DFP steering play ...

[NightBattleDori]

Yep.

I love my DFP to death, and just recently started using it on my computer as well! I do have one beef though - there seems to be a very slight amount of play between the force-feedback motors and the steering shaft. Quick direction transitions and straight-line driving really amplify this issue - it's almost like driving an actual car with a worn-out ball joint, causing the car to follow its' own line during a corner. On high-speed straights [Test Track for example] I've actually seen a loss of top-speed resulting from the car jittering back-and-forth [I can hold the wheel dead center, and the car in-game will jitter back-and-forth, much like someone wildly flicking a DualShock2 joystick].

I haven't opened up my DFP just yet. If it's a manufacture defect or issue, I'll have it checked out, but if it's a common problem, or normal, then I'll dive right in to see if it can be adjusted.

Any ideas, thoughts, or input would be greatly appreciated.

--Dave-O

 

[NightBattleDori]

Alright, so I tore my wheel apart this afternoon, checked out the inner-workings. Seems there's a bit of slack between one of the plastic intermediate gears, and the metal gear on the FFB motor. I stripped everything down, redrilled the motor mounting holes out and filed down a tab so I could move the motor closer to the intermediate gear. Tightened everything down and reassembled it.

Works like a charm now. There's still a slight bit of play between the intermediate gear and the wheel's gear, but that slack is just inherent with the design. Much more solid steering feel, and I've observed fewer high-speed "jitters" while traveling in a straight line.

While I was at it, I also replaced the shift knob and lever with a custom lever and aftermarket knob from an old project car I had.

EDIT: Crap pic of my knob.

--Dave-O

 

[zReHmz]

Nice job, Man do i wish i had a DFP with the GT logo instead of the crappy logitech one.

 

[rsmithdrift]

Wow. I just used some r/c car gear grease. Tightened things up quite a bit and quieted that loud whining noise alot.

You know the kind of grease I'm talking about, it's thick and black and comes in a tube, it's special made for driveline gears on R/C cars. The EXACT same kind of gears that are in the DFP.

 

[NightBattleDori]

Wow. I just used some r/c car gear grease. Tightened things up quite a bit and quieted that loud whining noise alot.

You know the kind of grease I'm talking about, it's thick and black and comes in a tube, it's special made for driveline gears on R/C cars. The EXACT same kind of gears that are in the DFP.

Yeah, I know what you're talking about. Didn't think about it until you mentioned it though.