How To: Driving force GT handbrake mod

Alright this will show you how to wire your DFGT for an external handbrake. This doesnt show you how to build the handbrake portion, but i might update later showing that.

I am not responsible if you break your wheel in any way, so do this at your own risk.

Also note that this basically gives you a second O button, so if your playing a game that uses X as the ebrake it will not work (unless you change the controls)

Ok so first off remove all the power cords going to your wheel, then remove the back cover of the wheel by removing these screws (Note they are all the same so you dont need to keep track of where they go)


Next you can lift the back cover off which will reveal this:

Here you can clamp the wheel back to your table or what have you to make it easier to work on and the you can remove the plate (noting where the screws go as they are different)

You will now have something like this:


Now we will remove the face of the steering wheel by removing the 13 screws on the back of the wheel. (these screws are once again all the same so you dont need to keep track of where they go)


You will now see this:

Remove the plug.

Now you can remove all the screws that hold on the top board. (Once again, these screws are all identical to each other)


Slide out the R2 and L2 buttons being careful of the ribbon cables and flip the board over and you'll have something like this:


Now locate where the O button is and find the S13 and R19 points on the board, this is what you will solder to.


After soldering you will have something similar to this, Make sure your wires/solder isnt going to short anything on the board.


Put the rubber thing for the buttons back on


Fish the wires through one of the holes on the board while making sure they dont pass in front of any buttons or anything and screw the board back down and put the R2/L2 buttons back.


Now forget about the wheel face for now and fish 2 long wires through the back of the steering wheel gear. (This may be easier if you remove the wheel itself)


Now solder the wires you just put through the wheel gear to to the wires you attached to the board earlier. (Note the wires have to go through the wheel and everything so this is much easier if you have long wires) Also remember to plug the board back in.


Now you can screw the steering wheel face back on. Now is also a good time to give the wheels a few turns to make sure the wires you added arent binding in any way inside the wheel.

After that you can also plug the wheel in now and touch your 2 wires to make sure they are doing their job (acting as the O button) Once you have confirmed everything is working well you can tuck your wires under the USB connection wire and screw the plate back on.




Now you can put the back cover on again and you will will be done the wiring portion of an external handbrake!!

I will probably update this showing the handbrake part itself once i do it if there is enough interest from you guys.

Post any questions you have and i will do my best to answer them!

Good sir,



That was an awesome post.

Nice! wired to a switch on the side of your seat? Personally, I just re-map the sequential shifter to be: + is handbrake and - is reverse.

Edit: Love the MKI MR2 in your sig!

Thanks guys!
Im planning on doing something like this: (very rough draft lol)


The two red dots represent contact points on each wire.

I like the shifter idea but i am also planning on moving my shifter to down beside my handbrake, once i am finished making the handbrake that is.

haha thanks! back from the GT4 days.