The Thrustmaster T500RS Thread

  • Thread starter Thread starter TomN
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RC45,
I have a couple of questions for you, I hope I didn’t miss these already, if so, please forgive me:

1). How do you like the Paddle Shifters that are stationary? When I have read some car reviews, it always seemed to make more since because you know where they are at all times, but since I have never compared stationary and non-stationary it is just speculation on my part, I would like to hear from you.
2). How do you compare the feel of the Thrustmaster T500 RS when compared to the Fanatec GT2, I am speaking of the way they feel in the hand, the reason I ask is because the Fanatec GT2 looks fat and has the large humps, I know it is covered in ALCANTARA, but which is your preference and why??
 
Gigantoad
Ouch. Doesn't look too good as far as reliability is concerned. I never had a fan fail in as little as 26 hours. Hopefully this isn't an indication for the quality of other components (but realistically speaking might pretty much be just that).
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Ranger099
Really? A sample size of ONE and you're commenting on reliability of an entire product. Similarly I should conclude that everything you own with a fan is flawless because you've NEVER had a failure.

Let's get a little more evidence before we speculate about reliability.
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Gigantoad
Well I guess you're right. But still, at first there was only one Ferrari 458 burning, and then a second and a third and then came the callback.

One such incident could be a fluke, but you gotta agree it doesn't induce the most confidence in a product if one of the few in use now already shows such issues.
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Let us make note of this fan issue and also note that are sample size is small (n=1? surely, more than 1? how many people here have the wheel? I have not been keeping track :dunce: )

:)

edit...read the latter posts about the fan is not failing. d'oh! :)
 
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Chibana
I don't think there's anything "subpar" about either the G25 or G27. My G25 performed fantastically in GTR2. There's no doubt that the Fanatec and Thrustmaster T500 RS wheels are better than the G25/G27, but they also cost much more. What I find subpar is PD's support of the G25, which has been a shock to me since I first bought GT5P. I continue to be amazed at how poorly the G25 feels in GT5 compared to what it felt like in GTR2, and that PD wouldn't want to put more effort into properly supporting this wheel, which is so obviously better than the other, better supported Logitech wheels listed in GT5.
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subpar comparing to GT2/CS and T500RS.
:)

cheers!
:)
 
So umm, can we somehow find out if that fan noise is simply a loud fan that only kicks in when you drive a while, or if it's actually broken?
 
It's too bad the T500RS pedals are let down by some low rent hardware and fasteners. They seem to play second fiddle to the actual wheel. It does sound like they perform well enough though. It'll be really interesting to hear more details about how well the "pressure mod" foam and spring works in practice, relative to ClubSport Pedals and even the Perfect Pedal. Sometimes low-tech solutions work surprisingly well.

I'm jealous of people who both have had a chance to try the wheel and have a Fry's nearby. I'm on the East Coast and we have Micro Center, but they don't stock this wheel.
 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JbiKD74AWF4&feature=related

Interesting interview!

After 2.00 there is some talking about the upcomming shifter and that Thrusmaster wants to go at PC simracing too with this hardware.

A Thrustmaster quote about the fan problem from Gilles on Facebook
"we checked this video - it is difficult to clearly attribute the source of the noise since omnidirectionnal microphone amplified a lot all sort of noise from this player environment- Therefore it is difficult to distinguish a normal noise from abnormal with a video on you tube compared to life environement . We never faced such a fan noise in few thousands made in production neither if the few hundred that went through heavy intensive overduty lifecycle test. Best would be that our tech support could get this unit back to do analysis and diagnostic to double check if normal or abnormal, if anything is not in the place it should be for this particular unit."
 
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Anyone of the T500RS owners tried to remove the steering wheel from its base? It's suppose to be upgradedable.
 
GTP_Daniel84, have you experienced any of the other problems RC has, such as the diamond plating not fitting well and the hex nuts rounding out, and the hex key not fitting fully? RC, how do the rest of the components of the wheel feel? Exceptional quality like they should be, sounds like just the nuts suck, haha, and maybe the fan. ANd when you say rounding out, do you mean that the PEDALS THEMSELVES where the next nuts FIT INTO are rounding out, or just the easily replaceable hex nuts themselves? Either way, from what I can tell the wheel looks absolutely incredible overall both quality wise and best of all, performance wise.

You said that the material on the wheel doesn't feel like $600, if you really think so, maybe it's just you as I've read the material feels great. Is the material holding up and all that?
 
RC45
The hex bolt rexess themselves are rounding out, the fastnersa re not a good quality - they do not match the other components. The first thing I am doing is replacing all the fastners with machine screws sourced from an engineering supply house.

The wheel rim itself does not "feel upmarket", but then again few utilitarian race wheels do, right? Thsi is the quandry, do youplay to peoples 'sense of value/style' or do youprovide them with the best material for the job?

The rubber wheel rim is probably the best material for the job, but just feels tacky. Make sense?
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I presume you mean "recesses", in which case that means that the metal on the actual pedals themselves is the "cheap pot petal" and is starting to round out, or do you mean the hex nuts and bolts themselves that are easily replaceable? Given this is supported by Kaz and is obviously an ambitious project, I have a feeling that any bad aspects will hopefully be ironed out in later revisions, and or if it's just these nuts that are the problem, they're easily replaceable anyways.

"tacky" is purely opinion and can be biased, however I've read they use a new, uniquely specially formulated rubber, so it may have a unique feel, but if it's the best material for the job, and LASTS (does it feel like it's lasting, btw?) then that's quality.

So I presume everything else feels good then, too, wheel quality wise? I'm wondering, as you said it feels just as solid as the Fanatecs, that's still the case, no?
 
RC45
The hex bolt rexess themselves are rounding out, the fastnersa re not a good quality - they do not match the other components. The first thing I am doing is replacing all the fastners with machine screws sourced from an engineering supply house.

The wheel rim itself does not "feel upmarket", but then again few utilitarian race wheels do, right? Thsi is the quandry, do youplay to peoples 'sense of value/style' or do youprovide them with the best material for the job?

The rubber wheel rim is probably the best material for the job, but just feels tacky. Make sense?

The hex nuts that suck are probably not the engineers fault, they specced a friction press fit hex nut in a hex shaped recess, the tollerances of a mass produced unit probably are the problem here - their R&D test units are probably flawless, but he tollerances of the produciton units abd variences in hex nut size (agaian cheap fastners) means that some are tight and some are loose.

I would love to hear from others with the T500 tahthave tried to relocate the pedals. I was not about to bend the frame as I fear the powder coating may crack. Unless it is surface etched colour.
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Speaking of the wheel, you probably missed this with all of the post coming in so quick, can you address these:

https://www.gtplanet.net/forum/showthread.php?t=135961&page=92#post4545451
 
Would you fancy having a go to disconnect the wheel from the main base and photograph? TM said it only takes 3 screws I think?

Curious as to what connections are used for the D-Pad or buttons when seperating and to see if a d.i.y mod for a proper wheel is going to be quite easy or not?

Im consiering modding mine when it arrives, err assuming it does arrive...
 
RC45
The size of the T500 wheel is def. an advantage. It just feels right in this case. The Fanatec wheel feels "correct' as far as the Porsche layout and feel goes, it just feels "small" and you adapt to that
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Aren't those two both 12" wheels? I'm a bit confused. Maybe GT2 thickness makes it feel smaller?
 
RC45
I havent heard yet, but they better - if they dont the wheel goes on eBay as-is. No way I am paying freight to France - for a 17kg box? No chance :lol:.
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Agreed. I hope it all works out ok... Would be a shame to let such a great wheel go to eBay.
 
RC45
Yes, spleling owns my keyboard.

I meant the hex recesses on the bolt faces themselves - the hex holes in the pedals would not roundout very easily at all.


I am very surprised at the poor quality of the fastners, as I have purchased some Japanes components before and the amazing quality of the machine screws etc has always impressed.

So, yes, this is easily fixed, but at $600 the consumer shouldn't be off trying to buy decent fastners, or am I expecting too much?


Well, I mean both "tacky" in appearence and "a little tacky" in tactile feeling - and th ematerial will probably last - although someone with long thumbnails (a ldy friend perhaps) cold nick the rubber as the wheel turns - the few indents created by said "lady nails" easily healed themselves, the wheel rim is probably the best material fo rth ejob.


Yes, it is solid. And robust and works very well.
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Excellllent man thanks for the reply, cool so if the metal on the actual pedals are of high quality and can't round out, then for the price Thrustmaster is selling this wheel as I'm surprised they don't charge more, and I'm glad they went w/ low quality fasteners to pinch pennies instead of somthing that would totally degrade the hardware, though it still would have been nice to get higher quality screws and nuts. In the video you posted, they seem decent enough though, though regarding the rounding out one, was it ALREADY kind of rounded out from the get go, or jus started doing so? Something as small of a "problem" as that though def. wouldn't knock a point of for me really, as everything else seems just incredible even regardless of price, however you did say the brake mod is cheap and is starting to lose it's effectiveness, really? From the pics I can see it looks like good, solid quality, and I'm sure ISRtonight is doing heavy testing, so we'll what they have to say about it too.

Still those super small things aside, this hardware seems like just amazing stuff and huge leap up performance wise and technical wise from anything else out there w/ the in-wheel decoder, Hall Effect sensors (I really hope these are superb quality, as well), and FFB motor, besides the FREX and ECCI wheels.

RC, does this wheel have a vibration motor? Such as when you take off etc.?
 
My wheel's fan is clearly loud after a long rush.
Not a problem for me in game, a litlle disturbing otherwise.
The fixed paddles are a great improvment for me, but only after a period of acclimatization.
The brake's mod is for me really great, i won't use ABS=1 evermore, and that change all for the driving experience.
 
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Just watched your video RC. My fan is not so loud. Yours sounds in the video really like a broken one. First I thought it was the engine noise from gt5 car.
I've run the wheel for about max 8hours. There to stages:
- Fan is not running (or I can not hear it)
- After some time the fan starts (or increases its rpm) and I can hear it. But less loud then an orginal amd fan on the run for example

Concerning the screws. They are made of aluminium. Never saw one which was not rounding out after third use.
 
I would guess that the wheel stand pro will not suffice as a stand for the T500 RS. I installed a perfect pedal in my G27 and found that my wheel stand pro moves with the increased braking force required. Perhaps the stand from Apiga might.

FugitiveYOY
@RC45, I meant i fear the Wheelstand Pro is not stable and heavy enough to match the forces and the weight of this wheel. Have to try it, if i decide to buy this wheel.
(Sold my G25 and have a "spare" DFGT for now..)

Good to read another wheel user talks about a loud fan with heavy use aswell. Might not be a falure...

The french video part 2 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RoLdjq8Jems
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Might be interesting if anyone has access to an IR thermometer to scan the wheel motor assembly before using, then during some use and after the fan kicks on. It may be that heavy FFB effects cause the wheel to generate excessive heat and toggle the fan on.
 
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Hello,

my t500 lost a screw yesteray.
It is from the backside cover of the pushbuttons on the wheelrim.
I tryed to put it back, but it seems to be overtighten. I was able to just stick it in the hole to the end, without any resistance. Unluckily the thread on the wheel is gone and not that one on the screw.
It do not have any functional effect, but I am unhappy about it. Seems that all screw connections are very poor quality.
My fan is more or less quiet, depending of the heat.

Regards,

Laserpat
 
another thing happened to me minutes ago the second time.
You start your ps3 and then the wheel starts calibrating itself or something like that. It seems sometimes it does not go back to center pos. Both times it stood ca 30° right. After plugin in the wheel againg it calibrates like it should.
 
Hello,
I have seen this phenomen just, when I start Ps3. Somtime I recieve a wrong angle.
But when I start GT5 it was always correct. It calibrates actually two times.

Regards,

Laserpat
 

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