Asetek Forte S Series User manual

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Forte® S-Series Sim Racing
Pedals Manual

Thank you for purchasing the Asetek SimSports®Forte®S-Series pedals.
You have made an excellent choice! We are sure the Forte®S-Series pedals
will help you take your sim racing career to the next level. Whether you are a
beginner or an experienced racer.
Prepare for the sensation of being in a real race car.

1
Foreword..................................................................................................................................... 2
About This Document ...................................................................................................... 2
Other Relevant Documents........................................................................................... 2
Symbols Used ....................................................................................................................... 3
Copyright................................................................................................................................ 3
1. Introduction ........................................................................................................................... 3
1.1 Box Contents................................................................................................................... 4
1.2 Videos ................................................................................................................................ 5
1.3 Manual version............................................................................................................... 5
1.4 Support & Contact ....................................................................................................... 5
2. Product.................................................................................................................................... 5
2.1 Intended Use .................................................................................................................. 5
2.2 Compatibility ................................................................................................................. 6
2.3 Reasonably Foreseeable Unintended Use ...................................................... 6
2.4 General Specifications .............................................................................................. 6
3. Product Overview .............................................................................................................. 7
4. Getting Started .................................................................................................................... 8
4.1 Installing your Pedals.................................................................................................. 8
4.1.1 Tools Required............................................................................................................. 8
4.1.2 Optional Tools............................................................................................................. 8
4.1.3 Mounting to your Rig .............................................................................................. 8
4.2 Adjusting the Pedals .................................................................................................. 11
4.2.1 Pedal Face Plate Adjustments............................................................................ 12
4.2.2 Forte®S-Series Brake & Throttle Pedals........................................................ 13
4.2.3 How Does the M.L.C.P.C.™ System Function ............................................. 14
4.2.4 Adjusting the Brake Pedal Angle...................................................................... 17
4.2.5 Throttle Pedal Angle Adjustment .................................................................... 19
4.2.6 Throttle Preload Adjustment ............................................................................. 20
4.2.7 Throttle Spring Replacement ............................................................................. 22
4.2.8 Throttle Travel Distance Adjustment.............................................................. 24
4.2.9 Swapping Elastomers............................................................................................. 25
4.2.10 Elastomer Types ..................................................................................................... 27
4.2.11 Brake Pedal Preload Adjustment..................................................................... 28
4.3 Connecting to your PC ............................................................................................. 30
4.4 Start Racing! .................................................................................................................. 31
5. RaceHub™ Adjustments.................................................................................................. 31
5.1 RaceHub™ Download................................................................................................. 31
5.1.1 RaceHub™ Installation............................................................................................. 31
5.1.2 RaceHub™ Updating............................................................................................... 32
5.2 Introduction................................................................................................................... 32
5.3 Pedal Calibration......................................................................................................... 32
5.4 Deadzone Adjustments............................................................................................ 33
5.5 Maximum Brake Force Adjustment.................................................................... 34
5.6 Custom Pedal Mapping............................................................................................ 35
6. Maintenance......................................................................................................................... 36
6.1 Throttle Maintenance................................................................................................. 36
6.2 Brake Maintenance .................................................................................................... 36
6.3 Spare Parts...................................................................................................................... 36
7. Troubleshooting................................................................................................................... 37
8. Safety ....................................................................................................................................... 38
9. De-commissioning & Sustainability............................................................................ 39
9.1 Packaging ........................................................................................................................ 39
9.2 Product ............................................................................................................................ 39
9.3 Production...................................................................................................................... 40
10. Declaration of Conformity............................................................................................ 40
Table of contents

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Foreword
About This Document
This manual is written for the end-user of the Asetek SimSports®
Forte®S-Series Pedals (hereon after: “pedals”) and contains
all information required to correctly and safely install, use and
maintain the following model:
This manual was authored in English. All other languages are
translations of the original document.
Please make sure that you have thoroughly read and
understood all contents of this manual before installing, using, or
performing maintenance on the pedals.
If anything in this manual is unclear, please contact Asetek
SimSports®Support (available on www.asetek.com/simsports/support/).
Please note the serial number on your product before contacting
the support. The serial number can be found on the bottom of
the brake base plate and written here for your convenience:
Other Relevant Documents
These documents may assist you in your quest for faster lap
times:
Mounting patterns, software, DoC, and other installation
manuals can be found here:
www.asetek.com/simsports/knowledge-base/
Model Name P-BT-1
Product Name Forte®S-Series Brake & Throttle
Product Code 40-010-0010007
Serial Number
Asetek Denmark A/S
Assensvej 2
9220 Aalborg East
Denmark
www.asetek.com

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Symbols Used
Make sure you pay attention to all warnings and symbols on the
product and packaging.
Copyright
The content of this manual is protected by copyright and other
international intellectual property laws. The contents of this
manual or any parts thereof may only be made public, copied,
modified, reproduced, translated with express written permission
from Asetek. This manual or any parts thereof may only be
published, transmitted, displayed, or made available to a third
party with express written permission from Asetek SimSports®.
Indicates that minor to moderate
injuries may be sustained if the
instruction is not followed correctly
This indicates that the product could
be damaged if the instruction is not
followed correctly
1. Introduction
Thank you for purchasing the Asetek SimSports®Forte®S-Series
pedals. We strongly encourage you to read through this manual
thoroughly in its entirety. The Forte®S-Series Pedals is a premium
product made to fit each user.
Inspired by real life racing, the Forte®S-Series Sim Racing
Pedal set has been thoroughly tested by racers and sim racers
alike. With all their feedback in mind, the pedals were designed
and engineered to give sim racers an amazingly immersive
experience. The M.L.C.P.C.™ (Mechanical Load Cell Powered
Cylinder) brake cylinder is designed to give you a realistic brake
experience and is rigorously tested with up to 180 kg of pedal
force. They have an excellent baseline adjustment out of the
box, and we strongly encourage you to drive for 5+ hours with
the baseline adjustments before changing anything. After that,
your full immersion racing experience is unlocked when they are
adjusted to your personal preference.

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1.1 Box Contents
The box contains the following components and accessories:
• Forte®S-Series M.L.C.P.C. Brake
• Forte®S-Series Throttle
• Flyer with QR code to online manual
• Safety brief
• Warranty statement
• Asetek SimSports®sticker sheet
• USB Type-A to USB Type-C cable (Two (2) meters)
• USB Type-C to USB Type-C cable (Two (2) meters)
• Throttle/Clutch extension cable 100mm
• Throttle/Clutch extension cable 200mm
• M6x5 Set screw (x2)
• M6x20 Bolt (x8)
• M6 slot nut (x8)
• Washer (x8)
• M6 Hex nut (x8)
• Allen Key, 3mm
• Allen key, 5mm
• Elastomer
• Black, Soft, Extra
• Green (w/ text), Medium, Preinstalled
• Throttle Spring
• Hard, Preinstalled
• Soft, Extra

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1.2 Videos
On the Asetek SimSports®YouTube channel
(https://www.youtube.com/aseteksimsports), you will be able to
find tutorial videos which, in detail, demonstrates numerous
ways the pedals can be set up and used.
You will also find additional information about the development
and ambition for the Forte®S-Series pedals.
1.3 Manual version
This manual is version 1.0.
You will always be able to find the latest version of the manual at:
www.asetek.com/simsports/knowledge-base/
1.4 Support & Contact
Should you stumble upon further questions that are not covered
in this manual or any of our detailed instruction videos, we
encourage you to contact our friendly support staff at
[e-mail]
2. Product
2.1 Intended Use
Thank you for purchasing the Asetek SimSports®Forte®S-Series
pedals; you have made an excellent choice! Asetek SimSports®
Forte®S-Series pedals will bring you to the next level of your
Sim Racing career. Whether you are a beginning or experienced
racer, you will feel the immersion of being in a real race car while
racing the tracks across the globe in the virtual space.
The Asetek SimSports®Forte®S-Series pedals are designed to
be used in competitive sim racing. The pedals can be directly
connected to any PC with a USB port and are intended to be
mounted in a sim racing cockpit.
Recommended ages 15 and above
The pedals are intended for indoor use only

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Platform(s) PC (Windows 10, 11)
Games Assetto Corsa
Assetto Corsa Competizione
DiRT Rally
DiRT Rally 2.0
F1 Series
iRacing
Project Cars 2
rFactor 2
+ many other games that accept
direct input devices
2.2 Compatibility
2.3 Reasonably Foreseeable Unintended Use
The following is considered misuse and may void the warranty:
• Use of adaptors or extension sets for cables;
• Use of other cables than provided with the product;
• Use in an environment that varies from or exceeds the given
environmental conditions;
• Use that varies from or exceeds the given operating conditions;
• Failure to comply with the instructions in this manual;
• Failure to eliminate faults, malfunctions, or defects of the product
that impose safety risks;
• Unauthorized removal or modification of parts or safety devices of
the product;
• Use of spare parts or accessories that Asetek SimSports®has not
approved;
• Mounting and/or use of any parts in a vehicle;
• Adjusting pedal settings during operation;
• Operation in a flammable and/or explosive environment.
• Dropping the throttle (quickly and completely removing your foot)
from the point of actuation. This would not be a use in a real car, and
the pedals are not designed to withstand these forces.
2.4 General Specifications
Dimensions (D x W x H) 457 x 212 x 256 mm
Weight 3 kg
Materials Pedals: Aluminum
PCB Housing: Plastic
Sensor Types Throttle: Hall sensor
Brake: Load Cell Sensor
Power Input 5V 500mA – Max. 2,5W
Operating Temperatures 15°C to 35°C, room temperature

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3. Product Overview
Throttle pedal face plate
Brake pedal face plate
Throttle pedal stop
Heel rest
Brake pedal stop
RGB LED strip
Rod clevis lock pin
Lock nut
Brake preload lock thumb nut
Locking thumb nut
Brake preload force adjustment
Throttle pedal arm
Brake pedal arm
Rod clevis
Rod clevis lock pin
Lock nut
Throttle preload adjustment
Throttle spring
Throttle rod
Throttle pedal end-stop
USB Type-C port
Locking thumb nut

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4. Getting Started
This section will teach you how to get your pedals set up and
running. Later in the manual, you will learn much more about
fine-tuning and software.
4.1 Installing your Pedals
4.1.1 Tools Required
To mount the pedals in your cockpit, you will need the following
tools:
• Allen key, 3 mm (included)
• Allen key, 5 mm (included)
• Key wrench (not included)
4.1.2 Optional Tools
Depending on your rig and mounting preference, you may also
need the following tools:
• Pencil or marker
• Screwdriver
• Power drill
4.1.3 Mounting to your Rig
The pedals are intended to be solely used while mounted to a
sim racing rig.
Do not use the pedals without mounting them as they may shift
during use and cause injury to you, bystanders, or your cockpit.
CAUTION
Each pedal have four (4) mounting holes in fixed positions.
As such, all adjustments to the positioning of the bases must be
handled by your rig.

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The baseplates are designed to be used with M6 screws,
and holes in your rig should be with Ø6,4 diameter. It is also
compatible with the included M6 slot nuts.
The Asetek SimSports®Forte®S-Series pedals are designed
to withstand an extreme amount of braking force. Therefore,
it is paramount that you install them on a very rigid base. Ideal
conditions are in, aluminum profile cockpits, or a thick metal
baseplate (as a minimum, we recommend: 3 mm, steel).
Mounting your pedals:
1. Carefully remove excess dust and debris from the installation
location.
2. Determine the spacing you want between your brake and
throttle and connect the appropriate lenght of extension
cable between your brake and throttle.
3. Place the brake and throttle pedals in their designated spot
in your rig.
4. Align the holes in each of the pedals to four existing
mounting holes in your sim rig, if available.
Do not use the pedals without mounting them.
Throttle/Clutch extension cable 100mm
Throttle/Clutch extension cable 200mm

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5. Mount each pedal to the existing holes using the four (4)
provided M6x20 screws, four (4) washers, and four (4) nuts or
four (4) M6 slot nuts (depending on your rig).
If there are no holes available or they do not line up, you can use
the mounting hole schematics available here:
www.asetek.com/simsports/product/forte-s-series-brake-throttle/
or continue to step 6:
6. Mark the drilling locations.
7. Remove the pedals and drill eight (8) Ø6.4 mm holes.
8. Mount each pedal to the holes using four (4) provided
M6x20 screws, four (4) washers, and four (4) bolts or M6 slot
nuts (depending on your rig).
Congratulations. You have successfully mounted your Asetek
SimSports®Forte®S-Series Pedals to your rig. Enjoy the ride!
Note: If your rig is placed up against a wall, please make sure that
there are minimum 5 cm of air between the rear of the brake cylinder
and the wall, to avoid unnecessary friction between the two.

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4.2 Adjusting the Pedals
It is essential to make sure you have the correct pedal angle
in any racing style. Setting this correctly will ensure maximum
braking efficiency, allow you to use muscle memory to your
advantage, and make you go even faster around the track!
The pedals are set up in their default configuration (out of the
box) to give you maximum immersion. In other words, they are
set up to be focused on realism – like what you would find in a
real race car. The brake is at 90° to the base, and the throttle
tilted a few degrees forward. This allows for the most efficient
braking and will allow you to train your muscle memory to
perfection while also maximizing your trail braking potential.
The throttle and clutch pedals are further forward to ensure that
you will hit the brake pedal as the first thing in an emergency on
track.
The above setup is how it works in a real race car. We recommend
you drive for several hours first and try to adapt. In a real race
car, where you often have different drivers in the car (as well as
in many endurance sim races), the pedals are adjusted like the
above, and there is no opportunity to change that specifically to
any driver. It is just physics that you will have the most efficient
braking when the brake pedal is at a 90-degree angle.
Avoid eye contact with the lubrication grease and wash hands thoroughly after adjustment.

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4.2.1 Pedal Face Plate Adjustments
Forte®S-Series pedal face plates can be adjusted along the X
and Y-axis. It will allow the pedals to accommodate a variety of
different shoe sizes and increase performance and comfort for
anyone using the pedals.
To adjust the position, follow these easy steps:
1. Remove the screws with an allen key from the pedal
face plates
2. Align the holes on the pedal arm with the holes on the pedal
face plate
3. Insert and fasten the two screws with an allen key
Note: The screws can bite hard, so be careful not to overtighten
or have the tool slip. Recommended torque: 2 nm
Do not use a power drill, as this may damage the screws.
Only use the holes marked green for mounting.

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4.2.2. Forte®S-Series Brake & Throttle Pedals
Through this chapter, you will learn more about the adjustment
options related to the throttle and brake.
If you have been looking for the best race car brake pedal feel,
without going full hydraulic, look no further! The brake pedal on
the Forte®S-Series pedal set can be adjusted from soft to hard
and it will stay that way – unlike many other sim racing pedals on
the market, where the hardness and feel will degrade over time.
It is not a coincidence a race driver wants a brake pedal, when
fully depressed, feels like pushing a wall.
When applying brake pressure late you want to be able to use
muscle memory to replicate that trail brake feeling going into
the corner. By using muscle memory your brain is wired to
be able to brake at the same spot over and over on the track.
Conversely if you use a soft pedal, you will have to rely on foot or
pedal position, disallowing your brain the ability to replicate with
the same accuracy and you will – guaranteed – lose important
lap time. Did you ever consider on a racetrack with 10 corners,
gaining or losing 1/10 of a second on the brake, means a second
on your lap time?
Forte®S-Series, while not hydraulic, will still offer you the
“hydraulic sensation” of a fully depressed brake pedal, where
you can still pressure modulate/trail brake thanks to the 2-stage
system inspired by Invicta™. In real life it will feel like the brake
pedal when pressed 100% and hard, will still react to further
pressure like when trying to compress the fluid in a brake system.
The design is engineered with user-experience in mind, where
all adjustable elements are color coded to get you started
quickly, and to ensure intuitive and mostly toolless use. The
Forte®S-Series sim pedals are highly adjustable to help you
channel your inner race car driver, by changing the travel and
hardness settings to your exact preference. You can easily adjust
hardness, “caliper to disc gap”, travel and much more. And by
using the Asetek SimSports®RaceHub™ software, you’re ready
to race in no time. (see section 6. RaceHub™)

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4.2.3 How Does the M.L.C.P.C.™ System Function
The Asetek SimSports®M.L.C.P.C (Mechanical Load Cell
Powered Cylinder) brake cylinder gives you, shy of a full
hydraulic system, an authentic race car driving experience. The
brake cylinder features a load cell sensor (up to 180 kg of pedal
force) detecting actual changes in force on the pedal plate,
which makes it the closest you will come to a realistic brake
experience.
The load-cell ensures accurate and precise measurement in
kilos, and measures force rather than travel. This allows you to
train your muscle memory and subsequently making you faster
on the track. With a hard load cell system, using your muscle
memory is much more reliable than relying on a long travel.
Training your muscle memory will take time, but with training
you will improve, and trust your muscle memory rather than
focusing on the travel in the pedal.
In our effort to achieve a feeling, which gives you the race car
feeling, we have designed a load cell brake cylinder that is
inspired by our hydraulic T.H.O.R.P.™ cylinder.
A hard and short brake pedal is faster because you can brake
later, and it is required to proper trail brake and use your muscle
memory to do so, as explained later. You can consider a race car
braking system as 2 stages:
The “soft stage”: When you apply pressure on the pedal, it will
move 10-20 mm (measured on the pedal plate), while you build
up hydraulic pressure, while the caliper pistons are traveling to
and pushing the brake pads against the brake disc, and to com-
pensate for the small amount of play in all the mechanical parts
on the pedal system that is required for them not to seize up. At
this stage the car is slowing down but it is soft braking.
The “hard stage”: When hydraulic pressure is built up, the
brake pads are squeezing the discs hard, and all mechanical play
is compensated. In this stage, your foot is basically “pressing
against a wall”, because now your muscles are pressing directly
against the hydraulic forces (the brake fluid). Since the fluid
cannot be compressed, you will feel the pedal is hard. When a
race car driver complains about a “long” or a “soft” pedal, it is
typically because there is air in the system, and since air CAN
be compressed, the pedal will feel soft and long. The mechanics
then bleed the brakes for air, meaning there is only fluid left in
the system, and the pedal is once again hard after passing the
“soft stage”.

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Most mechanical sim racing pedals on the market, have an
“unlimited” travel, as it is essentially a question about how
hard you squeeze the elastomer. Oftentimes, the elastomer
is overworked (compressed more than designed for) and it
provides a spongy and inconsistent brake feel and eventually the
elastomer will break because of being overworked out of spec.
But worst of all: with the long brake pedal travel, you will have to
brake earlier to build up full brake pressure!
In our quest to mimic the perfect race car feel, we have
implemented a mechanical stop in our M.L.C.P.C.™ brake
system. You can adjust the hardness of the “soft stage”, by
changing elastomers, but the travel will be limited to 15-25mm
on the pedal plate, to simulate the “hard stage” where the
pressure has built up, and the feeling is like “pressing a wall”. In
the transition between the soft and hard stage (when hitting the
mechanical stop) we have implemented a rubber damper, which
will simulate the fully engaged brake caliper but still enable the
load cell sensor to measure additional pedal pressure, which
again allows for a perfect trail braking. This is the same feeling
you get in a real race car.
And THAT is the Asetek SimSports®Forte®S-Series
M.L.C.P.C.™ difference!
By adjusting the piston and thumb lock nut in front of the
mechanical brake cylinder, you can adjust the preload of the
system to closely mimic the gap you will experience in a real car
(between disc and brake pad). We have made this adjustable,
so you can have the feeling just the way you like it – and just like
your favorite car. Using the RaceHub™, you can also adjust your
deadzone on the brake pedal. This allows you to rest your foot on
the pedal without getting inputs to the game.
It may surprise you, but as described above, having a hard brake
pedal will help you get around the track faster. It has to do with
muscle memory and efficient trail braking.
Having a hard brake pedal will allow your muscle memory to
be trained to perfection. Muscle memory is the subconscious
telling your muscles just the right amount of pressure, leaving
your conscious mind to take care of more important things at
that moment – like watching traffic or hitting apex. Your muscle
memory is not wired to remember a position. Try to lift your
hand with your eyes closed and reach the same spot within
0.5 mm 10 times in a row, and you will get the point. But your
muscle memory can memorize a pressure extremely accurately,
meaning going around a track, your muscle memory can
make you brake the same way again and again. This cannot be
achieved with a soft pedal – especially when trail braking.

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Furthermore, a hard and short travel brake pedal will allow you to
brake later. Imagine having a brake pedal with 50 mm (common
for many sim racers) of travel versus a brake pedal with almost
zero travel. Imagine this scenario: You are going 300 km/h down
a straight. With the long travel brake, it will physically take you
perhaps 1/10 of a second more to reach full braking power. On
the hard and short brake pedal, you will reach maximum braking
power instantly. If you have three hard braking zones on a track,
you will lose 3/10 of a second each lap.
The Top 10 in F1 or GT3 is frequently determined in way less than
3/10 of a second. The conclusion is that we at Asetek SimSports®
have developed the Forte®S-Series pedals to replicate a real
race car. Why? Because it is the fastest but may not be what
feels the most comfortable. It is your choice whether to be the
quickest or have a brake pedal that feels soft and comfortable.
The Forte®S-Series will allow both a softer and a longer brake
pedal.

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4.2.4 Adjusting the Brake Pedal Angle
1. To adjust the brake pedal angle, you will have to remove the
clevis attaching the M.L.C.P.C.™ brake cylinder push rod to
the pedal arm and swing the cylinder out of the way of
the brake pedal. To achieve this, you must first unlock the
thumbnut on the rod.
2. Remove the clevis lock pin
3. Swing the cylinder out of the way
Please be aware that edges on the rod clevis can be sharp

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4. When the cylinder is out of the way, you can adjust the pedal
stops by loosening the locking thumbnut
5. Push the pedal slightly forward, and rotate the thumbscrew
6. Once you have achieved your desired position, tighten the
locking thumbnut
7. Adjust the pushrod length by turning the clevis until it
approximately matches up with the hole in the pedal arm.
Re-insert the clevis lock pin.
Because of the built-in spring in the pushrod, there will be a
small preload requiring you to most likely having to pull back the
clevis a bit while inserting the lock pin. This is normal.
Please note that on a flat surface, you will have to unmount the pedals, to achieve
this.