Our Verdict
Pros
- Added clutch pedal
- Decent brake mod for added realism
- Adjustable pedals
- Low cost
Cons
- Cheap materials
- Low quality aesthetic design
- Not the best brake even with mod installed
When you are looking to buy a Thrustmaster sim racing wheel, you will see that the main wheel bundles come with a two-pedal set as standard. You do have the option to upgrade to a three-pedal set as part of these bundles, which add these T3PA pedals to your bundle.
We would highly recommend paying the extra cost to add these T3PA pedals to your Thrustmaster racing wheel bundle. We’ve spent a lot of time testing the T3PA pedals to be able to bring you our in-depth review and show you why you should upgrade to this pedal set.
What are the Thrustmaster T3PA pedals?
The T3PA pedals by Thrustmaster are an add-on pedal set which is compatible with the T300 RS, T500 RS, and TX racing wheels as well as newer Thrustmaster wheels such as the T248 and T128. They include a third pedal to improve gameplay over their two-pedal cousin.
This pedal set really should be your starting point when buying a Thrustmaster racing wheel. And you should ideally stay away from the standard two-pedal set. The T3PA pedals are an improvement in every way.
One of the key improvements of the T3PA pedals, once you’ve looked past the third pedal, is the inclusion of a brake mod. This optional brake mod changes how the brake pedal reacts, and adds a slightly more realistic feel to the pedal progression. We’ll look at this in more detail further in this review.
To start with, you should know that the T3PA pedals are completely plug-and-play. This means that all you have to do is connect them to a compatible wheel base, (any of the T range of wheel bases) and they’ll work.
The design and build quality
When you compare these pedals to the standard two-pedal set you will see a lot of similarities. The majority of the base of each pedal set is made from plastic. The pedals themselves feature a similar metal design and construction, and they’re hinged in the exact same way.
Thrustmaster has reworked the plastic base to include a nicer, more subtle grip design, which also adds to the increased aesthetic quality.
The pedals
Both pedal sets allow you to adjust the spacing between pedals. They do this by allowing you to remove the pedal pad and mount it in three different positions. This is nice, although we would rather have been able to move each whole pedal individually as the Fanatec CSL Elite pedals.
By being able to adjust each pedal into three different configurations, you will find it much easier to get a good setup for your preference. Many race cars in real life feature a brake and throttle pedal which are mounted closer together.
This improves the ease of being able to use the heel and toe technique to downshift. You can replicate a similar setup with these Thrustmaster pedals.
We found mounting the brake and throttle one step closer to each other. And adjusting the angle of both pedals is the best way for us to heel and toe accurately.
As I just mentioned, you can also adjust the angle of each pedal, which is a lovely touch. By rotating the mounting support behind each pedal you can add an increased incline to each pedal.
This is a nice feature for those who mount their pedals on a more extreme angle or have a formula-style rig setup. We wouldn’t have expected this from a pedal upgrade that comes in less than $100. So it is nice to see that this feature made its way in.
Overall, when compared to the two pedal sets, the T3PA pedals do ooze a much more professional quality. We would say that almost any two-pedal setup isn’t ideal, but this jump from the two pedals to the three feels rather more significant.
Third-party mods
Allowing the end user to completely remove the pedals to adjust them, also opens up the opportunity for users to add their own pedals to this kit. You can purchase third-party pedals from various sellers which have the same mounting pattern.
If you prefer, you can simply install one of these third-party pedal plates to create a completely custom pedal setup. I don’t think this is what Thrustmaster was thinking about when deciding to let users remove the pedals. But it is a nice option to have. More customization with almost any product is good!
How do the T3PA pedals perform?
If you have previously used the standard two-pedal kit that comes with Thrustmaster wheels, these will feel familiar. The brake and throttle pedal both feel almost identical to the two-pedal kit.
The brake is a lot stiffer to press than the throttle and the clutch, as you would imagine. And it gives a decent feeling towards braking as standard.
If you fancy increasing or adjusting the brake pedal resistance, the T3PA kit does come with an optional brake mod. This brake mod (the conical rubber brake mod) features an industrial-grade high-density rubber cylinder.
This rubber mod fits directly behind the brake pedal to offer a much more realistic, progressive resistance. This comes in to play the harder you push the pedal, giving you more resistance the closer you get to 100% pressure.
You can adjust where you place this rubber mod to give the brake pedal a few different sensations. You can place it towards the base of the pedal if you prefer a long brake pedal. This will give you a slight increase in resistance as you near the end of the brake travel.
Or you can place it much closer to the pedal itself to give the pedal a shorter, firmer travel.
We tested this in all four configurations, and preferred the longer brake travel, with a medium increase in resistance. For us, this felt the most natural, as the short brake travel just felt too unrealistic.
We would recommend installing this rubber cone, as it dramatically increases the performance and feeling of the brake. Over time you will be able to brake more consistently and realistically, than you could without it.
Of course, if the brake mod isn’t for you, you can always uninstall it.
Are the Thrustmaster T3PA pedals worth buying?
We would highly recommend picking up a set of these pedals if you are configuring a Thrustmaster setup. They are vastly better than the two-pedal kit that comes with some wheels.
Not only do these pedals include that illusive clutch pedal. But the brake mod is possibly the most impactful part of these pedals. By installing the brake mod, you completely transform how these pedals feel, and really increase the overall immersion.
We would confidently say that you will be able to drive better with these pedals compared to the two-pedal set. The clutch pedal allows the introduction of heel-and-toe braking and downshifting. And the brake mod allows you to have much better control over your overall braking technique.
If you already own the standard pedals, the cost of these pedals is well worth it. These come in at a cool $100, which isn’t too scary compared to other pedal sets. You’ll find they are a significant increase in quality, and well worth the upgrade cost.
What about the T3PA Pro pedals?
There are of course the T3PA Pro pedals if you fancy another step up. The Pro pedal variant allows for even more customization by allowing you to invert the pedals.
With the Pro pedals you can hinge the pedals from the top, rather than the bottom. This gives an even closer representation of a real road car. But this comes at an extra cost.
Read our full review of the T3PA Pro pedals where we compare them to these T3PA pedals, and find out which you should buy.
READ MORE – Read our full Thrustmaster T3PA Pro pedal review.
Technical Specifications
Review written by Felix König
