Thrustmaster TH8RS Shifter Owners

[Von Butters]

Im asking those who own or have used this shifter what its like, as on tuesday, my is thinking of buying it, and putting it away till Christmas for me.

Is it as good or better than the standard shifter that comes with the G27, or is it not going to be money well spent?
How robust is it?
What faults have people experieced?

If anyone has any info and advice, id thank you for it.

Cheers

http://www.amazon.co.uk/ThrustMaste...L1PW/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1351165633&sr=8-3

 

[Kjell Eilertsen]

I like to use the correct shifter for the car I am racing. So in touring cars, and many other tin top series, that would be a sequential stick shift.

So it's for immersion only? Or do you feel it gives you any advantage over using paddles?

 

[morsify]

No it's not an advantage to use sequential, in fact it is a handicap against paddles. But it is more than just immersion.
On the same lap, same car, I can go quicker with paddles as I do not have to take my hand off the wheel.
But to me it is important to simulate the car and race series as closely as possible, and taking hand off wheel to use a sequential stick is enough to feel a difference on entry into turns.
Other factors, such as manual or semi-automatic clutch, also make a big difference.

Without exception it is always easier to use paddles, so I reserve them only for the cars that actually use them.

 

[Luiz Silveira]

[...]
Without exception it is always easier to use paddles, so I reserve them only for the cars that actually use them.

Actually, in my experience that's true in all sims but iRacing. Contrary to other sims, In iRacing there is some simulation of transmission/clutch in quite a few of the cars.

In cars with both syncromesh and dogbox transmissions you have to maintain the gear lever pressed for a moment while you blip in order to shift without using clutch. That is much, much easier to do with a stick, whether in H (for the syncmesh, that requires even more holding time) or sequential mode (for the dogbox ones).

For the ones with a full semi-auto (no need to clutch or blip) it's indeed usually easier to use paddles, for the reasons you pointed out.

 

[Kjell Eilertsen]

But to me it is important to simulate the car and race series as closely as possible, and taking hand off wheel to use a sequential stick is enough to feel a difference on entry into turns.

Ok, what you explain here is what I would call "for added immersion", as it's not because it has an advantage. I find it a bit difficult to put into words but, for instance static paddle shifters won't make you faster than having the kind that rotates with the wheel, but if you are drifting there is a pretty significant advantage to having static paddles (or a sequential stick i guess) as hitting a down or upshift while the wheel is spinning is pretty hard
I'm what Shawn Cole would call a Sim Driver rather than a Sim Racer however, I will use something like full manual clutch and heel/toe even in cars that don't require it, just cos I find it more enjoyable. I just fail to see what's enjoyable with a sequential stick, so I was wondering if it adds some similar kind of advantage that static paddles has with drifting?

 

[Tim Meuris]

Doesn't AC also has a feature which slows you down when driving with a different shifting method than the car has in real life?

 

[Kjell Eilertsen]

Doesn't AC also has a feature which slows you down when driving with a different shifting method than the car has in real life?

I kinda recall that being mentioned prior to the release on steam, but not sure if it's actually in the game yet.

 

[Mark Reynolds]

Running that big Fanatec SQ in sequential mode with a car that uses that kind of gearbox is super immersive, because the SQ really delivers a lovely heavy as you want tactile realistic feel when you pull the next gear, it is cream on the top of the controller package for me, just the same way the TH8 feels great when your heeling and toe'ing with a classic car

(i've not run the SQ in manual mode mode so cant really compare properly vs the TH8)

 

[Kjell Eilertsen]

(i've not run the SQ in manual mode mode so cant really compare properly vs the TH8)

Please do though
I'm probably getting a TH8 anyways, but I must admit the clubsport shifter is looking awfully good!

 

[Von Butters]

You may have seen me complaining about the price of the Fanatec shifter here, but in reflection, my complaint was about the apparent, from my perspective, high price of Fanatec gear.
After checking again, I can see it isn't all that much more than the usual price of the TH8, and that just muddles the water that much more.

Humm.

 

[Kjell Eilertsen]

The non SQ version is €150, not a bad price if you ask me, though I would need the table clamp as well, that's another €30, and if I want to use all 7 gears I also need the USB adapter at another €20, all in all that's starting to become quite pricey indeed

 

[Von Butters]

Yup. The reason of my post though, I was expecting another €100 on top of that.
Shows you need to really look at what you want to what you can afford

 

[Mark Reynolds]

Gut reaction is I prefer the gate on the TH8 for manual shifting, feels very realistic for throw etc, the SQ in manual mode reminds more more of the feel in the throw of the G25 shifter, a narrower smaller margin throw, I will get around to giving a proper test tho, fwiw I think the review Darin at ISR and the review Shaun gave at Simpit are good reflections on my experience, the tiny slop in the shaft is my only down side with the whole thing so far tbh.

 

[Tim Meuris]

Gut reaction is I prefer the gate on the TH8 for manual shifting, feels very realistic for throw etc, the SQ in manual mode reminds more more of the feel in the throw of the G25 shifter, a narrower smaller margin throw, I will get around to giving a proper test tho, fwiw I think the review Darin at ISR and the review Shaun gave at Simpit are good reflections on my experience, the tiny slop in the shaft is my only down side with the whole thing so far tbh.

Mark, how do you compare the TH8rs with Fanatec's CSSshifter?

 

[Mark Reynolds]

Posted some thoughts a few posts up Tim

I need to do some proper seat time with the SQ in manual mode, but as a sequential shifter the SQ is a no contest win for the SQ against the TH8, in manual mode I have a feeling I might lean towards the TH8 simply for the gate, and throw.....I spend more time in sequential mode so the SQ is my preferred overall shifter at the moment, will update some thoughts when I try the manual mode properly tho.

 

[Tim Meuris]

thnx mark!

 

[Mark Reynolds]

Im going to feature some different kit in the next dev drive actually.

 

[Chris]

Hi guys, I'm looking to upgrade the shifter knob to give it more of a 'sequential shifter' look.

I've found this one which fits the look I'm trying to get but it only comes with 8, 10 and 12mm adapters. I cannot find any with the required 9mm adapter. In fact, I can't find any shifter with 9mm compatibility.

 

[Kjell Eilertsen]

@Chris Stacey Have a look at this post, Remik fitted a similar shifterknob on his.

 

[Chris]

@Chris Stacey Have a look at this post, Remik fitted a similar shifterknob on his.

Which post?

 

[Kjell Eilertsen]

LOL, how's that for helpful? Forgot to put the link in xD
http://www.racedepartment.com/threads/show-your-cockpit.19/page-117#post-1769229
There u go, if you read on there's a few more comments on the subject in followup posts too.