rec.autos.simulators

Hi all,

The accelerator on my TM F1 steering wheel has started to play up giving an
unpredictable ammount of acceleration when depressed.  This is depressing
me!

Anyone know if these things are fixable or is it just a case of buying
another one?

Thanks in advance,

Mark Wilson

% Hi all,

% The accelerator on my TM F1 steering wheel has started to play up giving an
% unpredictable ammount of acceleration when depressed.  This is depressing
% me!

% Anyone know if these things are fixable or is it just a case of buying
% another one?

Sounds like a dirty pot.  Here are directions (mostly aimed at the
steering wheel pot) for the easiest way to clean a pot:

To clean the pots on Thrustmaster products, get some Tuner/Switch
Cleaner and Lubricant from an electronics supply store. Open up the
housing on the unit and spray the insides of the pot (short for
potentiometer). I usually direct the spray (via the tube extenstion for
the spray nozzle) into the openings of the pot where the solder lugs
are. Then move the wheel or pedal through its full range 4-6 times to
work the cleaner over all the contacts. If the unit was acting up quite
a bit, you may want to give it a second "cleaning" before sealing up the
unit and heading back out to the track.

There are pots for each pedal and for each lever on the back of the GP1
wheel. The latter can usually be cleaned by finding a "squarish" hole on
the pot and directing the spray through the hole. You should be able to
clean the pots for the levers without disassembling anything on your
GP1, however to get to the steering wheel pot you will need to remove
the housing cover of the wheel.

[For the non-electronics or non-mechanical racers out there, the pot is
the "silver" cylinder that the is directly behind the wheel inside the
housing. It should have some wires connected to it and the wheel is
connected its plastic shaft. There should be a "shaft" coming out of one
end of the cylinder.]

--
**************************** Michael E. Carver *************************
     Upside out, or inside down...False alarm the only game in town.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=<[ /./.  [-  < ]>=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

Your "POTS" are dirty...   These are the Potentiometers...  the sensors that
read how much your pedals are pressed...  They are just dirty and maybe a
little worn out..

You need to clcean them.. and then replace them..  This is easy.. the latter..
more difficult..

You will need to open up your pedal unit..  and then get yourself some
Metholated Spirits and a dropper...   Drop some metho into the shiny metal
thing..  there should be an opening..    Then move the pedal around..  do the
brake too....

then leave it to dry....  under a fan or something..

Then..  put in back to gether.. and enjoy.. about 1 month more SOLID use.. then
you will need to replace teh pot....

Ask how when you get there..  :-)

Much more complicated and difficult.. but by no mean impossible...  infact..
quite easy when you know how..

James Pickard,
Melbourne,
AUSTRALIA

I'm curious as to how you replace the pots of the levers - Thrusmaster told
me you cant do it with the GP!, unlike the T2. THe levers appear to be
riveted in, not screwed - so how do you prise them out? THe steering pot on
the other hand should be easier to remove although I havent tired it yet.
I've got some CH pedals on order so I'm mainly concerned about ability to
replace the steering pot.

The paddle pots in the GP1 can be replaced by tapping the pin out with
a small punch.  (tap it from the bottom up)
Don't punch it all the way out of the top arm, just enough to remove
the paddles is sufficient.
Once you have the pin out, the paddles can be removed  easily.
Take note of the spring orientation as you remove the paddles.
The pots are simply eased out, using a small screwdriver.  Make sure
you de-solder the pots before you remove them from the wheel assembly,
taking note of the wire color orientation.
The paddle pots are 24ml 250k linear pots.
Be carefull with the small cogs on the shaft of the pots, as they are
only nylon and are easily destroyed with rough handling.
Hope that helps a bit....
Cheers,
Ron