My DFGT is dying--Brake pedal occasionally 'sticks'

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Sier_Pinski

Sier_Pinski

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XizangM1
EDIT: See Post #11

I've spent probably over 100 hours with this wheel set in total, and I loved every bit of it. But I think its brake pedal is starting to call it quits. In GT5, I've noticed that, after I gently let go of the brake, the game senses that the petal is still being pushed down to a very small extent (like at most 5% full brake force) even when I have completely let go of it. It creates a randomized strobe-like flickering on GT5's brake pressure indicator and the virtual car's brake lights. I temporarily fix this by using my foot to pull the brake back up, but I'm starting to get tired of doing it. I've disassembled the pedal set to examine how to potentially fix it: the brake pedal is kept up by two thick, strong springs that I can possibly bend up a bit to increase resistance and help it stay away more from the sensor. If only everything weren't covered in gooey lubricant, cat hair, and bacteria, I wouldn't be so hesitant. :yuck:

Anyway, have any other wheel users had this problem after extensive use of the pedals? And will adjusting the springs (if possible) to increase resistance fix this issue? Thanks for any potential curiosity-satisfaction.
 
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I restarted playing Supercar Challenge 3 weeks ago and on that game alone I have over 50 hours (from the last 3 weeks) of racing on my DFGT.
My wheel has over 3 years and last year that started to happen to me.
So at first I cleaned it without opening the pedals (vacum cleaner) and it worked but from time to time I had to do it again until it no longer worked anymore so I had to open it and clean it inside. it was really dirty... its been over 6 months now and it is still working like new.
I used this link to know what to do but I only cleaned it >http://merc460racing.com/GT/repairing_logitech_driving_force.htm

I sure you DFGT is going to have a long long life ;)

EDIT: if it is under warranty do not open the pedals... ask logitech costumer support what to do.
 
tribolik
I restarted playing Supercar Challenge 3 weeks ago and on that game alone I have over 50 hours (from the last 3 weeks) of racing on my DFGT.
My wheel has over 3 years and last year that started to happen to me.
So at first I cleaned it without opening the pedals (vacum cleaner) and it worked but from time to time I had to do it again until it no longer worked anymore so I had to open it and clean it inside. it was really dirty... its been over 6 months now and it is still working like new.
I used this link to know what to do but I only cleaned it >http://merc460racing.com/GT/repairing_logitech_driving_force.htm

I sure you DFGT is going to have a long long life ;)

EDIT: if it is under warranty do not open the pedals... ask logitech costumer support what to do.
Click to expand...

Wow, I didn't expect this useful of a response. Thank you so much! 👍

As for the warranty: I got this wheel in early 2008, and Logitech's website insists that the wheel's warranty is for up to 1 year only. So maybe I'm a about about only 3 years late or something. :D
 
Sier_Pinski
Wow, I didn't expect this useful of a response. Thank you so much! 👍

As for the warranty: I got this wheel in early 2008, and Logitech's website insists that the wheel's warranty is for up to 1 year only. So maybe I'm a about about only 3 years late or something. :D
Click to expand...

Im glad to help... but the credit should go to the guy that made that page...
Read it all first then read it again :D and follow his instructions carefully... good luck and let me know how it works out... ;)
 
FOSSILMOTO
I purchased a new one that did that...put a Mr Clean Magic Eraser under each pedal
problem solved and more progressive feel.
Click to expand...

I second this. When I got my DFGT I used it for only two days before deciding I had to get the sponge.
 
Had that problem one day after letting my son play with it for about 10 minutes. I was angry and vowed never to let him play that again. Then I just unplugged it from PS3 and AC and plugged it back in. When it re-calibrated all was well again.

Surely you haven't overlooked that…
 
I think I may have fixed the problem--for now.

I took out the black spring (one of two holding the brake pedal up), and used two heavy-duty pliers to increase the distance between the two ends. It took quite alot of strength, but since then, I don't see any more 'brake sticking'.
 
You have found a temporary fix. Your's is very similar to what many have done with a bungee cord.

I had the same issue that you are experiencing. I tried the sponge method, I tried the bungee cord method and they both worked for a little while. The last time the brake started to stick, I took the pedals apart and checked all the wires like the link says. I found that my green wire on the brake pedal was in fact loose. I pulled the wire off the post and lightly squeezed the clip together and put it back on the post. I haven't had any issues since I did this. It would seem to me that this is a more permanent fix for the issue.

A note about the link. When I opened my pedals, I was suprised to see that the wires connected in a different position than what is shown in the link. The connections were right on top of everything when I opened it up so access was much easier. I didn't have to pull the potentimeter to get to the wires. I also went ahead and soldered all of the wires for the brake and gas pedal so hopefully I won't have to open it up again.
 
i have this exact same problem but my dfgt is not even a day old :( ive tried the sponge method which didnt work ive also tryed the squash ball method and that hasnt worked :( any of you think i should take it back because... 1 the bottom of the box was open 2 i paid abit of money for it plus P&P 3 everyone i spoke to about it on GT5 didn't experienced this problem so early on buying it
 
Any of you guys drive a car?

Back in the old days, you used to press the throttle or "gas" pedal in a car, it would pull a cable and that would pull on an angled part on the side of your carburetter and open the flood gates for more fuel and air.
Your car would burn that fuel and air and you would go faster.
These days, they use "drive by wire" technology, which means that when you press the throttle or gas pedal, there is no cable attached, just a little device called a potentiometer, which will twist round as you press harder.
This potentiometer sends a signal to the brain of the car, saying "hey, I'm being pushed round at 45 degrees" or whatever, and the car's brain interprets that, opens the fuel and air flood gates, and you go faster.

DFGT pedals have potentiometers too. (pots)
They measure the potential movement of the pedals, or angle that they have been depressed to.
Unfortunately, they are highly sensitive, as you can imagine, and are only held in by plastic.
When you use the pedals for a while, your hot feet transmit heat to the plastic pedal box, and the bits where the potentiometers sit expand, allowing for movement.
When they move, even if it's way less than a millimeter; they will no longer know where their original position was, and they won't come fully OFF or when you press the pedals down hard, they won't go fully ON.

There are a load of ways you can sort of fix this issue, and all have varying success, depending on your particular pedals set.
Although they are all made in the same factory, because the potentiometers are so sensitive to movement, some pedal sets will have trouble, and some won't.

I have had loads of sets.... let me think.... 4? and they have all been different in terms of trouble, but there are a few things you can do.
1. Keep them flat.
I use mine on an angle as they are in my cockpit, and that means I have them angled up. If I use them, they will be fine, as I am careful and don't stamp on them, but occasionally I have a friend round, they will be heavy footed, and then you start to get problems as the casing will have been pushed a little too far.
2. Tighten the screws on the underside.
This sounds daft, but it can work, as you will make sure the pots have no room to move, and therefore they will read correctly, and send the right signals to the Playstation.
3. Bend your springs.
Never ever needed to do this, but I see where it will cure two problems at once, by giving the pots a larger dead zone at either end (you will have to press a bit before they do anything, and they will register full pressure before you get to it) and also of course, giving your pedal a better/harder feel to it.
4. Tape/glue them suckers up.
Holding the pots in place with tape or glue or something like bluetack will help to cure the problem, but you may find you have to come back every 6-12 months or so. You'll get to know the pedals easily, and the job will become a five minute thing, instead of the 30-45 minutes you'll spend the first time around.
5. Unplug and re-insert the USB cable.
Re-calibrating the pots by doing this will mean your pedals know where their original position is, even if it moved a little, and they will register pressure properly. Unfortunately in my experience, this will only last until you come to play next time, and eventually, you will need to do this more than once during your gaming session. This means it's time to find another fix from the list.

Opening up the pedal box will show you how they work.
It's simple to understand and easy to put back together if you take note of where everything went before you move it. Use a fone camera.
The pedals have a twisty thing on their pivoting end, with wires coming out of it. That's your potentiometer. It's this that needs to keep still while your pedals move about. See?

Hope this helps.

tl;dr
Don't be so heavy footed, and keep pedals flat/make sure pots can't move inside pedal housing.

Yeah, something like that.
:irked:👍
 
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