Fanatec Load Cell is not what I expected

  • Thread starter R55NA
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Nice video from Ham VR showing this kit in detail.

Think I''d prefer the sports car feel that he decided on if I bought the pedals. Back in the day of simracing I remember people modding G25 pedals and such. Right now we have stock free travel with nothing then jump to pressing on a brick requiring a expensive or at least more well thought out rig that's probably beyond the scope on what is entry level pedals. I'm surprised there's no in-between like a sports car pedal feel even if just two rubber bushes thrown in. In a load cell I'd expect firmness near the end and limited travel but be easier to reach that half way point like many mods achieved countless times for decades for sock racers and wheel stand rigs etc or simply just preferring something in-between.
 
HugoTwoWheels
Most Youtubers and people at simracing forums, reddit included, are elitist bull****ters. Regarding load cell technique, most of the reviewers and "simracers" don't even know how the technique works and what differs it from potentiometers or hall sensors. Nor do they know what the pros and cons are. It's really like looking for information on sound and equipment advice on HIFI forums... Horrible and misguiding.

Load cell is great if you understand what it is and can adjust and modify it to meet your specific needs. In many cases, the end result can't be replicated with potentiometer/hall.
Saying "pressure based" or "distance based" doesn't explain anything.
Personally, I use a hall sensor brake with very low resistance as a brake pedal, wearing socks. I see no benefits in using a load cell. And I have zero issues braking without ABS or trail braking. It's absolutely not realistic though.

What's the purpose of you getting load cell in the first place? Automatically better lap times? Won't happen. There are perfectly good reasons for getting expensive brake pedals, but most are bad ones.
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The benefits are the ability to brake by muscle memory.
 
HugoTwoWheels
How would you brake if not by muscle memory?
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A potentiometer you aren’t braking by muscle memory but instead by distance. This depends on the pedal, some have a foam insert to try and mimick a heavier/progressive pedal and is a litttleee bit of muscle memory but not near the level of a load cell.
 
It is certainly possible to train muscle memory on a travel-based pedal. The standard CSL Pedals brake has some progressive resistance that you can learn to adjust to. It's a perfectly good pedal, capable of very precise inputs.

But the fact is, our lower limbs are far less sensitive than our upper limbs. There is some sensitivity in our feet and toes, and you can train your feet to apply precise pedal inputs on a travel-based sensor. You can tune into the limited amount of resistance available, and you will start to learn what angle your ankle needs to be. This is why people prefer to drive without shoes on light pedals, because it's hard to feel for this light resistance and you need to build up a sensitivity for where you need to be along the travel range. But what you're doing there is training your feet as if they have the fine motor skills of your hands. It's possible, but it's difficult to be super consistent.

Our legs are much more effective at the bigger tasks - heavy lifting, walking, running, etc. So a large resistance on the brake pedal requiring the use of the larger muscle groups in the legs makes it MUCH easier to train muscle memory. Once you have learnt how to hit a certain input level accurately based on pressure rather than travel, it is so much easier to be consistent.

The fine control you need for trail braking is where a load cell makes the biggest difference, in my opinion. This is what separates the fast racers from the super fast - the timing and rate of trailing off the brake to achieve that extra amount of rotation (while carrying more speed) towards the apex is one of the key areas where aliens find so much lap time. It's absolutely doable on a travel-based pedal - you are ultimately sending the game the same input information. A load cell just makes it easier, once you are adjusted to it.
 

GT7 IA-2 license, ABS off, 0:24.350​



In this license test I used CSL Load Cell Kit but with ties that are tightened around the elastomer springs to limit their expansion and from there the pedal travel is limited to only 12mm(accurately measured) with BRF set to MAX. As you can see the time is not slow and I am able to trail brake properly without problem despite the short travel.

 
super_gt

GT7 IA-2 license, ABS off, 0:24.350​



In this license test I used CSL Load Cell Kit but with ties that are tightened around the elastomer springs to limit their expansion and from there the pedal travel is limited to only 12mm(accurately measured) with BRF set to MAX. As you can see the time is not slow and I am able to trail brake properly without problem despite the short travel.
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Some people want some travel some don’t. Not sure what this proves
 
super_gt

GT7 IA-2 license, ABS off, 0:24.350​



In this license test I used CSL Load Cell Kit but with ties that are tightened around the elastomer springs to limit their expansion and from there the pedal travel is limited to only 12mm(accurately measured) with BRF set to MAX. As you can see the time is not slow and I am able to trail brake properly without problem despite the short travel.
Click to expand...

That’s some pretty impressive Brake Force Management my Friend.
Although I think it was a pretty exhausting run.
The amount of Focus and Dedication required to drive that way is just not worth the fuzz.
At least when trying to race competitively.
For single Player or testing the Physics Accuracy it’s pretty impressive what you did there.
Hats off Sir.
Not bad 👍💪🏻
Edit: BTW, I received my new Load Cell Pedal a few days ago, difference is night and day.
Now I know why I was so far off the top leaderboard Times 😅
Not anymore 😁
Thanks for your advice Mate 👍
 
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I've done the upgraded yellow elastomers and even tried die springs for more initial travel and they just made me realize how good the stock load cell is. All I got with those elastomer/spring changes is more initial travel which did nothing other than make it feel how my ignorant mind thinks it should feel. It's easy enough to set max brake pressure on the wheelbase to a comfortable level at which point travel becomes a non issue and you just naturally stop where it feels right.

The $80 I wasted on these upgrades would've been better saved for a few sets of stock elastomers once they start exploding.
 
SteveTM
The CSL load cell felt extremely stiff for me as well and not much fun to use. I didn't even wire it up after fixing it to a solid Sim-Lab rig, just returned it as I knew without any ability to make adjustments I'd never use it. I considered spending more money on alternative elastomers, but difficult to know if it would make the brake feel too 'weird' or still too hard, or if making it softer might also slow the pedal's rebound speed (the standard brake still has a spring to help with that).

Anyway, if you decide the load cell is just not working out like I did, but want a pedal that's a tad stiffer and with a shorter travel than the standard CSL brake, there is a way to make the standard CSL brake feel a bit closer to how I 'thought' the load cell would feel when bolted to a rig. Main thing to do is fill in the hole in the rubber/foam stopper on the standard brake with something solid. Best thing to use is a 15mm wide nylon plastic spacer around 16-17mm diameter (they're pretty cheap on ebay), alternatively a couple of M8 bolts pushed in side by side in the hole should also work. Tilt the foam sideways and it should pop out. Might also want to remove the gap/slack between the foam and the metal pedal by sliding in a 3-4mm spacer/wedge as well (folded card will probably do). I don't recommend doing this mod if you use the pedals on the floor though, as you'll probably find the brake becomes too stiff - although it's nowhere near as stiff as the load cell.

I've posted this quick little mod on Fanatec's pedal forums a couple of times, but no one really replies, so maybe it's just me who likes how it changes the feel of the standard brake, but I hope it helps someone who is also a bit disappointed in the load cell kit's stiffness but doesnt want to spend too much moving up to the V3s or something else for a while.

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I will definitely try this , as I am mounting the CSL pedals to a playseat challenge . I heard that they may need too much force for this set up , so thanks for the idea.
 
funksta43
I will definitely try this , as I am mounting the CSL pedals to a playseat challenge . I heard that they may need too much force for this set up , so thanks for the idea.
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I've got the load cell on a Playseat Challenge. I bought the elastomer kit from 3drap and it's such an improvement, just using one progressive. As for mounting the pedals I bought a pedal deck mount from https://www.lowdownshifter.com/.
Can post a pic later if you want a look at it.
 
What settings are people using for their load cell? BLI and BRF? I’m using the CSL load cell with a progressive elastomer from 3DRAP and just can’t work out where I need to be. It’s hard to get used to for sure.
 
RJ-RACING
What settings are people using for their load cell? BLI and BRF? I’m using the CSL load cell with a progressive elastomer from 3DRAP and just can’t work out where I need to be. It’s hard to get used to for sure.
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Two elastomers replaced with a stiff spring. Mounted to a NLR GT Lite. 65%.
 
RJ-RACING
Does BLI do anything? Apologies for my lack of knowledge.
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BLI works with ClubSport pedals which have vibration motors.
With the next driver BLI will also work with steering wheels that have electric motors for vibration, and you will be able to adjust at what brake level the motors in the steering wheel will start vibrate.
 
RJ-RACING
What settings are people using for their load cell? BLI and BRF? I’m using the CSL load cell with a progressive elastomer from 3DRAP and just can’t work out where I need to be. It’s hard to get used to for sure.
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Mine is at 85% BRF with one progressive.
 
Theiceman1
Read somewhere on the fanatec forum that it will get softer over time... 🤔. Got mine today. Will install later and see how it goes.
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R55NA
Recieved it yesterday with my DD Pro bundle, Mclaren GT3 rim and Boost Kit. Using it on a Omega GT stand and my chair doesnt move.

After the gushing reviews, endless high praise, and it - apparently - being an "essential" item for all Sim racers, I expected it to be a game changing piece of hardware.

What I have instead is a ridiculously stiff pedal that I can barely move with my hands, let alone with foot travel. I read a comment on another page stating "its like pushing hard into a brick wall".

How are Youtube reviewers and Sim Racers not commenting on this? How are they able to get so much travel on it? Their calves are definitely not as defined as The Rock.

Any tips? Or shall I just sell it on?
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Stick with it. And make sure you’re pedal base is mounted to something solid and not sliding on the floor. I too found found the pedal ridiculously stiff but a) you will get used to it (in a good way, not just learn to put up with it) and b) it will become less stiff over time
 

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