New wheel and pedals?

[Nitrius]

Hello,

I currently got a Fanatec CSR Wheel and CSR Elite Pedals, the wheel works fine, and am rather happy with it, beside the plastic parts on the rim, but that's not a big problem. The pedals has been nice, but the clutch doesn't work, and the gas pedal has started to make a little annoying sound when pressed in and let out, almost like the spring is touching something, but again not that big of a deal, the biggest issue is that the clutch isn't working.

I've sent Fanatec a mail about it, but it looks like i have to send in the pedals first before getting one back, and i don't really want to be without pedals right now since am having such a good time in iRacing, even without the clutch.

So am looking at the option of upgrading a bit, maybe, been looking at the Thrustmaster T500RS, but i've heard the pedals is a let down there, and i must say i really like the load-cell brake on the Elite pedals. Or maybe just buy a set of those clubsport pedals from Fanatec?

Anyway, anyone got any suggestions?

 

[Zero7159]

I own a T500RS wheel and pedal set. I also have owned the Fanatec Clubsport V1 pedal set since 2010. Until recently, I preferred the Clubsports over the T500 pedal set. I added the Basherboards mod to my brake pedal on my T500 pedal set and now I prefer the T500s over the Clubsports. The Basherboards mod gives the brake more progressive resistance than the load cell on the Clubsports. The Basherboards mod is really cheap, less than $20, and he gives you multiple bushings so that you can adjust the stiffness of your brake to your liking. I like a soft brake pedal and so I am using only one orange bushing, which is the softest setting you can do.

 

[Paul33993]

I own a T500RS wheel and pedal set. I also have owned the Fanatec Clubsport V1 pedal set since 2010. Until recently, I preferred the Clubsports over the T500 pedal set. I added the Basherboards mod to my brake pedal on my T500 pedal set and now I prefer the T500s over the Clubsports. The Basherboards mod gives the brake more progressive resistance than the load cell on the Clubsports. The Basherboards mod is really cheap, less than $20, and he gives you multiple bushings so that you can adjust the stiffness of your brake to your liking. I like a soft brake pedal and so I am using only one orange bushing, which is the softest setting you can do.

You see these comments from quite a few people. I personally can't compare to the Clubsports, but I find it incredibly believable. Because in a lot of ways, the Basher mod is a better way of doing things (than a load cell). The end result is the same, but one is mechanical and one is high tech calculations. If you didn't know which was the more expensive method, most people would prefer a mechanical method.

P.S. The basher mod and these pedals:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0023E9DN6/?tag=gtplanet-20

Are a great combo. They get lousy reviews on Amazon. And they probably are lousy as pedal covers in a real car, but mounted directly onto the T500 base, they're great. Awesome feel to them.

 

[Nitrius]

Well the Thrustmaster is tempting, but i don't really need a new wheel, as i could settle with a new pair of pedals, which also would be a bit cheaper.

But again, if it's possible to get the pedals of the Thrustmaster up to speed with these load-cell brakes with some easy mods, that's starts to sound interesting again. There is really only two things about the Thrustmaster which have had me hold back a bit, and that is the pedals, not being as good as those Fanatec ones, and the paddles on the wheel, being on the base and not the wheel, not that i have anything against it, am just used to the paddles following the wheel around.

Anyway thanks for the replies so far, and if i hear more good stuff about the Thrustmaster now, it might swing into clicking buy here

 

[Gunstar]

Reasons to love T500RS:

You get the whole system (wheel + pedals) in one box for a fair price... it's not G27 cheap but not quite CSW money.
Powerful belt driven FFB.
Swappable rims with 4 options available - GT (included), F1, 458 Italia (comes with TX but works on T500 base) and 458 GTE.
Easy to mod rims with DSD adapter.
Easily invertable pedals with non warranty voiding mods available.. the Basher Mod (I use it) or Bodin Load Cell.

HOWEVER... you could also do the TX and use the stock pedals while you send your Elites in for service, and it's about half what a T500 costs and has almost all the same advantages, short of the pedal ones of course.

 

[Nitrius]

The paddles on the wheel, which are fixed to the base, is it hard getting used to? Are they easy to reach? They seem to be big so i guess it should be no problem, but am a bit skeptic about it.

 

[Zero7159]

The paddles on the wheel, which are fixed to the base, is it hard getting used to? Are they easy to reach? They seem to be big so i guess it should be no problem, but am a bit skeptic about it.

The static paddle shifters on the T500 base are fine. Only problem I had with them was some missed shifts with the right paddle after the wheel would get hot. I bought some third party switch replacements from Bodin Solutions and installed them recently. They work perfectly.

The static paddle shifters do not work well for me when I am doing rally racing. When I play WRC 4, for example, I switch to the GTE rim. I also prefer the GTE rim for Game Stock Car 2013, in particular the retro formula cars where a circular rim is called for, but I want paddle shifters that rotate with the rim.

 

[Gunstar]

I don't have any trouble with the paddles, but if you do all the aftermarket rims have moving paddles so it's not that hard to fix. Some folks just CAN NOT deal with the static paddles tho, so that's up to your preference.

 

[Nitrius]

Anyone got any experience with the Fanatec ClubSport Wheel here? Looks really nice, not cheap though Looks like you need to get a separated table clamp to be able to clamp it down on a table, does that work okay or?

Even though the support ticket with my pedals didn't got the way i wanted, am not sure if i could go any other route with wheels and pedals than Fanatec, really like the little display on their wheels for example. So am wondering about getting the CSW and either a new set of CSR Elite pedals or the clubsport pedals. And after that send in my current Elite Pedals for new ones, and then selling the CSR wheel and CSR Elite pedals.

One thing about the CSW rims though, am not a big fan of the F1 wheel, so i'd probably get the GT/BMW rim, but i think it might be a bit big for my taste, and some of the buttons seems to be a hard reach without moving one of my arms.

Am also going to get myself a sim rig in the near future, looking at the Obutto currently though not sure when yet.

 

[Gunstar]

Well, if you're willing to pay the money they want, and deal with Fanatec gear being what it is and Fanatec support being what IT is, there doesn't look to be a better wheel than the CSW (especially with the BMW rim) and most of the people who have one seem to be very pleased with it's performance. Still, it might be worth your time to do some research. I don't own one and haven't used one myself, so I can't say how it compares to this or that tho.

Personally tho, I don't think I'd buy a wheel like the CSW or T500RS before I bought a rig tho, they're not really that kind of wheel in terms of size and performance. I'd keep the CSR and get a rig, then start the search for a new wheel.

 

[Nitrius]

Well, if you're willing to pay the money they want, and deal with Fanatec gear being what it is and Fanatec support being what IT is, there doesn't look to be a better wheel than the CSW (especially with the BMW rim) and most of the people who have one seem to be very pleased with it's performance. Still, it might be worth your time to do some research. I don't own one and haven't used one myself, so I can't say how it compares to this or that tho.

Personally tho, I don't think I'd buy a wheel like the CSW or T500RS before I bought a rig tho, they're not really that kind of wheel in terms of size and performance. I'd keep the CSR and get a rig, then start the search for a new wheel.

Hmm yea, you probably have a point there, i really do like the CSR wheel, beside the cheap feeling plastic around the rim. Though need a new set of pedals, really want to try and race with a clutch. And i do like the Elite pedals, as they work fine beside the clutch, so can't really go wrong with a new Elite pedals i guess, and then send in my old ones to get fixed and sell them off.