Sim racing upgrade

[theboyrob]

Looking at value for money, the G29 (with shifter) is unbeatable. I've got the popular Playseat Challenge and G29 combo and it works well together. I have looked at upgrading, but you can end up spending an obscene amount of money by the time you've got the wheelbase, a wheel or two, pedals, shifter, an aluminum rig, so it goes on...

I'd highly recommend setting up some tactile feedback. I purchased a mini USB soundcard/amplifier, a 5" transducer I've attached to the rear of the frame, and two small pucks under the pedels. Gives some great immersion and feedback of what the cars doing using SimHub. I followed GamerMuscles guide:

Few other useful things:

I bought a USB handbrake from an auction site which is a useful addition if you like to play rally games or drift.

I setup an old (spare) smartphone as a digital dash, works through Simhub which also runs the tactile feedback. Only cost me £4 for a small phone holder from the rainforest.

 

[RevBillyG]

The tactile feedback with pucks is great I have 2 amps and 4 pucks going (Like you, followed GM's guide).
Feels dead without it now

 

[Cavallino]

Got my Clubsport V3 Pedals and Clubsport V2 wheel.
A few things about the Pedals.

1. The vibration motor seems a little weak? To the point where if I depress the throttle fully and trigger the motor, it doesnt really vibrate through the pedal. Something like this: https://forum.fanatec.com/discussion/21714/weak-rumble-v3
Has anyone experienced this?

2. The brake pedal needs a fair bit of force to trigger fully. Do you guys tweak the brake pedal? Is it supposed to be load cell presumably because it doesnt feel much different (at least not in game yet) to that of a normal load cell one?

E: Its like I have to press this down REALLY a lot to get it registered to 100%.

3. I noticed there is a brake performance kit, does it have the dampers to make it more softer braking?

 

[hyperseven]

Got my Clubsport V3 Pedals and Clubsport V2 wheel.
A few things about the Pedals.

1. The vibration motor seems a little weak? To the point where if I depress the throttle fully and trigger the motor, it doesnt really vibrate through the pedal. Something like this: https://forum.fanatec.com/discussion/21714/weak-rumble-v3
Has anyone experienced this?

2. The brake pedal needs a fair bit of force to trigger fully. Do you guys tweak the brake pedal? Is it supposed to be load cell presumably because it doesnt feel much different (at least not in game yet) to that of a normal load cell one?

E: Its like I have to press this down REALLY a lot to get it registered to 100%.

3. I noticed there is a brake performance kit, does it have the dampers to make it more softer braking?

The rumble motors are weak, they are only the same as in an old 360 controller. You could always upgrade to using Simhub and get an amp and a couple of cheap bass shakers. Gamermuscle did a video recently using two small shakers on the throttle and brake and another larger one on the back of his chair, about £150 all in.

 

[Cavallino]

Ah cheers bud. Tbh Im not fussed about them then for now. I just want to get up and running

Any insights about point 2 and 3? Especially point 3.
With the brake performance kit if the brakes are "stiffer" doesnt that mean it will take even more force to activate the pedal?

 

[~>Dg<~]

i had the v3 peddles didnt like em. they looked great built well but i prefered even basic logitech ones for actually racing rallying. some people love em. hope you get them how you want them.

 

[Cavallino]

i had the v3 peddles didnt like em. they looked great built well but i prefered even basic logitech ones for actually racing rallying. some people love em. hope you get them how you want them.

Yep cant really say till I get the CSL DD and have it all setup.

I just want to understand what are peoples thoughts on loadcell and the extra brake performance kit which seems to male the brakes even more stiffer.
But when I depress the brake so hard I feel like Im going to fall out of my chair! And these brake kits make them even more stiffer which surely means "less responsive"?

 

[Dup]

I've not used those pedals personally but a load cell is meant to be stiff. Brake pedals in race cars are generally rock hard with hardly any movement. You'll need to do some calibration in the actual games to compensate for it. The benefit is you can judge by the pressure you put in rather than the movement to get you very consistent braking. Also, 100% brake in games such as iRacing can usuallt result in a lock up, but you should be able to hit 100% if you really try.

Have a look at some guides for your specific games and those pedals for some baseline setup values.

 

[Cavallino]

Cheers Dup, much appreciated, what you said made sense.

Incidentally I just wonder what these "brake performance kits" exactly do. People swear by them but I dont see whats wrong with the existing setup in the loadcell currently...

 

[handyandy24]

Yep cant really say till I get the CSL DD and have it all setup.

I just want to understand what are peoples thoughts on loadcell and the extra brake performance kit which seems to male the brakes even more stiffer.
But when I depress the brake so hard I feel like Im going to fall out of my chair! And these brake kits make them even more stiffer which surely means "less responsive"?

Worth you watching youtube videos on that set, i watched a few and the general recommendation seemed to be to buy the performance kits.

I grabbed the csl elite LC which you add spacers to which compress differently. I have mine set up so that the brake pedal has around 2 cm of travel. Youll get used to it and it enables you to brake more precise and consistently. Withon software however you can set the LC to require more or less pressure to achieve the same braking force, say if you didnt want to have to jump on it. Note however the mlre sensitive the brake the harder it is for you to modulate in smaller degrees, say for trail braking

Why are you faĺling our your seat? I used mine on a playseat challenge first and it wasnt useable at low sensitivity as the seat moved about. Now its on an alum. Rig and i sit in a fixed bucket seat

 

[Cavallino]

Worth you watching youtube videos on that set, i watched a few and the general recommendation seemed to be to buy the performance kits.

Yep have done, the general consensus seems to be that they are worthwhile. But when I tried the stock brake kit I do have to press the hell down on it to register some input..... is this really normal? I guess I have to "calibrate it" manually.

I grabbed the csl elite LC which you add spacers to which compress differently. I have mine set up so that the brake pedal has around 2 cm of travel. Youll get used to it and it enables you to brake more precise and consistently. Withon software however you can set the LC to require more or less pressure to achieve the same braking force, say if you didnt want to have to jump on it. Note however the mlre sensitive the brake the harder it is for you to modulate in smaller degrees, say for trail braking

So you are saying its more of a "pressure feel" than travel distance (i.e. similar to a real card when you stab the brakes the brake force is harder?)

Why are you faĺling our your seat? I used mine on a playseat challenge first and it wasnt useable at low sensitivity as the seat moved about. Now its on an alum. Rig and i sit in a fixed bucket seat

well I was planning to by a wheelstand of somekind, but the guys at GT Omega said that with the DD base they wouldnt recommend wheel stand....

So alternatively I can se my desk with table clamp and the pedals are pushing against the back of the wall under my table.
Which leaves my office chair which I need to put on rubber nonslip guides that slide under the wheels.....

 

[handyandy24]

Yep have done, the general consensus seems to be that they are worthwhile. But when I tried the stock brake kit I do have to press the hell down on it to register some input..... is this really normal? I guess I have to "calibrate it" manually.



So you are saying its more of a "pressure feel" than travel distance (i.e. similar to a real card when you stab the brakes the brake force is harder?)




well I was planning to by a wheelstand of somekind, but the guys at GT Omega said that with the DD base they wouldnt recommend wheel stand....

So alternatively I can se my desk with table clamp and the pedals are pushing against the back of the wall under my table.
Which leaves my office chair which I need to put on rubber nonslip guides that slide under the wheels.....

Id save for a fixed setup. Did you say you had a DD or were saving for one?

Regarding the LC brake pedal, yes the force you put on the pedal dictates the amount of brake force in game. You can calibrate this to require more or less pressure from yourself, and on mone at least how much the pedal itself travels.

Might be worth you making a simple jig out of timber for the pedals to sit on and against your wall. Reddit is worth checking out for diy solutions

 

[Cavallino]

You mean a full rig as in with racing seat etc?

I honestly dont have the space.
Wouldnt something like this do it?

https://nextlevelracing.com/products/next-level-racing-wheel-stand-dd-for-direct-drive-wheels/

Ive ordered the CSL DD from Fanatec which comes in September.

Concerning the calibration then.... is it really worthwhile to get a brake kit if the force I am going to exert is going to be greater?

Or is it a combination of the travel distance going to be shorter using the brake kit (but can still apply less pressure when I calibrate to my liking).

Am I screwed if I dont go with a full racing rig bug? Please say no

 

[handyandy24]

You mean a full rig as in with racing seat etc?

I honestly dont have the space.
Wouldnt something like this do it?

https://nextlevelracing.com/products/next-level-racing-wheel-stand-dd-for-direct-drive-wheels/

Ive ordered the CSL DD from Fanatec which comes in September.

Concerning the calibration then.... is it really worthwhile to get a brake kit if the force I am going to exert is going to be greater?

Or is it a combination of the travel distance going to be shorter using the brake kit (but can still apply less pressure when I calibrate to my liking).

Am I screwed if I dont go with a full racing rig bug? Please say no

Try think of the travel as irrelevant for a LC. The travel is more personal preference. It doesnt make a difference to the brake force in game. Some ppl like some travel. Some dont. Problem with travel is that your brain needs to learn.muscle memory for travel as well as pressure. If you just have pressure then one thing to learn.
If you dont have space for the full alum rig with bucket seat dont worry you can still have am excellent experience, i just wouldnt have recommended such an expensive pedal set for that. You would have been better with the new pedals from fanatec or the ones i have.

Youll be fine with something like you showed but to be honest you wont get a great seating position with an office chair.
Playseat challenge with a few mods might actually be ok. Sounds like this isnt you dipping a toe in the hobby, more like taking it to the next level with a DD base.

Youve maybe got a trade off

Stand like you showed me will give you more stability for the wheel base (no idea how important that is for the csl dd). Bht your seating position wont be very immersive

Playseat challenge more immersive seating wise but maybe wheel base a bit flimsier.

I had a t300 on the challenge was fine

 

[Cavallino]

Try think of the travel as irrelevant for a LC. The travel is more personal preference. It doesnt make a difference to the brake force in game. Some ppl like some travel. Some dont. Problem with travel is that your brain needs to learn.muscle memory for travel as well as pressure. If you just have pressure then one thing to learn.
If you dont have space for the full alum rig with bucket seat dont worry you can still have am excellent experience, i just wouldnt have recommended such an expensive pedal set for that. You would have been better with the new pedals from fanatec or the ones i have.

May I ask why you think the new pedals from Fanatec would have been better than the CS V3s?
I didnt mind paying more for the CS V3s.

Youll be fine with something like you showed but to be honest you wont get a great seating position with an office chair.
Playseat challenge with a few mods might actually be ok. Sounds like this isnt you dipping a toe in the hobby, more like taking it to the next level with a DD base.

Youve maybe got a trade off

Stand like you showed me will give you more stability for the wheel base (no idea how important that is for the csl dd). Bht your seating position wont be very immersive

Playseat challenge more immersive seating wise but maybe wheel base a bit flimsier.

I had a t300 on the challenge was fine

Thanks for teh advice bud.

Im not too fussed about seating position if I am bruttally honest.

If I had more space in my office I probably would have gone for a proper rig as you said, but for now Im happy with a vanilla setup.

I may just start with the wheel base, pedals separately as I originally described.

If I dont get along with it, I can go for the wheel stand....

As I said the seat is not too much of an issue for me.

 

[Cavallino]

Hmm this seems like a good explanation!

 

[handyandy24]

May I ask why you think the new pedals from Fanatec would have been better than the CS V3s?
I didnt mind paying more for the CS V3s.

Those pedals are really meant to go on something fixed and are build to not flex/move when you stomp on the brake. The fact you wont be doing that just means you arent using them to their potential. Ie. Pedals half the price would have got the job done

Thanks for teh advice bud.

Im not too fussed about seating position if I am bruttally honest.

If I had more space in my office I probably would have gone for a proper rig as you said, but for now Im happy with a vanilla setup.

I may just start with the wheel base, pedals separately as I originally described.

If I dont get along with it, I can go for the wheel stand....

As I said the seat is not too much of an issue for me.

 

[~>Dg<~]

travel you want is down to how accurately you are braking. super sensitive and pure natural you dont want play. base 0 so anything under over you know its you if you messing up not software.. casual play a little either way. which hurts me to type. as i dont believe in anything other than 0 extras.