Fanatec Announcements: CSW V2 Reviews Out

  • Thread starter Crispy
  • 13,388 comments
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bumer
Only you can answer that. What is worth the money for some may not be worth for the other. I don't regret buying mine, it just feels so much better in your hand.
Although haven't kept an eye on Logitech products lately, they may be more reliable, as it seems that some people have had their CSW base or rims replaced or repaired very many times, athough mine is from the first batch and still haven't had any problems.
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Good to know. 1 last question, does the Logitech shifter connect to the CSW?
 
Ordered (yesterday) gt3 v2 xl setup with inversion brackets. Cant wait to set it up. What is there shipping like timewise, do they come from Germany or is there a USA distributor?
 
As a world-wide recognized brand of high quality peripheral devices, Fanatec is known for its cutting-edge technological innovation and high performance products. We develop racing wheels, pedals, cockpits and connecting accessories for nearly all platforms (next-gen consoles and PCs).
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From Fanatec's new affiliate thing.

Take it as you will.


Also thoughts on this affiliate program?
 
fatkrakr
I received my replacement base and there are some differences between my original and the new one. On the box of the new base it says V1.5 where the other box has nothing. The second thing is the belts, the original has Optibelts, the new base has gates belts. Also the small belt is wider on the new base compared to the old base, like twice as wide. The third difference is the second fan, the original only had 1 fan on the right hand side. The last thing Ive noticed is the pcb is a bit different. Looks to be all the same components, but they are configured differently on the board. Didn't take the back off for a closer look, but it is different. Havent hooked up the base to see if there is a difference in feel.
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Do you have pictures of it? So ... by the way, does anyone know if Fanatec talked about these changes? I'm curious, this might solve my problems.

Thanks.
 
fatkrakr
I received my replacement base and there are some differences between my original and the new one. On the box of the new base it says V1.5 where the other box has nothing. The second thing is the belts, the original has Optibelts, the new base has gates belts. Also the small belt is wider on the new base compared to the old base, like twice as wide. The third difference is the second fan, the original only had 1 fan on the right hand side. The last thing Ive noticed is the pcb is a bit different. Looks to be all the same components, but they are configured differently on the board. Didn't take the back off for a closer look, but it is different. Havent hooked up the base to see if there is a difference in feel.
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At least some of these changes were made quite some time ago. My CSW that I got about 6-8 months ago has the wider belt and 2 fans. The belt is a 3-rib belt rather than the older models' 2-rib belt. If you ever take apart your wheel, check the PCB on the side with the heatsink at the corner above where the position sensor plugs in and you'll be able to see an embossed board revision number. Mine says "CSW-Base V18" which could be V1.8 and just missing the decimal for all I know. Was your original CSW a beta model? Or maybe from early production release?
 
@ EZ1979 No I don't have any pictures and the wheel has been sent back already.

@ eKretz I believe my base was from the second production run, but not 100% on that. I ordered it back in October if that helps.
 
eKretz
At least some of these changes were made quite some time ago. My CSW that I got about 6-8 months ago has the wider belt and 2 fans. The belt is a 3-rib belt rather than the older models' 2-rib belt. If you ever take apart your wheel, check the PCB on the side with the heatsink at the corner above where the position sensor plugs in and you'll be able to see an embossed board revision number. Mine says "CSW-Base V18" which could be V1.8 and just missing the decimal for all I know. Was your original CSW a beta model? Or maybe from early production release?
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First or second batch, eKretz. Definitely not a beta one, because if I remember well the Beta PCB was the only one to have pins for a connector of sorts facing the steering shaft. Which was moved for the production PCB as the cable for the QR would bend those pins due to movement in and out of the steering shaft when you turned the wheel. Also for the first batch the cable was shortened.
Later after the second production run the PCB changed again along with other changes, like going for a dual fan setup.

The first two production runs did still have the same belts as the beta wheels got. It was changed at around either the 3rd or 4th run I think, roughly guessing from how fast these were produced and the time between the first and second run.
Then of course comes the point where the older revisions overlap with the newer depending on the supply of the warehouses throughout the world. In other words depending on the supply the newer revision might have been send out earlier in area X than Y.

So no, I don't believe based on the current info that he got any beta or pre-production unit. Beta products were only send to a handful of people (one of them being myself) and the pre-production units were send to all the community testers on an in my opinion reasonably large scale.
 
eKretz
At least some of these changes were made quite some time ago. My CSW that I got about 6-8 months ago has the wider belt and 2 fans. The belt is a 3-rib belt rather than the older models' 2-rib belt. If you ever take apart your wheel, check the PCB on the side with the heatsink at the corner above where the position sensor plugs in and you'll be able to see an embossed board revision number. Mine says "CSW-Base V18" which could be V1.8 and just missing the decimal for all I know. Was your original CSW a beta model? Or maybe from early production release?
Click to expand...

you mean this one?
uti5.jpg


This is a PCBA of a production wheel with the dual fan design and also with the wider belts..
 
Simracer92
you mean this one?

This is a PCBA of a production wheel with the dual fan design and also with the wider belts..
Click to expand...

That's not the position sensor connector from what I recall. Seems more like the connector for the QR.
 
Simracer92
This is a PCBA of a production wheel with the dual fan design and also with the wider belts..
Click to expand...

Interesting that they had those newer boards more than a month before we got to pre-order CSW in the first place.
Should ask Fanatec at some point would they sell those newer boards and second fan with brackets and wider belts seperately so we can upgrade our first production wheels.
 
My first wheel base pcb didn't have a date or any v# stamped on it like that pcb does.


Also what I was noting as different on the pcb's was some of the components attached to the pcb where different. As in not there or in a different location.
 
fatkrakr
My first wheel base pcb didn't have a date or any v# stamped on it like that pcb does.


Also what I was noting as different on the pcb's was some of the components attached to the pcb where different. As in not there or in a different location.
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Did you have a pre-production or beta wheel?
I have a prodction wheel from the first batch and I have those markings on it. It is on the wheel side of a pcb not the backside, but you probably know that.
 
Simracer92
you mean this one?
uti5.jpg


This is a PCBA of a production wheel with the dual fan design and also with the wider belts..
Click to expand...

Negative. Again, it is right in the corner where the position sensor plugs in to the board. That does look like it gives the same "V18" info though. I'll add a picture of what I was referring to later. The writing is merely impressed, or embossed in the board, there is no white paint, so it's easy to miss.

Here you go:

image-8.jpg~original


Interestingly, it looks like the embossed text is not on your board, although you have the same painted on numbering.
 
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eKretz
Negative. Again, it is right in the corner where the position sensor plugs in to the board. That does look like it gives the same "V18" info though. I'll add a picture of what I was referring to later. The writing is merely impressed, or embossed in the board, there is no white paint, so it's easy to miss.

Here you go:

image-8.jpg~original


Interestingly, it looks like the embossed text is not on your board, although you have the same painted on numbering.
Click to expand...

ah ok, found it on my board ;) same embossed text is on mine.. ;)
 
fatkrakr
@ EZ1979 No I don't have any pictures and the wheel has been sent back already.

@ eKretz I believe my base was from the second production run, but not 100% on that. I ordered it back in October if that helps.
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Thank you.

I also believe my base was from the second production run, I bought in 13/September/2013.
During games the belts slip much. I have a lot of loss of FFB.
Somebody have knowledge beyond the belts if there are other changes in the base mechanics (like different engine)?
The Fanatec should sell a kit at a subsidized price (below cost price) to customers who trusted early on and invested their money in it, helping to leverage other sales. My opinion. I live in Brazil, where there is no support, so I'm more concerned than others.
Soon I'll have to go back to using my old G27!
 
Buying a fanatec product in a country that doesn't have support is a huge gamble in my opinion. The wheel is excellent when it works, but when it doesn't its extremely disappointing. Considering I can go to the closet and drag my 3+ year old g27 off the shelf buy the usb cable drag it across the floor over to my rig plug it in and race.
 
EZ1978
Thank you.

I also believe my base was from the second production run, I bought in 13/September/2013.
During games the belts slip much. I have a lot of loss of FFB.
Somebody have knowledge beyond the belts if there are other changes in the base mechanics (like different engine)?
The Fanatec should sell a kit at a subsidized price (below cost price) to customers who trusted early on and invested their money in it, helping to leverage other sales. My opinion. I live in Brazil, where there is no support, so I'm more concerned than others.
Soon I'll have to go back to using my old G27!
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Tighten the belt that's slipping. Pretty simple to fix. If you have let it slip too long you may need to replace the belt. Any auto parts store should be able to get you a replacement belt if you can't get one through Fanatec. You need to get the tension of the belt just right or it will slip if too loose, or cause excess drag if too tight. You might need to fiddle with adjusting it a few times until you're happy with it.
 
eKretz
Tighten the belt that's slipping. Pretty simple to fix. If you have let it slip too long you may need to replace the belt. Any auto parts store should be able to get you a replacement belt if you can't get one through Fanatec. You need to get the tension of the belt just right or it will slip if too loose, or cause excess drag if too tight. You might need to fiddle with adjusting it a few times until you're happy with it.
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I'll wait a bit before trying to fix this problem. I will go to the USA in late October now and return after 11 days, during this period, I intend to purchase additional parts and more CSL Seat + CSS SQ (if available Fanatec all products).
Currently it is almost impossible to send for repair in the USA or Germany because the freight is very expensive to back and forth!
Who else has suggestions on how to solve these problems with the Base CSW, please let me know.
 
Cote Dazur
EZ, you can trust eKretz and follow his instructions, he has a lot of experience with the CSW/Elite. You are in good hands.:)
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I'll second that!
Tighten your belts and see how that works. Perhaps that's all is required. Try not to worry about what changes have been made and what version you have and enjoy your wheel :)
 
Cote Dazur
EZ, you can trust eKretz and follow his instructions, he has a lot of experience with the CSW/Elite. You are in good hands.:)
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👍 but, Please, anyone know any video on Youtube that teaches dismount and stretch the belts? I'm a little :dunce: :) thank you
 
I haven't seen any videos yet but it's pretty simple. First things first though how have you determined that your belt is slipping? Can you watch it slip when holding the wheel against the soft stop at the end of travel when you set SENS to 90° for instance?
 
eK, have you done any softening of belts? ProdigalXX had some grippy glory with that didn't he?

ps. I am really just trying to get you in to trouble again, for "contaminating" this thread with your mod madness. :)
 

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