Metal Ice Cubes for Sim Racing Rigs: What Are They and How Are They Used?

Quick answer

Metal ice cubes are small steel or aluminium blocks that bolt onto aluminium profile cockpits and act as solid mounting points for accessories such as shifters, handbrakes, button boxes and cable clips. They are called ice cubes because of their blocky shape, not because they cool anything. If you run an aluminium profile rig and need to attach a part where the existing slots are awkward, a mounting block is usually the simplest fix.

If you have browsed cockpit upgrade threads, you have probably seen the phrase metal ice cubes and wondered what a frozen drink has to do with sim racing. In this hobby the name describes a small block of metal that bolts to an aluminium profile rig and gives you a flat, threaded place to attach something else.

This guide answers the questions people actually ask about them: what they are, why the odd name stuck, where they go on a rig, and when a different mounting accessory makes more sense. It also covers the practical limits, because a mounting block is only useful if the part you want to attach is compatible with it.

What are metal ice cubes in sim racing?

A sim racing ice cube is a compact metal block, usually machined from steel or aluminium, with threaded holes and a profile slot pattern on one or more faces. You slide it into the channel of an aluminium profile rig, tighten it down, and use it as a hard point for whatever accessory needs a home. The block itself does nothing on its own; its value is that it creates a mounting surface exactly where your rig does not already have one.

The term is unofficial. Different shops and builders use names like mounting block, corner block or accessory bracket, which is why searching for metal ice cubes cockpit can return very different-looking parts. What they share is the job: convert a length of profile into a solid anchor point without drilling new holes.

• Look for the profile size and thread pitch before buying, since blocks are made for specific extrusion series.
• A block with more than one threaded face gives you more mounting angles later.

Why are they called ice cubes?

The nickname comes from appearance, not function. Machined aluminium blocks are often small, roughly cubic and silver, so they look like cubes from a freezer tray once they are bolted to a black rig. The name spread through forum and social posts, and it stuck because it is easier to say than a string of bracket dimensions.

That casual naming causes real confusion for new buyers. If you search for a cooling product you will not find one, because these parts do not manage temperature at all. Treat the phrase as slang for a mounting block and the rest of the accessory market makes much more sense.

• No sim racing ice cube product cools your hardware; ignore any listing that implies it does.
• If a listing uses the nickname, check the photos to confirm it is a threaded mounting block.

Where do mounting blocks go on a cockpit?

The most common positions are around the shifter and handbrake area, along the uprights, and near the seat base. A handbrake or sequential shifter often needs to sit at an angle or offset from the main frame, and a block lets you place it without welding or drilling. On the uprights, blocks can carry button boxes, phone holders or cable anchors.

The exact placement depends on your rig geometry and your reach. Before buying anything, sit in your cockpit and mark where your hand naturally falls for the handbrake or shifter, then check whether your frame has a slot near that point. If it does, a block is a low-cost way to make that position work.

• Measure the gap between your frame rails before ordering, so the block fits the slot rather than sitting loose.
• Recheck reach after tightening, because a small shift in position changes how the lever feels.

Do you need ice cubes if your rig already has accessory mounts?

Not always. Many cockpits ship with dedicated brackets for popular shifters and handbrakes, and those are usually stiffer and simpler than a generic block. If your accessory has a factory mount that fits your frame, use it. Ice cubes earn their place when the part you own has no matching bracket, when the factory mount puts the control in an awkward spot, or when you are mixing brands.

This is where the wider sim rig accessories market matters. A block is one option among several, and the right choice depends on what you are attaching. A handbrake with a dedicated steel mount will feel more solid than a handbrake clamped to a generic block, so weigh the cost of the specific bracket against the flexibility of a universal one.

• Prefer a purpose-built mount when one exists for your exact accessory and cockpit.
• Use a generic block for one-off placements, small accessories or temporary experiments.

What should you check before buying a mounting block?

Three things decide whether a block works: profile size, thread pitch and load. Profile size must match your extrusion, or the block will not seat in the channel. Thread pitch must match the bolts your accessory uses, or you will need adapters. Load matters because a block carrying a heavy shifter or a long lever experiences more leverage than a block holding a cable clip.

If a listing does not state profile size or thread, treat that as missing information rather than guessing. You can measure your own profile with calipers and compare against the slot width, and you can check the bolts that came with your accessory. When a specification is absent, ask the seller before ordering instead of hoping it fits.

• Confirm the slot series and bolt thread before checkout.
• For long levers, look for a block with more than one fixing point to reduce flex.

Quick answers to common ice cube questions

Do metal ice cubes cool anything?

No. The name describes the block shape. They are mounting hardware for aluminium profile rigs and have no thermal function. Ignore any listing that markets them as cooling.

Can I use one for a handbrake or shifter?

Yes, if the block fits your profile and the thread matches your accessory bolts. For long levers, choose a block with extra fixing points to limit flex. Check the dedicated mount first; use a block when none exists.

Will a block fit any aluminium profile rig?

No. Blocks are made for specific extrusion sizes, so measure your profile slot and confirm the thread before ordering. Missing specs are a reason to ask, not to guess.

Are they worth buying?

They are worth it when you need a solid anchor in a spot your rig does not cover, and unnecessary when a factory bracket already fits. Buy for a specific placement problem, not as a general upgrade.

Rig accessories that solve the same mounting problem

• Fanatec Handbrake Mount: Built for the Prime and Prime Lite cockpits, it can mount on the left or right side of an aluminium profile cockpit and can also attach to the uprights for a higher handbrake position. If your handbrake is the accessory you are trying to place, a purpose-built steel mount gives you side-to-side choice and a higher option without improvising with a generic block.
• PRIME Seat Adjustment Frame: It uses a three-point range of motion to adjust seat height, angle and distance, and is constructed from robust carbon steel. Position problems are not always solved at the accessory end; adjusting the seat itself can fix reach and comfort before you add more mounting hardware.
• MOZA RACING 4 Pin to 3 Pin Adapter: This CNC machined adapter is designed for the MOZA R21, R16 and R9 wheelbases and allows mounting to a 3 Pin bracket. It shows why compatibility checks matter: a mounting solution only works when the interface matches your hardware, so verify the connection type before buying.
• XL PU Caster Wheels: They pull out of your existing chair and push into place as a direct replacement, with a PU rubber coating suitable for all GT Omega office chairs. Not every rig upgrade is about mounting; if your cockpit or chair needs to move around the room, this is a simple swap that changes how you use the space.

Metal ice cubes are simply mounting blocks, and they are useful exactly when your rig lacks a hard point where you need one. Measure your profile, check your thread, and prefer a purpose-built mount when it exists. Buy for a real placement problem and the part earns its place.