New Guillemot Ferrari wheel - faulty ?

Hi, I have just bought the above FF wheel and wondered if it feels 'right'. Even when the wheel is switched off the movement is not entirely smooth. I can feel notchiness when turning from side to side. When I tried GPL (any settings for FF would be appreciated) with the FF applied (probably currently too high) it amplified this, making it even more notchy and not completely smooth- need all the help I can get ! Is this the way all these FF wheels are, or did I get a bad one ? I have only used a joystick until now. Thanks Ian

blonkster <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:6GXn5.5836$[email hidden]... > Hi, > > I have just bought the above FF wheel and wondered if it feels 'right'. > Even when the wheel is switched off the movement is not entirely smooth.I

Quoted text (14 lines)

> can feel notchiness when turning from side to side. When I tried GPL (any > settings for FF would be appreciated) with the FF applied (probably > currently too high) it amplified this, making it even more notchy and not > completely smooth- need all the help I can get ! > > Is this the way all these FF wheels are, or did I get a bad one ? > > I have only used a joystick until now. > > Thanks > > Ian > >

The wheel is not normally "notchy" , the "nothcyness" is caused by the game FF settings. Most games are OK nut in GPL the default settings are not too good as you miss out on much of the FF GPl has programmed into it. I've managed to eliminate the "bumps" some people call "notchyness" in GPL with my Ferrari FF wheel. I'd previously tried Slotweaks setting but found them "notchy" as you say so I spent quite a while developing my own. His settings gave more FF than the default settings, e.g. when you hit a wall or ran over grass but I had to fiddle around to get these and eliminate this gravel in the steering box feel (which is all down to the settings and not the wheel itself). I set all the FF strengths to 90% in game controllers including Spring and damping and default spring to 0 (set to OFF aswell) and in core.ini use:- [ Joy ] allow_force_feedback = 1 ; force_feedback_latency = 0.0045 ; in seconds force_feedback_damping = 300 ; magic number2 max_steering_torque = 150 ; in Newton-inches FF is now smooth and you do get FF even when not turning (e.g. when you run over the grass). It's taken me a while to get these stings but it has been well worth it. With regard to latency you can set it lower with USB and lower still with a faster processor. 0.0025 works OK with my machine (PIII 600) but any lower and you feel "spikes" in the FF. GP3 BTW has very high latency and after GPL just feels plain damm slow to react. Try these settings as it helps a lot Some Call Me Tim

Hi, It bothers me as I don't know isd there is a fault with my wheel, or if it is normal. The clicks that I can feel when it is off are much more obvious when it is on and FF is being applied. I just need to know if it OK before I take it back to the shop and look stupid if they are all like that :-) Ian "Karl Zosel" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:dv6o5.155397$[email hidden]... > I feel some clicks too when its turned off. > Does it bother you that much? > I drive mine for 2 months now, and I love it. > > KZ >

Greetings Tim, I don't think it is the FF that is doing it. As I said, when the wheel is switched off I can feel what I assume is the gears/toothed belt i.e. it doesn't feel like it is on bearings and pulleys (smooth), but I can feel something like 'clicks' - if that makes sense. How does your wheel feel when switched off ? Is this something that needs bedding in ? Ta Ian

I feel some clicks too when its turned off. Does it bother you that much? I drive mine for 2 months now, and I love it. KZ Blonks <[email hidden]> schreef in berichtnieuws [email hidden]...

Quoted text (15 lines)

> Greetings Tim, > > I don't think it is the FF that is doing it. As I said, when the wheel is > switched off I can feel what I assume is the gears/toothed belt i.e. it > doesn't feel like it is on bearings and pulleys (smooth), but I can feel > something like 'clicks' - if that makes sense. > > How does your wheel feel when switched off ? Is this something that needs > bedding in ? > > Ta > > Ian > >

On Mon, 21 Aug 2000 11:59:01 +0100, "Blonks" <[email hidden]> wrote: >It bothers me as I don't know isd there is a fault with my wheel, or if it >is normal. The clicks that I can feel when it is off are much more obvious >when it is on and FF is being applied. I just need to know if it OK before I >take it back to the shop and look stupid if they are all like that :-) The FF is applied via a permanent magnet DC motor. The notchiness is the poles of the armature passing through the magnetic field. It's interesting that a few folks have mentioned that, their new FF wheel is a lot stronger than their one or two year old FF wheel of the same make/model. Slot racers, such as myself, know that the magnets in a DC permanent magnet motor become weaker with use and the passage of time. That's why we have our race motor's ceramic magnets "zapped" to renew their strength. If your wheel becomes less notchy with time, it's likely because the magnets in the DC motor are losing their initial strength. Regards, Brett C. Cammack That's Racing! Motorsports Pompano Beach, FL

"Blonks" <[email hidden]> writes: > It bothers me as I don't know isd there is a fault with my wheel, or if it > is normal. The clicks that I can feel when it is off are much more obvious > when it is on and FF is being applied. I just need to know if it OK before I > take it back to the shop and look stupid if they are all like that :-) It is 'normal' with the Guillemot FF wheel. The notchy feeling is from the poles of the motor, and while it is annoying you will probably get more or less used to it. I consider it one of the bigger disadvantages with the wheel though, so if someone has a reference for a higher quality motor to replace the original, I would be happy to upgrade mine :-) _ Mats Lofkvist [email hidden] GPLRank -0.14 <-- Switching to the Brabham at Monaco finally did it..

Blonks, With FF off or the wheel, turning it side to side will feel like a zipper or running a piece of cardboard over a hacksaw blade. But, it will still be smooth. It almost sounds to me like yours does not feel like this. If you bought it locally, why take the chance, just exchange it or open another one and feel it. The pull of the motor when FF is on is not the same feeling. It's not a sharp zipper type of feel, but more like several longer bumps. You can feel the bumps rise and fall as you pass through the magnetic field. A quick note on my (controversial) settings. At Tweaks & Reviews I repeatedly state that my settings are a starting place. FF settings are a personal thing and the ones I use surely won't please everyone. In GPL I still change my personal settings as my wheel(s) change. I have noticed a gradual change in the standard settings others are now using. When I first introduced the settings, most people were using something like: Torque=225 or 300, and Damping = 40. Now I see a lot of the gents are using a 1 to 2 ratio, such as Torque = 150, Damping = 300 or T200, D 400, which is what my settings are based on. These settings are also very good. I use the higher numbers to eliminate what the GPL manual calls "clamping the forces", which is the same as 'clipping' the signal. Even the old settings are good if they please you, but you aren't locked into them. -- Slot Tweaks & Reviews www.slottweak.com "Blonks" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]... > Hi, > > It bothers me as I don't know isd there is a fault with my wheel, or if it > is normal. The clicks that I can feel when it is off are much more obvious > when it is on and FF is being applied. I just need to know if it OK before I > take it back to the shop and look stupid if they are all like that :-) > > Ian > > "Karl Zosel" <[email hidden]> wrote in message > news:dv6o5.155397$[email hidden]... > > I feel some clicks too when its turned off. > > Does it bother you that much? > > I drive mine for 2 months now, and I love it. > > > > KZ > > > > >

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

Quoted text (15 lines)

> Greetings Tim, > > I don't think it is the FF that is doing it. As I said, when the wheel is > switched off I can feel what I assume is the gears/toothed belt i.e. it > doesn't feel like it is on bearings and pulleys (smooth), but I can feel > something like 'clicks' - if that makes sense. > > How does your wheel feel when switched off ? Is this something that needs > bedding in ? > > Ta > > Ian > >

When the wheel is off it does make a noise like a zip as the belt moves but it is smooth and I certainly don't feel any "clicks". Switching it on I get a louder zipper noise and it's still smooth but you can now feel motor resistance. My Wheel is now 6 months old so should be well bedded in. I think it does feel better than when new but I don't think it's ever been "nothcy" apart from changing settings in core.ini to make it so. We're all talking about GPL here (naturally) but what does it feel like in other games? I've got:- GPL GP3 F1 2000 Rally Championship TOCA 2 Colin McRae Rally Viper Racing (very underrated) They all feel "smooth" to me so do some people have duff wheels? Try it in another game and I'd say that if it feels "clicky"or notcy" in one of those take it back. It's hard to tell with GPL alone as you can change the feel so much in the settings and as Slottweak says, over time as your wheel beds in you have to gradually change these anyway. Processor speed has an effect on latency so perhaps this is the cause? I think the only way to end this argument would be to have someone like me who has a wheel that works fine try out someone's wheel that feels "notchy" to see if it's duff or not. It's always difficult to tell if you don't have anything to compare it too. Some Call Me Tim

Quoted text (23 lines)

>Subject: Re: New Guillemot Ferrari wheel - faulty ? >From: Mats Lofkvist [email hidden] >Date: 08/21/2000 8:19 AM Eastern Daylight Time >Message-id: <[email hidden]> > >"Blonks" <[email hidden]> writes: >> It bothers me as I don't know isd there is a fault with my wheel, or if it >> is normal. The clicks that I can feel when it is off are much more obvious >> when it is on and FF is being applied. I just need to know if it OK before >I >> take it back to the shop and look stupid if they are all like that :-) > >It is 'normal' with the Guillemot FF wheel. The notchy feeling is >from the poles of the motor, and while it is annoying you will >probably get more or less used to it. I consider it one of the >bigger disadvantages with the wheel though, so if someone has a >reference for a higher quality motor to replace the original, >I would be happy to upgrade mine :-) > > _ >Mats Lofkvist >[email hidden] >GPLRank -0.14 <-- Switching to the Brabham at Monaco finally did it..

I don't think that this sounds normal. My Guilemott Ferarri wheel is very smooth on and off. If it were just from the poles in the motor he shouldn't notice it when it is off anyway. Sound's like it's defective.....might get better with time but don't let the warranty run out waiting to find out. Call Guilemott and talk to a tech. Just figure on about 8 weeks to get a reapir (replacement) if they have you send it back to Canada. If you bought it at a store and they tell you to return it for another one you might be in luck...if you bouthgt it mail order or online they'll probably tell you to send it to them. Good luck (Don't gimme NOCRAP in E-mail)

[email hidden] (PHYDEAUX99) writes: > I don't think that this sounds normal. My Guilemott Ferarri wheel is very > smooth on and off. If it were just from the poles in the motor he shouldn't > notice it when it is off anyway. Try turning around any dc engine with magnets; you can feel the poles easily when the motor is off. I can't guarantie that my wheel isn't faulty, but it does feel exactly as the demo unit at the store where I bought it. _ Mats Lofkvist [email hidden] GPLRank -0.14