How to improve the TS-PC wheel optic

GuitarTech · Dec 11, 2017

After getting my new TS-PC last week, my original plan was to sell the rim, and use it with the F1 rim and 599Evo rims I had already. Then I realized that the TS-PC rim has the same button layout as the 599Evo. Which means that I can change wheels without having to mess around with different profiles and stuff. So it would make more sense to keep the TS-PC and sell the F1 rim.
So far, so good. The only snag was, the TS-PC looks so tacky the way it comes in the box ( to me anyway ). A bit like a Fisher-Price toy that you can buy at Toys R Us

So I got to thinking....And discovered that the coloured surrounds to the buttons are just metal foil stickers. So I removed them carefully with a razor blade, and then removed the glue residue with naptha.
And then I thought: the metal cover with Thrustmaster on it looks pretty stupid, I could turn it round so the logo was covered. And then I thought: hey, it looks better when you leave it off, just put the screws back to fill the holes up. Like Colin Chapman said " add lightness " Result! I'm very pleased with how it looks now, it looks similar to the Fanatec CS Formula rim, which can't be a bad thing. And the hole at the top would be ideal for a digital RPM display....I'm still working on that one

Ricky78 · Dec 11, 2017

In the coming months TM will release a digital RPM display, it was presented during the last E3 and it's advertised on the box of the recently released Sparco R383 wheel add-on.

GuitarTech · Dec 11, 2017

Ricky78 said:
In the coming months TM will release a digital RPM display, it was presented during the last E3 and it's advertised on the box of the recently released Sparco R383 wheel add-on.

That's interesting news: any links to any pics of it? OTOH, if my business throws up a bit of profit in 2018, I'll be changing to VR, and then I won't need it anyway. I'd still be interested to see it though

Ricky78 · Dec 11, 2017

@2m45s

Ricky78 · Dec 11, 2017

From the box of my Sparco R383:

GuitarTech · Dec 11, 2017

Thanks for posting that one mate. No picture on the box from my TS-PC

Coming soon....How soon is soon? No info on TMs EU shop site (yet)

Ricky78 · Dec 11, 2017

It's normal, TM doesn't update the boxes of its products, for example the box of the TX 458 Italia still shows the F1 and GTE wheels, the T3PA pedals and the TH8A shifter as "coming soon"!

Azbo · Dec 12, 2017

Nice work on the wheel. I did almost exactly same as you when I got the wheel this time last year - looks so much better. I shared on ainsta.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BRoueB_FzQw/

The LED display is long awaited - hope it works well. I've mounted an old Android phone to the base and use a dash app - works well and means if I change rims display is still there

You happy with the wheel feedback and feel?

GuitarTech · Dec 12, 2017

Azbo said:
Nice work on the wheel. I did almost exactly same as you when I got the wheel this time last year - looks so much better. I shared on ainsta.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BRoueB_FzQw/

The LED display is long awaited - hope it works well. I've mounted an old Android phone to the base and use a dash app - works well and means if I change rims display is still there

You happy with the wheel feedback and feel?

Nice job on the wheel: love the carbon effect. I'm looking for something similar to cover up the TM in the middle. I'm curious too about the display, although I do have the SRD-9C from Renovatio mounted behind the wheel, as you can see in the picture. It works pretty well, apart from the support from Renovatio, which is not good. I've been waiting for them to update the plugin for R3E: it only works in the 32bit version, which is sub optimal. The 64bit version is nicer. it took them over a week to update the plugin for PC2 too. When the support for TM's display better is, I'll certainly be buying it.
To your question about the FF and the feel: I love it

I'm still playing around with the settings, apart from rF2 and Dirt Rally, they worked out of the box. But with R3E and PC2 I'm still tweaking. But it's the first wheel I'v e had where I'm having to turn it down 'cos it's tearing my arms off, instead of turning it up, and wishing it had more power, like the T300RS

Terry Rock · Dec 14, 2017

LED should only be a consideration if you plan never to go VR...for the obvious reason.
Wheel looks good with that small mod.
I was almost tempted to get one last two weeks from B&H.
Price was at a lowly $347 with free shipping.

GuitarTech · Dec 15, 2017

Terry Rock said:
LED should only be a consideration if you plan never to go VR...for the obvious reason.
Wheel looks good with that small mod.
I was almost tempted to get one last two weeks from B&H.
Price was at a lowly $347 with free shipping.

Buy it! $347.00 is a steal: that's only €294.00! After a heads-up from someone on the forum here I ordered mine from amazon.fr for €432.00 delivered, and felt I'd got a bargain: here in Germany amazon.de wants € 554.00, cough, cough..

that's €5.00 more than Thrustmaster.eu!
Tuning project Chapter 2: this week I ordered a roll of carbon effect sticky-backed foil: I'm going to see if I can cover the whole front with carbon effect, should look great.
A bit like the carbon formula rim from Fanatec, but €300 cheaper

At €4.90 for 100cm x 152cm , it's worth giving it a crack

Terry Rock · Dec 15, 2017

GuitarTech said:
Buy it! $347.00 is a steal: that's only €294.00! After a heads-up from someone on the forum here I ordered mine from amazon.fr for €432.00 delivered, and felt I'd got a bargain: here in Germany amazon.de wants € 554.00, cough, cough.. that's €5.00 more than Thrustmaster.eu!
Tuning project Chapter 2: this week I ordered a roll of carbon effect sticky-backed foil: I'm going to see if I can cover the whole front with carbon effect, should look great.
A bit like the carbon formula rim from Fanatec, but €300 cheaper
At €4.90 for 100cm x 152cm , it's worth giving it a crack

I bought the F1 rim instead during the sale.
At $88 delivered...instead of the usual $146, it was too good to pass up.
I may reconsider the TS-PC racer when it goes back on sale in a few weeks...then again, I may sell everything and go to a direct drive.
Lots of options available....good times.

GuitarTech · Dec 15, 2017

Shame you're not in Europe: I have an F1 and a GT28 rim for sale, plus a T300RS and a set of T3PA-Pro pedals. All mint condition. I've had them on offer now for ages, the market is just flooded at the moment, it's a buyers market. And TM gear ain't worth jack sh*t secondhand....

Ricky78 · Dec 15, 2017

Since the last summer I saw incredible prices for TM hardware: I bought a T300 GT edition for €280 shipped, recently I saw the TS-PC Racer for €380 (€400 shipped) from Amazon.fr (one day sale, but I didn't buy it, I'm not interested on PC only hardware), and last week I bought a TX 458 Italia from Amazon.it for only €177, less than what you usually pay for it used!
Without counting the Sparco R383 for €150 the same day of release thanks to a voucher posted by Greekman on YT.
A lucky year for my wallet.

Elaphe · Dec 17, 2017

I improved my brand new TS PC Racer F1 rim, by selling it.

GuitarTech · Dec 17, 2017

Elaphe said:
I improved my brand new TS PC Racer F1 rim, by selling it.

Why did you sell it? Didn't you like it? When yes, why? And, last but not least, how much did you get for it? They're relatively new on the market, and are not available seperately, it would interest me what they could be worth. I also have two TM rims for sale, but you can't even give used TM stuff away at the moment, at least not here in Europe.

Elaphe · Dec 17, 2017

I sold it, not because I thought it was a bad product, but because I hated driving with it (I like round steering wheels). I got 70€ for it, not much, but that's because I didn't include the thread, which I'm using with a real rim on my base (with an adapter). I have seen other users sell this rim (new, not used), including the thread and everything ready to plug and play for 120 or 130 €.

GuitarTech · Dec 18, 2017

So, here it is. The final version. I'm extremely pleased with how it's turned out, you'd never guess it was a TS-PC wheel. The Fisher-Price look is gone

Because I had so much carbon foil left, I decided to pimp my 599XXEvo too. It's turned out nicely too I think.
The carbon foil roll was 100cm x 152cm, so I have enough over for about another 50 wheels, now I'm searching for things I can cover with carbon foil

GuitarTech · Jan 1, 2018

Because I have so much carbon foil over, I decided to do the 599XX Evo properly, and cover the rest that I didn't do the first time. It took much longer than the TS-PC to do, as it's necessary to completely pull it apart, and remove the PCB and all the buttons with their silicon seals etc. Took about two hours altogether, as I had to make a template for the holes for the buttons to stop the foil getting creased.
But it was worth it I think