Squeaky Wheel and pedals?

Wd-40 is a solvent which probably wouldn't do any harm but you should probably open the pedal assembly and see what needs adjusted (rubbing) or lubed (dry). As for your lap times? It could be a matter of getting used to the wheel which could take a couple of weeks, it would be truly odd if the wheel is just slower? Borrow a pro wheel and see what happens. JM

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> After my Nascar Thrustmaster pro died, I bought the Microsoft FF wheel. It > has been very good so far, with a few exceptions that I hope someone will be > able to help me with. > 1. All of my lap times are slower. For example, I used to run 1:08 a the > Glen, and now I can rarely get under 1:11. I thought I would just have to > get used to the new wheel, but my times have stayed constant. Any ideas? > 2. The wheel and pedals have started to squeak badly. It's really annoying > whenever I push down on the pedals, that I get this creaking everywhere. The > construction seems to be of good quality, it's just noisy. Any ideas on > quieting this? Can I just spray WD-40 on it or something, or can this hurt > the components? > Thanks > Troy

Troy, Had the same problems as you shortly after I got my MSFF (about 6 mnths ago). No squeak in the wheel, though. For the pedals, I opened the assembly (be sure to get the***hiding beneath the sticker!) and lubed pivot points with some petroleum jelly (Vaseline). That solved the squeaky pedals. Like yourself, my GPL lap times took a turn for the worse for a couple of weeks, then came down & became _very_ consistant. I much prefer the weighted action of this wheel to the springy TM products. Hang in there, it'll be worth it in the long run. Randy

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> After my Nascar Thrustmaster pro died, I bought the Microsoft FF wheel. It > has been very good so far, with a few exceptions that I hope someone will be > able to help me with. > 1. All of my lap times are slower. For example, I used to run 1:08 a the > Glen, and now I can rarely get under 1:11. I thought I would just have to > get used to the new wheel, but my times have stayed constant. Any ideas? > 2. The wheel and pedals have started to squeak badly. It's really annoying > whenever I push down on the pedals, that I get this creaking everywhere. The > construction seems to be of good quality, it's just noisy. Any ideas on > quieting this? Can I just spray WD-40 on it or something, or can this hurt > the components? > Thanks > Troy

On Tue, 18 May 1999 00:26:23 -0500, "Troy Robinson"

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>After my Nascar Thrustmaster pro died, I bought the Microsoft FF wheel. It >has been very good so far, with a few exceptions that I hope someone will be >able to help me with. >1. All of my lap times are slower. For example, I used to run 1:08 a the >Glen, and now I can rarely get under 1:11. I thought I would just have to >get used to the new wheel, but my times have stayed constant. Any ideas?

I haven't used the Microsoft FF wheel, but I have felt it and I do know that it really is quite heavy and stiff to turn from side to side, especially when it's not using FF. Could your problems be due to the stiffer and slower turning of the wheel, as you're having to concentrate more on it than before? BTW, I didn't realise that the Microsoft FF wheel came with pedals. I thought that it had two levers, behind the wheel, which could be used as pedals. Are there some which can be used in a normal sense, by your feet? Griffin, the Slayer

>BTW, I didn't realise that the Microsoft FF wheel came with pedals. I The pedals are the best part of that product IMHO. The "levers" on the MS FF wheel are in reality buttons which most use for shifting. -- Header address intentionally scrambled to ward off the spamming hordes. cisko [AT] ix [DOT] netcom [DOT] com

After my Nascar Thrustmaster pro died, I bought the Microsoft FF wheel. It has been very good so far, with a few exceptions that I hope someone will be able to help me with. 1. All of my lap times are slower. For example, I used to run 1:08 a the Glen, and now I can rarely get under 1:11. I thought I would just have to get used to the new wheel, but my times have stayed constant. Any ideas? 2. The wheel and pedals have started to squeak badly. It's really annoying whenever I push down on the pedals, that I get this creaking everywhere. The construction seems to be of good quality, it's just noisy. Any ideas on quieting this? Can I just spray WD-40 on it or something, or can this hurt the components? Thanks Troy

Hello Troy, I pulled my pedals apart on the first night to fix the squeak in the accelerator pedal. Two pieces of plastic were rubbing together which was soon fixed. :-) Try placing half a yellow dot squash ball under the brake pedal, this should improve your braking. As for the wheel, mine sounds like a bird is in there sometimes (a tiny one :-). I haven't pulled it apart_yet_, but I think it is coming from the 'wheel shaft' rather than the gears. If you get a torch and shine it in the vents (not much in there really) you can see the lubricant on the gears. But the shaft you can't see is the one which needs the lube job - not the one connected to the digital pot). You could send it back to MS, but perhaps learning to maintain it would be better as it will only be a minor thing that could be worse in the replacement - and may need future attention. If anyone has actually pulled their MS wheel apart, how did it go? Anything to be avoided? Ian

Have you tried to calibrate pedals once again? if it just doesn't use full throttle which would make you always lose time in everyplace where you use throttle, that could be 3 secs in a lap? PS. Someone else had the same problem.

Troy, I pulled my wheel apart this morning and found that the electric motor was the squeaky part. A quick spray of some electric motor spray (used from a radio control car toolkit) quietened it down. There are 3 more screws hidden under the *** feet near where the power cable enters, so you have to remove the *** bits. This will probably void your warranty though :-( It is heaps smoother than I ever remember now :-) Bye, Ian

On Tue, 18 May 1999 19:42:12 -0500, "Greg Cisko"

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>>BTW, I didn't realise that the Microsoft FF wheel came with pedals. I >The pedals are the best part of that product IMHO. >>thought that it had two levers, behind the wheel, which could be used >The "levers" on the MS FF wheel are in reality buttons which most use >for shifting. >-- >Header address intentionally scrambled to ward off the spamming hordes. >cisko [AT] ix [DOT] netcom [DOT] com >>as pedals. Are there some which can be used in a normal sense, by your >>feet? >>Griffin, the Slayer

Bonus! The biggest reason for me _not_ to buy the Microsoft wheel was that I was under the impression that it didn't come with pedals. BTW, are all of the buttons on the wheel programmable, or can you only select a couple for specific tasks, like on m one? Griffin, the Slayer

From what I can remember, all the buttons were configurable. Ditto for the Logitech wheel BTW. And you would be better off with the Logitech wheel IMHO. -- Header address intentionally scrambled to ward off the spamming hordes. cisko [AT] ix [DOT] netcom [DOT] com