you guy are so professionnal, lot of details and explanations : i have nothing to say excepted that this is a very good video and a must subscribe channel for anyone loving simracing. thank you Barry
The plastic on the shaft is not to facilitate shifting, it's to quieten the metal on metal clanking. There's nothing at all wrong with the original sequential or H pattern plates.
Great video as always. The Sequential plate looks nice and looks like its giving decent feedback not just a simple push forward and back. However the H-Pattern plate isn't anything special from the looks. I myself got a 3D printed short shift plate from 3DRRap and it has all the functional benefits of the Ricmotech but none of the downsides such as needing to add shrink wrap since its at the same height. There is one other major mod which I think should be given a good look at for any TH8a user which is the better feel mod also by 3DRap. It increases the force by double or more getting the gear into the gate and also has a bump not just slide in and out.
It's a generic mic off of ebay. www.ebay.com/itm/Double-earhook-Headset-Mic-Headworn-Microphone-For-Sennheiser-Wireless-Beige/162946124766?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649
Barry great review, glad you covered both mods. 1) How do these 2 mods compare in performance, realism, and precision to: - Fanatec shifter - Pro-Sim shifter (s) - newest Thrustmaster handbrake shifter (only as a sequential shifter) ? 2) In order of overall best what order would you put these in.... 1. Quaife 2. ? 3. ? 4. ? 5. ? etc. ( using these to place: Heusikfeld seq. shifter, Ricmotech mod shifters, Pro-Sim shifters, Fanatec shifter, new Thrustmaster handbrake as a seq. shifter, Derek Spears shifter. ) 3) Lastly, for your next shifter(s) review can u cover SHH shifter and 3drap mod, also how they compare/perform to other top shifters on the market. Thanks again, keep up the good work and great reviews!
Mmmm, yeah, not worth it. I almost SMP’s when I saw the prices $80 US, plus the cost of the shifter of course. $80 US will be over a $100 cnd dayplus shipping, and taxes, we’re talking close to $140.$150 by the time it gets to my doorstep. The gains just do not justify the cost...that kind of money and the missed the boat on the wear factor, metal on metal, they didn’t quite think that one through.
Wish my experience with the Sequential Mod was the same Barry :( Mine is far too hard to upshift, and far too loud living in an apartment. People have said 'give it time and it will ease up' but unfortunately I needed the right thing right out of the box. I do agree that it adds a huge change to the TH8A's stock sequential experience but for $50 it's far too expensive - not happy with mine at all.
It may simply be the result of inconsistencies in their 3D Printed manufacturing process, which means some will be tougher than others. FWIW Barry I opened mine up, flipped over the plastic dubrey and attempted to replace the spring with a lighter one - no luck with either of those unfortunately.
Good review Barry. I wonder how convenient is it though for jumping from h pattern to sequential and back again? The fanatec SQ V1.5 may be more convenient in that regard
Agreed, it's fiddly. Looking forward to Sim Racing peripheral manufacturers really engineering simpler ways to switch between often-used modes (Fanatec look like they've managed that with theirs).
Hey Barry, nice review! Which H-gated shifters are out there and which are the best in terms of feel? I haven't been able to come up with many alternatives when searching for them, and I'm not very impressed with most of them. I have owned a G25, Fanatec CSS and now a TH8A shifter and I'm waiting for Heusinkveld to finish theirs. I'm just not very convinced by any of them. I was happy with the CSS shifter, but it spent more time in the shop being fixed than on my rig getting used, which is why I'm now using the TH8A, which is about as lively as a dead fish... Is the super expensive and massive quaife shifter the only real alternative for me?
That depends on you. The Quaife H Pattern is crazy expensive. But it has no equal, that I know of, when it comes to realism. Not even close. Everyone who comes by the SRG and uses it, is very impressed by the action and feel. Even my wife, who had an S2000 for years, loves to use it when she drives the MX5 Cup Car. Before, she never was that interested in driving my rig at all. But he D-Box system also has something to do with that. So, bottom line, if you have the funds for the Quaife, just get it. You can always resell if you don't think it's worth it.
Thank you for your answer. I was afraid that was the case. While I am more than willing to believe you on the feel of the Quaife shifter, I'm just not ready to depart with that much cash. What would your recommendation be for the next step underneath it?
I can only comment on shifters I have actually tested. So right now the Fanatec 1.5 would be my choice I think. Heusinkveld has on in the works, and Frex also has one that looks good but need to test it.
Sim Racing Garage thank you. Wish the fanatec CSS were more reliable. I would have stuck with it, if it had been. It's a great package, when it works. Infuriating that it so often does not.
I also have a modded TH8A currently (installed a 2nd ball plunger and ricmotech short shifter plate) and am looking for something between Fanatec/Thrustmaster level and that holy grail Quaife. I haven't heard anything in 6 months on the Heusinkveld but was interested to see how it turned out and reviewed. I'm surprised someone hasn't found a real shifter and modded it to work in sim racing. I had a Steeda Tri Ax shifter in my old 98 cobra mustang that was very mechanical and notchy even out of the car but sadly only a 5 speed pattern. I looked at the Frex but heard mixed feedback on its feel. I guess its not so simple as you get in all kinds of real cars and shifters are very different in feel not to mention race cars. I hope you get a frex and Heusinkveld to review, look forward to your in depth reviews as always. Thanks Barry
I see you're testing the Fanatec CSL Elite here is one belt tensioners mod for this wheel: www.gtplanet.net/forum/threads/fanatec-csl-elite-wheel-base-belt-tensioners-mod.371830/
