Extra Handbrake Options ?

[Warren Dawes]

I'd like to increase the realism of my Rally driving, so looking for any suggestions for adding a separate handbrake with my G25.
Currently I use the shifter in sequential mode for the handbrake and the paddles for gear change. That is probably a reasonable sense of realism for the modern WRC cars, but I'd love to be able to use the H Shifter for gear changing for older cars, and still have a realistic handbrake. It feels totally unrealistic to use a button for the handbrake to me, maybe one of the paddles is best but still doesn't feel like a handbrake.
I've seen other drivers using an extra handbrake, but I think they must be specially wired into the Controller. I don't think it is possible to use two separate controllers in RBR, I did a quick test with a joystick plugged into an extra USB slot, but only one controller was recognised in the game.

Does anyone know of a relatively easy way around this, I'm not keen on trying to modify my G25 myself?

 

[Roy Visser]

These show them at work:

With Forza on the Xbox360

With Dirt 2 on the PC

Very simple actually to hook up, the handbrake needs some handy work, opening the wheel and soldering. The Shifter can be fixed to work with the PS2 port on the wheel itself, very easy modification!

 

[Alastair Walker]

It's actually a black knob that tightens the clamp onto the desk and there are two holes at the lever end where you could put additional screws if you wanted

Pete

Hi Pete, I was talking about my Manu Factory handbrake pictured on page 7, not the Frex or EC unit, sorry for any misunderstanding.

Cheers Al

 

[Nigel Atkins]

Very simple actually to hook up, the handbrake needs some handy work, opening the wheel and soldering. The Shifter can be fixed to work with the PS2 port on the wheel itself, very easy modification!

Hi Roy, i have an old set of Momo pedals and i recon i could make a good handbrake from the Momo brake assembly, would it be possible to wire this up to the PS2 port on my Turbo S?

thx

 

[Roy Visser]

Hi Roy, i have an old set of Momo pedals and i recon i could make a good handbrake from the Momo brake assembly, would it be possible to wire this up to the PS2 port on my Turbo S?

thx

Unfortunatly not, since the PS2 port is also used for the 6spd shifter, it will register different voltage inputs from the potentio meter from the momo brake as "buttons" insteeds of a liniear signal. (for example, pressing the momo brake 10% could turn up as button 1, 20% could be button 2, etc etc

 

[Nigel Atkins]

Unfortunatly not, since the PS2 port is also used for the 6spd shifter, it will register different voltage inputs from the potentio meter from the momo brake as "buttons" insteeds of a liniear signal. (for example, pressing the momo brake 10% could turn up as button 1, 20% could be button 2, etc etc

thx Roy. i see what you mean about the different voltage

 

[anasmak11]

I need a handbrake that connects through USB and can take all the abuse u can throw at it.
Is the manu-factory one good enough? are there other options?

 

[Alastair Walker]

I need a handbrake that connects through USB and can take all the abuse u can throw at it.
Is the manu-factory one good enough? are there other options?

In a word it's brilliant, all steel, laser cut, potentiometer for realistic hydraulic handbrake action with adjustable spring for tension. Can be mounted either via four bolt holes to cockpit shifter plate as in the pictures in my post HERE or via the included inbuilt clamp. Connects via USB, handle can be either vertical like in a rally car or changed to horizontal like in a road car.

Raffaele was excellent to deal with and he is the one making the handbrake so is happy to answer any questions you might have. Check out the cockpits, brakes and wheels he makes as well for an idea of the quality of everything. Very happy with my purchase and happy to recommend him to anyone else. Spoke to him via email and on the phone and was professional and kept me informed the whole time and each one is made to order so you get it exactly set up how you want.

Cheers Al

 

[anasmak11]

In a word it's brilliant, all steel, laser cut, potentiometer for realistic hydraulic handbrake action with adjustable spring for tension. Can be mounted either via four bolt holes to cockpit shifter plate as in the pictures in my post HERE or via the included inbuilt clamp. Connects via USB, handle can be either vertical like in a rally car or changed to horizontal like in a road car.

Raffaele was excellent to deal with and he is the one making the handbrake so is happy to answer any questions you might have. Check out the cockpits, brakes and wheels he makes as well for an idea of the quality of everything. Very happy with my purchase and happy to recommend him to anyone else. Spoke to him via email and on the phone and was professional and kept me informed the whole time and each one is made to order so you get it exactly set up how you want.

Cheers Al

Thanx, ill definitely check it out. But can it take alot of abuse? like is it ok to yank it hard without breaking anything?

 

[Pete Mull]

I'm currently working with Nigel to produce a DIY loadcell or pot assembly that would fit my Frex. We also want to come up with a simple design that would allow other racers to produce their own 'hydraulic' handbrake using the load cell or pot assembly.

Watch this space !!

Pete

 

[Daniel Tonsberg]

Hello, I'm currently considering ordering the Manu-factory handbrake, but I'm struggling to think of a way to "mount" it somehow. Seeing as I'm low on space, I had to order myself a wheelstand pro for my T500rs.
Does anyone have an idea on how it could be mounted to the stand or even on the floor(not permanent) could a possibility be to mount it to a Wooden board? Or would that comprimise it's stability?
I mainly drive rally so it would have to withstand a lot of use.

The best thing is maybe just to order one and think about the details later

-Xull

 

[Alastair Walker]

Thanx, ill definitely check it out. But can it take alot of abuse? like is it ok to yank it hard without breaking anything?

If you can regularly break steel with your bare hands then you might have a problem but unfortunately I don't have super powers so I will never have any problems with it breaking. All of it, the handles, the frame, the linkages are either steel or alloy, so if you can break it I'd be very surprised.

Cheers Al

 

[Alastair Walker]

Hello, I'm currently considering ordering the Manu-factory handbrake, but I'm struggling to think of a way to "mount" it somehow. Seeing as I'm low on space, I had to order myself a wheelstand pro for my T500rs.
Does anyone have an idea on how it could be mounted to the stand or even on the floor(not permanent) could a possibility be to mount it to a Wooden board? Or would that comprimise it's stability?
I mainly drive rally so it would have to withstand a lot of use.

The best thing is maybe just to order one and think about the details later

-Xull

It comes with a included clamp so you could maybe clamp it to a low table beside your stand? If you look at the pictures I posted of my setup you can see the mount I use that is part of my GT Extreme cockpit, so if your stand has an area similar to that you could maybe get someone to create something similar for you.

Cheers Al

 

[Daniel Tonsberg]

The Wheelstand Pro kinda, just for the most basic, no much room for improvement on it but Im considering just welding up a stand of some heavy metals and mounting it on that, and hoping it will be steady enough for some serious breaking.
On the other hand, this is a serious piece of equipment and it cost alot im still new to the hobby, but I only drive rally and handbreaking with a button is really lame

http://www.wheelstandpro.com/ gotto make it work with that somehow :S

 

[Alastair Walker]

The Wheelstand Pro kinda, just for the most basic, no much room for improvement on it but Im considering just welding up a stand of some heavy metals and mounting it on that, and hoping it will be steady enough for some serious breaking.
On the other hand, this is a serious piece of equipment and it cost alot im still new to the hobby, but I only drive rally and handbreaking with a button is really lame

http://www.wheelstandpro.com/ gotto make it work with that somehow :S

Looking at that you would have to mount it to something else, maybe use the included clamp and mount it to your desk or something. Maybe you can sell the wheel stand to someone else and find someone selling one of these where you live? These ones are set up for right hand drive countries like Australia where I live (so the handbrake is on your left side) but from what I found out are just a generic cockpit made in China to each companies spec and then rebadged and sold all over the place by different companies, so if you are a left hand drive country with the handbrake on the right you could probably find someone selling something similar where you live. It's what I use and I'm happy with it and it works perfectly with the handbrake for Richard Burns Rally with the included shifter / handbrake stand.

Cheers Al

 

[Daniel Tonsberg]

Yeah Thanks Alastair, Ive sent an mail to Manu-Factory asking for tips and advice regarding my problem with mounting options.
As it is now, my apartment is too small for a full cockpit.

Ive looked into the possibility to extend the lever arm on the handbrake. That would make it stable I belive.

 

[Alastair Walker]

Yes you can have the handle either vertical like in a rally car or horizontal like in a street car. Raffaele asks you when he is almost finished building it which way you want it but he also provides the Allen keys to change it later if you want. I imagine it would be a lot more stable in the horizontal mode on a table for you.

Good luck sorting out the mounting, if you do I am sure you will enjoy the handbrake when it arrives. Just make sure to use some calibration software to calibrate it first before you calibrate it in game. I forgot to do this and thought it wasn't working right, but as soon as I calibrated it using the Fanatec Porsche Wheel Property Page calibration software it works perfectly. It shows up in the Fannatec calibration software as another controller and you just select properties and then calibrate it.

Cheers Alastair

 

[Daniel Tonsberg]

I've decided to order one anyhow and just make it work. Any idea on how to get a hold of him quicker? I sent an mail last week to the mail adress on their home page but I've yet to receive an answer.

 

[Alastair Walker]

I did the same and he got back to me pretty quickly. These are the details I have, I did call him once to discuss things and he was happy to chat. Most emails were answered within a day as far as I can remember.

MANU-FACTORY di Raffaele Bocchini
Via di Mezza Costa, 29
Castelnuovo di Porto
00060 (rm) Italy
P.Iva 07269931007
C.F. BCCRFL66R02H501Y
Tel . +39-06-90164322
Cell. +39-347-5217617
www.manu-factory.it
info@manu-factory.it

 

[Daniel Tonsberg]

Hmm guess I just gotto wait.
I sent him a mail on Friday last week guess he hasn't checked his mail yet after the weekend.

 

[Daniel Monteiro]

hmm, Daniel,

I cannot play at the moment but in the future I plan to do something like you, so I'm looking forward to see how your ideas and plans work out, lykke til!

Also, Alastair, do you have enough space on your cockpit shelf to mount both the shifter and your handbrake? all cockpit makes I see around have fairly small mounts for the shifter.