Generic Let's talk about braking

Admittedly I don't have the best pedals (the default ones that come with the T150) but I'm struggling with braking. I really don't have a sense of when i'm locking the wheels. I hear tyre squealing sometimes, so does that mean I've locked up , or is that just a little squeal that you'd expect from retardation? In other words, should I be aiming to brake as heavily as possible WITHOUT hearing any squealing?

I can't feel any lock-up, and there's no side to side fish-tailing or anything, so I'm just going by sound. Is this just the way it is, or would better pedals make a difference? And if so, why?

I've just started driving the McLaren MP4-12C in the career mode, and it's great to drive, quick and stable - but the braking distances are very long and I'm struggling to slow down correctly and end up with understeer. I know I'm probably over-driving, but if I had a better feel for braking, I guess I'd be quicker.

Not being critical here, I'm absolutely in love with this sim, just looking for advice to make things even better

 

A few days ago i bought the T3PA pedals, before i also had the standard ones. And i must say it's a big difference with the conical brake mod. The brake pedal with the mod is more progressive and you have more feel when braking. After a few days getting used to it, i don't wanne go back to the original pedals.

 

Have the t150 wheel upgraded pedals to t3pa pro , what a difference , prior to upgrade I modded brake with a piece of foam , improved brake significantly

 

Thanks both.. I guess an upgrade is in my future then, but can't see the wife being happy about that..

Any thoughts about whether screeching = lock-up?

 

I used the stock T300 pedals for over a year and was happy enough, but since using the T3PA Pros for a few months the difference is pretty immense. With the conical brake mod installed it allows you to put your foot down for initial braking, then you can squeeze it a bit more for really precise braking. The whole process of braking is so much smoother.

If you're having problems braking you could try some setup adjustments. Obviously there's no brake calibration but I've found a little more downforce on the rear helps a lot, on top of springs, roll bar etc lol

 

When the brakes bite too hard, the car, in my experience, tends to pull left or right under braking. You can feel through the force feedback on the wheel when you lock up also because the steering becomes so tight you can't turn the car.

 

I've seen people using shock absorbers from remote control cars (some of which have adjustable compression rates) screwed to the pedal and base . These can be picked up for only a few pounds .
I was thinking of using a squash ball , strapped between the base and pedal .....but in the end just bought the T3PA pedals which are pretty cheap enough at £65 or whatever .
The conical brake mod works brilliantly by the way

 

If you are locking up the car will not turn when you turn the wheel. Play with it a bit and figure out if the squeal is lock-up. Some cars the steering will get really light when you lock up, some will get harder to turn when you lock up.. A good training car example is the Xbow. The wheel will go light when you brake to hard.

Your other option is to turn Understeer ON in the FFB menu. This will make the wheel go light in all cars when you lock up and make it more obvious.

Also make sure after you start up the game to press your pedal all the way down a few times before you start racing.

There are many good mods for pedals using foam, rubber stops, RC car shocks, etc... just don't spend too much since the T3PA pedals are $99 or less, no point spending $30 on parts. Here is a cheap example.. https://www.gtplanet.net/forum/threads/diy-thrustmaster-t300-10-brake-mod.324479/

 

That car has ABS. Just floor the brake and let ABS do the magic.