Fanatec Reveals New $400 CSL Cockpit
- Thread starter Jordan
- 92 comments
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- 5,550
- Alabamistan
- 5,550
- Alabamistan
I got it. Apparently being proactive with the FedEx drivers paid off. I did go right home and put both boxes inside my apartment. The box with the actual cockpit in it is HEAVY!!! I had trouble wrestling it inside. @330_D the Cockpit Seat is in a smaller box than I was expecting. You have to assemble the seat?
- 5,550
- Alabamistan
Alright!! got home, opened up the box, got the video manual on Youtube fired up, got the pdf manual on Fanatec's website. Noticed something right away was wrong. I didn't have the very first two brackets you're supposed to start with. The video shows 4 brackets in that bottom section of the box and mine we're there. Brackets i and n, two each. The cardboard was stamped where they were supposed to go but they we're there, or so I thought. Did a quick inventory to make sure everything else was there and I was only missing those 4 brackets. I do have a package of washers that aren't labeled but I think they are w2.
But the more I looked at the box where those brackets are supposed to be I thought let me just see if those inserts come out, and they did revealing all four brackets underneath. The Fanatec people just didn't remove them like they did for all of the other brackets. First crisis averted.
So far I just have the first two brackets and front rails assembled with my data cable fed through. I've been at it for over 2 hours now. @330_D did you run your cables through the tubing? I have V3 pedals and the cable for them is not all that long so I don't know if it's going to reach going through the tubing.
But looking ahead I do see a problem I have. There is no mention of how to attach the wheel base to the brackets. I'm assuming they still use those rectangular slide brackets with the bolts though them? If so I only have 3 of those. My base only attached to my old wheel stand at three points and if I got 4 of those brackets with the base, I don't know where the other one is. I'm guessing you have to have 2 per side. So I'll have to order (if you can) another bracket and bolt. It's probably going to be a couple of weeks or more before I can get this thing up and running so I won't be able to play. I knew something like this was going to happen. Nothing ever goes smoothly for me, NEVER.
But the more I looked at the box where those brackets are supposed to be I thought let me just see if those inserts come out, and they did revealing all four brackets underneath. The Fanatec people just didn't remove them like they did for all of the other brackets. First crisis averted.
So far I just have the first two brackets and front rails assembled with my data cable fed through. I've been at it for over 2 hours now. @330_D did you run your cables through the tubing? I have V3 pedals and the cable for them is not all that long so I don't know if it's going to reach going through the tubing.
But looking ahead I do see a problem I have. There is no mention of how to attach the wheel base to the brackets. I'm assuming they still use those rectangular slide brackets with the bolts though them? If so I only have 3 of those. My base only attached to my old wheel stand at three points and if I got 4 of those brackets with the base, I don't know where the other one is. I'm guessing you have to have 2 per side. So I'll have to order (if you can) another bracket and bolt. It's probably going to be a couple of weeks or more before I can get this thing up and running so I won't be able to play. I knew something like this was going to happen. Nothing ever goes smoothly for me, NEVER.
330_D
Premium
- 1,113
- Upstate NY
You can probably get those or similar at an industrial hardware supply, honestly. Take one with you and go to your nearest bolt and but distributor and see what they can do. Order them on Amazon... either way I bet you can have them in a day or two.
Edit: no I didn't run my cables in the tubes. Mine are short as well and I'm glad I didn't. It's just enough slack to do what I need.
Edit: no I didn't run my cables in the tubes. Mine are short as well and I'm glad I didn't. It's just enough slack to do what I need.
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- 5,550
- Alabamistan
I can run the USB cable that goes to the PC through one tube, it's plenty long enough. I'll figure something out with the pedal cable. After 5 hours I'm exhausted. I'm done for tonight. I've got to go around and tighten all of the bolts and nuts and I've got to assemble and mount the seat. I'll try and figure out something for the other t nut. There is some on Amazon but I don't know what size the Fanatec ones are.
There is still some stuff left in the box. But are there any directions for mounting the base and the pedals? Yeah I know I probably got four T-nuts but I just don't remember what I would have done with that 4th one. The box it came with is out in my storage building...I think. Do you know what size those T-nuts are?
330_D
Premium
- 1,113
- Upstate NY
I guess I count myself lucky in that I got to help my dad work on cars when I was young so I have about enough mechanical knowledge and skill to get myself in trouble, but putting together stuff like this is usually a pretty quick task. Glad to hear you are nearly there! I'm the back of the manual there is a page that shows the hardware you need to mount the base and pedals. It isn't great but if you pay attention it'll show you what you need. Home Depot may or an industrial supply will likely have what you need.
- 5,550
- Alabamistan
Well I grew up being around cars and repair shops too since that was the business my dad was in but I never acquired any mechanical knowledge. I think that was one thing that disappointed him with me. Mechanical things scare me. I'm so afraid I'll get injured somehow. Still to this day at age 58 I won't use power tools. My fear of mechanical things is even more ironic because I'm still in the car business and I'm in a repair shop daily but if there is a car running and the guys are under the hood looking at it, I'll be 8-10 feet away. I know somehow my hand my get caught in the drive belt or something will shoot out into my eyes. But I digress.
At least 3 or 4 times I had to go back and redo some assembly because I forgot to put washers on. I got the brake pedal tray assembled and was glad that it was rather easy until looking at the video I realized I had put the side brackets on upside down plus I forgot the washers on the main tray so all of that had to be redone. Now you're seeing why after 5 hours I'm still not done.
The seat looks like it could be trouble as I'm sure there is some way you have to attach it from underneath the frame. But that's not going to matter if I can't figure out mounting the base and the pedals.
V3
330_D
Premium
- 1,113
- Upstate NY
I can't help with the V3 as I know nothing about their mounting but I assume it's the same as the CSL and the 4 slots, two on the front and two on the back for Fanatec pedals. The necessary hardware diagram should be on the instruction book. Mine was. It had hardware sizes and amounts and kinda shows where they go. I can't do much to help here from work but when I get home if you are still stuck I'm happy help. It's not as big a challenge as you think. The seat sucks to put together but you'll get it. It's not that complicated, just annoying little pieces in tight spots.
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- 5,550
- Alabamistan
Oh no!!! My lower back is on fire this morning from having to get things into tight spots last night. Probably the hardest thing for me was those two long rods that connect across the back of the frame. You know the one thing that the video manual says is probably easier with an additional person? I don't have anyone else so I was trying to support both sides of the rails, get the rods fed through the holes, keep them rotated so there was a chance the bolts could line up directly. I have a very explosive temper when things like that aren't going right and that nearly got me.
330_D
Premium
- 1,113
- Upstate NY
In this image on the right in the boxes you can see what hardware both the base and the pedals need. It's not an exact diagram but if you put your base in the mount and your pedals on the tray you'll see what you need to do. It's not difficult.
Obviously the part Numbers they have correspond to the correct hardware from the list in the front of the manual. All the mounting hardware came with the wheelbase when you got it except for the smaller screws that anchor the rear (closest to you side) of the pedal base. I had to buy some but home Depot had them. The t-nuts I'm sure you can get on Amazon to replace the one you are missing if you can't find them locally.
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- 5,550
- Alabamistan
I finally got it finished except for mounting the wheel base. Tomorrow I'll go out to the storage building to see if the box the base came in has that other T-nut in it. If it doesn't I'll try Home Depot and Lowe's and if they don't have it I guess I'll have to try Amazon. But I'm not sure how big the bolt is supposed to be that goes in them because I have three different kinds in mine.
What an ordeal this has been. Tonight I had the brackets on the seat installed backwards so I had to redo them. I had to take them back off again because I forgot to put washers on the bolts. I put the pedals on the cockpit but then had to take them back off because I forgot to hook up the data cable.
When I got the seat installed I looked at it and I thought that seat is WAY too far back. I sat in it and thought this seat is WAY too far back. But the pedals weren't on it yet and the wheel bracket was all the way forwards. But I got the pedals on and moved the wheel bracket to the closest level and looks can be deceiving. I can reach the pedals and once the wheel is attached I think it can work. We will see.
It does move rather easily on those furniture sliders but it is heavy for me to try and pick it up. I tried to raise the front end to hook up the pedal cable but couldn't do it.
What an ordeal this has been. Tonight I had the brackets on the seat installed backwards so I had to redo them. I had to take them back off again because I forgot to put washers on the bolts. I put the pedals on the cockpit but then had to take them back off because I forgot to hook up the data cable.
When I got the seat installed I looked at it and I thought that seat is WAY too far back. I sat in it and thought this seat is WAY too far back. But the pedals weren't on it yet and the wheel bracket was all the way forwards. But I got the pedals on and moved the wheel bracket to the closest level and looks can be deceiving. I can reach the pedals and once the wheel is attached I think it can work. We will see.
It does move rather easily on those furniture sliders but it is heavy for me to try and pick it up. I tried to raise the front end to hook up the pedal cable but couldn't do it.
- 5,550
- Alabamistan
But without the T-nuts, how does the base slide and adjust? Granted I haven't looked at that yet but other videos I've seen shows the T-nuts in the channels. When I go home for lunch today I'll take another look at it.
I just realized this morning that I forgot to put the bolts in the bottom end of the little cylinders that the seat mounts to. But I don't think I have enough w2 washers left. I'm guessing those bolts add to the rigidity of the seat mounting system?
- 5,550
- Alabamistan
That's what I thought. If that last T-nut is still in the box it will save a lot of trouble. It still bothers me that I can't find it in my apartment. But I had to move out December of 2022 due to a pipe break in a severe freeze we had. I moved temporarily into another apartment and then back to my old place 3 months later and that's when I took things like the wheel base box up to the storage unit.
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- 5,550
- Alabamistan
Well for once I wasn't a total idiot. Yes I might have to install brackets three times before I get them right, yes I had to uninstall several bolts because I forgot the washers. Yes it took me several hours while others did it in 2 hours or less. But in the end, I got it done. Why? Because after work I went up the street to the storage unit hoping that the last T-nut was in the wheel base box I put up there last March.....and it was!! I didn't throw it away just because I didn't need it on the previous wheel stand.
Got home and after eating dinner I got to work. Put the remaining bolts in the bottom of the seat cylinders. Got the wheel base mounted and finally it was finished.
The seating position related to the tv screen is perfect. My eye line is almost dead center of the screen and even the D shaped wheel is not intruding into the screen. When I was assembling it I put the seat as far forward as it could go and the wheel bracket as close as it could go. I'm going to have to do some adjusting to both I think because I'm pretty good with the distance to the pedals. But I've already moved the wheel about an inch or so forward and I've got it very slightly tilted upwards. But I'm having some pain in my elbows even though this is kind of close to the position I had with the old stand. I'm hoping that it's just getting used to a new seating position.
However one thing that is a huge concern is that my lower back is on fire after just a few minutes sitting in it. I've got a lumbar pillow but I don't think it's firm enough. I'm going to have to try and figure something out that is going to ease my back pain. I was planning on trying the Formula rim to see how it worked but I had to quit after about 45 minutes of Forza, my back was hurting just too much. The other thing is that it's a little hard climbing into it and out of it. Now that the wheel is attached and it's at it's heaviest weight, it's really pressing down on those round furniture sliders so much to the point they are bending a little. I think it's because the feet have a small contact patch. If you could put something on them that was round about 3 inches across, I think it would spread out the weight just a little.
But overall I think I'm going to like it. It's just going to take some getting used to and working out the kinks.
Got home and after eating dinner I got to work. Put the remaining bolts in the bottom of the seat cylinders. Got the wheel base mounted and finally it was finished.
The seating position related to the tv screen is perfect. My eye line is almost dead center of the screen and even the D shaped wheel is not intruding into the screen. When I was assembling it I put the seat as far forward as it could go and the wheel bracket as close as it could go. I'm going to have to do some adjusting to both I think because I'm pretty good with the distance to the pedals. But I've already moved the wheel about an inch or so forward and I've got it very slightly tilted upwards. But I'm having some pain in my elbows even though this is kind of close to the position I had with the old stand. I'm hoping that it's just getting used to a new seating position.
However one thing that is a huge concern is that my lower back is on fire after just a few minutes sitting in it. I've got a lumbar pillow but I don't think it's firm enough. I'm going to have to try and figure something out that is going to ease my back pain. I was planning on trying the Formula rim to see how it worked but I had to quit after about 45 minutes of Forza, my back was hurting just too much. The other thing is that it's a little hard climbing into it and out of it. Now that the wheel is attached and it's at it's heaviest weight, it's really pressing down on those round furniture sliders so much to the point they are bending a little. I think it's because the feet have a small contact patch. If you could put something on them that was round about 3 inches across, I think it would spread out the weight just a little.
But overall I think I'm going to like it. It's just going to take some getting used to and working out the kinks.
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