Fanatec Load Cell Kit

Every runner in the world knows Fanatec and its vast catalog of sim-racing products. With over 20 years in the game, it’s only natural to have something for everyone.

For those looking for quality sim-racing peripherals for all levels, Fanatec is clearly the brand to choose. With its premium products, excellent build quality and attention to detail, the German manufacturer has everything to please riders on virtually every platform available.

Fanatec’s strength lies not only in its vast catalog of products, but also in the extensive customization of its peripherals. The idea is that you can have any sim-racing peripheral and upgrade it over time with other products or kits. Speaking of which, there are certain peripherals that are difficult to customize, like pedalboards for example. Typically, and this is the case with almost all sim-racing brands, a pedalboard is a closed unit, with no possibility of changing anything. But Fanatec doesn’t see things the same way, and offers us an upgrade kit for one of its pedalboards: the CSL Pedals. This crankset comes as standard, with only a rubber spring to provide some semblance of brake resistance. But with the Load Cell Kityou’ll be able to greatly improve your peripheral. In what follows, I’m going to introduce you to this kit, tell you about its strengths and weaknesses, and give you my opinion on it.

Main and technical characteristics of the kit

• Metal construction
• 65 Shores elastomer resistance
• 12-bit pedal resistance sensor
• Compatible with CSL Pedals and all Fanatec bases
• Minimum sensitivity of approx. 10 kg, configurable via Fanatec software or steering wheel tuning menu
• Maximum braking force up to 60 kg

Design

The design of the Load Cell Kit is based on the design of the CSL Pedals. To tell the truth, there’s no change from the brake pedal on Fanatec’s entry-level crankset. It’s identical, except for the Load Cell, where you normally have a small rubber spring system.

Apart from that, the whole pedal is metal, except for the plate where you put your foot. Incidentally, you can opt for anodized aluminum plates, as an option of course. Otherwise, it’s a beautiful silver color that will go perfectly with the CSL Pedals and a good number of setups.

To be honest, I would have preferred the CSL Pedals to be black to go with all sim-racing setups, but Fanatec already offers this in its catalog, the CSL Elite Pedalsand even more expensive…

Customized assembly

Since the Load Cell Kit is an upgrade, you’re going to have to dismantle your old crankset to install this new brake pedal. Don’t worry, it won’t take you long to do this. I’d say that between dismantling the crankset and assembling it with the new brake pedal, it should take a good ten minutes, depending on your tinkering skills.

If your setup includes a cockpit, I strongly advise you to secure the bottom bracket to its support (at the front, level with the footplate, and at the rear, level with the pedals). Indeed, in the standard configuration, i.e. without Load Cell, it was possible to attach the crankset to the front only, without any movement of the peripheral. But with Load Cell and the force you’ll need to exert to brake, this is no longer the case, and you’ll be forced to attach the pedals to the chassis. Incidentally, it’s more than advisable to have a cockpit, or at least a steering-wheel mount, in order to use the Load Cell properly. CSL Pedals with Load Cellotherwise you’ll have to turn into a MacGyver to operate the pedalboard without it moving.

Manufacturing and finishing

The manufacture of the Load Cell Kit is excellent, as is that of CSL Pedals. The entire brake pedal is made of metal, with a silver finish and high-quality elastomer. It has to be said that Fanatec knows a thing or two about sim-racing peripherals, so it’s only to be expected that this kit boasts excellent build quality.

The parts are very well machined, with no sharp edges or other manufacturing defects. They are also very well assembled, with excellent attention to detail. The Load Cell Kit is simply a product that fits in well with Fanatec’s catalog of sim-racing peripherals, and rightly so given the manufacturer’s reputation.

Getting started with the kit

There’s not much to say on this point, since it’s just a brake pedal you’ll have in your hand. It’s very well made, solidly assembled and won’t move at all, either before or after installation.

The kit’s pedal is a little heavier than the one it replaces, but that’s to be expected given that there’s a whole other resistance and brake pressure reading system. The extra weight gives it a more solid overall feel. That’s not to say that CSL Pedals aren’t solid, not at all. But having big extra parts on the brake makes it stronger, in my opinion.

Sensations during play

For those who have already tried the CSL Pedals at Load CellIt’s exactly the same thing, because in reality, this kit is just the Load Cell brake pedal for a standard CSL Pedals, that’s all. But otherwise, in terms of feel, it’s not too bad for the price (see below).

It’s worth noting that the CSL Pedals is an entry-level pedalboard, designed to get you started in sim-racing. The Load Cell’s brake pedal is really hard compared to the standard version, and you have the option of setting the braking power that will be read by the pedalboard. By default, the value is set to max, and adjustments are made either via Fanatec’s software, or via a steering wheel menu. Don’t worry, it’s very easy to do.

This crankset features only one elastomer (value 65), which is a bit of a shame in my opinion, because if it doesn’t suit you, you’ll be stuck with it. Otherwise, the brake pedal is firm underfoot, and you don’t have to hesitate to brake hard, just like in a real race car. The braking sensation is fairly linear and will suit most racers.

Compatibility

This kit is compatible only with the CSL Pedals and replaces the brake pedal with a Load Cell one. Otherwise, the pedalboard is compatible with all Fanatec bases and platforms ( Xbox, PC and Playstation). You won’t have any problems here.

Value for money

This kit costs around €140, on top of the €80 for the standard pedalboard, which puts you in the €220 range for upgrading an existing pedalboard. All in all, it’s not really expensive, and you can get the same pedalboard in Load Cell directly from Fanatec for €200.

The value for money of this kit is very good in my opinion, and will allow a much better immersion for a rider who could not afford the crankset. Load Cell crankset in the first place.

My verdict

This kit is an excellent upgrade for the CSL Pedals, especially for those who have the standard pedalboard. From memory, few manufacturers of sim-racing peripherals do the same. FanatecAnd that’s the brand’s strength. You can dive into the German brand’s ecosystem and improve your products along the way, with no problem at all.

As far as I’m concerned, this kit Load Cell is a quality peripheral that will greatly enhance a pedalboard that’s already good enough to get you started in sim-racing. The fact that there’s only one elastomer may be a drawback, but at the same time, this peripheral is not expensive. In any case, I’d go for it if you already have the standard pedalboard. If not, and you’re considering a Load Cell crankset, go straight for the CSL Pedals LC to save €20.