I have never received a reply at Thrustmaster so aking here. How do you get the TM TFRP rudder pedals to slide smoothly on the rails?

[caaront]

I have loosened the friction screws, or screws holding them to the rails where they slide, and I have tried lubricating the rails.

No matter what I do they will slide a hald inch, catch and jerk and then slide an inch, catch and jerk again.

So when I try them I can never add just the right amount of rudder, I just don't have enough when I feel the rudder catch, then when it jerks past there is too much rudder, etc...

And the sensitivity settings will not make up for the TM pedals jerking about on the rails.

Thank you for any help.

PS, I do not mind throwing them away if they are simply junk, the twist rudder on my stick works perfectly.

As a matter of fact, I severely injured my neck in 2000 in the Army, have had 2 C-spine surgeries, really need to have a third one, and having my feet on the rudders and up higher than the floor changes my whole seating position and adds to my physical pain.

Is there a recommended pair that the pedals are independent of each other and not more like a rudder stick or whatever? I think those would work better, something that swivels from the bottom of each pedal.

But I think that would mean raising the whole desk up to compensate having my feet off the floor.

It took a lot off adding to my chair here and there to add support here, remove support there, etc, to get it where I could be comfy for a little bit with my feet flat on the floor.

Thanks again, and safe flying wishes all around.

[Sandhill]

Originally posted by caaront:

Is there a recommended pair that the pedals are independent of each other and not more like a rudder stick or whatever? I think those would work better, something that swivels from the bottom of each pedal.

Almost all car racing pedals rotate from the bottom, independently of course. 3 pedal sets work best as clutch and throttle pedals have similar travel, brake pedal often has reduced throw. It should not require any change in your desk or chair.
Rudder pedals return a single axis where car pedals return 3, but two axis of pedals can be combined easily (software) to return a single axis.
Racers very commonly upgrade from their original pedals as common wisdom says that you gain more lap time from better pedals that from a better wheel, so you might find a used set for very little.

[caaront]

I have racing pedals but I think they'd feel weird being different sizes, but it would not hurt to try.

I also just thought that maybe the brakes on the rudder pedals might work and rudder pedals (pressing the toes downward.

But I think the the brakes may just be a simple button command without any gradual pressure making any difference, if so setting the different sides to rudders might result in full deflection only. I will check it out for sure.

Thank you for the reply.

[Sandhill]

Originally posted by caaront:

I have racing pedals but I think they'd feel weird being different sizes, but it would not hurt to try.

I also just thought that maybe the brakes on the rudder pedals might work and rudder pedals (pressing the toes downward.

But I think the the brakes may just be a simple button command without any gradual pressure making any difference, if so setting the different sides to rudders might result in full deflection only. I will check it out for sure.

Thank you for the reply.

Yes toe brakes go away if you use your racing pedals, but even in DCS that does not turn out to be a horrible loss, a lot of course depending on how many axis and buttons you have to spare on your controls. Some aircraft (no nose or tail wheel steering) appreciate analog left and right brakes more than others.
One of many approaches to combining axis, I don't know if its how a smart guy would do it but it worked perfectly for me and I've never looked back:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kx8ZGP_BWcU&t=612s

[caaront]

Originally posted by Sandhill:

Originally posted by caaront:

I have racing pedals but I think they'd feel weird being different sizes, but it would not hurt to try.

I also just thought that maybe the brakes on the rudder pedals might work and rudder pedals (pressing the toes downward.

But I think the the brakes may just be a simple button command without any gradual pressure making any difference, if so setting the different sides to rudders might result in full deflection only. I will check it out for sure.

Thank you for the reply.

Yes toe brakes go away if you use your racing pedals, but even in DCS that does not turn out to be a horrible loss, a lot of course depending on how many axis and buttons you have to spare on your controls. Some aircraft (no nose or tail wheel steering) appreciate analog left and right brakes more than others.
One of many approaches to combining axis, I don't know if its how a smart guy would do it but it worked perfectly for me and I've never looked back:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kx8ZGP_BWcU&t=612s

Thanks, I will give that a try, the Thrustmaster TFRP rudder pedals are useless for me.

The brakes (push down on the toes of the pedals) seemed like they were going to work but even though they were adjustable in the sensitivities and had some action to them, not just full deflection, they would deflect the opposite direction at first, etc...

The rudder pedals are going into the trash.

[caaront]

Originally posted by Sandhill:

Originally posted by caaront:

I have racing pedals but I think they'd feel weird being different sizes, but it would not hurt to try.

I also just thought that maybe the brakes on the rudder pedals might work and rudder pedals (pressing the toes downward.

But I think the the brakes may just be a simple button command without any gradual pressure making any difference, if so setting the different sides to rudders might result in full deflection only. I will check it out for sure.

Thank you for the reply.

Yes toe brakes go away if you use your racing pedals, but even in DCS that does not turn out to be a horrible loss, a lot of course depending on how many axis and buttons you have to spare on your controls. Some aircraft (no nose or tail wheel steering) appreciate analog left and right brakes more than others.
One of many approaches to combining axis, I don't know if its how a smart guy would do it but it worked perfectly for me and I've never looked back:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kx8ZGP_BWcU&t=612s

I am familiar with vjoy, and was looking at my racing pedals and they have a multi pin connection that plugs in underneath my steering wheel control. I'd have no idea where to get a cable to convert it to a USB.

[★Macman★]

Are the Saitek (Logitech) not better for you with shorter throw toe brakes , wider stance and better friction adjustment?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PNr6NXa9Wlk

[caaront]

I love my VKB Gladiator MKii stick more than any other stick I have ever had, and with it's magnet sensors in it there is zero friction, there is resistance, but no friction.

I have found the pedals I want, the VKB T-Rudders MKVI.

They are friction less, all metal, have the VKB quality, your toes push down on them as opposed to having your whole foot sliding back and forth (So you have more fine control) no toe brakes (Although they can be added with other software I think) but that is not a deal breaker for me.

Rave reviews, and only $215.

I went through two TM 16000 sticks with sticking and faulty buttons in not time, and my old Sidewinder still works but is not highly accurate, but for less than $100 the VKB Gladiator is rock solid, I could not believe the difference.

My racing pedals have different pressures required for them so even if they had a USB cable on them it would feel weird.

Pedals:

https://vkbcontrollers.com/?product=vkb-t-rudders-mk-iv

Videos:

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=vkb+t-rudder+mk+iv

[Sandhill]

Aftermarket conversion boards to let you plug Logitech pedals in as standalone USB devices are out there, for example
http://derekspearedesigns.com/dsd-pedal-pal.html
which requires an additional ADC boare
http://derekspearedesigns.com/12-bit-controllers.html
or
http://www.leobodnar.com/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=97&products_id=187
which gets the job done by itself for a lot less.
But if you can afford the VKB you'd no doubt like that solution a lot more, buy them and never look back. I had a set of Saitek Combat pedals, same action as your Thrustmaster set and pretty low quality, sold them for quite a bit due to the MSFS price impacts...my investment went up . My racing pedals are all load cell, hardware adjustable in every way possible and infinitely programable in software so about as good as it gets for auto type pedals, but again no toe brakes. It takes at least an hour to switch pedals in my cockpit so better quality aircraft type pedals are really not an option anyway.

[★Macman★]

Thrustmaster have gone pricey since that TFRP £90 with the TPR £450
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u4tV97eKLyk
He mentions the MFG Crosswind as a cheaper alternative to these he used £243
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m6mukkJR0mg
I like a wide stance and a full foot platform so these would be my choice.

[Sandhill]

Crosswinds are highly rated, but the OP is hoping to avoid "having your whole foot sliding back and forth", which is how the Crosswinds operate. The VKB pedals rotate like automotive pedals. A downside of the VKB is no toe brakes, but I don't miss them a lot in my setup, Do i wish I had toe brakes? Sure. Deal breaker? No.

[★Macman★]

For the sliding rails on the TFRP to not get jerky I wonder if the same Slider Bearings I used on the TWCS Throttle would be the same size. They were very lucky they did fit perfectly by chance. Else the rods would also need replacing. You just need to measure them accurately, try and test them out. There are both Plastic & Metal versions. It could possibly be the exact same rods they used.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uXqHUsm0cho&t=78s

[caaront]

Thanks all, Macman, I am definately keep the TM pedals and keep searching for a solution even if I get the VKB pedals. I do not mind using a button for braking at all.

I really don't even mind using a twist rudder either, but pedals would be nice.

[Bubba Fett]

The issue you're having is what people call sticktion. (sort of a sticky friction)
I doubt if Macman's solution will work as it seems like the rails on the rudder pedals are a bit bigger than the throttle and you'd have to model and 3d print the linear bearing mounts for the pedals anyway.
I've got the same rudder pedals and so far mine are working pretty good, but based on my experience with the throttle I'm sort of planning ahead for what to do when they don't. (my stick twist axis quit so the rudders ar the only option)
First thing I'd do is pull the rails out and make sure everything is clean and dry. If you've tried to lube them and you've got carpet lint stuck to the lube, that could be causing part of your problems. If you do use lube, you should use a light silicon based lube and not a grease.
You might also want to try to find a lighter centering spring so you don't have to push so hard to move them. (this will make holding them centered without taking your feet off harder.
You mentioned using the toe brakes and they are analog axis, but I'm not sure how you could configure that for rudder in MSFS since it seems to want a single axis for rudder and those are 2 separate axis. This may be why you were getting a reverse rudder action on the toe brakes. The game wants the center of the axis to be the center of the rudder so not pushing the toe brake would be full deflection 1 way, half way depressed would be the center and fully depressed would be full deflection the other way.

[caaront]

They are not going to work precisely so I might try to modify them somehow.