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?

 

[Alastair Walker]

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.

The Next Level GT Extreme Cockpit I use has a separate mounting plate for a shifter / handbrake that I use for the handbrake and I use the paddles behind the Fanatec GT3 wheel to shift with or the sequential shifter mounted next to the wheel like in an S2000 rally car.

What I did was take off the mounting plate and took it to a machine shop where they welded a larger plate to fit the base of the handbrake to and then tapped holes in it to mount the handbrake. I also got them to weld an extra brace from the mounting plate back to the pipe that mounts to the cockpit frame for extra rigidity. You can see what I mean from the pictures below

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[Daniel Monteiro]

i see, thanks for the explanation! man, i think i'm going to get started with some CAD drawings and make myself a nice piece of wooden furniture. i'll have to start saving some money for that handbrake though..

 

[Paul Newton]

On my G27 I've been going back and forth between two handbraking solutions: (1) paddle shifting and using 4th gear for a handbrake, (2) shifting with the H shifter and just not handbraking at all. As I intend to run a group-N car in the upcoming RDRC season, I'd really like to use the H shifter.

I've been considering buying a standalone shifter, Derek Speare Designs or TH8RS, and using that as a handbrake because I could also use it for a seq stick shift. Is it true the TH8RS has an analog mode for handbrake simulation? Has anybody tried this?

 

[itrdc5]

On my G27 I've been going back and forth between two handbraking solutions: (1) paddle shifting and using 4th gear for a handbrake, (2) shifting with the H shifter and just not handbraking at all. As I intend to run a group-N car in the upcoming RDRC season, I'd really like to use the H shifter.

I've been considering buying a standalone shifter, Derek Speare Designs or TH8RS, and using that as a handbrake because I could also use it for a seq stick shift. Is it true the TH8RS has an analog mode for handbrake simulation? Has anybody tried this?

Yeah it does. I have a video here using it as a handbrake with RBR.

Here's a good video showing how it works

Maybe I'm not skilled enough but I didn't feel any advantage in using it in analogue mode. After all, correct me if I'm wrong, even in real life rallying it's a quick pull on the handbrake to break traction of the rear wheels. It's not as if it's used for modulating the rear wheel brakes. I've no idea what goes on in the drifting world. Anyway, I'm currently using my simple microswitch DIY handbrake which can be seen here and using the TH8 RS solely for H-shifting.

 

[itrdc5]

Here's my DIY handbrake. Not much of a looker but is quite effective.

Parts list (might be useful if you are from Australia):

• Rod end - http://www.linearbearings.com.au/ They also sell Bosch modular frames (80/20 alternative)
• Threaded rod, angle iron, angle brackets, nuts and bolts - Bunnings or any hardware store
• Micro switch - Jaycar
• Rubber stuff - Clarks Rubber

Edit: I've since made two more
1st handbrake: Started life with WRC 2 on the PS3 but then moved over to RBR on the PC and used with H-pattern shifter, ie. lower position. Mounting brackets not suitable for sequential shift position, ie. higher position.

2nd handbrake: Mounting brackets to suit my higher sequential shifter position. Both sequential shifter and handbrake are removed when using H-pattern.

3rd handbrake: To replace 1st handbrake on the PS3 rig. The red shift knob only cost $2 AUD! The blue ones, a whopping $8.95 each

 

[Paul Newton]

Thanks for the input. I actually just bought a TH8RS before I saw this response. I tried the analogue mode and thought I may have had a slight advantage but at the cost of using inferior hardware for shifting, the original G27 shifter. So right now I have the TH8 and G27 shifter mounted side by side. I'm switching between sequential and H on the TH8 depending on the car I'm driving. And the G27 I'm using 4th gear as my handbrake in RBR. This setup is not ideal but adequate at the moment. I may try to build a handbrake in the future.

 

[arx-7-arbalest]

hi guys
how about this one?

http://www.f1driving.it/en/news/233-ecco-il-nuovo-archandbrake

it gives you the feeling of a real handbrake you can mount gas spring up to 400N (2 springs 200N) to reach about 8-10kg on the top of the handbrake (just like a real handbrake of a mitsu evo IX group N, i measured it with a dynamometer)

the standard version ("plug-n-play", with a gas spring 100N) is150€. There is also a version unmounted without electonics, for DIY... this one is 100€
for more info visit http://ecommerce.f1driving.it/index...owse&category_id=64&Itemid=1&TreeId=1&lang=en

 

[hwangm]

Looks nice. and good price for 100 euro , if only they can be side mounted runnign out of space to mount except next to the seat mount

 

[arx-7-arbalest]

i don't understand well what you are saying... sorry but i'm italian ... i think you have to fabricate a bracket yourself....
here is an example, the handbrake mounted on a playseat

ps we are working hard to make it compatible with playstetion 3.... we have a prototype that works great on gran turismo 5, but only if you have a g25/g27....

 

[itrdc5]

i don't understand well what you are saying... sorry but i'm italian ... i think you have to fabricate a bracket yourself....
here is an example, the handbrake mounted on a playseat

I think he meant mounting it horizontally like what you can now do with the latest version of your handbrake. Very nice.

 

[arx-7-arbalest]

ah ok sorry but i'm not very good in english...

 

[hwangm]

I think he meant mounting it horizontally like what you can now do with the latest version of your handbrake. Very nice.

glad you read my mind thanks .

 

[hwangm]

ah ok sorry but i'm not very good in english...

no probs. very cool video

 

[arx-7-arbalest]

thanks
maybe the driver is not very good with the handbrake, he's a formula driver.... and on the playseat the handbrake wobbles...
maybe we will do a better video

 

[arx-7-arbalest]

now the ARC_Handbrake (standard version, already mounted) costs 120€... and still working hard to make it compatible with the PS3
http://ecommerce.f1driving.it/index..._id=62&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=1&lang=en