ProtoSimTech PT2 Pedals

Overview

• Excellent quality load cell pedals at a then very reasonable price (2013-2022)
• The clutch on the PT-2s has a novel spring-loaded physical resistance mechanism to approximate what a clutch feels like in a real car
• Probably surpassed by other pedals at this point but excellent pedals and I'm still using them in 2025
• ProtoSimTech closed down in 2022
• Replacement parts are no longer available for purchase from ProtoSimTech but many of the smaller pieces are off-the-shelf pieces and there's a good chance you could buy replacements at Home Depot, Amazon, or other places
  • I wouldn't worry, I haven't needed any replacement parts since I bought mine in 2018
• Other parts like rubber washers can be replaced with parts from Heusinkveld who make their own high quality pedals and parts
• Archive.org Website Copy (Apr 5, 2023) - Last valid website archive

In-Depth Review Video

• Video from Barry Rowland's excellent Sim Racing Garage YouTube channel
• Complete first impressions, build, part analysis, and gameplay review

Calibration

• PT2 Adjustments and Calibration [Video] - Batch 1-3 with Sensitivity Potentiometer Box Adjustment
  • DIView for USB Devices - Software to View and Calibrate USB Inputs
• DIView Brake Load Cell Calibration [Video] - Video is labeled for "Batch #5" but it applies to all batches as it's at the USB inputs level.
• Calibration for PT2 batch #4 and later [Video] - Batch 4+ with Sensitivity Software Adjustment
  • Configuration Software

Brake Calibration

• Sensitivity Potentiometer Box Adjustment:
  • Heavier brake feel: Turn Left - Decrease Sensitivity
  • Lighter brake feel: Turn Right - Increase Sensitivity
• Recommendations:
  • Start in the middle
  • Adjust by 90degs either way and test, then by 45degs and test, then by 22.5degs and test, and so on
  • I am somewhere between straight left and straight up ie. 25-50%

Troubleshooting

Brakes Too Easy To Press / No Longer Takes Strength To Reach Max Brake Application

• tl;dr I removed the screws on my controller box and it started applying the appropriate heavy feel per the knob rotation
  • Something must be getting compressed in there and it stops working for some reason
  • It turned out to be soldering loosening on the connections to the small knob board (three wires). As a temporary fix, I used electrical tape to make the connections a little more robust and that fixed it.
• At some point, my brake load cell seemed to be stuck on the easiest, lightest setting regardless of what I set the control box knob to
• After unscrewing the controller box to see if anything was disconnected, or looked broken, the appropriate brake pressure / heavy feel started working again
• Using Diview, I could see the actuation number and gauge based on how much pressure I was putting on the pedal
• Now it takes significant brake pressure to reach 100% brake, which is what I want
• Update:
  • Still a problem. Appears to be frayed wire strands on the small potentiometer board connections touching each other
  • Separated them with electrical tape and that seems to have fixed the problem for now
  • I will be upgrading the existing BU0836-LC Load Cell Joystick 12-Bit Controller to a Load Cell Interface LC-USB 16-bit
    • Bonus: Instead of a potentiometer knob, the brake feel can now be adjusted in software using Bodnar Configuration Software which is available on the same product page
  • I managed to contact Chris from ProtoSimTech, as well as Bodnar support, and they both indicated it was a valid upgrade path for the pedal inputs
  • Looking forward to the higher 16-bit resolution as 12-bit (4096 steps) just seems a little too low resolution to me