There is some movement though. At around 12 Nm of force on my wheelbase, the rig does show signs of vibration throughout the frame. It is not severe and did not hurt my experience, but it is noticeable if you have used stiffer rigs before. The most obvious flex happens when pushing and pulling on the wheel rim. To be fair, that is not a natural driving motion, yet the movement is still there.
More important is the flex under heavy braking. The midpoint of the frame gives slightly under load, something I have also seen in other 4040 based rigs. It is not dramatic, but you can feel it. On the positive side, the pedal plate itself is impressively firm. There is virtually no flex coming from that section, even with high load cell pedals.
The included shifter mount is not fancy, but it is rigid enough to support heavy shifters like the BDH1 which I mounted during testing. There was no creaking or bending, which is a pleasant surprise at this price point. Many competitors make you pay extra for a shifter and handbrake mount, so it is nice to see it included here.
Trak Racer also includes additional plates that make handbrake mounting easier. For beginners or budget users building their first full setup, these small details add a lot of value.
Although the TR40S is one of the more barebones rigs Trak Racer offers, the build quality is still solid. The aluminium profile arrived without a scratch, the black powder coating looks clean, and everything fits as expected. Trak Racer is known for consistent machining, and this cockpit continues that trend.
Adjustability is one of the main reasons people upgrade to aluminium profile rigs in the first place, and the TR40S gets this right. You can adjust:
Adding a seat slider improves things significantly and I highly recommend it. At around 50 dollars, it makes daily use of the cockpit much easier, especially if you are sharing the rig with family or friends.
Expandability is also a major advantage. Trak Racer sells an integrated monitor stand that mounts directly to the rig. Third party companies like ModdedSim offer extras such as cable management clips, cup holders, phone mounts, and accessory trays. Aluminium profile rigs thrive on customization, and the TR40S fits nicely into that ecosystem.
One thing that surprised me was how low this cockpit sits. The default seating position is somewhere between GT and formula. It is comfortable enough once you are in it, but getting in and out of the rig can be awkward because of how low everything is to the ground. This is not a deal breaker, but it is worth knowing.
Considering the price, what it offers, and who it is designed for, the Trak Racer TR40S is a very respectable entry level aluminium profile cockpit. Ignoring the expensive optional seat, the base chassis alone delivers solid performance for its cost and opens the door to the world of adjustable, expandable aluminium rigs without forcing you into a premium budget.
Compared to something like the SimLab GT1 Evo, the TR40S is not as rigid or as heavy duty, but it is also significantly more affordable and still delivers enough stability for entry to mid-range wheelbases. Against a tubular rig such as the Next Level Racing F-GT, the TR40S generally offers better upgrade potential and cleaner adjustability, while the F-GT counters with multiple driving positions and a more enclosed feel. For beginners wanting their first serious upgrade, or experienced sim racers looking for a budget-friendly secondary rig, the TR40S makes a strong case for itself.
It has flaws, but at this price, it also delivers far more than I expected.
