FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQ)
The following is an attempt to provide all kinds of information about the
Formula T2 from Thrustmaster that doesn't really have to do with upgrading
your baby, but which could be useful anyway. If you have any additions or
questions, please e-mail me.
Maintainer: Joeri J. Cox - J...@inetgate.capgemini.nl
Thrustmaster Formula T2 Upgrade Page: http://huizen.dds.nl/~jjcox
Version 1.0 - January 4, 1998
--------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2. How do I replace a pedal spring? 3. What is the maximum resistance of the potentiometers used in the T2? 4. Are the gas and brake pedal using the same axis? 5. Why didn't my T2 come with an adapter? 6. My T2 did come with an adapter, what do I do with it? 6a. My game doesnt recognise my pedals! 7. How do I set up my T2 in Windows 95? Maybe so, maybe no. If everything seems to work properly, you probably won't 9. Steering is very erratic, my car jumps all over the place! 10. Braking and / or accelerating is very erratic, what's wrong? 11. How can I test if my T2 is working properly? 12. Why doesn't my T2 have the cool blue aluminium in front? 13. How can I check the manufacturing date of my T2? 14. The pedal set is not 'one' with my feet! 15. My steering unit is wearing out like hell. 16. How do I contact Thrustmaster Tech Support?
----
1. The spring of my gas / brake pedal broke, where can I get a new one?
2. How do I replace a pedal spring?
3. What is the maximum resistance of the potentiometers used in the T2?
4. Are the gas and brake pedal using the same axis?
5. Why didn't my T2 come with an adapter?
6. My T2 did come with an adapter, what do I do with it?
6a. My game doesnt recognise my pedals!
7. How do I set up my T2 in Windows 95?
8. Do I need a Thrustmaster ACM game card?
9. Steering is very erratic, my car jumps all over the place!
10. Braking and / or accelerating is very erratic, what's wrong?
11. How can I test if my T2 is working properly?
12. Why doesn't my T2 have the cool blue aluminium in front?
13. How can I check the manufacturing date of my T2?
14. The pedal set is not 'one' with my feet!
15. My steering unit is wearing out like hell.
16. How do I contact Thrustmaster Tech Support?
17. My T2 is not as good as a more expensive race car controller, what do I
do about it?
----
1. The spring of my gas / brake pedal broke, where can I get a new one?
To get new springs for your pedals, send an e-mail to Thrustmaster Tech
Support at serv...@thrustmaster.com. You'll have to mention the purchase
date and your full address of course. Thrustmaster will send you new
springs, or other replacements needed, free of charge, whereever you live
(as long as you live on this planet!).
B.t.w.: e-mails to Thrustmaster don't always reach their destination. If you
haven't got a reply from them within a week, send them another e-mail or
give Tech Support a call at +1-503-615-3200.
It's a bit of a hassle to replace a pedal spring. First, you'll have to
remove the old spring by taking the pedal apart (remove the long screw
holding the thing together). Next, put the new spring in position, but
without putting strain on it. Replace the long screw without securing it to
the max. Now, you'll have to put strain on the new spring by stretching it
behind the extending screw in the pedal. This is where the problem lies: the
springs are very stiff, especially the one for the brake pedal (this is the
thickest of the two). Use a pair of tongs to get the top end of the spring
behind the screw. Once you've done this, tighten the long screw that holds
the pedal together and you're finished.
The potentiometers used in the steering console and the pedal set are all
the same. They have a maximum resistance of 200 KOhm and a minimum of 0
KOhm.
Yes, they are.
Newer T2's ship without an adapter: they have one 'built-in'. Well, not
exactly, but the wiring is just different, so, that it is wired the same way
as the older T2's are with the adapter installed. To make sure you have a
built-in adapter, look at the bottom of your steering unit for a sticker
with a number on it, like 960604. This is the manufacturing date of your
unit. If it was manufactured after September 1996 (anybody knows the *exact*
date?), you have a built-in adapter. If it is not, but still you haven't got
an adapter, you can e-mail Thrustmaster at serv...@thrustmaster.com and they
will send you one.
The T2 that ships with a separate adapter uses the x-axis of joystick A and
the x-axis of joystick B. Some games dont understand joystick B input.
These games want input from joystick A x-axis and joystick A y-axis. The
adapter fixes just that.
This is most probably a problem as described above. Try using the adapter.
The best thing to do to set up your T2 in Windows 95 is getting
Thrustmaster's ProPanel (check http://www.thrustmaster.com) utility. Install
it and it will appear in the Configuration window in Windows 95. In this
utility you can choose (among others) between a T2 with the adapter
installed and a T2 without the adapter. If your T2 came *with* and adapter,
you'll know if it is used or not. If your T2 came without one, it's probably
a newer T2 which is wired as if it's using the adapter, so you'll have to
select a T2 *with* the adapter, even when you don't see one. To make sure if
your T2 has a built- in adapter, refer to the next question.
After you've selected your Formula T2, you'll need to calibrate it. This is
done by selecting properties and then calibrate and following the
instructions exactly. After calibrating your T2 should be fully operational.
8. Do I need a Thrustmaster ACM game card?
need a game card, though some owners of these cards say they notice a
difference. I don't know, I've never tried a game card.
If your unit does work, but very erratic, it's *possible* you need a game
card, but it's much more probable you've got other problems that will
continue to be problems, even after buying a game card. These other problems
are also addressed in this FAQ, so try to solve them first.
If your unit doesn't work at all, it probably won't be solved by buying a
game card either.
The most likely explanation is that the potentiometer in your steering unit
has gotten dirty or worn out. If it's dirty, refer to my homepage
(http://huizen.dds.nl/~jjcox) to clean it. If cleaning doesn't help, the
potentiometer will probably be worn out. You can order a new one, free of
charge, from Thrustmaster tech support.
Did you build a speed limiter on your T2 as described on the T2 Upgrade
Page? If yes, did you use a *shielded* cable between the pedal set and the
steering unit, like advised? If you didn't use a shielded cable, this is
most probably your problem.
If everything used to work fine, but now the pedals act erratic, there are
two possible causes. If you have the speed limiter, with not-shielded cable,
you probably moved the cable closer to your pc then before, causing
distortion, causing the erratic behaviour.
Otherwise your potentiometers may be dirty. Open the pedal set and spray
some contact cleaner spray in the two potentiometers, while pressing and
releasing the pedals a few times. This should solve the problem. If the
problem continues, your potentiometers are probably worn out.
Contact Thrustmaster tech support and ask for new ones. They will be sent to
you free of charge.
If your T2 doesn't work the way you want it to, this can be a hardware
problem or a software problem. To make sure the *hardware* is alright, you
can use a little utility from Thrustmaster, TMScope. It is available for
download in the file section of this T2 Upgrade Page. For 100% reliability
of the test, boot your computer in a true DOS environment, so *not* a
DOS-box from within Windows 95. Run the utility and test all four buttons,
the pedals and the steering wheel. If the readouts on the screen look
correct and fluently, your T2 is alright and your problems are most probably
software related.
There are different versions of the Formula T2. Older ones have a blue
aluminium plate, which provides strenght to the unit. The newer ones don't
have this plate. This makes them feel a bit more 'plastic', but they
function just as well.
At the bottom of your steering unit is a sticker with a number on it, like
960604. This is the manufacturing date of your unit.
Get out of your shoes, it makes the experience a lot better and gives you
much better control.
Be gentle to the unit. Don't yank it around when you can't get around a
corner: your car won't steer any better when you try to break your steering
wheel (really)! Being gentle and smooth will also give you much more control
of the car and get your laptimes down, down, down.
Thrustmaster tech support has an e-mail address, a homepage and even a
telephone number. You can e-mail them at serv...@thrustmaster.com, though
e-mails don't allways seem to reach them. You can visit their homepage at
http://www.thrustmaster.com, or you can give them a call at +1-503-615-3200.
When calling, take into account your country's time difference to
California, where tech support is located!
17. My T2 is not as good as a more expensive race car controller, what do I
do about it?
Fire up your Internet browser and point it to the Thrustmaster Formula T2
Upgrade Page at http://huizen.dds.nl/~jjcox . Follow the instructions found
there and your T2 will fly.