research
Premium
- 847
- Ohio
- ecko_driver81
Alright, we've seen what really happens when you install the NIXIM brake mod and subject it to normal use::
http://www.lfsforum.net/showthread.php?t=48196 . . .(4th post)
So, taking advantage of the amazing interwebs to study and dissect various issues with this mod, I am in a great position to offer help to others who would like to get an even more realistic feel and MUCH greater durability.
Here we go.
Start with their instructions.
Once you've got her cracked open, place a nickel down inside the lower pedal cylinder with the spring and shake it until the nickel sits at the bottom. You don't want any adhesive here- as the nickel needs to be free when the spring around it is being compressed.
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/
/
Next up, we bore some holes in this bad boy. Too many reviews of this product had the same complaint: That the Nixim rubber made the brake pedal too hard- with some even reporting that you can no longer press it all the way down. All it took for me to believe them was to try and compress this thing with my hands. I just don't see it squishing enough to allow the pedal it's full, original travel. You will need a very high-speed drill for this. I actually used a Dremel with a small wood-sanding bit to bore some clean holes. Make sure they are evenly spaced and not too close to the edges.
^^ as you can see from this pic, I also slightly chamfered the corner edges of this rubber block. I think this may turn out to be a crucial move in the durability department- as it now slides freely inside the spring, but it's not so loose that it rattles around in there.
I also cut about 3mm off of the bottom of the entire block to allow room for the nickel at the bottom, and the dime at the top. Doing this will maintain the near-centimeter length of light play at the top of the pedal stroke. This mimics the feel of most vehicles to a high degree. (I am aware that high-end race machines like LMP's, F3, and F1 cars have a brake pedal-feel which is akin to pressing down on a solid brick of hard rubber. If that's what you want, then by all means- go for it.
)
^^distance exaggerated a bit here. Measure 3mm with a ruler. Also remember: Measure twice, cut once. Brilliant!
/
/
/
Next I recommend that you grease these edges, along with the top and bottom surfaces of the Nixim block. I just used some Valvoline Dura-blend moly-fortified synthetic grease from Autozone. I suppose you can use just about any all-purpose grease for this. Now you can drop her inside the spring.
/
/
/
Now. In the top cylinder which is hanging from the brake pedal we're gonna have to put something flat in there. I chose a dime for it's near-perfect fit. I put a dab of Gorilla Glue on the plastic nub down in there and safely tilted the whole mechanism at an angle so this cylinder can rest vertically (do NOT pinch or stretch the thin wires). You can use some long forceps to place the dime or just drop it in there and hope for the best like I did. A small, slender piece of wood was used to center the dime on that nub. I let the glue dry overnight.
/
/
/
A fantastic, additional mod that you can perform at this time would be to place some sound-dampening material underneath the points where the pedals slam down at their base when you quickly release. I despised how the loudest sound coming from my den during racetime was the pedals slamming when I lifted my foot in haste. (Now if we could only do something about that afwul 'chime' sound when you start every single event...
) Ok, these points are metal-to-metal contact, and in need of something to dampen the loud sound- but it can't be too thick as you will force the potentiometers to always read a small amount of pedal-depression. Playing GT5 with a constant sliver of gas and brake applied is not going to be any fun. I used electrician's rubber tape (it's about 1mm thick) with an identically-sized piece of electrical tape on top of it. The electrical tape is needed because the rubber tape is too sticky on top. You don't want your pedals to stick at the top of the stroke. Since this is an area of much physical violence and agitation, I decided to secure the rubber tape down with gorilla glue. The tape's adhesive alone will not be enough to keep it in place. The black line with an arrow points directly to the area where you will place your sound-dampener. I used one perfectly-cut piece for each pedal. I highly recommend using an identically-sized piece of wood to place on top of each piece as the glue dries overnight. This is because the bottom of each pedal has two sharp points pressing down on your work- you must disperse that pressure or your rubber tape will become warped in a bad way.
I apologize for not having the finished pics of this step- but it is fairly simple and if you have any questions, feel free to ask. Trust me when I say: Your roommates, parents, wife&kids, or pet tarantula will appreciate this mod immensely!
When putting the big housing back together there is one step of UTMOST importance.. Fig. 7 of Nixim's instructions show the fragile wires and the small holding points for them. You notice the wire is sitting nicely in three of these points but they fail to highlight the other four--- three which I have circled:
^^ the fourth one is off the picture, to the right. Getting each wire snug in those upper three holders is not easy- I had to hold the top assembly just far enough open to stick my arm in from the FRONT and set the wires in place. You will need a flashlight to peer in there and see if you got it right.
I can report that my brake pedal feels so good, and I can brake with so much more control.... oh man words cannot describe it.
None of this is too difficult to perform and the difference is astounding. Both the strong pedal-feel and the quiet sound are light years distant from the stock G25 pedals. These simple mods described here should make your Nixim brake mod last as long as your pedal set. I wish you all the best in your related endeavors.
/
/
/
ok... next mod? THIS.
http://www.simhq.com/_technology2/technology_154a.html
.
.
http://www.lfsforum.net/showthread.php?t=48196 . . .(4th post)
So, taking advantage of the amazing interwebs to study and dissect various issues with this mod, I am in a great position to offer help to others who would like to get an even more realistic feel and MUCH greater durability.
Here we go.
Start with their instructions.
Once you've got her cracked open, place a nickel down inside the lower pedal cylinder with the spring and shake it until the nickel sits at the bottom. You don't want any adhesive here- as the nickel needs to be free when the spring around it is being compressed.
/
/
/
Next up, we bore some holes in this bad boy. Too many reviews of this product had the same complaint: That the Nixim rubber made the brake pedal too hard- with some even reporting that you can no longer press it all the way down. All it took for me to believe them was to try and compress this thing with my hands. I just don't see it squishing enough to allow the pedal it's full, original travel. You will need a very high-speed drill for this. I actually used a Dremel with a small wood-sanding bit to bore some clean holes. Make sure they are evenly spaced and not too close to the edges.
^^ as you can see from this pic, I also slightly chamfered the corner edges of this rubber block. I think this may turn out to be a crucial move in the durability department- as it now slides freely inside the spring, but it's not so loose that it rattles around in there.
I also cut about 3mm off of the bottom of the entire block to allow room for the nickel at the bottom, and the dime at the top. Doing this will maintain the near-centimeter length of light play at the top of the pedal stroke. This mimics the feel of most vehicles to a high degree. (I am aware that high-end race machines like LMP's, F3, and F1 cars have a brake pedal-feel which is akin to pressing down on a solid brick of hard rubber. If that's what you want, then by all means- go for it.
)
^^distance exaggerated a bit here. Measure 3mm with a ruler. Also remember: Measure twice, cut once. Brilliant!
/
/
/
Next I recommend that you grease these edges, along with the top and bottom surfaces of the Nixim block. I just used some Valvoline Dura-blend moly-fortified synthetic grease from Autozone. I suppose you can use just about any all-purpose grease for this. Now you can drop her inside the spring.
/
/
/
Now. In the top cylinder which is hanging from the brake pedal we're gonna have to put something flat in there. I chose a dime for it's near-perfect fit. I put a dab of Gorilla Glue on the plastic nub down in there and safely tilted the whole mechanism at an angle so this cylinder can rest vertically (do NOT pinch or stretch the thin wires). You can use some long forceps to place the dime or just drop it in there and hope for the best like I did. A small, slender piece of wood was used to center the dime on that nub. I let the glue dry overnight.
/
/
/
A fantastic, additional mod that you can perform at this time would be to place some sound-dampening material underneath the points where the pedals slam down at their base when you quickly release. I despised how the loudest sound coming from my den during racetime was the pedals slamming when I lifted my foot in haste. (Now if we could only do something about that afwul 'chime' sound when you start every single event...
) Ok, these points are metal-to-metal contact, and in need of something to dampen the loud sound- but it can't be too thick as you will force the potentiometers to always read a small amount of pedal-depression. Playing GT5 with a constant sliver of gas and brake applied is not going to be any fun. I used electrician's rubber tape (it's about 1mm thick) with an identically-sized piece of electrical tape on top of it. The electrical tape is needed because the rubber tape is too sticky on top. You don't want your pedals to stick at the top of the stroke. Since this is an area of much physical violence and agitation, I decided to secure the rubber tape down with gorilla glue. The tape's adhesive alone will not be enough to keep it in place. The black line with an arrow points directly to the area where you will place your sound-dampener. I used one perfectly-cut piece for each pedal. I highly recommend using an identically-sized piece of wood to place on top of each piece as the glue dries overnight. This is because the bottom of each pedal has two sharp points pressing down on your work- you must disperse that pressure or your rubber tape will become warped in a bad way.
I apologize for not having the finished pics of this step- but it is fairly simple and if you have any questions, feel free to ask. Trust me when I say: Your roommates, parents, wife&kids, or pet tarantula will appreciate this mod immensely!
When putting the big housing back together there is one step of UTMOST importance.. Fig. 7 of Nixim's instructions show the fragile wires and the small holding points for them. You notice the wire is sitting nicely in three of these points but they fail to highlight the other four--- three which I have circled:
^^ the fourth one is off the picture, to the right. Getting each wire snug in those upper three holders is not easy- I had to hold the top assembly just far enough open to stick my arm in from the FRONT and set the wires in place. You will need a flashlight to peer in there and see if you got it right.
I can report that my brake pedal feels so good, and I can brake with so much more control.... oh man words cannot describe it.
None of this is too difficult to perform and the difference is astounding. Both the strong pedal-feel and the quiet sound are light years distant from the stock G25 pedals. These simple mods described here should make your Nixim brake mod last as long as your pedal set. I wish you all the best in your related endeavors.
/
/
/
ok... next mod? THIS.
http://www.simhq.com/_technology2/technology_154a.html
.
.
