Follow up to my CSR Elite review.

Wow, I had no idea my review and video would get so much attention. I'm sorry I haven't responded to all the replies, but I don't get on this forum that much because I don't even have a PS3. I had already posted the review on 3 other forums and AGP5000 who is active here asked me to post it here. I am very active on other forums like f-wheel.com, Thomas blog, and the 2old4Forza clan website.

I have been using wheels for racing games since 1997 when I got my first wheel to use on the original NASCAR and Indy Car Racing games from Papayrus. I have owned over 10 wheels since then for PC, PS2, original xbox and Xbox 360 including 3 wheels from Fanatec. I have spent over $1500 on Fanatec products and when Thomas releases the CSS I will buy it and I will also buy a better rim for the CSR Elite when they are available. So please don't let my small post count here scare you.

I have had the wheel for about a week now. I will admit I was putting a little extra effort into the rim to get it to flex like that, but it didn't damage the rim at all. I was just a little upset about the quality of the rim compared to the rest of the wheel and when I noticed that it would flex a little I pulled out my iPhone and made a video and wanted to show my friend what I was seeing. He suggested I post it on youtube. I checked all the screws holding the rim together and many of them needed a little tightening and now the rim is a little more solid. The upper part of the rim is still the weakest link of the entire wheel though.

I still don't like the rim, but I'm getting used to it. I don't notice the flex at all during racing. I like to hold the wheel at 10 and 2 o'clock and what I do notice that really bothers me is the seam on the inside of the wheel with my thumbs. The outside of the rim is covered in a light rubberized coating which feels ok, but the inside right where my thumbs rest is a plastic piece which projects out and has a very sharp uneven seam. Here is a picture with the part I'm talking about circled in red.


I am still extremely happy I purchased the wheel. I have improved my lap times across the board especially in the S and R class cars on Forza 4 now that I have good paddle shifters. The FFB is very smooth except the deadspot in the middle which I heard has already been fixed in an unreleased firmware update. The steering precision is amazing now that the sensor is located directly on the steering axis.

One thing I forgot to mention in my original review is the audio port. Fanatec has continued their tradition of having worthless audio ports in all their wheels. My Turbo S wheel had it, my friends GT2 wheel has it, my other friends CSR wheel has it, and now my CSR Elite wheel has a worthless audio port too. There are other complaints about this on F-Wheel.com and Thomas blog. My solution for now is to use the official Microsoft wireless headset until Tritton comes out with their Devastator and Warhead headsets next year. They will be the first headphones which will connect to the Xbox 360 wirelessly for ingame chat.

Same issues with the seam and audio port. I've also noticed I have to turn ACL on and off in Forza on occasion to keep the clutch from sticking.

Did they ever get the audio port working with those other wheels?

I have the same thumb complaint on my gt2. There seems to be to much stitching where your thumb naturally rests. I know you dont have the stitching, more just saying I feel your pain.

Oh, and thanks gor posting. Yeah, you def got alot of attention in your other thread

I know I'm sounding like a broken record here, but if things about the grip are bothering you such as the sharp protruding edge you are talking about (completely understandable).......


GLOVES.

Of course some entry level racing gloves will feel the best, but even basic Mechanix gloves work very well.

superbike81

I know I'm sounding like a broken record here, but if things about the grip are bothering you such as the sharp protruding edge you are talking about (completely understandable).......


GLOVES.

Of course some entry level racing gloves will feel the best, but even basic Mechanix gloves work very well.

Click to expand...

Or wheel wrap...works well also.

I'm planning to put some wheel wrap on the wheel for now.

Caz

I have the same thumb complaint on my gt2. There seems to be to much stitching where your thumb naturally rests. I know you dont have the stitching, more just saying I feel your pain.

Oh, and thanks gor posting. Yeah, you def got alot of attention in your other thread

Click to expand...

I can see how the stitching on the GT2 could be bothersome, but I don't have an issue with it. It still feels a lot better than that same area on the CSR and CSR Elite, white it's a massive intersection of plastic seams. Actually, my method for gripping a steering wheel makes it a non issue. My thumbs rest on the wheel rim and don't wrap around the rim.

It doesnt really bother me to much, adjusted my grip a little bit. First time i have ever actually mentioned it. Tho im sure its minor compared to the edges on his rim.

superbike81

I know I'm sounding like a broken record here, but if things about the grip are bothering you such as the sharp protruding edge you are talking about (completely understandable).......


GLOVES.

Of course some entry level racing gloves will feel the best, but even basic Mechanix gloves work very well.

Click to expand...

I've started using those Mechanix on the T500 (my sweaty hands would stick as a b*tch on that wheel), great gloves and will keep using them on the Elite 👍

GT2 grip doesnt bother me at all.
I havent got soft hands however.

Soft heart yes.

Have Fanatec not corrected the audio plug on any of the wheels?

VWMasteR

Have Fanatec not corrected the audio plug on any of the wheels?

Click to expand...

I have a Turbo S wheel that the audio port works on, but all my friends say I am way too loud and I can barely hear them. I have friend with a GT2 and when he plugs into the audio port, it's the same thing. Same thing for another friend of mine with a CSR wheel. Now I have the CSR Elite and so far the audio port is useless. I tried to use it the first day I got it, but it only worked intermittently and when it did it sounded terrible. I give up.

I will use the MS wireless headset until Tritton releases the Devastator and Warhead headsets. Not sure which one I will get yet. The Devastator is stereo and the Warhead is 7.1 surround.

Troysloth

I have a Turbo S wheel that the audio port works on, but all my friends say I am way too loud and I can barely hear them. I have friend with a GT2 and when he plugs into the audio port, it's the same thing. Same thing for another friend of mine with a CSR wheel. Now I have the CSR Elite and so far the audio port is useless. I tried to use it the first day I got it, but it only worked intermittently and when it did it sounded terrible. I give up.

I will use the MS wireless headset until Tritton releases the Devastator and Warhead headsets. Not sure which one I will get yet. The Devastator is stereo and the Warhead is 7.1 surround.

Click to expand...

I have had similar experiences. On my GT2 wheel with my Turtle Beach PX5 headset, my voice was way too loud. On the CSR Elite, the chat on both ends cuts in and out.

http://www.fanatec.de/html/pw_overview.htm

On the website it clearly says compatible. My PWTS has never had any of those issues as far as I can remember. Has anybody contacted support about this?

Thanks a ton for returning to add more info bout yourself! I am very happy you cleared that up because when you said it was easy to flex the rim it sent off an alarm bell and put me on the defensive! Because we both were directly conflicting. I've never been able to flex it- but I'm not going to put extra strain on the rim. I will simply just spend hours racing and make observations. Somehow you had the insight to apply extra stress and got it to flex. I've noticed a new iRacing review claim the same (like you, he noticed mechnical flaws and decided to investigate). But like myself, he never noticed any flex racing.
[edit] Btw, this iRacing review is absolutely superb, he compares CSR Elite to FREX but you need to be a member to view it. I am trying to contact the guy to get permission to link his pdf

If you ever decide to write a new review next time my only advice would be to give a little extra detail like you did here. But I understand you not having time to follow up. It was good others already knew you tho. But they waited many pages to decide to speak up lol

sandboxgod

Thanks a ton for returning to add more info bout yourself! I am very happy you cleared that up because when you said it was easy to flex the rim it sent off an alarm bell and put me on the defensive! Because we both were directly conflicting. I've never been able to flex it- but I'm not going to put extra strain on the rim. I will simply just spend hours racing and make observations. Somehow you had the insight to apply extra stress and got it to flex. I've noticed a new iRacing review claim the same (like you, he noticed mechnical flaws and decided to investigate). But like myself, he never noticed any flex racing.
[edit] Btw, this iRacing review is absolutely superb, he compares CSR Elite to FREX but you need to be a member to view it. I am trying to contact the guy to get permission to link his pdf

If you ever decide to write a new review next time my only advice would be to give a little extra detail like you did here. But I understand you not having time to follow up. It was good others already knew you tho. But they waited many pages to decide to speak up lol

Click to expand...

Hey no problem, like I said I don't even have PS3 so really had no reason to be on this sight. There is a lot of good information here though, so I will be a regular poster in this section now.

It seems everyone agrees the rim is definitely the weakest link of the CSR Elite wheel. It has even got the attention of Thomas so hopefully we will have a new rim worthy of the rest of the wheel soon.