[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rcX3NYMIO9E[/youtube]
My how to video on using your Thrustmaster TH8A or TH8RS shifter as an analog handbrake. I’ve had a lot of inquiries on how to do this and it’s very simple and the shifter was meant to be used this way.
This is for the PC only and will not work on the consoles. I had no idea you could do this until I saw someone using on You Tube like this. It’s not stated in the manual.
1) Download the driver for the shifter at Thrustmasters site. Once you’ve downloaded it, install it. It won’t work unless you have the driver loaded. I also noticed there’s an updated version of the firmware and I applied that as well.
2) While waiting for the driver to download and install, you can move the shifter plate so the neutral position is up and down versus side to side. Just loosen these 4 screws and move it. No need to take them all the way out. You’ll need to put it so 1st and 2nd gear is up top so that you move the shifter down through the neutral position towards 7th and reverse. This wont work using the sequential shifter plate.
3) Next thing you’ll need to do is change it to analog mode in the driver or Thrustmaster profile.
4) Once in the shifter properties, you’ll check the box to switch the shifter to analog mode.
5) Test the shifter out and you’ll see the axis bar moving.
6) Currently WRC 5 does not accept an axis or analog control in the handbrake position, but Dirt Rally does.
a. Go in game and map the TH8A as your handbrake.
7) Finally, go in game and test it out.
Closing – this makes for a great handbrake that you can hard mount or mount it to your desk with the original desk clamp. You can also use it with a second TH8A shifter that can handle your sequential or gated shifting . Besides Dirt rally, it works with Assetto Corsa if you wanted to use it for drifting and believe it would work with Richard Burns rally as well. I also tried it with Live for Speed and it worked great there too.
That’s interesting as I have been using the Thrustmaster TH8 RS in ‘Sequential’ mode as a Handbrake and it has been working great in Dirt Rally…but I think it maps as a button, not an axis so the strength can be a bit harsh…I will give this a go though…thanks for the info.
Thanks for this great little trick – I recently upgraded my shifter from the TH8A to the Fanatec SQ as I really wanted a sequential. While I could have switched my TH8A to sequential mode ti’s such a pain I never actually did it. The sequential switch/mode in the Fanatec is so easy and feels fantastic that it was worth the upgrade.
As I’ve been playing Dirt Rally a lot lately I’ve been wanting an actual handbrake as it’s much more immersive with the SQ in sequential mode than using the paddles. I too was using it as a handbrake but I’d just pull it back into 4th then make sure to put it back in neutral after activating it. Like ImageArtSigns it was just an on/off switch and not a variable analog input and as such a few hours ago I basically decided to order the DSD sequential before I stumbed upon this looking for a review. How cool of Thrustmaster to include this functionality as it and you just saved me spending $400 for one of his!