The dangerous "RANDOM" Fanatec shifter

[LagunaSeca]

I think many people with the Fanatec shifter has this problem, that it goes into the wrong gear from time to time because of the faulty Hall sensor. For example, when you put the gear into first, it goes into reverse, or for me, my shifter also likes to go to 2nd when I shift from 3rd to 4th. Instead of pure complaining, I decide to record and share this somehow hilarious video of me driving the E30 around Nordschleife using the shifter, and trying to see how many times my shifter would try to murder me . Not to my surprise, it goes into reverse at turn 1. Looks like my shifter and I really hates each other

Also, I would like to ask if there is any good budget H pattern shifter with similar price as the fanatec one. I do not use H pattern very often so I probably will not buy the prosim shifter (over 1k bucks). I would also like the shifter to be small and relative easy to coexist along with my handbrake, as I need to use the handbrake and the sequential mode as well. Finally, I would prefer if the shifter is obtainable in the US. I am grateful for any advice/suggestions.

 

[RaceNut]

I was having random mis-shifts with my Fanatec Shifter but, I found that the tension adjustment was too loose. Once I tightened it up, no more issues since and that was well over a year ago.

 

[LagunaSeca]

I was having random mis-shifts with my Fanatec Shifter but, I found that the tension adjustment was too loose. Once I tightened it up, no more issues since and that was well over a year ago.

Oh damn, I am going to give it a try right now.

 

[LagunaSeca]

I was having random mis-shifts with my Fanatec Shifter but, I found that the tension adjustment was too loose. Once I tightened it up, no more issues since and that was well over a year ago.

Miracle happens. I turned the stiffness all the way up and re-calibrated the shifter. All in a sudden the mis shift disappeared completely. Thanks so much!

I used to use the shifter with a low stiffness setting because I don't want to treat it roughly. Turns out it loves roughness. Damn....

 

[RaceNut]

Miracle happens. I turned the stiffness all the way up and re-calibrated the shifter. All in a sudden the mis shift disappeared completely. Thanks so much!

I used to use the shifter with a low stiffness setting because I don't want to treat it roughly. Turns out it loves roughness. Damn....

Well you might want to back that off just a bit but, yeah, it can restore the shifting integrity back with the Fanatec SQ. I'm glad it helped.

 

[Jivesauce]

Interesting, that is a solution to this common problem that I hadn't heard before. I will say, if it comes back in the future, @scottiedawg66 our US Assetto Corsa Club leader, made this video showing his easy solution that seems to largely fix this problem. It worked for me and many other people:

 

[Deleted member 197115]

How something with such a simple function can be designed with that complexity.

 

[LagunaSeca]

Well you might want to back that off just a bit but, yeah, it can restore the shifting integrity back with the Fanatec SQ. I'm glad it helped.

Of course, thanks for reminding me. Yeah another thing I don't like about the shifter is that the sequential mode is noticeably stiffer than the H pattern mode. Comfortable stiffness in one mode will make the other over stiff/soft. Would be better if Fanatec makes it consistent. Overall I will still buy it because there is no other thing like this. The handbrake mount is actually really clever, which compensates for the other flaws this device has.

 

[LagunaSeca]

Good to know thanks. My warranty expires anyway. If the problems comes back, I won't hesitate to open it up.

 

[RaceNut]

Of course, thanks for reminding me. Yeah another thing I don't like about the shifter is that the sequential mode is noticeably stiffer than the H pattern mode. Comfortable stiffness in one mode will make the other over stiff/soft. Would be better if Fanatec makes it consistent. Overall I will still buy it because there is no other thing like this. The handbrake mount is actually really clever, which compensates for the other flaws this device has.

Yes, that's a good point - if we increase the tension adjustment too much, the detent pressure overwhelms the fore-aft spring action of sequential mode. The trick is to find the sweet spot, probably just enough tension to address the gear-registration issue while still allowing the spring to work without the shifter sticking in sequential mode.

 

[Pedro Azevedo88]

Of course, thanks for reminding me. Yeah another thing I don't like about the shifter is that the sequential mode is noticeably stiffer than the H pattern mode. Comfortable stiffness in one mode will make the other over stiff/soft. Would be better if Fanatec makes it consistent. Overall I will still buy it because there is no other thing like this. The handbrake mount is actually really clever, which compensates for the other flaws this device has.

I wouldn't call it very clever since when you attach it to the gearbox you loose the possibility to swap to Sequential/H and the 7th gear almost scraps the handbrake.

 

[dud]

Cryptography is constantly doing billion dollar research on better random number generators.

If they just had access to Fanatec's hall sensors they would be better off.

 

[scottiedawg66]

thanks for sharing the video @Jivesauce I get multiple comments per week on that video with people saying it worked. so if you are having trouble give it a shot. It wont void your warranty as far as I can tell as there are no seals / ect to prove that the shifter was opened

 

[LagunaSeca]

I wouldn't call it very clever since when you attach it to the gearbox you loose the possibility to swap to Sequential/H and the 7th gear almost scraps the handbrake.

I think the manual/sq switch is on the bottom left side. I am a righty like most people and I attach the handbrake on the right side. Therefore the mode switching is not a problem to me. It would be an issue if I were a lefty.
About the seventh gear, yeah that is indeed an issue. However, since I drive mostly vintage manual cars in game and those cars don't even have a sixth gear some time. For example, the 935 moby dick has only 4 gears.

There are indeed 7 gears H pattern cars in various game titles like the vette stingray but I usually don't drive them. Plus being a road car the 7th gear is usually super high so the final gear is not useful for the most of time.

 

[Pedro Azevedo88]

The switch is actually on both sides, but at least on mine I have to push it using both, otherwise it doesn't slide.