Logitech Driving Force Pro -What WERE they thinking?

Ok, so my MSFFW has started to have some sort of weird issue where it won't power on half the time, so I decided to go out and get one of those newfangled Driving Force Pro's from Logitech. I have a Momo Force, but it's not as good as the MSFFW for me. I get the box home, clamp it to the desk and... It falls off. It falls right the hell off. Why? Because the NUMBSKULLS at Logitech designed this without the third securing clamp that has been on all their other wheels. The long one that goes out towards the back. It only has the front two clamps, and they only reach back about 1" into the desk. My desk, like many, has a rounded front edge. Because of this the ridiculous front-clamp only design allows the wheel to rotate down over the curve of the desk and it falls right off. I have absolutely no chance of living with this. It's gotta go back. Damn... What WERE they thinking? Their top of the line wheel doesn't have a proper clamping system? -Larry

I hear your pain, I hated the Thrustmaster then MS wheel at 1st though because of the way I had just a table for a desk, with the 3 inch frame that the bracket did not clear to clamp on the desk correctly, Then I had a regular office desk without center drawer it would not clamp onto either. then I got a new actual computer desk, lol that it clamps to, but cannot use the keyboard drawer when in use... I ended up with moving the keybaord tray thingy off to the right and viola... PS I had to mount my pedals onto boards to keep them from drifting clear back to the wall when in use, also... for another guy we made a destop extension I call it, 1/2" plywood, sits under his 19" monitor on the desk though allows him to use the keyboard drawer now also though so it was win win. Larry enlightened us with:

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> Ok, so my MSFFW has started to have some sort of weird issue where it > won't power on half the time, so I decided to go out and get one of > those newfangled Driving Force Pro's from Logitech. > > I have a Momo Force, but it's not as good as the MSFFW for me. > > I get the box home, clamp it to the desk and... > > It falls off. It falls right the hell off. > > Why? > > Because the NUMBSKULLS at Logitech designed this without the third > securing clamp that has been on all their other wheels. The long one > that goes out towards the back. > > It only has the front two clamps, and they only reach back about 1" > into the desk. > > My desk, like many, has a rounded front edge. Because of this the > ridiculous front-clamp only design allows the wheel to rotate down > over the curve of the desk and it falls right off. > > I have absolutely no chance of living with this. It's gotta go back. > Damn... > > What WERE they thinking? Their top of the line wheel doesn't have a > proper clamping system? > > -Larry

Logitech often has the best electronics in these devices (like mice), but a very disturbing habit of choosing form over function in the external design. This is very evident in their mouse line, where they fell in love with the 'unishell' design; the MX510/518/G5Laser use the identical shell. I'll wait til they wake up and make a mouse that doesn't cramp my hand to use it. rms

Larry wrote:

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> Ok, so my MSFFW has started to have some sort of weird issue where it won't > power on half the time, so I decided to go out and get one of those > newfangled Driving Force Pro's from Logitech. > > I have a Momo Force, but it's not as good as the MSFFW for me. > > I get the box home, clamp it to the desk and... > > It falls off. It falls right the hell off. > > Why? > > Because the NUMBSKULLS at Logitech designed this without the third securing > clamp that has been on all their other wheels. The long one that goes out > towards the back. > > It only has the front two clamps, and they only reach back about 1" into the > desk. > > My desk, like many, has a rounded front edge. Because of this the > ridiculous front-clamp only design allows the wheel to rotate down over the > curve of the desk and it falls right off. > > I have absolutely no chance of living with this. It's gotta go back. > Damn... > > What WERE they thinking? Their top of the line wheel doesn't have a proper > clamping system? > > -Larry > >

Try a block of wood.

Larry wrote: > > I have a Momo Force, but it's not as good as the MSFFW for me. > What!? You still have the Momo Force? You can get one of these you know ;) http://tytlandsvik.no/momo/ ------- Jone

"Larry" wrote... > What WERE they thinking? Their top of the line wheel doesn't have > a proper clamping system? Quite aside from it appearing and feeling like a piece of cheap, plastic tat you mean? Having owned a succession of underengineered mass market wheel pedal combo's, starting from a TM1 to the 4-times patched up MOMO Force I use now (original pedals, sorry Jore), I've now basically had it with the mass market solutions. Come September I'll be ordering a BRD Speed7 with matching pedals and finally own simracing gear which won't self-destruct through nomal use. Jan. =---

It's a fantastic wheel. Wouldn't trade it for ANY other. That said, it's too bad Larry can't get it set up on his desk. -- David G Fisher "Jan Verschueren" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:u0POe.176914$[email hidden]... > "Larry" wrote... >> What WERE they thinking? Their top of the line wheel doesn't have >> a proper clamping system? > > Quite aside from it appearing and feeling like a piece of cheap, plastic > tat you mean? > > Having owned a succession of underengineered mass market wheel pedal > combo's, starting from a TM1 to the 4-times patched up MOMO Force I use > now (original pedals, sorry Jore), I've now basically had it with the mass > market solutions. Come September I'll be ordering a BRD Speed7 with > matching pedals and finally own simracing gear which won't self-destruct > through nomal use. > > Jan. > =--- > >

"Jan Verschueren" <[email hidden]> wrote in news:u0POe.176914$[email hidden]:

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> "Larry" wrote... >> What WERE they thinking? Their top of the line wheel doesn't have >> a proper clamping system? > > Quite aside from it appearing and feeling like a piece of cheap, > plastic tat you mean? > > Having owned a succession of underengineered mass market wheel pedal > combo's, starting from a TM1 to the 4-times patched up MOMO Force I > use now (original pedals, sorry Jore), I've now basically had it with > the mass market solutions. Come September I'll be ordering a BRD > Speed7 with matching pedals and finally own simracing gear which won't > self-destruct through nomal use.

How much will that cost? Just found it, retailing at �399! I think most people will have to stick with the mass market wheel -- Transplants save lives! - Have you signed up to be a donor? http://www.uktransplant.org.uk Do something amazing today. Save a life, give blood. http://www.blood.co.uk/ My games collection and Live games: http://www.fooatari.plus.com/.

O my brothers, our droog Larry govoreeted the following slovos... > >What WERE they thinking? Their top of the line wheel doesn't have a proper >clamping system? > Larry, Here's what I did: get some plywood or board that the DFP can clamp onto; get some suitable clamps (Home Depot, etc); clamp the board to the desk and the DFP to the board. It's kind of a kludge but works well enough. Better than buying new furniture, anyway. Or that accessory they have that allows you to strap the wheel to your knees. Talk about kludges! -- Drew

I have to agree with Jan here. I bought a DFP 2 months ago, in case my trusty red Momo force started playing up. I also was curiuos to try using more steering lock. I just could never get used the unrealistic FF and vague sensations coming from the DFP, even though I spent many hours using it, hoping that it was just case of my brain adjusting to it after using the Momo. A point in case. Last week, when I downloaded the GT Legends demo, I first tried it with the DFP. It really did feel like a video game, with an unreal, ghostly connection between the wheel and the game. I kept overcorrecting my slides and spinning out. I then set the DFP for 270 degrees of lock (same as the Momo), but with the same results. Finally I switched to the Momo, and suddenly the steering was totally realistic, and so much more sensitive. Little things, like using just a touch of opposite lock under braking to counter the body roll in the big heavy old cars was a totally natural and sub-concious experience with the Momo. However with, the DFP, there was no "sense" of the car getting slightly out of shape through the wheel, and by the time I noticed what was happening through the angle of the car on the screen, I had to throw on a heap of lock and lose time. I'm also planning on going down the BRD route, with speed 7 wheel, 3 pedals and shifter, but only if they licence this with the XBOX 360/ PS3 platforms. Cheers, Tim "Jan Verschueren" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:u0POe.176914$[email hidden]...

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> "Larry" wrote... >> What WERE they thinking? Their top of the line wheel doesn't have >> a proper clamping system? > > Quite aside from it appearing and feeling like a piece of cheap, plastic > tat you mean? > > Having owned a succession of underengineered mass market wheel pedal > combo's, starting from a TM1 to the 4-times patched up MOMO Force I use > now (original pedals, sorry Jore), I've now basically had it with the mass > market solutions. Come September I'll be ordering a BRD Speed7 with > matching pedals and finally own simracing gear which won't self-destruct > through nomal use. > > Jan. > =--- > >

I thought of that too, but decided to take it back and just live with the Momo Racing for now. -Larry "Plowboy" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:YJJOe.28$hp.3@lakeread08...

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>I hear your pain, I hated the Thrustmaster then MS wheel at 1st though >because of the way I had just a table for a desk, with the 3 inch frame >that the bracket did not clear to clamp on the desk correctly, Then I had a >regular office desk without center drawer it would not clamp onto either. >then I got a new actual computer desk, lol that it clamps to, but cannot >use the keyboard drawer when in use... I ended up with moving the >keybaord tray thingy off to the right and viola... PS I had to mount my >pedals onto boards to keep them from drifting clear back to the wall when >in use, also... for another guy we made a destop extension I call it, 1/2" >plywood, sits under his 19" monitor on the desk though allows him to use >the keyboard drawer now also though so it was win win. > > > > Larry enlightened us with: >> Ok, so my MSFFW has started to have some sort of weird issue where it >> won't power on half the time, so I decided to go out and get one of >> those newfangled Driving Force Pro's from Logitech. >> >> I have a Momo Force, but it's not as good as the MSFFW for me. >> >> I get the box home, clamp it to the desk and... >> >> It falls off. It falls right the hell off. >> >> Why? >> >> Because the NUMBSKULLS at Logitech designed this without the third >> securing clamp that has been on all their other wheels. The long one >> that goes out towards the back. >> >> It only has the front two clamps, and they only reach back about 1" >> into the desk. >> >> My desk, like many, has a rounded front edge. Because of this the >> ridiculous front-clamp only design allows the wheel to rotate down >> over the curve of the desk and it falls right off. >> >> I have absolutely no chance of living with this. It's gotta go back. >> Damn... >> >> What WERE they thinking? Their top of the line wheel doesn't have a >> proper clamping system? >> >> -Larry > >

Not enough space :( I did that trick with my old Flight Yoke from years ago (CW). In fact, it had an almost identical clamping system as the Driving Pro now that I think about it. Different desk, too thick now. -Larry > Try a block of wood.

I have the second, non-leather momo. It's ok. I do find the wheel angle very uncomfortable though. -Larry "Jone Tytlandsvik" <jone> wrote in message news:[email hidden]...

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> Larry wrote: >> >> I have a Momo Force, but it's not as good as the MSFFW for me. >> > > What!? You still have the Momo Force? > You can get one of these you know ;) > http://tytlandsvik.no/momo/ > > ------- > Jone >

Are the Speed 7 FF's going to actually be available soon? Is there a price yet? I've been looking at that set :) -Larry "Jan Verschueren" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:u0POe.176914$[email hidden]...

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> "Larry" wrote... >> What WERE they thinking? Their top of the line wheel doesn't have >> a proper clamping system? > > Quite aside from it appearing and feeling like a piece of cheap, plastic > tat you mean? > > Having owned a succession of underengineered mass market wheel pedal > combo's, starting from a TM1 to the 4-times patched up MOMO Force I use > now (original pedals, sorry Jore), I've now basically had it with the mass > market solutions. Come September I'll be ordering a BRD Speed7 with > matching pedals and finally own simracing gear which won't self-destruct > through nomal use. > > Jan. > =--- > >

I'll spend the $500 US. Where do I pay :) -Larry

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> How much will that cost? > > Just found it, retailing at �399! I think most people will have to stick > with the mass market wheel > > > > -- > Transplants save lives! - Have you signed up to be a donor? > http://www.uktransplant.org.uk > > Do something amazing today. Save a life, give blood. > http://www.blood.co.uk/ > > My games collection and Live games: > http://www.fooatari.plus.com/.

Hehe. I just bought new furniture :) I decided to return it. No total loss. The $150 went well towards the 23" Samsung Flat-Panel TV I bought while there. They matched Costco (which suprised me) so I said why not :) -Larry "kandr" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]...

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>O my brothers, our droog Larry govoreeted the following slovos... > >> >>What WERE they thinking? Their top of the line wheel doesn't have a >>proper >>clamping system? >> > > > Larry, > > Here's what I did: get some plywood or board that the DFP can clamp > onto; get some suitable clamps (Home Depot, etc); clamp the board to > the desk and the DFP to the board. > > It's kind of a kludge but works well enough. Better than buying new > furniture, anyway. Or that accessory they have that allows you to > strap the wheel to your knees. Talk about kludges! > > -- > Drew >

"FooAtari" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]...

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> "Jan Verschueren" <[email hidden]> wrote in > news:u0POe.176914$[email hidden]: > >> "Larry" wrote... >>> What WERE they thinking? Their top of the line wheel doesn't have >>> a proper clamping system? >> >> Quite aside from it appearing and feeling like a piece of cheap, >> plastic tat you mean? >> >> Having owned a succession of underengineered mass market wheel pedal >> combo's, starting from a TM1 to the 4-times patched up MOMO Force I >> use now (original pedals, sorry Jore), I've now basically had it with >> the mass market solutions. Come September I'll be ordering a BRD >> Speed7 with matching pedals and finally own simracing gear which won't >> self-destruct through nomal use. > > How much will that cost? > > Just found it, retailing at �399! I think most people will have to stick > with the mass market wheel

I think you found an old ad (2001) for the non FF wheel and pedal combo. The new Speed 7 wheel (much delayed) with FF will be �750 for the standard version and �1000 for the LCD version. Pedals are extra. Tim

"Tim Epstein" <[email hidden]> wrote in news:hm1Pe.95432$[email hidden]:

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> > "FooAtari" <[email hidden]> wrote in message > news:[email hidden]... >> "Jan Verschueren" <[email hidden]> wrote in >> news:u0POe.176914$[email hidden]: >> >>> "Larry" wrote... >>>> What WERE they thinking? Their top of the line wheel doesn't have >>>> a proper clamping system? >>> >>> Quite aside from it appearing and feeling like a piece of cheap, >>> plastic tat you mean? >>> >>> Having owned a succession of underengineered mass market wheel pedal >>> combo's, starting from a TM1 to the 4-times patched up MOMO Force I >>> use now (original pedals, sorry Jore), I've now basically had it >>> with the mass market solutions. Come September I'll be ordering a >>> BRD Speed7 with matching pedals and finally own simracing gear which >>> won't self-destruct through nomal use. >> >> How much will that cost? >> >> Just found it, retailing at �399! I think most people will have to >> stick with the mass market wheel > > I think you found an old ad (2001) for the non FF wheel and pedal > combo. The new Speed 7 wheel (much delayed) with FF will be �750 for > the standard version and �1000 for the LCD version. Pedals are extra. > > Tim > > >

Sweet jesus... -- Transplants save lives! - Have you signed up to be a donor? http://www.uktransplant.org.uk Do something amazing today. Save a life, give blood. http://www.blood.co.uk/ My games collection and Live games: http://www.fooatari.plus.com/.

"FooAtari" wrote... >> <snip> > How much will that cost? > > Just found it, retailing at �399! I think most people will have > to stick with the mass market wheel It's actually more like <cough>750 quid</cough>, with the pedals coming in at an extra 150. Serious money, for sure, but let me put that into perspective: having raced sims since 1994 I've already binned 250 Pounds worth of wheel/pedal combos (TM1+TM2+LWFF). The MOMO Force cost and additional 180 pounds to buy and, in total, I guess I must calculate well over a 1000 pounds in man-hours repairing/modding my wheels over the years just to keep them going and/or improving their feel. As with any worthwhile hobby one takes seriously and intends to pursue (just with GPL, NR2003, GTR and LFS I can't see myself ever growing tired of "driving"), the tools of the trade don't come cheap. E.g. I also like to design, build and repair a variety of electronic circuits. To this end I own an entry level rework station (soldering/desoldering) at a cool 1500 pounds, a CAE (computer aided engineering) design suite (Proteus) at 175 pounds and a digital storage oscilloscope worth 2200 pounds. All of which pales in comparison to actually competing in any competitive real life racing series, where you'd be lucky to spend less than 7500 pounds a year and still be ahead of the also rans. The problem with racing sims (and the hardware used to *play* them) has been the fact they've been viewed as part of a toy/entertainment market, which has led to a lowest bidder mentality and, consequently, dropping quality accross the board. If any good is to come from the failure of the various "true sims" to compete with yer Counter Strikes and Everquests it's through its limited customers willing to pay a valid price for a valid product. Jan. =---

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> > Serious money, for sure, but let me put that into perspective: having > raced sims since 1994 I've already binned 250 Pounds worth of > wheel/pedal combos (TM1+TM2+LWFF). > The MOMO Force cost and additional 180 pounds to buy and, in total, I > guess I must calculate well over a 1000 pounds in man-hours > repairing/modding my wheels over the years just to keep them going > and/or improving their feel.

I have had many wheels, but only one FFB wheel, the MS Sidewinder. It may not be the best wheel in the market, but I found it to be pretty sturdy and with a good feels and has last a good 4 or 5 years now.

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> The problem with racing sims (and the hardware used to *play* them) > has been the fact they've been viewed as part of a toy/entertainment > market, which has led to a lowest bidder mentality and, consequently, > dropping quality accross the board. If any good is to come from the > failure of the various "true sims" to compete with yer Counter Strikes > and Everquests it's through its limited customers willing to pay a > valid price for a valid product.

Sim racing is a niche market. And will never compete with games like CS and everquest. You have to invest alot of time just to get good at racing sims, and really need a lot of real life car knowledge to get the best of them. Most people are not willing to put that time in, CS is realtivly easy to play, its just a mulit-player FPS. If you can afford a quality product to go along with your hobby then go ahead, but even for poeople that enjoy the hobby, the better end of a grand is hard to justify for one product consisting of only a wheel and pedals which you can pick fairly decent FFB wheels for �50. Then again if I could afford to spend that much on a wheel my opinion might be different :-) -- Transplants save lives! - Have you signed up to be a donor? http://www.uktransplant.org.uk Do something amazing today. Save a life, give blood. http://www.blood.co.uk/ My games collection and Live games: http://www.fooatari.plus.com/.

Um, Holy Shit. -Larry "Tim Epstein" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:hm1Pe.95432>> Just found it, retailing at �399! I think most people will have to stick

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>> with the mass market wheel > > I think you found an old ad (2001) for the non FF wheel and pedal combo. > The new Speed 7 wheel (much delayed) with FF will be �750 for the standard > version and �1000 for the LCD version. Pedals are extra. > > Tim > >

Um, Holy Shit. -Larry found it, retailing at 399! I think most people will have to stick

"Larry" <[email hidden]> wrote in news:WAIOe.14$Fj.5@lakeread06: > I have a Momo Force, but it's not as good as the MSFFW for me. > > I get the box home, clamp it to the desk and... > > It falls off. It falls right the hell off.Curious... I had similar problem with MSFFW when comparing it with Guillemot Ferrari FF that I had before. I've solved the problem by opening MSFF and bolting it to the desk (with real bolts going through the bottom of the wheel and through the desk). That works amazingly well, the wheel is not going anywhere anytime soon :) Should work with any wheel... I wonder why no genius has come out with such a simple idea ;) Alex.

Never had a problem with my MSFFW's. The clamps reach deep to the back of the wheel assembly, and it can't rotate down over the curved edge of the desk, like the DFP did. -Larry "alexti" <[email hidden]> wrote in message > Curious... I had similar problem with MSFFW when comparing it with

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> Guillemot Ferrari FF that I had before. I've solved the problem by opening > MSFF and bolting it to the desk (with real bolts going through the bottom > of the wheel and through the desk). That works amazingly well, the wheel > is > not going anywhere anytime soon :) Should work with any wheel... I wonder > why no genius has come out with such a simple idea ;) > > Alex.

"Larry" <[email hidden]> wrote in news:K7bQe.898$Cc5.870@lakeread06: > Never had a problem with my MSFFW's. The clamps reach deep to the back > of the wheel assembly, and it can't rotate down over the curved edge of > the desk, like the DFP did.With MSFFW problem is in up-down direction. There's nothing that holds the front of the wheel from going up.