Thrustmaster T150/TMX Force Feedback Racing Wheels

[jovani7600]

@jovani7600
There are two bolts on top:

View attachment 952300

And one below.
There are also two screws at the bottom of the wheel base.
You will need to unscrew both steering wheel screws and detach it from the shaft.



You will need to put thread lock on two screws that hold the steering wheel to the shaft to prevent unscrewing of the screws.
I'm answering you here because someone else might be interested.

Hi!
Thanks a lota nd I apologize I forgot to reply as I thoroughly enjoy the mod haha.

BUT

I notice that I might not put the belt tensioner bolt back to perfectly the same spot as before mod, heres why:

When the force feedback is on, whenever I rotate the wheel going against the force, I hear and feel the sound of gear skip. I thought that it might be because the belt is too loose.

I adjust the belt tensioner position so that the belt is tighter. Its fine afteer several trial and errors. But with this adjustment I notice on the bearings, and around the area of those 2 tensioners, theres a lot of the belt material debris (black rubber). Im a bit worried. Do you have suggestion?

 

[super_gt]

When the force feedback is on, whenever I rotate the wheel going against the force, I hear and feel the sound of gear skip. I thought that it might be because the belt is too loose.

It is quite possible.

I adjust the belt tensioner position so that the belt is tighter. Its fine afteer several trial and errors. But with this adjustment I notice on the bearings, and around the area of those 2 tensioners, theres a lot of the belt material debris (black rubber).

Adjusting the exact tension of the belt is tricky.
Can you take a pictures of the black rubber debris?

 

[KillerMemz]

Recently did the tensioner removal, although with a little more breaking than I anticipated (the stationary pulley's axle was far overtightened and broke as I tried to unscrew it), and I still had a lot of friction when tightening, as well as some nasty sound when turning the wheel left quickly and belt debris. Looked at the mechanism again, and the motor shaft pulley was not in line with the sensor pulley, and the belt was rubbing against the base of the motor shaft pulley as well as the lip of the sensor pulley. I loosened the motor bolts, and fashioned two cardboard spacer blocks (one for each side of the set of screws), tensioned and tightened everything again, and it's glorious now. I can swing the wheel like a madman and the feedback doesn't slip nor sound nasty anymore. Opened it again a few hours ago, and the belt debris buildup is gone as well. Thanks for the suggestion, although you could do well to update the original post with the tensioner removal change, as that's what shows up in search results.
Definitely try making some cardboard spacers like I did if you get nasty FFB noise and friction after the mod.

Definitely makes a difference in both FFB fidelity and the overall friction in the feedback system. I'm almost able to swing the wheel from lock to lock with no forces/no power using only one swing with my hands.

 

[super_gt]

although you could do well to update the original post with the tensioner removal change, as that's what shows up in search results.

It will be better for people to do the modification with ball bearings on the tensioners because the modification with the removal of the tensioners can lead to pre-wear of the belt and there is a need for additional adjustment of the belt tension which is not easy to do.

Definitely try making some cardboard spacers like I did if you get nasty FFB noise and friction after the mod.

Sorry, I don't have such a problem.

 

[KillerMemz]

Sorry, I don't have such a problem.

Before I spaced the motor back, the wheel sounded like this video I saw you posted before, both before and after the tensioner removal, down to the difference between left and right.

I ran it with the top off, and was able to see that when the wheel turned left (belt drive clockwise) the belt wanted to drift further inwards, so much so in my case that it fought the magnets and pushed the gear attached to the stator all the way in to touching with the base of the motor, and
when the wheel was turned right (belt drive CCW)
the belt drifted back forwards, allowing for the magnets to push the stator back into the natural resting position.
I imagine that a lot of left turns with this drift trying to drive the belt into the lips of the pulleys can chew through the belt pretty badly if left unchecked.
Glad I caught mine before it chewed away too much of the edges. Cleaned up the existing damage and futureproofed it on top. I had little strips of torn belt mixed in with the generous blobs of grease on the edges of the tensioners when I originally opened the wheel up, as well as a line of rubber dust along the edges of both sides of the pulley teething.

 

[super_gt]

Before I spaced the motor back, the wheel sounded like this video I saw you posted before,

This video is not mine.

 

[KillerMemz]

The fan wasn't ramping up very quickly to deal with the tempurature of the FFB motor, so I put some thermal compound on the thermal sensor to get a quicker, more accurate readout of the tempurature of the motor. The fan seems to run at a slightly higher idle RPM, and ramps up a lot faster when in heavy use. The motor also no longer gets nearly as warm to the touch after heavy use (while running open top), so it seems that the thermal compound is doing its job. Seems to have reduced FFB fade in Dirt Rally 2.0 as well, that game hammers the motor hard on stock FFB settings.
Curious why TM didn't put thermal compound on the thermal sensor, it's a cheap and effective solution, considering they definitely weren't hesitant with hot glue and antitamper paint application.
The thermal compound I used was CryoRig CP7, though anything Arctic MX-4 or better should work almost as well, or maybe better.
Possible that the fan bearing will wear faster, but I can replace the fan cheaply, perhaps with an even better (or quieter) one from Noctua or a similar brand. Not sure what the motor's rated for, or what the mounting point distance is, so I don't know about replacing it if it wears to the point of not working.

 

[WYCorp]

I use a TS-PC Racer 488 Edition and I'm very happy with it overall. My 15 year old nephew is now into racing games having tried my rig. He mostly plays F1 2020, Dirt Rally 2 plus games like NFS etc on the PS4.

Is the Thrustmaster T150 a good beginner wheel for someone like him? Ideally I'd get him a T300RS for Christmas but it's a bit too expensive. The only other option without going ultra-cheap is a G29 (which looks too similar to my old G27)

 

[Silvio]

I use a TS-PC Racer 488 Edition and I'm very happy with it overall. My 15 year old nephew is now into racing games having tried my rig. He mostly plays F1 2020, Dirt Rally 2 plus games like NFS etc on the PS4.

Is the Thrustmaster T150 a good beginner wheel for someone like him? Ideally I'd get him a T300RS for Christmas but it's a bit too expensive. The only other option without going ultra-cheap is a G29 (which looks too similar to my old G27)

T 150 is lot better than G29. But if you buy it i would strongly reccomend you to buy a 150 pro, because regular t 150 commong with garbage pedals.

 

[SMIK]

Thanks to you, I fixed the Thrustmaster TMX wheel. Had a broken gear (see image) that was causing the wheel to lose FFB or ability to control it when turned to a specific angle. I could not get it to work unless I turn off, or during a game if the car hits a barrier and FFB causes it to move. Contacted Thrustmaster, and as usual, I haven't heard back yet. So, I opened it up (used this thread for hints), found the problem (broken gear), 3D printed one (from Thingiverse), used this discussion board for assembly/disassembly hints, but also upgraded using ball bearings while at it. It works even better than before! If you follow the hints and tips it is doable, and the only difficulty was pushing the large ball bearing for the steering axle back to its place.

 

[Dionysus]

If anyone needs a spare belt for T150/TMX this is the one you need:
Belt length(Pitch length): 224mm
Pitch(the distance from the tip of one tooth to the tip of other tooth): 2mm
Number of teeth: 112
Belt width: 9mm
Gates PowerGrip GT3 224-2MGT3-9

Hi, thx for all the info so far. I know how much research that is. I am going to attempt your mod 1 & 2 as soon as the bits arrive. I would try your number 3 but the micro bush is out of my reach.
I tried to order this belt Gates PowerGrip GT3 224-2MGT3-9 from Gates Australia and they said they only supply a 3mm pitch version now. Any chance you could order the last dozen and stick them on here or ebay? Regards.

Edit:

Found one. RRP of AU$7.00 and I have to pay $40
https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/224-2MG...m2d21e50806:g:JZEAAOSwiglfpSwy&frcectupt=true

 

[super_gt]

Hi, thx for all the info so far. I know how much research that is. I am going to attempt your mod 1 & 2 as soon as the bits arrive. I would try your number 3 but the micro bush is out of my reach.
I tried to order this belt Gates PowerGrip GT3 224-2MGT3-9 from Gates Australia and they said they only supply a 3mm pitch version now. Any chance you could order the last dozen and stick them on here or ebay? Regards.

Edit:

Found one. RRP of AU$7.00 and I have to pay $40
https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/224-2MG...m2d21e50806:g:JZEAAOSwiglfpSwy&frcectupt=true

You can use any belt of this size.
The original belt is not Gates, I gave it as an example because it is high quality.

 

[DanSHW]

I'm having a couple of issues with my T150, firstly there's a screw that's come out in the area around the right hand shift paddle, which bounces around and occasionally slightly jams the paddle, although it has fully jammed it a couple of times. Is it easy to take the rim apart and put it all back together?

Also there seems to be an issue with the accelerator pedal, I use the wheel mainly in GT Sport, and even on flat, straight bits of racetrack, the traction control is constantly flickering, which I can sometimes solve with a lift and putting my foot down, but it seems to be getting worse, so I wonder if the pedals need taking apart and cleaning?

I bought the wheel used nearly two years ago, so it's had a good run, and I'm watching some t3pa pedals on eBay, which would be a good upgrade if I can get them.

 

[davidt33]

.....Also there seems to be an issue with the accelerator pedal, I use the wheel mainly in GT Sport, and even on flat, straight bits of racetrack, the traction control is constantly flickering, which I can sometimes solve with a lift and putting my foot down, but it seems to be getting worse, so I wonder if the pedals need taking apart and cleaning?

I bought the wheel used nearly two years ago, so it's had a good run, and I'm watching some t3pa pedals on eBay, which would be a good upgrade if I can get them.

Regarding the flickering (aka sticking) of the pedals I'm 99.999% sure the pedals, both accelerator and brakes, contain potentiometers which regulate pedals pressure. Potentiometers are very prone to getting dirty inside resulting in sticking etc. They may often need cleaning and/or replacing in time. You may also need to check the plastic gear that is a part of the potentiometer unit to see if some points in the gear may be worn or damaged. They can also cause sticking and need replacing.

So yes clean the potentiometers with a cleaning solution that is safe for it. Recommended is electrical contact cleaner spray. This is what I used when I had those type of pedals.
Also check the plastic gears I mentioned for wear and tear. The plastic gear/s is what makes contact and rotates to the fixed metal counterpart of the pedal base for plastic gear's ability to determine pressure.

If you don't know how to access the potentiometers etc inside the pedals set you can do a search on Youtube which may be able to guide you.

 

[Zetsu]

Hi, I want to print a new gear for my T150, what material do you think is the best for this? Is gear from 3D Resin Printer will be good or better will be plastic gear(PLA or something like this)?

 

[SMIK]

Hi, I want to print a new gear for my T150, what material do you think is the best for this? Is gear from 3D Resin Printer will be good or better will be plastic gear(PLA or something like this)?

Hi, I want to print a new gear for my T150, what material do you think is the best for this? Is gear from 3D Resin Printer will be good or better will be plastic gear(PLA or something like this)?

There are two pieces to this. The inside (for the encoder - or in black in the image above) is fine in PLA. The outside (Gear/belt-pully in white) is better in Nylon. I tested it with PLA first, but it broke after couple weeks of racing. If replacing it was fast, it maybe is OK to print few PLAs and just keep replacing them when they break. Nylon has been running fine since then.

 

[John Wells]

The PS button on my wheel has stopped working, any one no why?

 

[m1kenterst]

You can use any belt of this size.
The original belt is not Gates, I gave it as an example because it is high quality.

Hello, i wanna upgrade my t150, the stock pulley on motor not symmetry, and i wish order some aluminium/idc but more symmetry than stock, stock pulley has 16 teeth and bore 3.175, width 9+mm(maybee like belt).
I found some on AliExpress: https://a.aliexpress.com/_mPtxFF6
I see on YouTube vid about change pulley on t300, but no one do this on t150.
I think this will be a good mod because the beating from the pulley will go away and the belt will stop stretching / loosening and creating intermittent resistance on the steering wheel, which feels like a beating when you turn it slowly, the steering wheel seems to jump from cog to cog, I think the T150 owners will understand me.
So, u think GT2 pulley fits this belt?
I know I'm not likely to get an answer, but it looks like you're the only person I can ask who knows something about this.
Sorry for my bad English

 

[super_gt]

Hello, i wanna upgrade my t150, the stock pulley on motor not symmetry, and i wish order some aluminium/idc but more symmetry than stock, stock pulley has 16 teeth and bore 3.175, width 9+mm(maybee like belt).
I found some on AliExpress: https://a.aliexpress.com/_mPtxFF6
I see on YouTube vid about change pulley on t300, but no one do this on t150.
I think this will be a good mod because the beating from the pulley will go away and the belt will stop stretching / loosening and creating intermittent resistance on the steering wheel, which feels like a beating when you turn it slowly, the steering wheel seems to jump from cog to cog, I think the T150 owners will understand me.
So, u think GT2 pulley fits this belt?
I know I'm not likely to get an answer, but it looks like you're the only person I can ask who knows something about this.
Sorry for my bad English

It looks like it will fit, but I can't be completely sure without trying it, and I no longer have a T150 to try it.

 

[m1kenterst]

It looks like it will fit, but I can't be completely sure without trying it, and I no longer have a T150 to try it.

I ordered it, when it delivery & if it fit i maybe make video about it

 

[m1kenterst]

If anyone needs a spare belt for T150/TMX this is the one you need:
Belt length(Pitch length): 224mm
Pitch(the distance from the tip of one tooth to the tip of other tooth): 2mm
Number of teeth: 112
Belt width: 9mm
Gates PowerGrip GT3 224-2MGT3-9

Other question, are you sure is that?
My belt in wheel is pioneer 112mxl, 2MGT & MXL have difference in profile of teeth, are you changed the belt when u have you t150?

 

[super_gt]

Other question, are you sure is that?
My belt in wheel is pioneer 112mxl, 2MGT & MXL have difference in profile of teeth, are you changed the belt when u have you t150?View attachment 1266833

My 150 was one of the first units produced when I bought it.
There are no inscriptions on the belt.
So it's possible I was wrong, or there was a change in the belt.

 

[m1kenterst]

My 150 was one of the first units produced when I bought it.
There are no inscriptions on the belt.
So it's possible I was wrong, or there was a change in the belt.

Looks like other rev of wheel, anyway thank for replying me

 

[woohoo___]

Hello all, while doing the bearing mod on my Thrustmaster TMX, I lost one of the e-clips that holds the bearings in place so they don’t slide out while using the wheel. I’ve searched for hours trying to find it with no luck. Is there anywhere online I could buy clips of the same size?

 

[Bonez Montana]

Hello all, while doing the bearing mod on my Thrustmaster TMX, I lost one of the e-clips that holds the bearings in place so they don’t slide out while using the wheel. I’ve searched for hours trying to find it with no luck. Is there anywhere online I could buy clips of the same size?

Same thing happened to me when I had mine. I can't remember the exact size but its in this kit. Well worth it. I thought I was screwed and wasn't going to be able to find replacements. This def eases your mind of you pop one off and it goes flying lol.

 

[woohoo___]

Same thing happened to me when I had mine. I can't remember the exact size but its in this kit. Well worth it. I thought I was screwed and wasn't going to be able to find replacements. This def eases your mind of you pop one off and it goes flying lol.

Thank you so much dude holy crap! Almost thought I’d have to buy a new wheel