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Hello everyone!
So, it took me a little while, but I finally got around to manufacturing my load cell mod for my Thrustmaster T3PA-Pro pedals – but with a twist. Instead of the full bridge load cell I used a 50 kg half bridge.
This type of load cell is essentially what Fanatec has been using in CSR Elite pedals (and might still be using in CSL Elite pedals).
After reading all the guides in our own thread here: https://revolutionsimracing.com/threads/t3pa-loadcell-upgrade-diy-guide.1588/
and about upgrading T3PA Pros specifically here: https://www.racingfr.net/wbb/index.php?thread/6425-diy-tuto-t3pa-pro-loadcell/
and here (this is a very clean build): https://www.racedepartment.com/threads/new-load-cell-for-the-thrustmaster-brakes.188154/
I went on and mulled my head over how I would best approach this project. I don‘t have a 3D printer or fancy equipment but an off brand Dremel tool I still had from my 40K days and a soldering iron. I also wanted to preserve as much of the pedals as possible, in case it all goes awry and I‘d have to rebuild the pedals. Well… here is what I did.
What I ended up with in my recipe:
So… on to the music, on to the show:
First I removed the part holding the bump stop or spring mod and measured that out… of course I didn‘t write anything down, because I am a pro!
I roughly transferred the measurements onto an old DVD case. What? Stay with me!
And then on another one. I cut these plates out and then glued them with superduper power glue into a stack:
I then made sure it fit into the part that usually holds the „spring mod“ or the rubber cone (off brand Dremel to the rescue):
I then transferred the rough measurements of the load cell and ground out where it would fit in so that it could „swing“:
I guess you can see where this is going:
It was time to do the wiring. It is a little more involved with this half bridge load cell – unbeknownst to me, I first did it wrong:
You see, in the half bridge load cell I got, RED is the signal wire… not white.
It was also time to take apart the T3PA-Pro pedals – pro tip: be REALLY careful with the screws, the Allen (?) screws are sometimes countered with nuts, and you might shear the head off.
I mulled over some more how to fit it all.
The plastic part covering the potentiometer on the outside of the bracket needed to go. You can access the screws for that cover from holes in the opposing wall of the brake assembly. Like a pro, I didn‘t take any picture here.
Then soldered the wires onto the little plug thingy that came with the Leo Bodnar Load Cell Amp.
I then tested to load cell… nothing worked, ARGH… I read and read, was sure I ruined the pedals because the LC amplifier or the converter touched the metal or I wired it wrong.
At one point the Amp got REAL HOT!… seriously people… coming from the pedals: RED IS PLUS, BLACK IS GROUND, WHITE IS SIGNAL. This might seem obvious, and it is… but I let myself get confused by one of the guides with a weird diagram (if I were more confident in electroskills, I would say the guide had it straight wrong).
Anyway… this is how the wiring looked after I got everything working, hooray!
So, I carefully placed the Leo Bodnar Load Cell Amp and 3-to-4 Wire Converter onto some rubber pads to make sure none of the soldering points on them touch the metal of the TPA-Pro bracket. They currently still are only kinda loosely placed there. I don‘t know how to attach them yet… Maybe I do need a hot glue gun at one point… and I put everything together:
Then I started experimenting.
I still had a rubber bump lying around, so I used that. It is actually a stick cap for a PS4 pad. At first, it was really only squished in there. I meanwhile tightened that down.
IMPORTANT FOR THIS ASSEMBLY with a half bridge load cell and the 3-to-4 Wire Converter: The Converter has a little… well… poti I guess, labeled „Zero Adjust“ that you need to... adjust to get the correct null level. It actually took quite a while to fine tune that. It‘s the blue nob here:
Currently, I am re-learning how to brake. It‘s really completely different to before. Which is one reason why I switched the pedals back into a standard setup and not have them „hanging“ anymore.
Yes, yes, cables, oh noes.
I guess at one point I want to have Load Cell Holder™ 3D printed.
Also… if you want to do this mod, use wires that are a bit sturdier than the flimsy ones I had. You wouldn't believe how often the wires connecting the Converter and the Amp flopped off at the clamps holding them in place while I was trying to fit the parts into the brake bracket. Which meant I had to strip them again etc.
Anyway, that‘s it! It works, and it is really crazy how it feels. I now drive badly on a completely new level!
So, it took me a little while, but I finally got around to manufacturing my load cell mod for my Thrustmaster T3PA-Pro pedals – but with a twist. Instead of the full bridge load cell I used a 50 kg half bridge.
This type of load cell is essentially what Fanatec has been using in CSR Elite pedals (and might still be using in CSL Elite pedals).
After reading all the guides in our own thread here: https://revolutionsimracing.com/threads/t3pa-loadcell-upgrade-diy-guide.1588/
and about upgrading T3PA Pros specifically here: https://www.racingfr.net/wbb/index.php?thread/6425-diy-tuto-t3pa-pro-loadcell/
and here (this is a very clean build): https://www.racedepartment.com/threads/new-load-cell-for-the-thrustmaster-brakes.188154/
I went on and mulled my head over how I would best approach this project. I don‘t have a 3D printer or fancy equipment but an off brand Dremel tool I still had from my 40K days and a soldering iron. I also wanted to preserve as much of the pedals as possible, in case it all goes awry and I‘d have to rebuild the pedals. Well… here is what I did.
What I ended up with in my recipe:
- of course, Thrustmaster T3PA-Pro pedals: http://www.thrustmaster.com/de_DE/produkte/t3pa-pro-add?destination=1016/
- a 50 kg Load Cell like this:
- Leo Bodnar LC Amp: http://www.leobodnar.com/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=73&products_id=199
- Leo Bodnar 3-to-4 Wire Load Cell Converter: http://www.leobodnar.com/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=294
- 2 DVD cases (what?)
- STRONK POWER glue (for plastics)
- some rubber bump
- a couple of wires
So… on to the music, on to the show:
First I removed the part holding the bump stop or spring mod and measured that out… of course I didn‘t write anything down, because I am a pro!
I roughly transferred the measurements onto an old DVD case. What? Stay with me!
And then on another one. I cut these plates out and then glued them with superduper power glue into a stack:
I then made sure it fit into the part that usually holds the „spring mod“ or the rubber cone (off brand Dremel to the rescue):
I then transferred the rough measurements of the load cell and ground out where it would fit in so that it could „swing“:
I guess you can see where this is going:
It was time to do the wiring. It is a little more involved with this half bridge load cell – unbeknownst to me, I first did it wrong:
You see, in the half bridge load cell I got, RED is the signal wire… not white.
It was also time to take apart the T3PA-Pro pedals – pro tip: be REALLY careful with the screws, the Allen (?) screws are sometimes countered with nuts, and you might shear the head off.
I mulled over some more how to fit it all.
The plastic part covering the potentiometer on the outside of the bracket needed to go. You can access the screws for that cover from holes in the opposing wall of the brake assembly. Like a pro, I didn‘t take any picture here.
Then soldered the wires onto the little plug thingy that came with the Leo Bodnar Load Cell Amp.
I then tested to load cell… nothing worked, ARGH… I read and read, was sure I ruined the pedals because the LC amplifier or the converter touched the metal or I wired it wrong.
At one point the Amp got REAL HOT!… seriously people… coming from the pedals: RED IS PLUS, BLACK IS GROUND, WHITE IS SIGNAL. This might seem obvious, and it is… but I let myself get confused by one of the guides with a weird diagram (if I were more confident in electroskills, I would say the guide had it straight wrong).
Anyway… this is how the wiring looked after I got everything working, hooray!
So, I carefully placed the Leo Bodnar Load Cell Amp and 3-to-4 Wire Converter onto some rubber pads to make sure none of the soldering points on them touch the metal of the TPA-Pro bracket. They currently still are only kinda loosely placed there. I don‘t know how to attach them yet… Maybe I do need a hot glue gun at one point… and I put everything together:
Then I started experimenting.
I still had a rubber bump lying around, so I used that. It is actually a stick cap for a PS4 pad. At first, it was really only squished in there. I meanwhile tightened that down.
IMPORTANT FOR THIS ASSEMBLY with a half bridge load cell and the 3-to-4 Wire Converter: The Converter has a little… well… poti I guess, labeled „Zero Adjust“ that you need to... adjust to get the correct null level. It actually took quite a while to fine tune that. It‘s the blue nob here:
Currently, I am re-learning how to brake. It‘s really completely different to before. Which is one reason why I switched the pedals back into a standard setup and not have them „hanging“ anymore.
Yes, yes, cables, oh noes.
I guess at one point I want to have Load Cell Holder™ 3D printed.
Also… if you want to do this mod, use wires that are a bit sturdier than the flimsy ones I had. You wouldn't believe how often the wires connecting the Converter and the Amp flopped off at the clamps holding them in place while I was trying to fit the parts into the brake bracket. Which meant I had to strip them again etc.
Anyway, that‘s it! It works, and it is really crazy how it feels. I now drive badly on a completely new level!
Much love for the Bodnar bits!