VNM Simulation Handbrake V1.5

A 200kg load cell handbrake built for rally and drift Most sim handbrakes measure how far you pulled. This one measures how hard. A 200kg load cell sits behind the lever, so the input is pressure rather than distance, and that is the difference between a handbrake you yank and a handbrake you can meter. It matters most where the car is already sliding. A light squeeze to rotate the nose on a loose gravel hairpin and a full commitment pull to break the rear away are two different inputs on a load cell, and the same input on a switch. Our sim racing handbrakes sit alongside it if you are comparing. Key features 200kg load cell measures pull force, not travel All aluminium body with black anodised finish Handle adjusts to seven angles from 0 to 90 degrees Converts between a vertical rally pull and a horizontal layout Two supplied springs set the resistance you want Threaded cap fine tunes stiffness without tools Seven angles, and what they are for The extended handle sets to 0, 15, 30, 45, 60, 75 or 90 degrees. That is not a convenience feature, it is the difference between two driving positions. Vertical is the rally pull, up beside the seat, where you want leverage and a long arc. Flat is the street and track layout, where the lever sits closer to a centre console and the motion is more of a squeeze than a haul. A degree conversion adapter is in the box for the change, and the angle is set by removing the bolts, rotating the endstop and retightening. Setting the resistance Two springs come with the handbrake, red for the stiffest setting and blue for the step below it. Swapping the spring is the coarse adjustment. The threaded cap is the fine one: clockwise for more resistance, anticlockwise for less. Worth spending ten minutes on when it arrives. A handbrake set too soft bottoms out before you have finished the input, and one set too hard turns a modulated pull into an on or off switch, which defeats the point of a load cell in the first place. Construction and connection The body is all aluminium with a high quality black anodised finish, so there is no plastic in the load path between your hand and the sensor. That is what keeps the feel consistent as the force climbs rather than letting flex absorb the top of the pull. It connects by a USB A to GX12 cable, with the GX12 port at the base of the unit and the controller board built into the handbrake itself. A mode switch on the right side toggles between game mode and firmware update mode. Our racing controls range covers the wider set. Pairing it with the shifter Rally and drift drivers tend to run a handbrake and an H-pattern shifter together, because the left hand is doing both jobs within a corner. The VNM Dual-Mode Shifter is the natural partner, and VNM make a mounting plate that carries the two side by side. If you are buying both, the Shifter and Handbrake bundle puts them together. Mounting clamps and bolts are not supplied with either unit. Our expert take "A load cell handbrake is one of those upgrades that sounds like a small thing and is not. On a switch or a potentiometer you learn a single pull and repeat it. On this you start metering, and within a week you are using half inputs to rotate the car rather than full ones to spin it. That is the whole skill of rally driving in one component." - Blake Sterling, Founder & CEO, Gamer Gear Direct Frequently asked questions Is it hydraulic?No. It is a load cell handbrake. The lever works against a spring and the 200kg load cell reads how hard you are pulling, so there is no fluid, no bleeding and nothing to leak.Can I mount it vertically and horizontally?The handle converts between a vertical rally pull and a horizontal street layout through the seven position angle adjustment and the supplied conversion adapter. That is a handle adjustment rather than a second way of bolting the body down.Are mounting clamps included?No. Clamps and mounting bolts are bought separately, which is worth knowing before it arrives.What does it plug into?A USB A to GX12 cable is supplied. The GX12 end goes into the base of the handbrake and the USB end goes to your PC. The board is inside the unit, so there is no separate control box. Specifications Sensor: 200kg load cell Measurement: Pull force rather than travel Body material: Aluminium, black anodised Handle angles: 0, 15, 30, 45, 60, 75 and 90 degrees Resistance adjustment: Two springs plus a threaded tension cap Springs supplied: Red (stiffest) and blue (stiffer) Controller board: STM32, 16-bit ADC, built into the unit Connection: USB A to GX12 Mode switch: Game mode and firmware update mode Platform: PC Mounting hardware: Clamps and bolts not included Warranty: 1 year What's In The Box? 1 x VNM Handbrake V1.5 body 1 x handle with attached screws 1 x handle extension 2 x degree conversion adapter 1 x red spring (stiffest) 1 x blue spring (stiffer) 1 x USB A to GX12 cable 1 x hex wrench set Reviews Warranty This VNM Simulation handbrake is covered by a 12-month warranty against defects in materials and workmanship, beginning from the date of purchase. Normal wear and tear sits outside the warranty. Every product is 100% genuine, sourced through authorised distribution, and our Australian simulation team is only a call or email away. All products sold by Gamer Gear Direct are genuine and sourced from authorised distributors, with full Australian support.