What rudder pedals do you use?

[some1]

You can also check Slaw device pedals if you want something of top quality.

 

 

No one?

 

Well, the most obvious thing is foot spacing, TFRPs look small and pedals are close to each other. Higher end products (even Saiteks) are wider so the position is more comfortable and probably movement range is bigger too. Then there's just smoothness and precision due to better mechanics and sensors. Haven't used TFRP's, but I had Saiteks and they were usable, but not great. Hard to make small adjustments, especially around centre detent, and brakes had limited movement, so hard to modulate.

Edited February 25, 2019 by some1

[imacken]

Well, the most obvious thing is foot spacing, TFRPs look small and pedals are close to each other. Higher end products (even Saiteks) are wider so the position is more comfortable and probably movement range is bigger too. Then there's just smoothness and precision due to better mechanics and sensors. Haven't used TFRP's, but I had Saiteks and they were usable, but not great. Hard to make small adjustments, especially around centre detent, and brakes had limited movement, so hard to modulate.

 

I've never had an issue with the foot spacing. It feels just about right to me and because they are on rails, there is no convergence/divergence.

Not sure what you mean by 'look small'. The pedals are the exact length of my size 10 feet!

Similarly, not sure what you mean by brakes having 'limited movement'. Never had an issue with that aspect either.

My concern when I bought the TFRPs was durability, given their price point. However, 2 years on with a fair amount of battering, and they are holding up well!

[some1]

The foot spacing is only 175mm, which is half of the size of pedals like TPR or MFG. Judging from the small form factor, the movement range is rather limited too, compared to bigger units.

 

But hey, if you're happy with it, no reason to change.

[imacken]

The foot spacing is only 175mm, which is half of the size of pedals like TPR or MFG. Judging from the small form factor, the movement range is rather limited too, compared to bigger units.

 

But hey, if you're happy with it, no reason to change.

 

I'm not saying the foot spacing isn't smaller, I'm saying that it's not an issue, for me, at least, and I'm pretty tall, have long legs and big(ish) feet!

Re movement range, the only time I think I ever use full deflection, is when turning on a carrier deck. Again, not an issue.

All I am saying is that anyone considering spending £80 on pedals will be spending their money wisely in my opinion. The TFRPs are a pretty robust set of pedals for the money - and work on carpet without any mods.

Of course, if you want to spend £500 on pedals, I'm sure you will also not be disappointed.

[some1]

You asked for differences, there are your differences.

 

But hey, if you're happy with it, no reason to change.

[imacken]

You asked for differences, there are your differences.

 

Sorry, I didn't ask for physical size differences, I asked what benefit would I see by spending £500 on new pedals compared to my current setup. I assumed that the benefit of TRP/MFGs would be more than the space between the pedals, which, in my opinion, is a non-issue anyway.

[some1]

As I said, not only the spacing, but also movement range is smaller, which is a consequence of smaller form factor. Kinda like using desktop joystick versus joystick with an extension, though obviously not to the same extent.

 

With more expensive pedals you also get the ability to adjust their movement through different cams/springs so it's possible to tweak them more to personal preference. For example on the Saiteks I had a centre detent that was very unrealistic and made small adjustments harder than they should be. MFG, TPR or Slaws don't have such issue. No idea how the centering works on TFRP so can't comment on that.

Edited February 27, 2019 by some1

[imacken]

OK, thanks. Your 2nd para points were really useful and make perfect sense!

Movement range isn't an issue as I said before, the only time I ever make close to full deflection is on a carrier deck.

[some1]

With the bigger movement range, I don't mean full deflection, which, as you noted, is rarely used. Bigger pedals don't make your virtual rudder deflect more. But it means that the precision is increased across the whole range because you have to physically move the pedals more to get the same response in the simulator. For example to get the same deflection in the sim you need to move your feet 1 inch using one pedals, while on the smaller pedals it may be just 1/2 inch.

[Infiltrator]

I had some Saitek pedals that were manufactured under MadCatz and they broke. Impossible to source parts so they're sitting idle. I had enough of cheap controllers so bought Slaw's RX Vipers. I have them on some rubber matting I bought on eBay.

[imacken]

With the bigger movement range, I don't mean full deflection, which, as you noted, is rarely used. Bigger pedals don't make your virtual rudder deflect more. But it means that the precision is increased across the whole range because you have to physically move the pedals more to get the same response in the simulator. For example to get the same deflection in the sim you need to move your feet 1 inch using one pedals, while on the smaller pedals it may be just 1/2 inch.

 

Good point, thanks.

[imacken]

Ok, so I ordered the TPRs. Arriving on Friday! I’ll report back after trying them out for a while.

[some1]

[jeffham222]

Awesome, imacken!

 

Looking forward to hearing your comparison review!

 

Also, some1 is on point with that meme!

[imacken]

Ok, guys, so the Thrustmaster TPR pedals arrived yesterday and here are my thoughts after a few hours with them.

 

Build quality – The build quality is very impressive. From what I can see, it is metal throughout and the whole structure has a very solid feel.

 

Setup – This was a bit of a pain in terms of adjusting the pedal position. Putting it together initially was reasonably OK, and if that had been a one off, I wouldn’t moan. However, the chances of getting the various positional adjustments right for you first time are quite remote. As I’m sure you will all have seen from other posts/videos etc., getting the position right involves 4 sets of screws and 2 springs, and re-doing the screws each time to change positions is a real pain. Changing the spring tensioners is, however, quite straightforward, relatively speaking! Still, you probably only have to go through the process once, so I guess it’s no big deal. And, stating the obvious, having the flexibility to change various positions/settings is a real plus point.

 

Use in DCS - OK, so, at first I was struggling. I was used to the style of my previous pedals, the TM TFRPs, when I had my whole foot on the pedal – just like the Crosswinds, I think – with a heel stop as well. I couldn’t get used to the TPR partial foot-on-the-floor style at all. I felt like re-boxing them and returning them to Amazon! However, having persevered, I am very glad I did!

I initially had the pedals in a fairly upright position, but that didn’t work for me, as it seemed that pushing on the rudder invoked wheel brake movement as well. Some work on the dead zone helped that, but it still didn’t feel comfortable for me. So, I adjusted the height so that the pedals were fairly flat and that seems to have solved the problem for me. With these pedals, you can use the rudder with only pushing the bottom metal bar, rather than having your foot fully covering the whole pedal. The pendular action is really smooth, and feels great with no lateral movement of the feet like you get on the Crosswind style, just in and out.

Now that I have spent several hours with the pedals, I can honestly say that they are amazing. It is difficult to describe the differences really. It seems like I hardly have to put any effort into rudder movements to keep the Spitfire, P-51 etc. stable on landing and take off. Before, I really had to dance with the pedals to get a correct take off/landing on the Spit, but now it all feels very effortless.

The difference in smoothness is very apparent, and the planes seem to go where you ask them to. There are no corrections for over-movements, just smooth touches on the pedals. The difference in accuracy of movement is very marked. They really make you feel that you are in total control of the aircraft behaviour, and that is a huge improvement.

To be honest, I didn’t know what I was missing, and of course, until you try something, you would never know. I really feel now, that I was making the best of a £80 product, but now, having felt the difference with the TPRs, there is no going back. Don’t get me wrong, the TFRPs are a great product that served me well for 2 years, and I would highly recommend them to anyone, but, if you have the money, go for these vastly superior pedals.

 

I’m not going to discuss price, as that is down to the individual. All I will say is that if you have the spare cash, go for it, but if money is tight, £450 is a lot to spend on something you don’t use a lot unless you are into helicopters in DCS. Entirely a personal decision.

 

Ok, I’m off to try the Black Shark in VR now with the TPRs!

[JumpinK]

Every review I read suggests the TM TRPs are better than the Crosswind.

Can someone who owns either of these tell me how they are on carpet in terms of potentially moving around?

 

 

They're heavy. No movement on a carpet. Not even on a flat surface like a tiled floor.

These Pedals are the very best you can get and they easily outmatch any other pedals on the market at the moment.

Edited March 2, 2019 by JumpinK
useless comment. you already bought them.

[imacken]

Ok, guys, so the Thrustmaster TPR pedals arrived yesterday and here are my thoughts after a few hours with them.

 

Build quality – The build quality is very impressive. From what I can see, it is metal throughout and the whole structure has a very solid feel.

 

Setup – This was a bit of a pain in terms of adjusting the pedal position. Putting it together initially was reasonably OK, and if that had been a one off, I wouldn’t moan. However, the chances of getting the various positional adjustments right for you first time are quite remote. As I’m sure you will all have seen from other posts/videos etc., getting the position right involves 4 sets of screws and 2 springs, and re-doing the screws each time to change positions is a real pain. Changing the spring tensioners is, however, quite straightforward, relatively speaking! Still, you probably only have to go through the process once, so I guess it’s no big deal. And, stating the obvious, having the flexibility to change various positions/settings is a real plus point.

 

Use in DCS - OK, so, at first I was struggling. I was used to the style of my previous pedals, the TM TFRPs, when I had my whole foot on the pedal – just like the Crosswinds, I think – with a heel stop as well. I couldn’t get used to the TPR partial foot-on-the-floor style at all. I felt like re-boxing them and returning them to Amazon! However, having persevered, I am very glad I did!

I initially had the pedals in a fairly upright position, but that didn’t work for me, as it seemed that pushing on the rudder invoked wheel brake movement as well. Some work on the dead zone helped that, but it still didn’t feel comfortable for me. So, I adjusted the height so that the pedals were fairly flat and that seems to have solved the problem for me. With these pedals, you can use the rudder with only pushing the bottom metal bar, rather than having your foot fully covering the whole pedal. The pendular action is really smooth, and feels great with no lateral movement of the feet like you get on the Crosswind style, just in and out.

Now that I have spent several hours with the pedals, I can honestly say that they are amazing. It is difficult to describe the differences really. It seems like I hardly have to put any effort into rudder movements to keep the Spitfire, P-51 etc. stable on landing and take off. Before, I really had to dance with the pedals to get a correct take off/landing on the Spit, but now it all feels very effortless.

The difference in smoothness is very apparent, and the planes seem to go where you ask them to. There are no corrections for over-movements, just smooth touches on the pedals. The difference in accuracy of movement is very marked. They really make you feel that you are in total control of the aircraft behaviour, and that is a huge improvement.

To be honest, I didn’t know what I was missing, and of course, until you try something, you would never know. I really feel now, that I was making the best of a £80 product, but now, having felt the difference with the TPRs, there is no going back. Don’t get me wrong, the TFRPs are a great product that served me well for 2 years, and I would highly recommend them to anyone, but, if you have the money, go for these vastly superior pedals.

 

I’m not going to discuss price, as that is down to the individual. All I will say is that if you have the spare cash, go for it, but if money is tight, £450 is a lot to spend on something you don’t use a lot unless you are into helicopters in DCS. Entirely a personal decision.

 

Ok, I’m off to try the Black Shark in VR now with the TPRs!

 

Sorry, forgot to mention that they work perfectly on carpet without any mods and that was one of my pre-purchase concerns. No movement whatsoever when used from a chair. In a pit, it would be different as you are pressing more across than down, but obviously they wold be attached to something in a pit anyway.

[speed-of-heat]

for me the issue is purely about cost; I have the TFRP's because the cost of anything 100% better was nearly 3 times the cost , or the cost of a monitor or pretty good graphics card etc... if you have the money; there will be an improvement with MFG or TPR (no doubt) in terms of bang for buck TFRP's are pretty good ...my 0.02$

Edited March 2, 2019 by speed-of-heat

[imacken]

for me the issue is purely about cost; I have the TFRP's because the cost of anything 100% better was nearly 3 times the cost , or the cost of a monitor or pretty good graphics card etc... if you have the money; there will be an improvement with MFG or TPR (no doubt) in terms of bang for buck TFRP's are pretty good ...my 0.02$

 

Totally understand where you are coming from, but a decent graphics card for just over £200? Not sure about that!

[speed-of-heat]

Tpr's are circa 500 pounds!

[imacken]

Tpr's are circa 500 pounds!

 

I was referring to your statement of being 3 x the price of the TFRPs, i.e. £220.

[FZG_Immel]

TPR for 2 weeks

[speed-of-heat]

I was referring to your statement of being 3 x the price of the TFRPs, i.e. £220.

 

"3 times the cost,

 

or a monitor or pretty good graphics card"

[Buckeye]

I have the best ones, aka Slaw RX Vipers

 

https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2018/09/thrustmaster-tpr-is-the-king-of-mass-market-flight-sim-pedals/

[jeffham222]

imacken--nice review man--I really appreciate the blunt and frank honesty!