Fanatec CSW/CSR Elite Modders Thread *UPDATE February 2014*

[paskowitz]

maybe the bad relationship between fanatec and Darin Gangi? could that be what they ment by "some testers have a history (good or bad) with Fanatec"

Something tells me that if Darin Gangi wants to review a Fanatec product, he is going to have to pay full price. Something also tells nobody cares about Darin Gangi anymore.

 

[eKretz]

I posted this in response to a question on another forum regarding belt tension, thought I would share it here also:

"Another tip - open up your wheel and clean all the dust out. Then loosen your belts and use some acetone and a toothbrush to clean your pulley grooves - get ALL the old rubber out of the grooves. Then do the same to the belts, all the way around the inside grooves. Just use enough acetone to wet the toothbrush, don't apply it to the belt, then scrub the belt grooves with the toothbrush. Allow everything to dry and reassemble and set tensions. This will allow you to run lower belt tensions but still prevent slippage."

This gets everything super clean and won't wear the belts out early like using belt dressing or rubber softening compound.

 

[K_Soze]

Nice new signature

 

[Blue028]

@eKretz yes the green tubing is to cool the motor, and yep still using your fittings. I had to seal the motor up a bit to help the air to flow through it and keep it cooler, not sure if you can see it in the pics

this is the rim in the pics http://m.ebay.com.au/itm/171155948834?nav=SEARCH pretty cheap but does the job

 

[superslowme]

I think they are saying that some of the reviews may be a little rosy or the opposite because people could possibly be giving biased reviews thinking it may help them keep the wheel or because they may have a beef with Fanatec. In any case, I tried to avoid that, and having the modded V1 which I like even better it wasn't too hard, lol.

One more thing, to my knowledge the people who posted reviews weren't asked to and were under no obligation to do so. In my case I just thought there were a lot of guys clamoring for info and figured my friends would like to read my thoughts on the new wheel vs. the original. I would assume the official reviews will be done on the retail model of the wheel.

We really do appreciate that Eric, I mean that´s what we want right? Real unbiased reviews comparing wheels whether fully stock or modded to see what´s the best we can have on a certain budget?

May I ask what´s the fuzz about regarding that Darin Gangi vs Thomas thingy? Sorry do not hang on the forum where it took place, just curious that´s all. Perhaps I´m just curious about the drama, who knows hehe?

 

[Cote Dazur]

Darin went to work for Thomas but it did not last long, after that Darin has been more critical of Fanatec product. It is a lot of drama for nothing, in French we say Naval battle in a glass of water. LOL

 

[eKretz]

@eKretz yes the green tubing is to cool the motor, and yep still using your fittings. I had to seal the motor up a bit to help the air to flow through it and keep it cooler, not sure if you can see it in the pics

this is the rim in the pics http://m.ebay.com.au/itm/171155948834?nav=SEARCH pretty cheap but does the job

Nice, did you measure a difference in temperature from sealing the motor up? Or just didn't like to hear air escaping somewhere you didn't want it to before circulating through the entire can?

 

[Blue028]

Measured it with my fingers without sealing it up the air was escaping very close to where it was entering the motor, mostly around the cables and seems on the rear endbell. There was very minimal if any air actually getting all the way through the motor so it would get very hot very quickly, but with the motor sealed up a bit I can easily feel the warm air pulsating out of the hole in the front endbell and can noticeably feel the difference in cooling

 

[superslowme]

Thanks Cote, yeah think I remember that when you said it now but did not remember the name of the guy.

@Blue028, that´s a nice wheel.

I would like a simple wheel myself for rally etc, the Beamer wheel is a bit heavy/sluggish (Buhler´s most certainly help out a bit in that department though) and too many buttons and stuff on it for that type of driving imho but I only have BMW + Formula wheel so gotta make use of them. Would like a simple light wheel for rally type driving though + obviously a hand/E break.

How did you make it work for CSW base? Electronics from a gutted Fanatec wheel or did I miss something in the pics perhaps?

 

[eKretz]

Measured it with my fingers without sealing it up the air was escaping very close to where it was entering the motor, mostly around the cables and seems on the rear endbell. There was very minimal if any air actually getting all the way through the motor so it would get very hot very quickly, but with the motor sealed up a bit I can easily feel the warm air pulsating out of the hole in the front endbell and can noticeably feel the difference in cooling

Yeah, I hear ya' - that's why I put the air in the other end! Plus that way it blows the brush debris/dust and heat from arcing out immediately rather than circulating it through the motor.

 

[eKretz]

@Blue028

How did you make it work for CSW base? Electronics from a gutted Fanatec wheel or did I miss something in the pics perhaps?

You did miss something - he's running the electronics from the original wheel off to the side as a button box, with the cable coming from the PCB to the "button box" rather than through the steering shaft to the mounted wheel. And you also missed the fact that his wheel is a CSR Elite, not a CSW. Easy mistake though as he painted the side covers and plus it simply looks like a badass prototype cyborg wheel, lol.

 

[Punknoodle]

Okay fellas - as promised, here are the vids of the Buhler mod wheel freewheeling.

*Videos*

Should have made gifs instead lol

 

[bruzski]

It is a lot of drama for nothing, in French we say Naval battle in a glass of water. LOL

oooo, like storm in a glass of water or making a mosquito an elefant

 

[superslowme]

Thanks Eric, my bad I can clearly see it now to the right of his wheel base from Elite stock wheel.

 

[Blue028]

Yes like Eric said, it's csr elite (thought the forza logo on the rim would give it away ) with the original rim pcb on the side as the button box, but I also have it fully wired through the shaft for the paddle shifters on that rim and for the other rim I modded with a csr pcb, also for a formula rim when it arrives too. All I need to do is put the quick release on it and solder on the connector

 

[superslowme]

Thanks for info Blue.

 

[bruzski]

Dear Giuliano
As an owner of the ClubSport or CSR Elite wheel, you have the privilege to be in the exclusive group eligible to purchase our new Fanatec ClubSport Wheel V2.

You will receive the code within the next few weeks or months, as we are sending them out in several waves in the order of the purchase date of your ClubSport or CSR Elite wheel.

 

[eKretz]

I got that also, guess the codes won't be here for a while yet though.

 

[katpeeler]

Hello, I hate to butt in on the conversation and work everyone is doing in here but had a quick question that I didnt want to start a whole thread on. I have a Fanatec CSW base that I know longer use that works fine and was wondering do you think it would be worth trying to sell or just keep as a backup to my Thrustmaster TX. Ive looked on Ebay and at the moment there was only one for sale. Are people not buying them or are people not wanting to sell them??...Thanx for any help

 

[bruzski]

I got that also, guess the codes won't be here for a while yet though.

ah shucks...

 

[eKretz]

Hello, I hate to butt in on the conversation and work everyone is doing in here but had a quick question that I didnt want to start a whole thread on. I have a Fanatec CSW base that I know longer use that works fine and was wondering do you think it would be worth trying to sell or just keep as a backup to my Thrustmaster TX. Ive looked on Ebay and at the moment there was only one for sale. Are people not buying them or are people not wanting to sell them??...Thanx for any help

Let me check my crystal ball, lol

 

[Punknoodle]

Hello, I hate to butt in on the conversation and work everyone is doing in here but had a quick question that I didnt want to start a whole thread on. I have a Fanatec CSW base that I know longer use that works fine and was wondering do you think it would be worth trying to sell or just keep as a backup to my Thrustmaster TX. Ive looked on Ebay and at the moment there was only one for sale. Are people not buying them or are people not wanting to sell them??...Thanx for any help

Sorry but I'm not after a CSW v1 but if you happen to get an invite code to buy the v2 and you don't intend on using it I would be really grateful if you let me use it

 

[F1 Enthusiast]

Hello, I hate to butt in on the conversation and work everyone is doing in here but had a quick question that I didnt want to start a whole thread on. I have a Fanatec CSW base that I know longer use that works fine and was wondering do you think it would be worth trying to sell or just keep as a backup to my Thrustmaster TX. Ive looked on Ebay and at the moment there was only one for sale. Are people not buying them or are people not wanting to sell them??...Thanx for any help

Lol! It will probably be worth more than your TX brand new. Put it up on Ebay and you'll find out very quick.

 

[katpeeler]

Lol! It will probably be worth more than your TX brand new. Put it up on Ebay and you'll find out very quick.

Well I guees I will...didnt know if it was even worth the trouble. Hard to believe its worth that much though...

 

[eKretz]

No way for us to tell since not a lot of people are selling them yet.

 

[F1 Enthusiast]

Well I guees I will...didnt know if it was even worth the trouble. Hard to believe its worth that much though...

Considering the TX is a toy and the CSW is a base for a fully compatible line of pretty high quality sim racing equipment..... It's not that hard to believe.

 

[F1 Enthusiast]

No way for us to tell since not a lot of people are selling them yet.

I may sell my V1 after the V2 arrives, but it will be in the $350 range, nothing less. Considering it has brand new motors and works as new, I will probably keep it as a back-up or get ekretz mod to test the difference. Either way, definitely beats having to resort to any of the plastic Thrustmaster products.

 

[Blue028]

Well I am currently refurb/rebuilding another csr elite, it will have a slipring and 4 spare motors with it, I was thinking of selling it or swapping towards a csw v1 base

 

[westerners]

Well I am currently refurb/rebuilding another csr elite, it will have a slipring and 4 spare motors with it, I was thinking of selling it or swapping towards a csw v1 base

hey blue i am in victoria are the spare motors buhlers by any chance i would be interested cheers

 

[superslowme]

Sean only a a few CSW/CSR Elite being sold overall so far and none of them were sold cheap, well that´s a personal opinion obviously cause what is cheap/expensive really but point is seams to be an investment and you can get a lot of your money back if selling.

Makes me wonder what my own CSW V1 is really worth atm, including the Buhler´s including Meanwell PSU and air pump + untouched stock motor block, don´t even have any air holes drilled in the back cover so can put it back to fully stock should I want to?
Either way should add some value to the CSW overall I think cause the mod itself cost a few $ to say the least and makes it a better wheel for sure but would not sell without it unless something even better is on the horizon, CSW V2 brushless mod anyone? Eric? Hehe time will tell I guess can only imagine how the market will look in a few years from now?

Looks like Fanatec sent one of those mails to me as well, no code yet but should arrive, perhaps someone want to create a list with demands for such codes, first to ask first to get kinda thing or how to get on about this?