The Thrustmaster T500RS Thread

[Windy_1238]

Thanks John!!

 

[JohnBodin]

As always, glad to help!

 

[poumpoum]

Still no more news from Thrustmaster about the official loadcell mod ?

 

[Ferrari458Italia]

Does anyone have their footrest removed like this guy? I'm seriously wanting to do it but I don't know how to take off the metal rod that goes through the three columns on the pedal set.

 

[Gopher04]

Yep, i took mine off, there's a allen key bolt either side of the flat metal arms that attach it to the base, remove them, as for the bar that runs through the pedal base there's a circlip either end that you need to remove then you can slide the rode through out of either end doesn't matter which, but just take note there is a cable attached in each segment via a tie strip, cut the tie strips first so the rod can slide out, and thats it, i just stuck the cables to the base with tape afterwards.

 

[OwensRacing]

You will need a set of snap ring pliers to remove the snap rings then slip out the rod. Replace rod and snap rings.

Here is a pic of them:

This is my pedal set up:

 

[Ferrari458Italia]

You will need a set of snap ring pliers to remove the snap rings then slip out the rod. Replace rod and snap rings.

Here is a pic of them:

This is my pedal set up:

Ok I will give it a try, thanks!
your set up looks great btw!

Yep, i took mine off, there's a allen key bolt either side of the flat metal arms that attach it to the base, remove them, as for the bar that runs through the pedal base there's a circlip either end that you need to remove then you can slide the rode through out of either end doesn't matter which, but just take note there is a cable attached in each segment via a tie strip, cut the tie strips first so the rod can slide out, and thats it, i just stuck the cables to the base with tape afterwards.

Fantastic thanks a bunch!

 

[JohnBodin]

Looks like you have plenty of room for a BLC-T500 Load Cell Mod there . . .

 

[Dean]

Now that's a massive break pedal ! Is it custom made?

 

[OwensRacing]

Looks like you have plenty of room for a BLC-T500 Load Cell Mod there . . .

For sure. Excited to try it!!!

Now that's a massive break pedal ! Is it custom made?

Yes, I made a few awhile back. Really need to do another batch of them as there are some wanting to give them a go.

 

[JogoAsobi]

Just arrived, will post more info this evening.

 

[mrbasher]

"It's too small" in...

3...
2..
1.

 

[JogoAsobi]

"It's too small" in...

3...
2..
1.

This adds a bit of perspective to the size.

The F458 rim and F1 rim are about the same size, but the grips on the F1 rim make it a couple of mm wider.

Although the red and blue buttons appear to be shiny in my pics and all others I have seen...

...they are actually more of a matte-type finish and look much better than in the photos.

The spacing for the bolts that hold the rim on appear identical to the GT rim, about 58mm.

 

[JohnBodin]

"It's too small" in...

3...
2..
1.

At 28cm, it's slightly larger than my Momo Mod 27d Sam Maxwell wheel, which is 27cm. I think my Mod 27d is the perfect size for open wheeler, sports, and GT-type cars. I don't do ovals, so I might find it a bit small-ish, but so far I'm loving my Mod 27d, and I think it's a much better wheel in terms of size and ergonomics than the stock GT wheel (and the buttons/ergonomics on the 458 wheel seem to be almost an exact match for my Mod 27d from Sam).

 

[JogoAsobi]

The 458 wheel would probably be perfect for those that want one wheel to do everything.

...but I do think its a bit on the small size if you already have both the GT and F1 wheel.

I'll try it out tonight, maybe the size will grow on me. LOL.

 

[mrbasher]

At 28cm, it's slightly larger than my Momo Mod 27d Sam Maxwell wheel, which is 27cm. I think my Mod 27d is the perfect size for open wheeler, sports, and GT-type cars. I don't do ovals, so I might find it a bit small-ish, but so far I'm loving my Mod 27d, and I think it's a much better wheel in terms of size and ergonomics than the stock GT wheel (and the buttons/ergonomics on the 458 wheel seem to be almost an exact match for my Mod 27d from Sam).

I completely agree. I was being "MrMockery" for a moment.

 

[Ferrari458Italia]

Got the metal rod off the bottom and now I don't have the foot rest anymore! success!!
but now here comes the hardest part of this whole rig (IMO), mounting the pedals.
anyone with a PVC set up or something similar to mine can you please explain how you went about mounting your pedals by showing some pictures or something??

 

[JogoAsobi]

At 28cm, it's slightly larger than my Momo Mod 27d Sam Maxwell wheel, which is 27cm. I think my Mod 27d is the perfect size for open wheeler, sports, and GT-type cars. I don't do ovals, so I might find it a bit small-ish, but so far I'm loving my Mod 27d, and I think it's a much better wheel in terms of size and ergonomics than the stock GT wheel (and the buttons/ergonomics on the 458 wheel seem to be almost an exact match for my Mod 27d from Sam).

John, after spending a few hours using the wheel I have to agree about the buttons/ergonomics. I have very large hands, the button placement is perfect. If the rim were larger it would be a stretch to reach the inner buttons.

I am a bit concerned that the left paddle seems to require much more pressure to activate than the right paddle, and the travel is slightly longer. Hopefully with some more use that will improve.

 

[Racingworld68]

John, after spending a few hours using the wheel I have to agree about the buttons/ergonomics. I have very large hands, the button placement is perfect. If the rim were larger it would be a stretch to reach the inner buttons.

I am a bit concerned that the left paddle seems to require much more pressure to activate than the right paddle, and the travel is slightly longer. Hopefully with some more use that will improve.

I have tested the wheel for a few thousand km. Being enthousiastic about it the first hours, now I do not have that feelin' anymore. I like the shifters they are working just fine. But I don't like the wheel itself...as the housing of the buttons gives a sqeeuking plastic noise that started work on my nerves while racing. The F1 wheel just feels better to me... In fact (appart from the shifters) the new wheel does look the most toyisch and feels most like it aswell... Sorry TM, always been happy about your products, but this is just not the finished product i expected....

Conclusion : I am using my F1 wheel again...and the GTE wheel will become a spare one...

 

[Dean]

Looks like I'll be saving some money then .

 

[oqvist]

I don´t understand why they shrinked it. What is the point making a replica if you are shrinking it?

That size is great for rallying so not totally useless but for everything else where it would be suitable I would rather go for the F1 style rim for the "twitch shooters" cars.

There was room for a 320 mm rim. It´s very ergonomic you get in a really strong position with it but there was a long adjustment period because I have never sim raced with larger rims then the Fanatec ones.

Hopefully that is next then they start to have all bases covered. But I think I did the right thing with having the F1 rim. All the buttons you can wish for console racing. Then after market rims 100 % with no license fee or plastics or cheapass buttons and an SRW F1 I can put on when in need of extra buttons for the serious PC simulations. Lighter, better, cheaper, superior materials and something you can use in a real car with only cons being less buttons and no movable shifters as in the 458 case. But then you loose the static paddles with the 458???

GT 5 work surprisingly well with only the paddle and H-shifter available since you can use gamepad on the side for the menu navigating.

 

[Dean]

I don´t understand why they shrinked it. What is the point making a replica if you are shrinking it?

If I remember right, I read somewhere that it was because the price. You know, a real Ferrari wheel's probably thousands of dollars worth, and to avoid this being a real replacement, they had to shrink it.

Of course, this can be complete bogus, but it makes good sense to me.

 

[DaveTheStalker]

Got the metal rod off the bottom and now I don't have the foot rest anymore! success!!
but now here comes the hardest part of this whole rig (IMO), mounting the pedals.
anyone with a PVC set up or something similar to mine can you please explain how you went about mounting your pedals by showing some pictures or something??

How did you get this C clips off (without a $20 special tool)?

 

[Michelcleo]

How did you get this C clips off (without a $20 special tool)?

I used 2 nails and abit of willpower.

 

[Racingworld68]

If I remember right, I read somewhere that it was because the price. You know, a real Ferrari wheel's probably thousands of dollars worth, and to avoid this being a real replacement, they had to shrink it.

Of course, this can be complete bogus, but it makes good sense to me.

Could be, another option, because they spent more on the switches they had to reduce cost somewhere....so they shrunk it. It is also not made like the original GT wheel, there are much differences...

 

[Dean]

Aren't the buttons in plastic? Well, they look like plastic ...

 

[oqvist]

I doubt there is any rubber or plastic on the 458 rim. I have a 320 mm rim with light metal and suede and it goes for 80 GBP. And I am quite sure they make their 100 % profit on me anyway if not more

 

[JohnBodin]

I don´t understand why they shrinked it. What is the point making a replica if you are shrinking it?

That size is great for rallying so not totally useless but for everything else where it would be suitable I would rather go for the F1 style rim for the "twitch shooters" cars.

There was room for a 320 mm rim. It´s very ergonomic you get in a really strong position with it but there was a long adjustment period because I have never sim raced with larger rims then the Fanatec ones.

This was an exchange I had with another user who just received his F458 wheel over on the ISR forums:

At 28cm, it's slightly larger than my Momo Mod 27d Sam Maxwell wheel, which is 27cm. I think my Mod 27d is the perfect size for open wheeler, sports, and GT-type cars. I don't do ovals, so I might find it a bit small-ish, but so far I'm loving my Mod 27d, and I think it's a much better wheel in terms of size and ergonomics than the stock GT wheel (and the buttons/ergonomics on the 458 wheel seem to be almost an exact match for my Mod 27d from Sam).

After spending a few hours using the wheel I have to agree about the buttons/ergonomics. I have very large hands, the button placement is perfect. If the rim were larger it would be a stretch to reach the inner buttons.

 

[JohnBodin]

If I remember right, I read somewhere that it was because the price. You know, a real Ferrari wheel's probably thousands of dollars worth, and to avoid this being a real replacement, they had to shrink it.

Of course, this can be complete bogus, but it makes good sense to me.

According to someone over on the iRacing forums, the rim itself for the real F458 is made by Sparco for Ferrari (exclusively). The paddles and controllers are Ferrari's own design.

Total wheel replacement is $13k. US.



So, yeah, I'm going to be pretty happy laying out $149 for a nearly identical replica.

Also, FWIW, the Momo Mod 27d wheel that Sam Maxwell used for my Sam Maxwell Momo Mod 27d wheel add-on sells for over $230 for just the wheel alone, not including the button plate, shift paddles, buttons, or T500 adapter -- so costly, "advanced" and ultra-realistic options like that are already available . . . that's just not the target market for TM's add-on wheels.

Thrustmaster is a business, and you have to keep in mind that you could buy a T500RS wheel/pedal set and ALL the available wheels for roughly the same price (or actually a little less, I think) of a CSW and ONE of the Fanatec wheel "options" (SANS pedals!), so TM is offering more of a "mainstream" product that features performance that equals its closest "higher-end" competitor. Pretty savvy business, IMO.

 

[Racingworld68]

According to someone over on the iRacing forums, the rim itself for the real F458 is made by Sparco for Ferrari (exclusively). The paddles and controllers are Ferrari's own design.

Total wheel replacement is $13k. US.



So, yeah, I'm going to be pretty happy laying out $149 for a nearly identical replica.

Also, FWIW, the Momo Mod 27d wheel that Sam Maxwell used for my Sam Maxwell Momo Mod 27d wheel add-on sells for over $230 for just the wheel alone, not including the button plate, shift paddles, buttons, or T500 adapter -- so costly, "advanced" and ultra-realistic options like that are already available . . . that's just not the target market for TM's add-on wheels.

Thrustmaster is a business, and you have to keep in mind that you could buy a T500RS wheel/pedal set and ALL the available wheels for roughly the same price (or actually a little less, I think) of a CSW and ONE of the Fanatec wheel "options" (SANS pedals!), so TM is offering more of a "mainstream" product that features performance that equals its closest "higher-end" competitor. Pretty savvy business, IMO.

I do agree, and a lot of it will come to personal choice. Don't understand me wrong, I am very happy with my TM products. But in this case I prefer the F1 wheel. Not only am I happy driving with it (I know the switches are bad, replaced them twice myself, but there is a solution for that on its way ) I am also faster with it...

Apart from the 'horrible plastic' noises the GTE 458 wheel makes (don't know how te describe it otherwise) it is not a bad wheel, especially not when you see the price for it. It just happens to be I prefer the F1 wheel.