CSL Load Cell Issues
ALFRED HERNANDEZ
Member
Hi All,
I've seen a few threads discussing the stiffness of the load cell brake pedal. Most people just say "It's that stiff, get used to it" or you need to have it mounted securely. But I feel like I have 2 issues. One, yes my pedal is very stiff, I'm a decently strong guy and the max travel I can get on it is just over 1 inch. Second, even if it wasn't so stiff, on the MAX brake force setting I can only press it about 5/8th of an inch before it is at 100%., I just don't think that feels right. I just dont see how you can control the pressure that finely in that short of a distance. Is this really the expected behavior? Am I just supposed to think in terms of pressure and not distance at all? I'll give it some time, but right now going from almost no braking to locking up the wheels in 1/4 inch is pretty tough. Thanks for the input!
Comments
Hi Alfred,
Yes it is supposed to be like that. In some race cars, the brakes are considerably stiffer than this Load Cell Kit, and require much more force.
Controlling pressure is not distance related. In fact, the less movement there is, the more precise you can be with your pressure modulation. It is a matter of getting used to it, and followed by a lot of 'seat time'. But once you've trained your muscle memory, you should find your braking to be more consistent.
[Fanatec Community Manager]
Lots of real race cars have huge amounts of pedal travel:
Does make you wonder why sim racing pedal manufacturers all seem to have latched on to this idea of stiffer and less travel being better. At the very least, load cell brakes should be adjustable for a considerable range of both stiffness and throw.
Offering a brake with this level of performance and durability that also has options for significantly changing the amount of travel available would have added significant cost and complexity.
True. All I'm doing is challenging the notion that the brake pedal has to be stiff, with very little travel, to be considered "realistic".
Well I think it's far too stiff and nothing like I was expecting. Fed up of seeing people keep saying the "race cars have stiff pedals" nonsense as justification - some cars do and some don't.
I've ordered some of these, hopefully the pedal should be a bit more progressive.
https://www.3drap.it/product/fanatec-csl-elastomer-brake-mod-csl-pedals-lc/
Please let us know how it works.
Hopefully they should be delivered Monday so I'll let you know how I get on.
DIY solutions:
https://forum.fanatec.com/discussion/24965/fix-mod-csl-load-cell-pedal
https://forum.fanatec.com/discussion/25021/csl-lc-stiffness-issue
The hybrid kit I ordered from 3drap arrived. Fitted it today and really impressed. Nice pedal travel that gets progressively firmer.
nice! i find the LC a bit too stiff too but after a couple of hours i got used to it. will get one of these ordered, thanks for posting
Stephen Jay, I am totally with you !! The Loadcell pedal is not similar to ANY CAR I have experienced. I have just bought one...
I am 53 yo. I have owned lots of cars over the years. Driven on track too.
I have a few cars and the Fanatec Loadcell brake pedal feels NOTHING like the following:
1996 Mitsubishi Evo IV with AP 6 pot front Calipers / 2pot rear Brembo
DC2 Honda Integra Type R (large sliding calipers all round)
Nissan 370Z (4 pot front and 2 pot rear Nissin Calipers)
Honda Civic EG6 Race car - Wilwood 4 pot and 2 pot -no brake servo and no ABS.
Toyota Crown Athlete 3.5 V6. 4 pot Caliper are front and sliding calipers at rear
All these cars are in GT 7 and the Loadcell doesn't feel realistic for any of these cars.
It doesnt feel like a bare bones 1988 MR2 with no PAS or Brake servo or even 250cc Go Kart brake system ?
It feels like hard plastic trapped between the pedal and the floor. Race cars do not feel like the Load Cell pedal.
Any hydraulic brake pedal has a little play initially, followed by a feeling of engagement and then a progressive and increasing resistance as its pressed. There are 3 distinct stages. The Fanatec Loadcell is not even as good as a G29 Logitech brake pedal with its spring and rubber bumper. Even this feels more realistic. Granted, Its not made from the great materials that the Fanatec is made from. The G29 feels plasticky and cheap, but see past that and feel the pedal and then go and drive a real sports car and its not massively different. I have been trying to love the Loadcell pedal, but have concluded that its waay too hard, doesn't convey any sense of feeling.
I have ordered some large springs of varying strengths and different plastic parts to make it feel authentic. I shouldn't have to do this??
To end on a positive note, the Fanatec CSL steering Wheel is a work of art and the Wheel base feels incredible. The quality of the materials is very high and every detail is really impressive. Once I get the Loadcell feeling great I will be happy with my upgrade though overall.
I agree with Jonathan.
In one of my previous cars I had a bunch of modifications, like braided lines, master cylinder stopper, and track level discs and pads, and the pedal stiffness was much harder than any other car I’ve ever driven, but it was not void of feeling like these pedals. there was still a little bit of pedal travel and ability to modulate.
With these pedals I have almost zero feel of what’s happening and there is almost no travel (I will measure/video it soon and see exactly how much). I have them secured so I can put full pressure (more than I would use in a real car) and they don’t move.
I find it to feel not like any car I’ve ever driven (I admit I’ve never driven an actual race car but I’ve done track driving in modified, performance oriented road cars).
I find it extremely hard to accurately modulate. Part of it I assume comes down to not having the g-force and feel of the car that you have in real life, but the pedal feel is also a factor.
I guess if people are going to say that’s just how it’s meant to be, then they’re not for me and I should probably just return them and pay more for something more realistic, I do understand that there are compromises at this price point. but I don’t understand how so many people can say they’re great pedals and I think the complete opposite (and I’m far from alone).
I don’t know why they wouldn’t offer a set of different hardness elastomers for an additional cost.
Im not really keen to spend weeks/months ordering/waiting for parts on line to modify them trial and error like. That’s what I would assume Fanatec’s R&D team has already done. I already waited months for the pedals in the first place.
It makes me wonder if there are actually batches of pedals that are defective and they’re not actually like they should be. I find it hard to believe that this is how they are meant to be, but I’ve not used other load cell pedals before so I have no frame of reference. Without being able to physically try someone else’s pedals I guess I can’t know for sure.
UPDATE ! I Modded my pedal to include a spring and I removed a few plastic discs and a couple of rubber elastomers and now I have a spring feel which transitions into the rubber pressure feel. I found that after trying 3 springs the firmest one made the transition between spring and elastomer the most natural. My Loadcell pedal feels like a proper pedal now and the final movements allow proper modulation.
I would conclude that my pedal feels very close to my Evo 4's AP 6 pot caliper with Yellow stuff pads (these can feel a little woody!) and braided lines (that dull feel you get on fitting them)
I am very happy with it now - at last
can you post the photo?
I am returning mine for a full refund after receiving them yesterday, it's not right at all - having to mod brakes after spending £1k is ridiculous and i wont even go there out of principle!
And of course Fanatec will say this is "normal" because they don't want to give us optionality which at this price point should be the bare minimum!
So glad i paid for them using my paypal credit account so if they try and play games i'll just put a claim in.