Fanatec Handbrake V1.5 Review

[@robertbash380]

You know you're buried deep in a hobby when you watch a 38-minute video about a lever.

[@Smokabis]

So true! However, I think that even if wasn’t in to sim racing, I would still enjoy Barry’s videos. Just something about the way he reviews products and how honest and reasonable he is.

[@Tvh1998made]

😂

[@azamat19]

Oh boy did this comment make me feel weird...

[@Irongeff]

Oh damn here i am 😅

[@_ab054]

Good thing is now this video has 35k views so you don’t feel completely insane.

[@swampking483]

Thanks Barry, I've been looking for a review on this! I was also just curious if you'd ever do a video tour of the SRG? I know some of us would be very curious to see!

[@zeendrom]

Great to see reviews of basic sim gears and not just the expensive stuff.

[@CaniHaveTheRedPill]

I’ve had this handbrake for 4 years now. The plastic piece broke one day, I replaced it with a metal washer. Other than that, it’s worth it really. Unless you plan to only play rally games or drift I think it’s enough for anyone, specially at the price it comes in compared to the competitors.

[@OVERKILL_PINBALL]

High quality, informative and very professional reviews. Great job!

[@Karl-me4mh]

well, after a few months of use I had to tighten all screws, because came lose. And now after one year of actually little use, cause I only drift or rally sometimes, the upper plastic washer exploded into several pieces. I sent back the handbrake a week ago for repair. So much for the quality.

[@russellchapman5991]

haha knew i could count on you Barry to show me the inner workings of this so i could flip the handle as well without any surprise or hassles..really appreciate your in depth reviews,,they have been so important so many of my purchases..keep on doing these vids man,,so much valuable and useful information...cheers mate

[@HardwareAddiction]

This guy is so cool. Glad to see the channel growing so much and by the looks of it, it's gonna get one of the CSL DD review units soon. :)

[@HDRGuy]

Love this channel! a tad late on this one lol. Great review none the less :)

[@chrisnorrell7489]

Just ordered the gt dd bundle with the load cell pedal, shifter, and handbrake. $1489 later I'm super excited to get racing on a decent wheel. Still need to buy a cockpit but I'm well on my way. Thanks for the reviews. Went with fanatec because i wanted metal parts. Plastic doesn't exactly give me peace of mind. I feel like Logitech and thrustmaster would brake given that the majority of the parts are plastic

[@McCoymiked]

Would you still recommend the fanatec handbrake?

[@darcostroobants5623]

@@McCoymiked, I got mine like 8 months ago and the cable just bend after a while, so now it doesn’t work anymore, but with the handbrake you get 5-6 possible options to connect it, I however lost the other cables. So if you’re gonna get this really make sure you keep the other cables or somehow make sure the cable attachments where you put it in the handbrake doesn’t bent

[@Diskjok11]

22:28-23:30 Excellent narration, my friend. Quick lesson for the kids

[@PocketDrummer]

The potentiometer worries me. I don't know what kind they're using, but I always have issues with pots going bad way sooner than it should. I wonder why they didn't go with a hall effect sensor.

[@coyriddle5810]

I use a piece of duct tape on the backside of my open end wrench to hold the nut snug during placement. It eliminates the pivot of the needle nose pliers and you don't have to apply any pressure . Just hold it in place.

[@Smokabis]

I love the sound of that ratchet, sounds solid. Just bought a new setup from Fanatec and got the handbrake. Watched your videos before buying and watching them again now. Thanks for all the help!

[@nikhilrw]

I’m not even kidding I was looking for this

[@CarloNicoleT]

Sharp edges, bent plastic covers...no way this thing will be beside my DD1. I like Fanatec but they can do better than that. Bought the V1 Pedals years ago,still working great. I have three kids, I don´t need a sharp blade on the rig 🤷‍♂️ Sanding it down...may be the way to go if nothing else in this price range is good either.

[@nikhilrw]

@@CarloNicoleT I meant the review 😅 I got the Odor (Generic) USB handbrake from Amazon and it works wonders for me

[@bee9026]

Funny thing, just yesterday I went to your channel whether or not you have made a review about this particular handbrake lololol

[@Nearest_Neighbor]

Too bad he hadn't. 😅👍

[@michaelbroek1]

Same here last week lol. Srg first thing to check when buy something new lol

[@robertschneider8808]

Did the same thing last week.

[@GoProGnome]

Folks have reported failures of that plastic spacer by potentiometer. Seems like the exterior screw actually screws into the plastic spacer so the repeated twisting motion leads to failures for some. Made me shy away from this handbrake even though I have all fanatec gear and go for Aiologs.

[@schassis_eddi]

im here to find this comment, this is an achilles heel on these hand brakes. The plastic spacer that holds the spring against the ball stud and ball join linkage! its the most ridiculous part of the assembly, they should have just made it metal instead of plastic!

[@SirFing]

It looks like you could get the up and down angle you wanted by mounting the rear hole to the bottom slot.

[@andychicago8295]

I like it, that it fits perfectly beside the Fanatec shifter.

[@SmokeyStoner]

Barry's been using this as a door stop for the last 3 years.

[@EXRGravyquinn]

HAHA!

[@alexanderasner1689]

I can’t see where this thing excels over anything you can buy for 40 bucks at aliexpress.

[@n0m4dcom]

I'm here because I have been using a cheapo ebay lever and its gone bad after a year. I didn't know it right off but started to really struggle racing then found out the handbrake was "dragging". I tried to recalibrate it but its no longer linear, slightly on at first, then zero then ramps back up. It's also super sloppy, squeaky and the grip is coming apart.

[@icyphilippe]

the shifter ships this way because it would be vertical if it was bolted to the fanatec shifter using the desk clamp like they suggest on their website

[@SimRacerGT973]

Thanks a bunch Barry 👍. Was debating on getting this E Brake. For the price point it seems worth it. Will definitely be filing the lever though as my grand daughters race on the rig too. Have a great day SRG. Forever Racing 🏁

[@VolatileDave]

Love the sound of a good quality ratchet.

[@seb-kun]

For 70$ more you can have a Heusinkveld HB, load cell,, way better feeling , and stand alone PC without to buy extra stuff. Handbrake with potentiometer is just a no go for me.

[@cataclysm0s]

70$ more? Its almost double the price

[@seb-kun]

@@cataclysm0s 50% more expensive, but it will be more like twice the feeling , quality, and a good after sale support. I prefer save a bit more and have better equipment.

[@Mach42]

I agree. The Heusinkveld is much better. My Fanatec Handbrake broke at the plug socket. Pay a little more now for the good one, or eventually buy both later. I bought an Ebay handbrake, the Fanatec, and then finally, the Heusinkveld. I should've just gotten the Heusinkveld at first because it would have saved me a couple hundred dollars at the end.

[@MeShaL-fw7gk]

This is one of the worst handbrake ..I used in my life ... the price is expensive and all of my friends have broken down with them

[@olig89]

As a break from the norm, have you thought about giving the $40-50 eBay handbrakes (that are always strongly recommended in the community) a proper SRG teardown? You always cover the high-end gear, it could be interesting to compare something the other end of the price spectrum. From research I did last year there are essentially two models (all sold by different sellers at different prices), and the one to go for, the "v2", is the one referenced as 14bit, happy to share a link if you're keen.

[@Mach42]

I have the Heusinkveld one that I am using currently and I've had both the Fanatec and the 14-bit hall sensor ebay specials. The Heusinkveld is the best, with a nice progressive brake feel as you pull harder and harder. It feels excellent and is easily controllable. The load cell is very accurate and works very well. The Fanatec is good. Solid, but not as much as the H. Maybe 80-90% of the H.The pull is plenty stiff, but maybe about 1/2 to 3/4 of the stiffness of the Heusinkveld pull.. However, the spring is somewhat weaker and doesn't have a nice progressive feel. It's the same amount of pressure from the beginning of the pull to the end. The potentiometer starts out working well and is accurate when new, but it will start getting the spikes and skips that all potentiometers suffer from after a while. Internal wiring quality is pretty low. The Ebay special has lots of play everywhere. It wiggles and wobbles side to side because the parts are so loose. The pull is very light. Maybe 3 to 4 pounds at most. The frame and hinge are kinda strong, as is the handle. It's just very wobbly because of loose tolerances in the parts. The very weak pull means that it's not going to bend. The potentiometer/hall sensor is very cheap and inaccurate. It jumps around a lot at max 85-100% pull. 0-80 is... playably accurate and smooth. A decent thumbstick on a console gamepad is more accurate. The weak pull means that it is VERY easy to overapply the brakes until you get very good muscle position memory, much like a cheap spring/potentiometer brake pedals. To make a small comparison, think of the feel and precision of a Logitech H-shifter compared with a nice Fanatec H shifter, except it's made of metal and hard to break. Strong, but cheap and janky feeling, with low precision.

[@foaley77]

Has anyone put a stronger spring on the ebay handbrake?

[@tonymunford5804]

There’s no cheap handbrakes for PS5

[@scott501]

I went thru two of these Fanatec Handbrake V1.5's in one year, there's a design flaw, or major weakness I should say, the potentiometer is keyed to the handle with a single tiny 1/16"plastic dowel pin, it sheared off on both mine, at $130 I wasn't too upset, but after the second one failed, I just bought a Heusinkveld handbrake for 2.5x the cost but it's so much better and load cell based so it's not gonna fail any time soon

[@jakehennessy3216]

You are the Bob Ross of Sim racing 😂👌

[@nunofreitas1796]

Fantastic...that "close quarters" ratchet wrench is the best!!!

[@YotaakGFX]

REALLY looking forward to the CSL DD review

[@Theodore96Fataliev]

The floss test should be used in other equipment such as the Heusinkvelt pedals.

[@nicolaspapapaschos9845]

Your voice is putting my baby to sleep. God bless you.

[@jodybaldwin4864]

I've got the v1 and the potentiometer failed within a few hours usage.

[@PawsleyDirt]

Send it back!

[@jodybaldwin4864]

@@PawsleyDirt is been in the box failed for 3 years, never got around to fixing it.

[@remcofransen1982]

I was just looking if you did this handbrake this morning. My handle can move sideways way to much. I cant make it tighter cuz the bolt on the side just keeps turning in that weak piece of plastic on the axel. That is definitely a weak spot of this handbrake. For a lot of people it also breaks.

[@pally8868]

Another great video - thanks SRG 😊 👍

[@SuperrHands]

Great video! I think I will pick one of these up.

[@mcnappa828]

the adaptor to plug it into USB burnt out on mine exactly 3 days after warranty was up. thing was red hot and smelt like melted plastic. now the handbrake is sitting unused .

[@ludger0815]

I can also recommend finishing burrs on the 3 holes on a bench drill with a countersink.

[@pilkjaer]

Thank you for a great review. I agree that having some kind of a hydraulic damper would elevate the feel of it. It feels a bit artificial but still better than pressing a button. For the money, it's a very solid product. Fanatec has a mounting solution to be able to mount it at the side of the shifter, but it's not very versatile. I still struggle to find a good place to mount it on my cockpit. I guess i will have to do some fabrication. Changing the lever orientation is a pain in the bottom, but hopefully, you need tondonit only once. I with there was another solution for the cable. It must come from a specific place, and you must be able to access that screw at the bottom to be able to properly mount the cover. Connector could be mounter deeper to make it easier to remove the cover. There could be a hole all the way down so that you could remove/attach cover without unplugging the cable. I wish it was RJ11 on both sides as with the current plug you need to have a couple of inches clearance on the back of the handbrake in order to be able to connect and route the cable. This is not a huge deal, but it lomited me on how i could mount mine. Especially if you want to mount it pointing up a bit. Otherwise, it's a rather sime yet elegant product.

[@Jimmmyblade]

I just bought the Fanatec Handbrake V1.5. I can confirm that they have removed the sharp edges on the lever.

[@elite_e30]

Is it worth buying? Thank you!

[@captainslav6528]

@@elite_e30 I had one and no don't buy one it will break in a month or less no matter how gentle you are spend a bit more money and buy something that will last.

[@sp1rr_]

worst handbrake ever!

[@General_Stoner]

I got sick of the stupid headphone jack connection bending and breaking so I converted it to a universal handbrake with USB C. I used an Arduino Micro.

[@trentf7070]

I bought mine in Dec 2019, and it was good for about 6 months. Now, it barely works. Everything internal feels a lot looser, and the 3.5mm jack port/cable will fail at some point. Only thing I’ve really been disappointed with from Fanatec.

[@NFiniteCombos]

Barry's audio quality is just nuts

[@Maddesen]

CE-marked and edges sharp enough to cut you.. Seems like Fanatec has a bit of reading up to do...

[@malikmartin]

Watching to see what I need to to to tighten my hb.

[@gozz9999]

Keep up the great videos

[@Marc-lh2qd]

do you think (as I think myself) that the Aiologs handbrake is much better for a very similar price ??,

[@trentf7070]

Yes.

[@BlessYoo]

100% yes

[@joshmattingly8562]

Now I want one of those little hex ratchets!

[@service4582]

I have it and i like i alot, mine is like 2 inches on the right of the wheel makes it real easy to use!

[@LogiForce86]

Brass bushing I reckon. They use brass bushings on the pedals too.

[@Citizens-ip6jn]

Thanks for the review =)

[@docslappy8946]

I've given up on mine for now. I have to turn the orientation of the handle to mount it. Unfrotunatley, the bolts attaching the handle are far too tight and I can't losen them at all. So I can't change the handle orientation. And yes, I've tried all the usual tricks to losen bolts other than taking a blow torch to them. Even when you can losen them, you can see what a bad design it is from Barry's video. Cheap but not value for money.

[@connorbellracing]

Are you planning on reviewing the bj sim racing pedals or the dc pedals? I know a lot of people are looking for a good review in English.

[@brunostiglitz7535]

my pc wont recognise the V1.5 handbrake, ive updated drivers and used the proper connections and it still wont recognise it

[@OhItsThat]

I hope you can get your hands on a Jinx sq shifter soon.

[@slimshady8408]

Mehhh they are a pretty bad option for all of us U.S. Customers.

[@OhItsThat]

@@slimshady8408 Why is that?

[@slimshady8408]

@@OhItsThat ECONOMICS of international trade I suppose.

[@eugyscan]

Are you going to review the Pro Sim H shifter Shift Lock? Loving the reviews, so much buyers advice.

[@elmalloc]

Damn that floss test!

Warning: Ratchet AMSR @25:25

[@PeterSosinski]

Proprietary connectors are very annoying.... great review though, as always! $150, is great for many. Thanks Barry!

[@theredbaron7302]

I dont have a rachet and it was impossible to unscrew the lever

[@bertram-raven]

A pot rather than a hall-sensor, a cheap plastic barrel which always breaks (see YT videos), and no USB in the box. It seems the "cheap" handbrakes on ebay are better made! Fanatec, take note!

[@svpracer98]

I've had mine for some time now. Its not a bad unit at all. I'm just not a fan of how it connects to the side of the gearshifter.

[@bikerboy3k]

Legend

[@RoarS89]

Probably the most overpriced, and janky handbrake on the market. I've had 2, rebuild them both several times, including changing out the potmeter. And I'm not the guy that lets the handbrake slam back after using it either. Simply put, not worth it. 🤷

[@mcnappa828]

the USB adaptor for my one melted 3 days after warranty ran out. wont be purchasing another one after that. POS

[@robertvansteinshwaga]

Had mine since 2016. Came apart one time. Used lock tight to fix it. Never had an issue since and I have about 1000 hours of dirt rally 1.0 and 2.0 on it. Get real.

[@RoarS89]

@@robertvansteinshwaga Good for you, it still doesn't justify the price they charge for it. Specially not when you can get a cheap eBay/Aliexpress handbrake that does the same job for a fraction of the price, and still has less of a chance of breaking. It's funny how the cheap hall sensor handbrake I gave to my friend 2 years ago when I swapped out for Fanatec still goes strong to this day, never skipped a beat, and it cost $60 with shipping when I bought it. But the Fanatec handbrake that cost over $160 with shipping, had to be rebuilt within the first 2 months of owning it, and it doesn't matter how much Loctite you use, when they use low quality potentiometers. "get real" - lol.

[@ok2full]

@@robertvansteinshwaga comments like this make me laugh. just because you personally had good luck with the product doesn't mean everyone else got the same quality / use out of it. Blind brand loyalty is the downfall of the market it allows companies to basically get away with anything. fanatec does make some good quality sim racing gear but that being said i wont be buying anymore from them especially the way they gouge you for all of their accessories. if you dont have a Sim setup IE you want to just mount it to your table you have to pay an additional 60+ dollars for their table mounting system that should just come with the product regardless its INSANE. i shilled out all the money and the brake ended up malfunctioning and becoming useless within 4 days of very light usage and hardly and force being applied to it. im sick of these companies that have a corner on the market because all sim racing hobbyists just shove fanatec down your throat like its the only thing that will work. i dont feel like spending hundreds extra for crap quality and accessories that should come included with their products

[@robertvansteinshwaga]

@@ok2full Maybe you shouldn't yank on it like you are pulling for dear life. The product works fine. Again 5 years lol

[@distressedeq2]

When I heard you say "It will probably end up with another sim racer.", it was everything I needed from the review.

[@SpicyTrifongo]

ehh be careful with that attitude. probably fine conclusion for this particular product however, not all the stuff he features. He has super high end gear, sometimes "very good" isn't good enough for him.

[@remcokelly3564]

Received mine today and there is now a bevel instead of sharp edges

[@LowAss720]

Hudy tools? Just curious if they are from RC cars? I think I got some with my XRay T1 back in the day. Awesome vid as always!

[@havrillaattila8573]

Hi, Barry! Firstly congratulations to your serie, here you make simply a great job! I've got a question i'm interested in, but a really aswer i've never got onto! I think you know what i'd like to know too! Can i use on Fanatec base a custom usb wheel or it must be connected an original Fanatec HUB or rim, otherwise the base doesn't go on. I've already heard a lot opinions, but i'm not sure if i can believe some of them! Thanks for you answer, and sorry for my broken english! Best regards, Attila-a big fan of you from Hungary! ✌️✌️✌️✌️

[@KuSQ3N]

I Will just buy the ailogs instead

[@CarltonYNWA]

My wrench and Allen key got shredded and bent and the nut is still solid! I'm stuck... someone help please!

[@chocks9350]

Mine broke. Sure recoment another kind with hall sensor (mangetec sensors)...

[@worldismine07]

Legend!

[@DriveSMR]

Been using for years. It has been absolutely rock solid

[@GregoryShtevensh]

Hi, I have a spare throttle pedal for my CSL DD. And wanted to make it into a handbrake. The Rj12 cable plugs into the handbrake port, but would it cause any damage to the base if I plug it in and test if it works? I don't have a USB adapter to test it stand alone

[@blinkybillski]

I just got one today. An the have fixed the sharp unfinished edges, they at e now filled down an finished okay. Not happy about how they are shipping a lot of the new wheels and button boxes are now shipped with there improved but still dodgy an flexible, plastic QR.

[@Marc-lh2qd]

Hello Barry ! Like you have tested the two ones, do you prefer the Aiologs handbrake or the 3Drap Akita handbrake ? In addition to Barry’s choice, if you guys have any advice, let me know 😉

[@BillC-64]

Wait, this is only 38 minutes long?! ....Great channel.

[@EXRGravyquinn]

This thing is a cheap POS. (got it in Oct 2020) I'm in the middle of trying to repair mine but also have one of the basic handbrakes ordered . The slop in the handle only gets worse. Eventually it starts reading when you're not pulling on it. Another terrible part of the design is style and location of the plug. Don't damage this cord or you're fhukt! Good luck finding another one quickly and affordably. I know because mine has a short in it. But the worst part of the design (that you can't see) is the method of how the handle connects to the shaft that turns the "pot." That black plastic piece has ONE little nub that goes in a small hole in the handle and that's it. Mine must have broke off at some point. IDK what kind of grease they use but it was extremely gummy and sticky. And the black piece presses against the metal housing that hold the pot. How the hell is that good engineering? Why isn't the handle one solid piece to the pot? I've also ordered a 3.5mm male to USB cable with hopes that I can repair the "nub" with a set screw and hook it up directly to my PC. I currently have my shifter in sequential with the upshift set as my handbrake. It's not analog but at least I don't have to worry about it staying on in the middle of a run!

[@VTiDOHC]

Exactly the same experience. Couldn't believe when it dropped after a few runs only to see that little knub holding it together. Poor engineering

[@NoahG]

consider adding amazon affiliate links for stuff you use in your vids. I know I just went and bought that stubby socket.

[@anone3842]

Is there some program/driver test page like there is for the wheels which can test this handbrake is recognised and functioning? I plugged mine into the V3 pedals, but I have no idea if it is recognised or not. It didn't seem to do anything in the AC Content Manager Controls page... nothing in handbrake section and "click to assign" didn't work.

[@fredriksvalberg2533]

hey! can you make a video that is about your favorite Sim racing setup?

[@terrylu4894]

would you compare it with thrustmaster sparco handbrake? Thank you.

[@djmto7918]

Isnt it possible to plug the handbreak into the wheelbase and use it on PC? I plugged my V1 peadles into my wheelbase and i dont have any problems using them.

[@lucasmann0431]

Can you use it with a thrustmeter wheel if you plug it into a pc

[@monstieb2122]

hello from bonnie Scotland

[@robcohen]

I just got a new one, and the corners are sanded, not sharp. Somebody at Fanatec is listening!

[@marijn17s]

What porsche is the intro sound from? GT3?

[@isaacabernathy8819]

can u use it stand alone on console

[@DemVerse]

Could someone confirm if this handbrake can be used in on xbox series x with thrustmaster tx? Thanks

[@matthewmacdonald5606]

Will this work with a thrustmaster setup on xbox???

[@GavAttackO]

Any cheaper handbrakes that you would recommend? Anybody can reply if they have a cheaper option that they use.

[@zoomermax17]

What's hardware do I need to mount it how you've mounted it?

[@jeffwills2869]

Why do you keep calling it a shifter, Barry?

[@panda2488]

I race on an Xbox one x with a thrustmaster tmx wheel and pedal set, would this be compatible with that or would I need an adapter/drivehub to make it work? If at all? It looks like in theory it would work with that included adapter piece in 6:09 but i want to be sure.

[@robert-janbousche5110]

I am searching for this awnser as well! Anyone knows this already?

[@chrisracer2007]

Finally

[@danut05]

Review the $50 ebay handbrake

[@SIMRIG412]

Obviously junk and lie. Not even true 12 or 14 bit like the ads say they are 8bit

[@walterwillo]

@@SIMRIG412 I just mounted it ! it does its job well. I'm not a rally fanatic but i just got it to have a lever instead of a button..how can i see how many bits it has? (he is recognized as Arduino Leonardo). however, seeing the video better 50eur for the Chinese than 130 for the Fanatec ...

[@SeekersPowerbuild]

It’s absolutely rubbish of a unit. Mine had the springs exploded due to that crap plastic bush design after maybe 6 months of useage,then the nut holding the potentiometer meter keeps coming loose. Few months ago the cable was fked & it costs $10 aud for the cable but $20 aud delivery fee. I also take care of it,never let go of the handle for it to bounce back. Avoid at all cost if you want a handbrake that works without issues every second day. Now I have a eBay $50 handbrake & it has hall sensors in it,I’ll stick to that instead till something else that I like.

[@wb3191]

Ratcheting wrenches... so handy for the tight spots. Harbor freight has some that will do the job.

[@slimshady8408]

No, do NOT buy anything ratcheting, EVER, from HF. Thats is super noob rookie movie. Only ever get their sockets/wrenches, and even then the pitts are only good if you can return them because they will eventually break, crack, with even moderate use. Spend whatever you have to in order to get quality ratcheting wrenches. drives.

[@wb3191]

@@slimshady8408 Dude, I'm a mechanic... for putting a sim rig together HF will be fine. If you're too good for that, Gearwrench is fairly affordable too. I was giving options for people who don't want to drop about $500 for 7 wrenches.

[@slimshady8408]

@@wb3191 you're a mechanic I'm a Factory trained, super certified, triple trophied Extreme Turbo Technician by trade with a background in Snap-on and Mac Tool support administration. I have vastly superior experience, education, training, and overall IQ than you. You gave shit advice so GTFO and don't ever ever give anyone any advise on tooling up as I've revoked your license to do so Weak Brain.

[@DouglasThompson]

It's not a good value for the stock version. The best mods for this handbrake are on my channel. If you have this Handbrake do my mods if you don't have this Handbrake and you are on pc, avoid this Handbrake. This Handbrake should not be more than 60-70 bucks at most.