Fanatec CSL Load Cell VS Thrustmaster T-LCM Pedals! 

Your reviews are always excellent. You always manage to talk about every question I have about a product, and you feel like more of a "real consumer" than some of the other channels that review sim racing stuff. Keep up the great work :)

Your cat is a beautiful cat.

After watching this I'm definitely going for the t lcm's just because I can't deal with a ridiculously heavy break pedal when I just want to have some fun. Thank you for a really good review of both

Probably the best comparison between these two pedal kits I've ever seen. Thank you for the video!

Love this review!!!!! You actually address our concerns as consumers unlike most channels. Im happy i found this video and it made my decision easy!

love it when someone provides a review and is actually knowledgeable about engineering principles, in stead of basing a review on pricing and FANATECiness alone (looking at you boosted media)

Never been into sim racing or racing games and started watching you for the VR content but your rig looks ace. So yesterday I bought my first budget steering wheel, a Thrustmaster TMX and started playing Forza horizon 5 (I know it's not SIM but I'm starting small lol). I will say, my young daughters absolutely love it lol.

First thing I did with my tlcm was getting rid of that crappy springs. I use a combination of rubber spacers and plastic washers to get the perfect brake feeling. Works perfectly

That's a really nice kitchen! Btw, great comparison between pedals... but that's a wonderful kitchen counter 😆

Thanks Mate , just what I need in time for black friday sale. 👍

Fully agree with everything Karl has stated about the T-LCMs. I have the T-LCMs and even after modding them they're still way too soft, went and ordered a set of the Simagic P2000 pedals. Hopefully those are capable of being a worthy upgrade. I got the Apex V2R mod for the T-LCMs and I fully recommend them.

Fantastic and informative video. Subscribed! To the point and very helpful.

Your explanation is really brilliant. Now I almost feel this pedals, and happy that i've chose csl:) Thanx!

Great breakdown of the differences! Thanks.

Excellent review and comparison. Very well articulated. 👌

I just got in my thrustmaster T-LMC pedals and am just waiting on my T300 Ferrari integral wheel to come in. So excited!!! Gonna be playing hours and hours of Gran Turismo 7 on the PSVR2!!!!

I have these Fanatec pedals with load cell coming in March this year. Upgrading from my G29 pedals with TrueBrake v2.1 which has been a good upgrade from stock, but still far from perfect. Fucking stroll on already... Thanks for the videos on the CSL kits. Really helped me make up my mind between these and whether or not to put double down on the ClubSport V3's. I think I'm going to be very happy!

Great break down of both sets, think you have tipped me towards the CSL set.

Thx for thé vidéo. I bought CSL pedal and ordered thé load cell + tuning kit After watching your review 😉 january 22nd to wait

I love this guy ! Very good review mate.

Great video Karl. I've got the T-LCM's and the old Elites. I use a Playseat challenge and the T-LCM's work well because of the extra weight and body of the pedal set. I've got the Apex brake mod for the T-LCM's and it's a game changer. I do like the look of the new elites and plan to pick them up. I like the fact you can space out the pedals more and I'll be sticking a spring in the LC to create a bit more travel. I'm hoping some mod guys will create more options for the LC compression spacers. Surprisingly there was very little if anything released for the old elites. Lots for the T-CLM's though. I"ll start with a nice spring though and that may just be all that's needed.

I just got the load-cell pedal yesterday and i thought it was very stiff with little travel. So I took the foam bit from the non-load cell brake pedal and replaced one of the rubber ones on the load cell brake with the foam bit. The foam bit has a hole through it that fits on the load-cell pin. Got a bit more travel and better feel i think👍🏻😊

If that fanatec is only moving an inch for you, for me it's immovable. 😆

Great video Karl!

Great video as always. Is there any chance you could compare the VNM shifter and the Fanatec shifter? Im so tired of dealing with it losing calibration, but I'm worried the VNM shifter wont feel as good in H-pattern mode. So glad you touched on the absurdity of hydraulic throttle pedals. People may like them better, but that's not how real cars work, exactly like you said.

Another awesome video, your kitchen is awesome too

I had the old CSL LC and now TLCM and I much prefer TLCM myself.

Thanks Carl. Using your brain and senses to tell us the real differences. Everyone else will just tell us the specs. This is why your reviews are the best. I don't understand who designs these things? I had the thrustmaster and was annoyed with the way the pedal face moves up as you press it. And the brake has an annoying step as you bottom out the springs and then hit the load cell. The fanatics are a far simpler design and far better. Simpler is always better when it comes to design.

What an excellent review

I bought the TM load cell a few months back after a few hours trying everything to make it stiffer (bits of rubber (those black door stopper thing lol) I finally went down to hardware store and bought stiffer springs for it (bunnings in Australia if curios) and after ruining 2 of them(springs) and getting it right I am now happy ✌

great video mate!

I got my T-LCMs last summer at my local retailer for 160€ . I recently upgraded the springs with rubber spacers for about 20€. Thats 180€ for great pedals which is a bargain.

Great review!

both are nice padelsets for a nice price. If you have a T300 or something better from thrustmaster, these padels are a must have. They make your trhustmasterset completen. If you have fanatec setup, you already have padels like this. I have the V3 clubspot padels. And i love them. Don't need anything more high end actually. This is pretty realistic already. And you never can make padels 1-1 with the real. Especially the clutch not.

Where is the FOOT-age?!?!?!?!?!? (I´ll show myself out) Great content as usual!

Your literally 3xplaining what torque is. Great video lol

Don't be worried about the brake on TLCm , 100 is way way to hard to compress and I'm 36 years old 205 pounds , I only need 70/max 80/100 on the brake force ( calibration tool) Just put the 2 red springs with 5 washers and preload springs between 2. Open the pedals cover and switch the springs between clutch and accelerator if you dont need the clutch ,because the spring of the clutch it's harder and feels way better on the accelerator pedal 3. Calibrate the pedals on the pc ( once calibrated they memorized into the pedals so you can use it on console( I have the xbox one x) Amazing pedals set

thanks for another great video Karl. has your load cell broke in at all, is it any less stiff now?

I've used my pal's Fanatec's and I prefer my T-LCMs after modding them - though the Fanatec felt better stock. T-LCM stock springs felt like trash though, but after adding some elastomer from fleabay and doing a bit of 3d printing they are much, much better. Likewise I added a stronger spring on the throttle and clutch. I think the benefit of the T-LCM is having a higher pressure load cell, so there's a greater range to modulate & although the longer throw of the T-LCM brake pedal can feel unrealistically long if you run quite soft rubber/springs - it just makes it easier to modulate for me, I have a better ideal of where I am from 75% to 100%. Only downside to running them this way is that it can be harder to heel-toe, but that's not much of a concern to me. I've got about 10'000 miles / 2000+ hrs in-sim on the T-LCMs and have had them apart to clean/regrease recently and there's no sign of wear, nor do I think there is any noticeable flex in their construction. Overall I think they are both good value for money and with aftermarket/diy mods can both be improved quite a bit, but the Fanatec is a better product out of the box.

I have T-LCMs for quite a while now and I use them with one red spring and elastomer mod from 3DRap, that was reviewed by Random Callsign and for me it's perfect. Can't compare to CSL as I didn't test them, but I've driven Heusinkveld Sprints and they were too stiff. I mostly do drifting in AC and some racing in ACC and F1 series and my setup feels like the best of two worlds - it's stiff enough to race and close enough to a real car to feel good when driving/drifiting in AC. Plastic base of T-LCMs isn't a deal breaker in any case, but they HAVE to be mounted to a rig unless you are using softer springs.

First thing to do with the tlcm is to put all the washers to cancel the grey small spring which is useless. Then the travel is great

Karl check out the ApexV2R brake mod kit for the thrustmaster TLCMs, they feel absolutely amazing. Many people would appreciate a review of the mod to let them know they can get it.

On the original csl pedals, they gave you extra rubbers to adjust the pedal firmness, up to 90kg. I bet they will sell them as an optional extra at some point.

Everybody is so concerned about them being all metal construction and I get it but not all plastics are bad and weak. The most important components on the TM are metal and the plastic case doesn't feel cheap like the plastic pedals that come with the t150 and t300 TM kits. I would think the TM having hall effect sensors and the loadcell would make them more appealing to most. I get the issue with pedal flex but if you have a good cockpit with a good pedal stand it shouldn't be an issue. I really want the fanatec inverted clubsport v3 pedals but being 600 I can't swing it. I did stretch for the fanatec shifter though I thought it was worth the extra 50 dollars over thrustmaster th8. But as to the pedals in this price point, I think the thrustmasters are better and more adjustable and customizable but compared to clubsport inverted or not it's not even close.

One thing most people ignore is the bitrate of these pedals. The information is getting hard to find and Fanatec don't even clearly state the specs on their website. But Thrustmaster does... it clearly states the pedals the T-LCM is up to 16 bit resolution or 65,536 values per pedal. From research, Fanatec is also 16 bit when plugged into a USB port but reduced to 12 bit (49,152 values) when run into the back of the wheel base. I do not see info if the Thrustmaster also gets this reduction.

Thank you

YES! Love it Karl. After Boosted's brutally honest comparison I went back and watched SRG's review of the TLCM. Honestly it's really concerning how Barry straight up mislead people about this product. I wonder what else he's misrepresented? Thankful honest people like you and Will are shining through.

Also consider when comparing 100kg vs 60kg is they may not be using that entire range. When I built my load cell pedals I used a 100kg load cell but limited it to 50 in the electronics. As this was what I wanted to have as my 100% braking force. The price difference is small but for thrustmaster the marketing difference is large. For some the it's almost double the force so must be better will take over. I would be surprised if in reality thrustmaster are near 100kg at the load cell.

One thing I've noticed, is that the Fanatec pedals are fairly far apart from each other. Brake and Gas are ok, but when left foot braking the clutch isnt exactly where you'd expect it. But maybe I still have to get used to them more, having had a G27 prior.

Can't help but notice that your sash lifts are fitted to the meeting rails instead of the lower rails.

Hi Karl, Is it possible to leave the foam insert in the 'former' brake pedal to simulate a bit of clutch resistance?

Excellent review. I'm thinking about getting a better wheel and pedals, but I have limitations.... I don't have a simrig or wheelstand, I really don't have room for it. Now... would it even be possible to use either of these pedals on the floor? And also, the CSL DD / DD Pro (5Nm) should I even bother since I have to mount it to the table (I wouldn't use the included desk clamp but instead go for the clubsport clamp as it seems more secure and the wheelbase would sit more on the table than outside it). The other option is the Ts-XW but I really don't know

Honestly I prefer the CSL elites to both you need that customisation I think

Hi Karl, really like the channel and have bought playseat challenge, f-gt lite, g920, csl dd and csl lc and gt omega titan all on your advice. The question I have is now that you have a relationship with Fanatec, can you ask them if there are any plans to work with Microsoft to improve compatibility between their products to include more than just controller buttons. This is the only disappointment I have with all the gear I've bought. Thanks for all the videos, great advice and I have agreed with 99% of your opinions.

Curious if there are any upgrades for the CSL pedal clutch.

I don't like having an insanely hard brake pedal. The TLCM with the 2 red springs and all the washers is perfect for me.

TLCM can easily be hacked with 8€ soft rubber spacers ( sim racing corner video on YT -) , i did it on mine, it's a game changer. Now, like you do in the video, i can hardly push the pedal by hand. Also, first thing to do with the original springs, is to add the washers to avoid the effect of the middle spring.

The thing with the braking . People want to be able to hit 100%. If you have to push that hard to brake. How is that good for racing? If it’s soft. Like how most cars are. You want it. Why work harder for something that’s not really real and can’t be changed

Did I miss it, or did you mentioned the prices of each pedal set, with load cell but no other options? Thanks, I always enjoy your content.

hey Karl, can you do a pedal review on ALL the pedals you have, from like, both an unmodded and a modded perspective, as well as wheel compatibility? I want to upgrade from my g29 pedals, but i don't know where to start.

How much of of discount does your Fanatec link provide?

The moment he said “foot telepathy” is when I knew I needed to listen to him.

I am very new to SIM racing and looking to build a rig. If I bought a Thrustmaster wheel could I use Fanatec pedals with it on a ps4 or ps5?

The throttle is too light on my current CSL pedals so I swapped it for the clutch pedal and it’s much better. Unfortunately, you can’t do this with the new CSL setup.

Would you say the clubsports at $360 are worth it compared to CSL + loadcell at $200?

I plan on racing street cars and not as much race cars. Do u still recommend the CSL pedals bc Ik street cars have softer brakes than race cars

niiiiice 4k res on the video.

I'm new to this but you forgot to put in the washers in the Thrustmaster that's why it's easy to push down. It's alot harder to press down with the 4 and washers. Edit I guess you do mention it.

In the video is the fanatec clutch the old non load cell brake pedal or a purchased clutch?

TLCM , Brakeforce Settings help. Hi, I have set Brakeforce at 0 on tlcm. But i still find it too hard to get desired braking. i would prefer for it to be easier than 0 to get 100% braking. Is there a way to reduce this below 0 or change any other setting, so i have to press the brake with lesser pressure/force to get up to 100% braking....? Thanks.

I have used T-LCM pedals for over a year now. There is one very irritating thing with those. After some time break pedal is getting "loose" and you have to tighten it with an allen wrench using screw at the bottom of the pedal base. In my case I need to do this about once a month and it is getting pretty irritating - especially when you start to feeling loose pedal during racing.

Man I can’t wait to swap my T-LCM’s, bought them a year ago after watching some positive reviews (Barry’s swayed me), they are in my opinion truly awful, the brake pedal feels nothing like a brake pedal, all combos of springs just feel mushy and result in a weird hard stop when you bottom them out. I’ve modded them with a skateboard bushing which made the brake a little better but not much, loathed to spend $70AUD on a mod tbh, such a poor design choice by TM. Great video.

T-LCM's longer travel brake pedal leads to better sensitivity when trail braking?

I’ve gone from the csl pedals to heusinkveld sprints (used the csl pedals for 1.5 months) and i disagree about accelerator. The sprints use loadcell on there accelerator and they feel far more natural than csl compared to a real car. Now I completely understand real cars don’t use loadcell (as you mentioned they mostly use potentiometers or hall sensors), but I driven MG zs, Vauxhall corsa and vw polo, and the feeling of pressing the pedals is closer to sprints than csl. Now that might not be down to the detection method (sprint loadcell vs csl hall sensors), but maybe the non linear pedal pressure the loadcell gives in accelerator is just a more natural feeling than having no resistance like the csl pedals.

can i use the Thrustmaster pedal and the fanatec dd pro simultaneously with the ps5 or only on pc?

hmmm~ I thought if the spring is too hard, then the pressure would reach the limit before you put the pedal to the bottom, which will put the travel beyond that point deadzone?

may i wrong, but i think you can use the Fanatec only built in a rig otherwise it will slide away on the floor.

So if I go to Fanatec's website, which model is it you have there? V1/V2/V3?

would the T-LCM be a lot more stiff then the g923 brake pedal?

Witch one to choose if i use a gt omega chair without wheels but actuelly stopers on it?

I think he talked about pedals, I just saw an epic kitchen.

I’m looking to buy load cell pedals at the moment. I’m not bothered whether there’s travel in the brake pedal or not, I am concerned that I’ll struggle to hit 100% braking force reliably given that I’ll be using it on an Xbox with fewer configuration options. I’m lightweight and have damaged bones in my left foot so I’m concerned about spending a lot of money and finding the pedals are stupidly stiff

Cat! 😻 And the inevitable question: How would the fanatec do on a playseat challenge? Given the brake pedal is hard, will it lift the whole chair of the floor? Or be ok?

Interesting video... Learned a lot - until I saw the cat. These nice little cuties ALWAYS manage to steal my attention... 😁

Sim racing foot telepathy? Brilliant

Hi Karl. Love the channel. Do you have a business or enquiries email address at all? Have some questions regarding a new setup I'm looking for. Need some advice off someone on the know👌

Yeah im going Fanatec, just seems like a better product.

What about the personalitation of the brake in the tlcm by replacing the springs by silicone parts having a lot more pressure at your disposable and which is not possible in the fanatec and never will be because is fixed You forgot to mention the 34 euros that cost the fanatec pedals cover And the much more reliable hall sensors instead of potenciometers present in the tlcm like in the much more expensive fanatec v3 Also you can use the tlcm without hard mounting by using the softest springs , that is a big bonus for a lot of people I use to like your videos alot, just wanna express my opinion

The moment arm example you gave is misleading. You'd have to do a summation of forces. Other than that, the review is decent

Can the fanatec connect to t300?

what about the hall sensors?

Pun intended 1:50 🤣

Good vid

I was looking at the fanatec to use with my Logitech wheel and realized they charged 12€ to ship the USB adapter. What a joke, i think I'll get the thrustmasters instead.

Nice. Are you into 3d printing? You should try the Lebois SRT hydraulic brake and accelerator pedals. I built myself a pair for about $180. All the designs are free online with the option to donate for his efforts. Check it out ^^

"Foot"age haha!

So what you're saying Karl, is that some people have a footage fetish?

👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍

I love my tlcms

If you live outside US theres also other things to consider i think. Availability and shipping. Thrustmaster seems to be in stock always and many places to buy from. I went with Thrustmaster since already have their tsxw base and paid 165€ including shipping from Amazon