I designed and manufactured the first E brake for real drift and rally cars, hence the red latch which was required for safety reasons in the pits (locks brake on). It was one of the first billet versions on the market. Unfortunately I only sold 20 before a US customer sent it to China and reverse engineered it. Material costs alone in Australia were more than I’ve seen the rip off version selling for and sometimes using my business name - Growly.
Well damn, I didn't like that one very much but I appreciate your work, the handle on the version I recieved felt like it wasn't hand friendly to me, i recall the grip area feeling very small in my hands. I'm sure the original didn't feel as janky as the one I reviewed. On a separate note, I'm very sorry to hear your design was stolen. It's a common thing now from what I have seen. It's good to hear from the designer. Do you still make things like this, and have you considered entering the sim market?
I had that second one ordered and sent here before I bought my second Fanatec handbrake. Swedish post delivered to my door a day I wasn't home, but instead of leaving it in the post office 1000 metres away from my house, they shipped it back to China.. . Had been waiting for over a month, I never reordered. :)
@@DouglasThompson Sure is, but not sure what that driver was thinking, the protocol is that they should drop the package of at the post office if noone is home..🙈😅
To any of those interested in the silver one mine shipped perfectly in a box that was the right shape and size and had a styrofoam mold that housed all the components perfectly so they didnt move around. So they definitely improved their packaging to their credit.
Update on ownership, the quality is good but the assembly isn't. The spring and screw system loosens itself and never feels quite right when the handbrake is at rest. Setting a 1% dead zone helps if the game makes it available, feel is pretty good but dialing in the tension of the spring takes a bit and it needs to be adjusted often. If tightened enough to stay in place the tension of the handbrake itself is super stiff and if you're not mounting it to something ultra solidly it's a bit of a pain
@@devinprizmic it makes a lot of sound and you have to adjust the spring right so it doesnt make any. i have playseat and i mounted it pretty well so i have access to h shifter and handbrake easily. it definetily feels good if u adjust it few times and oil it
The brake lock is there on the first one because the metal hardware is actually a hydraulic brake kit for a car where they removed the master cylinder off the back, replaced it with a plate and stuck a small circuit board inside. So installed in an actual car you'd pull the lever all the way back which would put the back brakes on and then put the lock in place so it worked like a park brake.
Same! I wish there was a horizontal version but you could easily mount it to horizontally since the footprint is so small. Not so much with the larger black one.
The first handbrake you can upgrade the spring with, Heavy Load Duty Compression Die Springs 38mm in length 8mm inside diameter outside diameter 16mm there's different strengths etc
another update on the silver model, it’s hosing is completely aluminum now. i haven’t broken it down so the plastic components may still be internal, but it looks much better now that it’s all concealed.
I haven't had any hands on with the H-pattern, I'm expecting it today or tomorrow. As for the handbrakes, so far the silver one is definitely the most impressive to me even though the packaging was abysmal.
@@DouglasThompson Video was worth watching just for the awesome comments 😀🙌 . Maybe make a short video on why even have analog handbrake instead of a button? And yea that silver one was hilarios hahahahahahahahaa Function over anythong else!
What is your opinion on running 2 springs on them, for example one lighter sprint at the start, and then a stronger spring at the end, to remove some of the linearity of the handbrakes.
I've tried it but it's very hard to get it to feel right. My best attempts have come from a short lighter spring with a washer separating a much harder to squish rubber cylinder.
I have the first and only problem that was such a terrible clearance in the upper pin, but I solved it with 0.1 and 0.3 mm washers and now it's good, before that sometimes it happened that the lever remained stuck and did not want to go back, but what would man wanted for $ 80
They are all pretty great for the price but ya, besides the plastic the middle one will be the winner in my eyes but the one on the right is pretty awesome too. Part 2 will determine the winner I suppose. ;)
Hey any idea when you are going to get the sim magic alpha mini for review? I saw your video where you said you were going to test it to see if that was going to be the permanent wheel base on your rig over the CSl dd. I am trying to decide between the two and I am looking forward to your video. I think you are an honest dude and I am interested to see which one you pick.
Thank you very much! I actually got an update on that whole situation a day or so ago. British Columbia (the area it's shipped from) is flooded and won't be shipping anything out till further notice...I'm very saddened by that because I was hoping to get the comparison done by now but you can't control nature... :( It's still in progress though! In the meantime I have a really exciting product I will be getting ahold of that might be of interest to you and many others. Can't talk about it yet but I think it will be up your alley! ;)
I got one almost just like the first one but mine came with a plate to re xtend my shifter plate so the hgp shifter and hand brake could be mounted next to each ither it's a solid handbrake i might buy the moza hbp handbrake when i have the expendable funds but so far this handbrake i paid $50 on Amazon had been really solid
I designed and manufactured that e brake for real race cars. Unfortunately a customer sent it to China, reverse engineered it and mass produced it for less than I could buy the materials for.
fyi u can use this as a handbrake for a real car just need to strip the circuit shit out connect the breakwire to the hanbreak itself, maybe they added this breaklock for this reason?? (source: myself, i used this first one in a golf 2 v16)
start using them all and come back. Those janky hall sensors are hit and miss. If not positioned 100% where they need to be you will have either super sensitive and short travel, or extremely long travel.
Any updates on Part 2? Actually thinking to get that smallest one but the brittle plastic is a concern. How well does it mount when side mounted. Thanks!
I actually didn't try to side mount it but I will say I wouldn't trust the mounting method personally. The handbrake actually worked really well... I have the video recorded, might be able to edit it tomorrow.
@@navikYT no, they are steel inserts but the fact you have to use the included plastic spacers to raise the mounting plate away from the body to clear the screws on the side means to me a point of failure. I haven't confirmed but if they used the same plastic as the did on the top portion, I could imagine the little plastic spacers having the same fate as the top cover...lol
It's gonna take a lot to get me away from my fanatec handbrake. 1 giant factor. I can mount it on the side of my shifter. Number 2 looks like the best bet tho.
my handbrake(#1) came in a nice box with foam, but why do everyone's come with the "carbon fiber" finish on top, mine just have a black plain plastic with some small screws 😐
I didnt watch reviews before, but it was the one i liked more for its design. Also i find all these calibrate poorly, usually reconnecting them fixes it. Also mine doesnt wooble at all,(no adjustment) maybe its because its advertised as a V2 model, dunno if the one you got aswell
@@DouglasThompson yeah, they must buy the parts and assembly them in many places, mine even has a different spring. Also many people sells them on ali, and they use the same stock images, i often trust more items with real taken photos.
Not without something like the drivehub adapter and even then it is a risk. I think the first unit I unboxed has been confirmed to work with drivehub. I'm not positive though.
Drivehub is a price of electronic hardware that allows you to mix and match Fanatec, Logitech and Thrustmaster gear. Not only that, you can use things that are completely not supported by console such as the accuforce V2 wheelbase, I think Simagic and even Fanatec gear that is not native to console (like the csw 2.5) I think they go for 60-80 dollars per unit depending on where you buy one.
@@DouglasThompson The only gripes i have with it is that they could have used some better lube on the gearings, as it squeaks a bit and the handle is a bit small, but nothing one can't solve with some own lube, facilitated by the fact that most cogs and gears are exposed and simply put any kind of sport or working tape around the handle to make up for the measures, other than that it does work as intented i would say.
@@TheAccuso if you have a metal saw or a file I'd say get rid of those nubs near the beginning of the handle portion. That would make it a lot better imo
@@DouglasThompson Sure thing but wrapping it up with tape works really just fine tbh, i don't need a complicated ergonomic grip, it's a handbrake, i pull it once in a while in corners, a more meaty circumnference it's enough really.
