What Difference Can The Right Sim Pedals Make To Your Performance?

Between the driver and the car, every simulated racing rig has three points: wheel, pedals and seat. However, many will say that it’s the pedals that have the biggest impact on the driving experience and its consistency. But why?

The ability to know what the car will do each time you brake, can only be achieved with high quality pedals, such as Heusinkveld Sim Pedals, which give you a more precise and consistent pedal feel. As well as helping to improve the performance of the brakes and tyre wear, the right pedals also help drivers better control pitching and instability, for a more controlled car feel overall. 

So, with it being clear that pedals can give a driver the opportunity to get the most out of their car and overall racing experience, we should look at them in a little more detail:

What are Sim Racing pedals?

Allowing you to have complete control over the brakes, throttle and clutch, pedals are at the heart of every simulated racing rig, and give you the precision necessary for superior car control when racing. 

Available in several forms, such as potentiometer, load cell and hydraulic, here’s a closer look at each:

• Potentiometer

In this budget-friendly option, the pedals relay information to the simulated racing game by means of a potentiometer, which gives you the weakest and least accurate feel of all the pedal types.

• Load cells

Affordable and yet still allowing for precision at a higher level, load cell pedals are arguably the best choice for consumers. 

• Hydraulic

Much more expensive and a lot less common, hydraulic pedals afford drivers the very highest levels of accuracy, comparable, in fact, to those found in professional racing cars. 

If I upgrade my pedals, will it make a difference?

The simple answer is: yes, better pedals will likely give you a better performance and an enhanced racing experience. Take load cell technology for example; with a higher resistance, it perfectly mimics the type of brake pedal found in a real racing car. Locking up the brakes is a more frequent occurrence on a sim car that doesn’t have load cell pedals, due to a lack of precision. Hydraulic pedals have the same effect, but the precision and accuracy also extends to the clutch and throttle. 

Should I invest in Sim Racing pedals?

Since pedals are so integral to the Sim Racing experience, buying a decent set is always going to give you an enhanced driving experience, and it’s always worth considering used pedals if your budget is restricted. But what should you look out for when buying Sim racing pedals, especially used ones:

• Their age
• Whether they’re still under warranty
• Whether they have bad reviews
• Whether they can be modified or upgraded

You may also want to think about the pedals options for mounting, or whether the force of the load cell is going to be strong for your particular rig. 

When it comes to sim racing pedals, because they can enhance your performance and give you a more authentic driving experience, they always make for a sound investment. But, research is key when buying any accessories for your Sim Racing rig, whether new or used. Fortunately, you can usually find plenty of good advice and support either from online sellers, on online review sites, or from other Sim Racing enthusiasts.