Fanatec CSL Elite V2 Load Cell Pedals – Review

Fanatec CSL Elite V2 Load Cell Pedals – Review

Fanatec’s CSL Elite V2 pedals are an attempt to close the gap between the ClubSport V3 pedals (€400), which are becoming somewhat outdated, and the CSL pedals with Loadcell kit (€200). For 300€ you get a complete pedal set consisting of throttle, clutch, brake in combination with a base plate, that is ready to use.

Order and shipping

The pedals can be purchased as usual directly from the Fanatec store and are currently only available there. The price is 299.95€, plus shipping costs of 6.95€.

Scope of delivery

The scope of delivery of the set is very generous. In addition to the RJ12 cables needed for operation on a Fanatec Wheel Base and a USB cable needed for standalone operation, you’ll also find tools, alternative elastomers and a metal spring in the well-prepared packaging.

Here you can find the complete scope of delivery:

• CSL Elite Pedals V2 (three-pedal set, fully assembled)
• Alternative elastomers and metal spring for brake tuning
• 2x Brake pedal assembly helper
• 1x Wheel Base connection cable RJ12/RJ12 (~3 m)
• 1x USB cable (~3 m)
• 2x Wrench (13 mm)
• 1x Allen key (6 mm)
• 1x Allen key (4 mm)
• 1x Quick Guide
• 1x Sticker Set

Compatibility

The pedals can (unlike the current CSL pedals) be connected directly to the PC via USB without an adapter. Alternatively, you can connect them directly to one of the following Wheel Bases from Fanatec with the included RJ12 cable:

• All CSL Elite Wheel Bases
• CSL DD Wheel Base
• Gran Turismo DD Pro Wheel Base
• All ClubSport Wheel Bases
• All Podium Wheel Bases

In addition, the ClubSport handbrake can then also be connected to the pedals.

Mounting and connection

The pedals are delivered fully pre-assembled and are ready to go. For commissioning, they must be connected logically only via USB / RJ12 cable and it can go.

Due to the integrated eight rubber feet, the pedals can basically also be used on a desk without additional construction, but this is not recommended in the long run, especially with higher braking forces.

To screw the pedals non-slip, Fanatec has provided, as with the old CSL Elite pedals, two 8 mm holes with 275 mm spacing in front and two more freely accessible holes per pedal unit with a distance of 35 mm from each other. The screws below the base plate are now directly accessible via holes on the top and the assembly is thus now possible without contortions.

For optimal mounting, Fanatec recommends four M8 bolts and nuts / sliding blocks each, as well as a total of ten washers.

Pedals

The pedal arms are basically identical in design and, according to Fanatec, are made of cast and reworked aluminum with a durable powder coating. The pedal plates are basically smooth, but also have practical removable rubber mats for more grip. Unfortunately, neither the plates of the height nor the pedal arms can be adjusted in the inclination.

Base Plate

The base plate is the Elite pedals V2 basically only the front part construction. With this, the pedals are connected by screws. Due to the selected design, the pedals can be positioned stepwise arbitrarily to each other. For example, it is also possible to remove the clutch and install the throttle and brake pedals in the center. The pedal mounting strip is covered by a rubber cover, but it is relatively susceptible to dust.

Otherwise, the base plate is very solidly made and the slightly textured surface provides enough grip even without shoes.

Brake pedal

The brake pedal is of course the most important component, as with any pedal set. Here Fanatec relies on a 200 kilo loadcell with 200 kilo rated sensor load. According to Fanatec, this corresponds to approx. 90 kilos of real brake pressure measured at the brake pedal plate.

To adjust the feeling of the brakes, Fanatec includes various elastomers and an alternative metal spring. These can. These can be interchanged with less effort, which leaves much more room for customization than with the predecessor model or even the ClubSport Pedals V3.

The installed metal spring is supposed to simulate the initial movement of the brake pad to the disc as per Fanatec, which is also quite noticeable in the review. There is an additional option here with the included black spring to make this effect, which is noticeable at the beginning of the braking process, a bit stronger. It is expected that there will soon be other ready-to-install options from third-party suppliers on the market.

A total of the following elastomers are included in the scope of delivery for further customization:

• 65A Shore (3x, installed)
• 75A Shore (3x)
• 85A Shore (3x)

These can be interchanged with each other as desired, as you are used to, for example, from the pedals of Heusinkveld. While you get a relatively soft brake pedal with a comparatively long path with the installed elastomers, you can significantly influence the feeling by installing the harder ones. The pedal travel becomes shorter (at the same brake pressure) and it is also possible to apply the highest possible brake pressure of 90 kilos, which should be more than sufficient in almost any situation. For the test, a combination of two 75A elastomers, one 85A elastomer and the black coil spring was used. In any case, you should try out a few options yourself, as subjective preferences can differ greatly from person to person.

The brake was fully convincing in the test and the usual lap times could be replicated very well within a few hours.

Throttle and clutch

Fanatec relies on Hall sensors for both the throttle and brake pedals, which, unlike the potentiometers installed in the Elite V1 pedals, should ensure nearly maintenance-free operation since they are not as susceptible to dust.

In contrast to the brake, there are no adjustment options for the hardness, as Fanatec does not use user-exchangeable springs or dials. The clutch has a bit more travel than the accelerator pedal, but due to the simple design it does not come close to the differentiated feel of more elaborately designed clutches from other manufacturers (e.g. Heusinkveld Ultimate+, Asetek Invicta/Forte). The decision to choose this setup was probably mainly a matter of budget. For comparison, the optional clutch from Asetek costs 250€ compared to 300€ for the entire 3-pedal set from Fanatec. Nevertheless, the clutch can be used quite well and is quite sufficient, especially for occasional use.

The throttle is of medium hardness and was easy to operate in the test. The pedal cover was removed for this test, since the simracing boots from Asetek were used, which already had a very grippy sole.

Software

As is typical for Fanatec, the pedals can be managed via the familiar Fanatec software and updated if necessary. If you have a Fanatec steering wheel, it is possible to adjust the braking force both directly via the driver and via the steering wheel while driving.

In addition to automatic calibration, it is also possible to manually set the dead zones for throttle, brake and clutch. For this, the pedals are pressed to the desired value and then the corresponding field in the driver is selected. This worked quickly and without problems in the test. Unfortunately, pedal curves cannot be set in the software.

Modding

–

Conclusion

Fanatec has brought an excellent pedal set onto the market with the new Elite Pedals V2, making them an interesting choice not only for beginners. If you can live without certain adjustment options, you get a complete package of throttle, brake and clutch here for 300€, which has very good driving characteristics with Hall sensors on the throttle and brake as well as a more than 200 kilo strong loadcell on the brake. The brake pedal is very easy to adapt to your own needs thanks to the components included in the package, which offers significant added value compared to the ClubSport V3.

The pedals from Fanatec are solidly made, largely consist of sturdy aluminum and are currently a clear recommendation in the range up to 400 €.