Ecci Trackstar 6000 series User manual

EXTREME COMPETITION CONTROLS INC. - ECCI

TRACKSTAR 6000 Series - USB HD Ultra - OWNERS MANUAL

(Edition 3.0 - July 2005)

INDEX

1.0 WHEEL UNIT SETUP AND ADJUSTMENT

2.0 PEDAL UNIT SETUP AND ADJUSTMENT

4.0 CONNECTING TO YOUR COMPUTER

5.0 ACCESSORY EXPANSION PORT

6.0 POT REPLACEMENT AND POT SETUP

TRACKSTAR

3.0 STEERING RESISTANCE TUNING

3.1

3.3 Steering lock adjustment

3.5 Steering centering pressure at neutral

MONOPOINT IIMONOPOINT II

system

3.4 Steering spring resistance adjustment

3.7 Shift paddle adjustment

4.1 Connecting a basic USB unit

4.2 Connecting a USB HD equipped system

3.2 Tuning suggestions

4.3 Modes of operation - USB HD

4.4 Separated mode calibration - USB HD

4.5 Linked mode calibration - USB HD

4.6 Properly calibrating the PMB-II brake pedal

7.0 SERVICE AND TECHNICAL SUPPORT

The

3.6 FLDS - fluid damped steering

1.1

1.3 Steering wheel assembly

1.2 Wheel mounting bracket assembly

Unpacking the wheel unit

1.5 Cockpit mounting

1.4 Wheel angle adjustment

2.1

2.3 PMB brake pedal pressure adjustment

2.2 Basic pedal pressure adjustment

Assembly sequence

2.4 Adjusting pedal unit geometry

6.1 Steering pot replacement

6.2 Steering pot setup - USB HD

6.3 Pedal pot replacement

6.4 Pedal pot setup - USB HD

6.5 Cleaning

The contents of this manual, including all descriptions, procedures, and graphics are the

exclusive intellectual property of Extreme Competition Controls Inc and may not be copied

or distributed without the written permission of ECCI.

4.7 Connecting and calibrating a DB-15 game port system

STEERING WHEEL

TRACKSTAR

SHIFT PADDLE SET BUTTON CENTER

RETAINING RING BUTTON

Figure 1 - WHEEL UNIT COMPONENTS

STEERING UNIT CHASSIS

TABLE MOUNTING BRACKET

Figure 2 - WHEEL UNIT ASSEMBLY

STEERING WHEEL

TABLE MOUNTING

BRACKET

CENTRAL CHASSIS

STRUCTURAL PLATE

BRACKET

TENSIONING BOLT

TENSIONING PIVOT

TABLE MOUNTING

ARM

PIVOT SET SCREW

WHEEL UNIT HOUSING

POTENTIOMETER

HOUSING SCREWS

REAR LEG

TABLE BRACKET

SCREWS & NUTS

WHEEL SPACER

(OPTIONAL)

1.0 WHEEL UNIT SETUP AND ADJUSTMENT

1.1 UNPACKING THE WHEEL UNIT

Before unpacking and setting up your driving system, prepare a clean area with

adequate room for laying out the components. Review the list of wheel unit parts

[Figure 1] and verify that everything is present to complete assembly.

ECCI recommends keeping the original box and packing materials in case the

unit needs to be shipped in the future. If shipping is needed, the unit MUST be

shipped partially disassembled as originally received, or damage will result.

1.2 WHEEL MOUNTING BRACKET

Before starting, examine Figure 2 for how the wheel unit should appear when

assembled. In a sufficient workspace lay out the mounting bracket assembly,

steering wheel, shift paddle set, center logo button, and button retaining ring.

1. Set the main steering chassis on a table upside down on a terry cloth towel

or other soft non-abrasive cushioning material to avoid scratching the cover.

2. Using a 3/16 inch hex wrench, loosen the two center-most chassis tube bolts

[Figure 3]. Do not remove them; back them out until the nuts between the

bolt tubes and the gray central structural plate can be removed and

discarded. Then re-install the two bolts about one turn and leave them loose.

3. Invert the table bracket assembly towards the central chassis structural plate

and align the two central slots with the previously loosened chassis-tube

bolts [Figure 3]. The table bracket should be seated between the spacer

tubes and the gray central chassis structural plate.

4. Using a 1/8 inch hex wrench, attach the mounting bracket with the 3

supplied bracket mount screws and nuts [Figure 3]. After tightening these

screws, turn the two center-most chassis bolts until tight, fully securing the

mounting bracket to the central chassis structural plate.

5. Turn the unit upright and secure to a tabletop edge using the clamp of the

mounting bracket [Figure 4]. Rotate the bracket tensioning bolt [Figure 2]

until it is perpendicular to the underside of your mounting surface. Turn until

it contacts the underside of the surface. Do not over tighten. Turn till finger-

tight and then using a wrench, turn one-half turn more. Then lock the bracket

by tightening the pivot set screw.

1.3 STEERING WHEEL ASSEMBLY

1. With the wheel unit upright and secured to the tabletop the steering wheel

and shift paddles can be mounted. Prior to assembly inspect the shift paddle

set [Figure 5]. Note the importance of the two wire management slots at the

back side of the paddles. These slots accommodate the button wiring when

the paddle/wheel assembly is tightened down to the steering unit hub. It is

critical that the wires pass through these slots and avoid getting pinched

during assembly.

Remove the five wheel attachment screws from the paddle set. Discard

the small nuts that held them at the back of the assembly. From front to

back, the screws will pass through the steering wheel, optional wheel

spacer (if supplied), the shift paddle assembly, and into the threaded

holes in the hub

TRACKSTAR

Figure 3 - TABLE BRACKET INSTALLATION

CHASSIS TUBE BOLTS

BRACKET MOUNT

SCREW HOLES

Figure 4 - TABLE EDGE MOUNTING AND ADJUSTMENT

MONITOR

MONITOR SHELF WITH 8+

6 IN.

8” MIN.

HEX KEY

CENTRAL STRUCTURAL PLATE

INCHES OF CLEARANCE

REMOVE

2 NUTS

REAR LEG

ADJUSTMENT

SCREWS

ELEVATION OF REAR LEG

SETS ANGLE OF UNIT

1. [Figure 5]. Begin assembly by putting two screws through the steering wheel

at the ten and two o’clock position. Hold the heads in place on the wheel

with a piece of masking tape. Note that the flanged button retaining ring

must be placed between the steering wheel and the shift paddle set. The

raised flange of this ring must point towards and fit into the large central hole

in the paddle set. Place the paddle set over the screws making sure the

button wires are in their slots. Once the paddles are close to the wheel. pull

the paddle set wires towards you through the center hole of the wheel.

2. Next position this assembly over the steering unit hub making sure the wheel

is upright. Guide the two screws into their respective holes. Pull the hub

wires and connectors towards you through the center of the wheel/paddle

assembly. Next remove the masking tape and turn the screws in gently

making sure before tightening that the paddle button wires are not in danger

of being pinched. The wheel should be centered and not cocked to one side.

If it is tilted, remove the screws and use the next set of hub holes to counter

the tilt. Turn the screws in until snug. Then install the remaining three screws

and finally tighten all five screws progressively using the supplied hex

wrench until tight.

3. Connect the button wires to the hub connectors as shown in Figure 5. Wire

colors do not matter, the paddles will function any way they are plugged in.

Carefully arrange the wires within the hub cavity such that none are pinched

when the center logo button is installed. The center logo button is installed

by engaging the four prongs of the button through the button retaining ring

that sits behind the wheel. Push the button firmly until flush to the wheel.

1.4 WHEEL ANGLE ADJUSTMENT

The final step of wheel unit setup is to adjust the angle of the steering wheel to

your preference. This is done by loosening the rear leg screws [Figure 4] until the

rear leg can be moved up or down. Making this adjustment will also require

loosening the bracket tensioning bolt under the mounting surface [Figure 2].

The tensioning bolt and the rear leg essentially ‘pinch’ the mounting surface from

bottom and top to hold the unit securely. To tilt the wheel more towards vertical,

the rear leg must be extended downward and the bracket bolt must be backed

down. To tilt the wheel more forward the rear leg must be raised and the bracket

bolt extended.

If a substantial change of wheel mounting angle is desired, it will be necessary to

loosen the pivot set screw and the tensioning pivot nut [Figure 2]. For proper

performance of the mounting system, the bracket tensioning bolt must be vertical

and perpendicular to the underside of the mounting surface.

1.5 COCKPIT MOUNTING

In addition to removable desktop mounting, the TRACKSTAR 6000 wheel unit is

easily adapted to a custom driving cockpit. When attaching the unit permanently

to a fixed framework, the table mounting bracket need not be used. The unit can

be mounted directly to the cockpit sub-frame in its upright orientation or inverted

under a monitor shelf.

In either configuration, the most critical requirement is that the unit is

attached at both the front and rear. Remove the rubber feet from the rear

leg and fasten to a rigid support bracket through the screw holes. It is

important to use BOTH front

TRACKSTAR

BEFORE AND DURING INSTALLATION OF THE WHEEL

MAKE SURE THAT THE SWITCH WIRES ARE ROUTED

THROUGH THESE SLOTS. THE WHEEL SCREWS

SHOULD BE TIGHTENED ONLY AFTER VERIFYING THE

CORRECT POSITION OF THESE WIRES

Figure 5 - WHEEL AND PADDLE SET INSTALLATION

CENTER LOGO

STEERING UNIT

BUTTON

WHEEL MOUNT

SCREWS (5)

STEERING

WHEEL

CHASSIS

STEERING UNIT

HUB

SHIFT PADDLE SET

BUTTON RETAINING RING

WHEEL AND PADDLE SET EXPLODED VIEW

WHEEL MOUNT

SCREWS (5)

DISCARD

NUTS (5)

TEMPORARY

WHEEL SPACER (OPTIONAL)

TWO

BUTTON

PADDLE

HOOKUP

LEFT HAND

PADDLE

BUTTONS

RIGHT HAND

PADDLE

BUTTONS

WIRES FROM STEERING HUB WIRES FROM

STEERING HUB

SIX

BUTTON

PADDLE

HOOKUP

3-PN FE ALE

ONNECTOR

3-PN MALE

CONNECTOR

LEFT HAND

PADDLE

BUTTONS

RIGHT HAND

PADDLE

BUTTONS

3-PINFAL

EM E

ONNECTRS

PI A6-N MLE

CONECTOR

and back support points - DO NOT CANTILEVER only from the central plate –

structural damage will occur without two points of support.

If inverted mounting is used, note that the hub is drilled with ten wheel mounting

holes for the five wheel screws. The extra holes allow the wheel to be mounted

upright without an adapter when the chassis is inverted 180 degrees.

2.0 PEDAL UNIT SETUP AND ADJUSTMENT

2.1 ASSEMBLY SEQUENCE

1 Prepare a clean well lit area with adequate room for laying out the pedal

components [Figure 8]. In addition to the supplied hex keys you will need a

pair of ½ inch open end wrenches to complete assembly. The pedal unit is

shipped in two components; the base and the pedal frame assembly. Study

the side view illustration of the assembled pedal unit [Figure 9] before

proceeding. If you have ordered a clutch pedal, refer to the clutch installation

instructions first, for they supersede the following steps.

2 In the pedal base assembly, locate the two silver diagonal struts. Remove

the two bolts holding these struts nearest the heel rest. Leave the rear bolt in

place. Rotate these struts vertically until they are tilted towards the rear of

the base [Figure 10].

3 Retrieve the 6 inch long 5/16 diameter threaded rod and related nuts from

the hardware kit supplied with the pedal unit. This rod will be used to attach

the pedal frame assembly to the base at Pivot A as shown in Figure 10. Note

that there are four vertical slots for this attachment. These are used to offer a

variety of positions fore-to-aft of the pedal relative to the heel rest. If initial

use will be at a typical desktop workstation, select the second slot from the

front of the unit. If initial use will be in a low-slung cockpit situation, then

select a slot further to the rear. In any case, after initial setup is completed,

this position can be changed without disassembly of the entire pedal unit.

4 Position the pedal frame vertically with its mounting holes aligned with the

chosen slot in the base unit [Figure 10, step 1].

5 Guide one end of the threaded rod through one side of the base and frame

holes. Before passing through the holes in the opposite side, twist two nuts

onto the threaded rod. Guide the rod through the opposite side holes and

twist the nuts apart so they contact the two sides of the pedal frame [Figure

11 step 2]. Makes sure the rod is centered in the frame. Turn the nuts no

more than finger-tight.

6 Place the two washers and remaining two nuts onto the threaded rod [Figure

11 step 3]. Turn the nuts down finger-tight to the frame.

7 Note that each Pivot A base mounting slot has three notched positions.

These are to adjust the vertical position of the pedals relative to the heel

rest. Select the middle notch to start with and set the threaded rod into the

same position on both sides. This adjustment can be easily changed after

the entire pedal unit is assembled. Do not tighten the nuts at this time. Allow

the pedal frame to rotate freely for now.

Next pivot the diagonal struts forward [Figure 10 step 2] and align their

holes with those in the pedal frame. The pedal frame and the struts will

form a triangle. Insert the bolts at Pivot D [Figure 12] on each side. Make

sure to

Figure 6 - STEERING UNIT LAYOUT

Figure 7 - USB HD-ULTRA R6000.1 BOARD LAYOUT

POTENTIOMETER

HEADER

USB TERMINAL

HEADER

SYSTEM LOGIC

CHIPS

DIGITAL BUTTON

HEADER

JUMPER J-1

4 - BUTTON MODE

8 - BUTTON MODE

MOUNTING

SCREWS

TRACKSTAR

STEERING POTENTIOMETER

HI-DEF USB CIRCUIT BOARD

ACCESSORY

EXPANSION

PORT CABLE

(OPTIONAL)

PEDAL UNIT

CABLE

ELECTRONICS PAN

FLDS FLUID

DAMPER

MONOPOINT II

CAM SYSTEM

1 insert the spacer washers between the strut and the pedal frame as shown.

Turn finger tight, then back off one half turn.

2 Make sure the nuts holding the bottom end of the diagonal struts are backed

off a bit from contact so the rod assembly can mover freely in the slot. Grasp

the rod in the center of the base with one hand, grasp the top of the pedal

Frame with the other, and rotate the pedal frame upright sliding the rod in

the adjustment slot forward until the unit is at your preferred angle. Test the

pedals to see if their geometry is correct for your seating position. Adjust

until comfortable, and finally tighten all pivot bolt nuts. For more tips on

adjusting geometry, see Section 2.4.

2.2 BASIC PEDAL PRESSURE ADJUSTMENT

Pedal pressure for all non-PMB equipped pedals is done in two steps. Perform

adjustment in the following sequence:

1. Overall pedal pressure, has three settings: light, medium and heavy.

These are adjusted by changing the location of the pedal resistance spring

and its upper and lower mounts to one of three possible positions [Figure

17]. Moving the spring towards the pedal arm pivot point will reduce the

pressure needed to depress the pedal. Moving the spring away from the

pivot will increase the required pressure. Generally it is recommended that

the brake pedal be set in the medium or heavy; and the gas pedal in the light

or medium position.

2. Pedal spring preload is set by how far the screw supporting the lower

spring seat is turned in towards the spring. Preload is defined as the amount

of initial pressure needed to begin to move the pedal. To change preload,

loosen the locknut on the lower spring bracket and turn the set screw.

It may be advantageous to set preload at a moderate to high level if you like

to rest your foot on the pedal. If preload is too light one might be applying

brake with the slightest touch of the pedal. This is particularly a concern if

one uses a two foot pedal method. Try different settings but make sure to

tighten the lock nut to preserve your settings when finished with adjustment.

2.3 PMB BRAKE PEDAL PRESSURE ADJUSTMENT

The second generation ECCI PMB II (Pressure Modulated Brake) mechanism

has two basic adjustments:

 Main PMB pressure adjustment screw [Figure 15]. This screw sets the

ultimate amount of pressure required to bring the brake pedal down to full

travel. This effect is highly progressive and this screw should only be used

for setting maximum braking pressure. Do not use this screw to adjust initial

pedal pressure.

 The Pedal spring preload adjustment screw sets the amount of initial

pedal pressure required to begin to depress the pedal. It is set as described

in Section 2.2. Make sure to tighten the lock nut after adjustment.

2.4 ADJUSTING PEDAL UNIT GEOMETRY

The 6000 Trackstar pedals offer a wide range of adjustments [Figure 16]:

TRACKSTAR

POT CARTRIDGE

PEDAL ARMS

PEDAL PADS

Figure 8 - PEDAL UNIT COMPONENTS

BASE ASSEMBLY PEDAL FRAME ASSEMBLY

DIAGONAL STRUTS

BASE ASSEMBLY

Figure 9 - ASSEMBLED PEDAL UNIT - SIDE VIEW

PIVOT A

PEDAL TENSION

ADJUSTERS

ANGLE ADJUSTMENT

PIVOT B

SLOT

PIVOT C

PIVOT BOLTS, NUTS & WASHERS

HEEL REST

ADJUSTMENT

BRACKET

PEDAL FRAME

PIVOT D

DIAGONAL

STRUTS

GROUNDING CABLE

PMB CAM PLATE

MOUNTING BOLT

CONNECT GROUND CABLE TO COMPUTER CHASSIS SCREW -OR-

THE COVER SCREW OF A GROUNDED ELECTRICAL OUTLET -OR-

METALLIC WATER SUPPLY PIPE -OR- OTHER SUITABLE GROUND

GROUND CABLE

1 Fore and aft adjustment. Pivots A & B must be loosened and the bolt at ‘A’

installed in the desired stepped slot. The heel rest also rides in a horizontal

slot allowing fine tuning of its spacing to the pedals.

2 Vertical adjustment. The pedal frame can be raised and lowered in each

stepped Pivot A mounting slot to adjust the distance of the pedals from the

heel rest. This accommodates a wide range of user shoe sizes.

3 The angle of the pedal frame from vertical is the most important ergonomic

adjustment. A desktop setting will require a more canted geometry than a

lay-down cockpit. Pedal frame angle is changed by loosening Pivots A , B, &

D, and sliding the rod assembly of Pivot B along the adjustment slot until the

desired angle is reached. All Pivots must be tightened after such an

adjustment. Next the heel rest should be adjusted in angle to create a

natural well for the driver’s heel.

4 Lateral pedal spacing is adjusted by loosening the two screws that hold the

pedal pad to the pedal arm. The pedal pads can slide laterally to the user’s

preference. Make sure to tighten the nuts firmly before using the pedals.

5 For those installing their controller in a tightly dimensioned cockpit… the

Trackstar 6000 pedals can be reduced to only the pedal arm frame. When

attached securely top and bottom, the pedal arm frame can be used without

the base to provide a minimally intrusive installation.

6 ECCI also offers an accessory part which locks the pedals in a fixed

relationship to a driver’s seat. Called the “Instant Cockpit”, this is a

telescoping bracket that locks the pedal chassis to the base of any chair. It is

particularly useful if you use a caster-type office chair. It keeps the chair from

rolling backward and the pedal unit from tipping forward when high PMB

settings are used. Contact ECCI for more information or visit our website for

the latest on this accessory.

3.0 STEERING RESISTANCE TUNING

3.1 THE MONOPOINT II SYSTEM

The Trackstar 6000 was designed to provide the serious competitor the ability to

tune all important steering feel characteristics to suit individual preference. The

ECCI exclusive MONOPOINT II cam resistance system [Figure 21] offers fine

adjustment of four important steering parameters:

1. Maximum steering resistance pressure - adjustable by changing the

number of springs used [Figure 22 and 24].

2. Steering centering pressure at the neutral position - adjustable by

changing spring preload [Figure 24].

3. Steering wheel lock - adjustable by changing positions of wheel travel

limiters [Figure 23].

Rotational damping is also adjustable for FLDS equipped units. See

Section 3.5 for more information.

TRACKSTAR

Figure 10 - PEDAL FRAME / BASE ASSEMBLY

PIVOT APIVOT B

STEP 1 STEP 2

Figure 11 - PIVOT A - TWO PEDAL UNIT BOLT INSTALLATION

STEP 1

STEP 3

STEP 2

STEP 4

PEDAL FRAME FINGER TIGHT ONLY

PIVOT D

Figure 12 - PIVOT D - BOLTS

ADJUSTMENT

SCREWS

Figure 13 - HEEL REST

STEP 1 PEDAL FRAME

STRUTS

STEP 2

DIAGONAL

3.2 TUNING SUGGESTIONS

This setup might suit a driver with a light touch that races primarily tight road

courses. This offers a short throw lightly sprung steering action which will get you

through chicanes quickly all while maintaining optimal hand position for the

accessory buttons at full lock. A light spring setting reduces driver fatigue for

those competing in full-length races. With reduced pressure you can maintain

precision cornering technique on the 190th lap without the sloppiness that can

come from muscle fatigue. With light spring settings, the FLDS will provide

primary resistance for wheel movement.

A driver running ovals might prefer more resistance and travel. A wide range of

travel can offer more fine steering adjustment in long sweeping corners, or could

be set up for more pit lane maneuverability. Up to 240 degrees or travel is

available with the Trackstar 6000. With heavier spring settings the role of FLDS

is reduced. Most drivers will prefer moderate to light spring settings when using

an FLDS equipped system.

3.3 STEERING LOCK ADJUSTMENT

Four positions of steering lock are available: 180, 200, 220, and 240 degrees.

The default factory setting is 240. This adjustment should be performed first

before other changes to steering resistance are contemplated.

1 Loosen the ten screws that attach the steering unit cover to the chassis.

Then remove the cover exposing the mechanism.

2 Loosen the locknut on the preload adjusting screw underneath the steering

unit, directly below the springs [Figure 21]. Turn the adjusting screw

counterclockwise until the spring pack is loosened.

3 Grasp the top of the spring pack and pull it out from underneath the

pressure arm. Remove the springs and spring retainers from the unit.

4 Locate the wheel travel limiter [Figure 26], a disk-shaped element close to

the main chassis structural plate. Rotate the steering wheel 90 degrees to

the left. The two retaining screws for the left-hand travel adjuster stop will

now be accessible. Using the supplied 3/32" hex key, loosen and remove

the 2 screws and position the stop as desired, rotating the wheel as

required to provide access. The positions are explained in Figure 23.

5 Next tighten the screws. Repeat the adjustment as described above for the

right-hand travel adjuster stop, making certain that the adjuster is moved

exactly the same amount as the left-hand stop.

6 Reinstall the spring set following steps 4-6 in the following section.

TRACKSTAR

Figure 14 - REMOVING THE POT CARTRIDGE

STEP 1

PMB PIVOT BOLT

POT CARTRIDGE & PMB EXPLODED VIEW

REAR VIEW

STEP 3

PMB CAM

PLATE

POT

CARTRIDGE

PMB CAM

PLATE

POT CARTRIDGE

PMB PIVOT

BUSHING

STEP 2

PMB SPRING

BRACKET

STEP 4

1 2

POT

CARTRIDGE

3.4 STEERING SPRING RESISTANCE ADJUSTMENT

The MONOPOINT II system relies on a single spring pack of up to three springs.

The springs are designed to rest one inside another. Figure 24 shows the various

possible combinations of springs along with recommended preload settings.

To adjust overall steering resistance pressure, perform the following steps:

1 Loosen the locknut on the preload adjusting screw underneath the steering

unit, directly below the springs [Figure 21]. Turn the adjusting screw

counterclockwise until the spring pack is loosened.

2 Grasp the top of the spring pack and pull out from underneath the roller on

pressure arm. Remove the springs and spring retainers from the unit.

3 The tool and parts kit provided with the unit includes additional steering

springs. Select the desired combination of springs [Figure 21], and install

them on the lower spring retainer, making certain that they are seated in

their respective pockets. The default factory setting is 116lb.

4 Place the spring pack with the lower retainer over the preload adjustment

screw. Tilt the top of the spring set outward slightly to accept the upper

spring retainer, insert the retainer, and tilt the assembly back underneath

the roller on the pressure arm. Work the wheel from lock to lock to seat the

springs. IMPORTANT! Before setting preload, perform the following step:

5 If using the large outer spring, make sure to rotate the spring on the lower

spring seat counterclockwise until the lower end of the spring coil is seated

firmly against the set screw provided in the spring seat [Figure 22]. If the

spring is not seated against the set screw, the springs may make noise

during operation. If spring noise is encountered, this is the likely culprit.

6 Next set centering pressure in accordance with the following section.

3.5 STEERING CENTERING PRESSURE AT NEUTRAL

To adjust centering pressure at neutral position, refer to the preload settings in

Figure 24. This adjustment will not affect maximum resistance at full lock; it

should be used only to adjust feel characteristics through the very center of

travel. See Figure 25 for a graphic explanation of the effect of this adjustment.

1 Locate the preload adjusting screw [Figure 21]. Insert the supplied 3/16"

hex key wrench. With the steering wheel at center position, turn the preload

adjusting screw clockwise by hand (as viewed from the bottom) only until

there is no up/down looseness (gap) in the spring pack between the upper

and lower spring seats. Move the wheel back and forth to help determine

the point between loose and engaged.

Refer to the table [Figure 24] for the amount of preload desired. The preload

setting has a major effect on centering force around neutral. The lowest setting

will result in a very loose feeling through center with almost no centering force.

The maximum setting will result in a pronounced centering effect, especially with

heavier spring combinations. Figure 25 illustrates the effect this adjustment has

on overall resistance characteristics. Carefully to count the number of rotations of

the screw, turn only until the desired preload setting is reached.

ROTATION FROM CENTER

0 240-240

RESISTANCE FORCE

0 MAX

MINIMUM PRELOAD

ROTATION FROM CENTER

0 240-240

RESISTANCE FORCE

0 MAX

MAXIMUM PRELOAD

OUTER MIDDLE INNER

140 lb.

173 lb.

197 lb.

24 lb.57 lb.

116 lb.

2.0 TURNS MAX PRELOAD

2.5 TURNS MAX PRELOAD

57 lb.

81 lb.

116 lb. 2.5 TURNS MAX PRELOAD

3.0 TURNS MAX PRELOAD

3.5 TURNS MAX PRELOAD

MONOPOINT II

CONCENTRIC

SPRING SYSTEM

2.0 TURNS FOR STRONGEST CENTERING FORCE

0.75 TO 1.25 TURNS FOR BALANCED FEEL

0.5 TURNS FOR LIGHTEST CENTERING

2.0 TURNS FOR STRONGEST CENTERING FORCE

0.75 TO 1.25 TURNS FOR BALANCED FEEL

0.5 TURNS FOR LIGHTEST CENTERING

2.5 TURNS FOR STRONGEST CENTERING FORCE

1 TO 1.5 TURNS FOR BALANCED FEEL

0.5 TURNS FOR LIGHTEST CENTERING

2.5 TURNS FOR STRONGEST CENTERING FORCE

1 TO 1.5 TURNS FOR BALANCED FEEL

0.5 TURNS FOR LIGHTEST CENTERING

3.5 TURNS FOR STRONGEST CENTERING FORCE

2.0 TO 2.5 TURNS FOR BALANCED FEEL

0.75 TURNS FOR LIGHT CENTERING

SPRING COMBINATIONS PRELOAD RANGE AVAILABLE

3.0 TURNS FOR STRONGEST CENTERING FORCE

1.5 TO 2 TURNS FOR BALANCED FEEL

0.75 TURNS FOR LIGHT CENTERING

BALANCED RANGE IS RECOMMENDED FOR THE BEST COMBINATION OF SMOOTHNESS AND CENTER FEEL

COMBINATION

TRACKSTAR

Figure 24 - STEERING RESISTANCE SPRING COMBINATIONS

Figure 25 - STEERING CENTERING TUNING

1 WARNING! Do not exceed the maximum number of turns listed in the table

for the combination of springs being used – excessive pressure will damage

the steering camshaft. Exceeding the recommended number of turns is

considered MISUSE and damage from misuse is NOT covered under

warranty! Be careful!

2 Tighten the preload adjuster locknut, while holding the preload adjuster

screw in position with the hex key wrench.

Note: If the springs the springs make noise after installation, examine the

assembly to make certain that all springs are seated properly in their respective

pockets, both in the upper and lower spring retainer. Most noise issues are

caused by the large outer spring not being rotated against the spring stop screw

[Figure 22].

3.6 FLDS - FLUID DAMPED STEERING

The FLDS system uses a belt driven rotary fluid damper [Figures 6 & 26]. For

each wheel rotation the damper will rotate multiple times. The damping ratio

provided standard with the Trackstar 6000 provides a balance of damping and

spring resistance. Some users may wish to reduce or increase the amount of

damping. ECCI offers pulleys in several different ratios for purchase [Figure 27].

Generally, someone who uses many rapid wheel movement corrections while

driving may prefer a lighter pulley, while someone using very steady measured

wheel movements may prefer even heavier damping.

Steering wheel diameter also has an effect on damping force. Diameters smaller

than the standard 13-1/2 inch wheel will create less leverage on the steering

shaft. This will increase the level of damping perceived by the driver.

3.7 SHIFT PADDLE ADJUSTMENT

The Trackstar 6000 unit is provided with F-1 style behind-the-wheel paddles to

perform gear shift function. The paddles have a very short throw to make rapid

shifting possible. However, there is a small range of adjustment. The factory

setting provides a moderate amount of tolerance for the switch actuation point. If

throw adjustment needs to be reset, the stop screws can be adjusted with a hex

key and 3/8 in. wrench. If any button or paddle control remains on constantly or

does not trigger except at the very end of travel, adjustment will be needed.

Sometimes the switches will ‘wear in’ to a different engagement point than when

new and require readjustment after a period of time.

Depending on which steering wheel you have, stops may be located at the back

and in some cases the front of each paddle. Before making adjustments, make

sure the wheel and paddles are bolted tight to the steering hub. Unless

compressed in place by the steering wheel, paddle components may warp

slightly affecting the accuracy of the adjustment.

Before adjusting, loosen the locknuts of the stop screws with a 3/8” wrench. Find

the control trigger point with a continuity tester or by leaving the unit plugged in to

your computer and set to a calibration utility. When the trigger point is found, turn

the stop screws in gradually to ‘bracket’ this point to the desired tolerance. Be

careful to not adjust travel too close to the actuation point, for inconsistent

shifting operation may result. When finished make sure to tighten the locknuts to

ensure that the stop screws are securely locked in place.

TRACKSTAR

Figure 15 - PMB II PRESSURE BRAKE SYSTEM

PEDAL PADS

PIVOT C

MAIN PRESSURE

PRELOAD ADJUSTMENT

SCREW AND LOCKNUT

VIEW FROM LEFT SIDE OF BRAKE PEDAL

ADJUSTMENT SCREW

BRAKE PEDAL ARM

REAR SPRING SEAT

AND LOCKNUT

PMB CAM PLATE

AND MOUNTING BOLT

MAIN PRESSURE SPRING

SLOTTED BLACK DISC

PMB CAM PLATE

SHOWN REMOVED

FROM THE UNIT

Figure 16 - PEDAL GEOMETRY ADJUSTMENT

PIVOT B

FORE AND AFT ADJUSTMENTS

ANGLE ADJUSTMENTS

PEDAL HEIGHT ADJUSTMENT

PEDAL SPACING ADJUSTMENT

EEL REST TH O

PED L HEIGHTA

PIVOT A

PEDAL PAD SCREWS

PIVOT B

PIVOT A

VERTICAL

ADJUSTMENT

WITHIN SLOT

4.0 CONNECTING TO YOUR COMPUTER

4.1 CONNECTING A BASIC USB UNIT

The Trackstar 6000 USB system is connected via integral USB cable from the

steering unit to a USB 1.1 compatible port on your computer. If you have many

devices connected that rely on the USB connection for power, ECCI

recommends you use a powered multi-port USB hub and free up one of the ports

that connect directly into your computer for the driving system. If you are

experiencing control anomalies, try unplugging all other USB powered items like

scanners and DVR external drives and running the driving system alone into a

port on your machine. This will determine whether the problem lies with other

peripherals or the driving system.

The pedal unit connects to the wheel unit via the integral DB-9 cable. This cable

connects to a DB-9 port on the right side of the steering unit just underneath the

main unit housing [Figure 6]. If you are having trouble connecting the screw

terminals due to the tight space, remove the unit cover for access.

The Trackstar 6000 uses the universal HID driver that is native to Windows

operating systems. No driver disk or outside software is necessary. When the

unit is plugged in it will be recognized as a four axis four button controller.

1 Install the unit by connecting the pedal component to the wheel and the

wheel to the USB port on your computer.

2 Select linked axis or separated axis pedal operation via the switch located

at the back face of the pot cartridge of your pedal unit. Separated mode

allows independent and simultaneous operation of pedals. Linked mode

links both gas and brake pedals as acting in opposite directions on the

same control axis, Y-axis of Joystick 1. Separated mode is preferred for the

most sophisticated racing simulations. However, some titles poorly

implement or do not even support separated mode. In this case use linked

mode. Separated mode is activated with the switch in the up position, and

linked mode is in the down position.

3 Now turn on or reboot your computer. When the operating system comes

up, click the Start button. Go to Control Panel and then select Game

Controllers from the menu.

4 The Game Controllers dialog box should appear. Windows should

automatically recognize a 4-axis 4-button controller is connected. If this

does not appear check your connections and reboot. If it appears as a

different configuration contact ECCI.

Click on the controller then select Properties. Select the Settings tab

and click on Calibrate. Follow the prompts carefully to calibrate your

driving system. Not all calibration axes will show movement. This is

normal; simply continue to the end. After finishing select Test. Carefully

observe the movement of your controls in the square box and the vertical

slider bars. Make sure that the wheel and each pedal are recognized and

operating smoothly to their limits of travel. If not, recalibrate. Ignore any

inactive slider bars as long as every pedal responds. A 2-pedal unit in

linked mode will

Figure 18 - PEDAL POTENTIOMETER WIRE CONNECTIONS [HI-DEF]

GAS PEDAL POT

ALL POTENTIOMETERS VIEWED FROM BACK SIDE

DIRECTION

OF POT

ROTATION

CABLE

GROUND

ATTACHMENT

POT TERMINALS

DIRECTION

OF POT

ROTATION

CLUTCH PEDAL POT

DIRECTION

OF POT

ROTATION

BRAKE PEDAL POT

(NON-PMB UNIT)

TIE DOWN

POINT FOR

CABLE TIE

POT TERMINALS

BLACK

WIRE COLORS

POT TERMINALS

WIRE COLORS

543

1 2

Figure 20 - ACCESSORY PORT

COMMON #5

BUTTON #2

BUTTON #4

BUTTON #3

BUTTON #1

COMMON #1

COMMON #3

COMMON #2

COMMON #4

Figure 19 - STEERING POT

OUTER TERMINALS

OF ALL POTS ARE

BRIDGED WITH A

JUMPER LEAD. THE

LEADS ATTACHED

TO THE JUMPER

ARE ALWAYS TO

BE CONNECTED

TO THE OUTSIDE

POT TERMINALS

BLUE

WHITE

RED

JUMPER LEAD

VIOLET

GREEN

BLUE

ORANGE

RED

BLUE

ORANGE

RED

WHITE

BLACK

RED

NOTE:

TRACKSTAR

Figure 17 - PEDAL RESISTANCE SPRING ADJUSTMENT

UPPER SPRING

SEAT

PEDAL

ARM

PEDAL ARM

PIVOT

LOWER SPRING

SEAT

LOWER SPRING

SEAT BRACKET

PRELOAD

ADJUSTMENT

PEDAL FRAME

PEDAL

RESISTANCE

SPRING

SCREW AND

LOCKNUT

LIGHT

HEAVY

MED.

LIGHT

MEDIUM

HEAVY

TRACKSTAR

BRAKE PEDAL POT

(PMB UNIT)

DIRECTION

OF POT

ROTATION

[HI-DEF USB]

240 DEGREES TRAVEL200 DEGREES TRAVEL180 DEGREES TRAVEL 220 DEGREES TRAVEL

Figure 22 -

UPPER

LOWER

PRELOAD ADJUSTER

UPPER SPRING SEAT

MONOPOINT SPRING

ASSEMBLY

LOWER SPRING RETAINER

CAM FOLLOWER ROLLER

RESISTANCE CAM

HEX KEY

TRACKSTAR

MONOPOINT II

SPRING RETENTION DETAILS

PRELOAD

LOCK NUT

SPRING

SUPPORT

SPRING

SEAT

BRACKET

ADJUSTMENT SCREW

LOWER SPRING

SEAT

SPRING SUPPORT

BRACKET

SPRING STOP

SCREW

OUTER SPRING

MUST BE TURNED

TOP VIEW

UNTIL END RESTS

AGAINST STOP

SCREW

SIDE VIEW

Figure 21 - ECCI SYSTEM

Figure 23 - STEERING TRAVEL STOP ADJUSTMENT

4.2 CONNECTING A USB HD ULTRA EQUIPPED SYSTEM

1. Before doing anything else, connect the pedal unit chassis to your

computer case or other ground with the ground cable.

2. The pedal unit connects to the wheel unit via the integral DB-9 cable. This

cable connects to a DB-9 port on the right side of the steering unit just

underneath the cover. If you are having trouble connecting the screw

terminals due to tight space, remove the cover first.

3. The Trackstar 6000 USB system is connected to your computer via USB

cable to a USB 1.1 compatible port on your computer. If you have several

devices connected that rely on USB ports for power, make sure to connect

the TRACKSTAR 6000 directly to a USB port on the host computer.

NEVER connect the controller to a powered expansion hub. Voltage drops

and interference from other devices will seriously affect performance. If one

must simultaneously use other USB-powered devices, connect those to the

remote hub instead.

Control performance will be assured if you connect the TRACKSTAR as the sole

peripheral on a USB root hub. Be especially wary of cheap motherboard

integrated USB systems. Many of these use a single root hub controller that is

shared by multiple ports on the computer case. If you have such a system, you

may wish to install a quality USB PCI bus card that includes one USB root

controller at each of several USB ports. A good choice would be an add-in card

that utilizes the OPTI FireLink 82C861 USB controller. For a list of lab-certified

add-on PCI cards using this controller, visit the following webpage:

www.usbman.com/Guides/Upgrade%20Card%20Manufacturers.htm

If you are experiencing control anomalies, try unplugging all other USB powered

items like scanners and DVR external drives and running the driving system

alone into a port on your machine. This will determine whether the problem lies

with interference from other USB peripherals or the basic interface. Some USB

2.0 systems will exhibit problems with 1.1 peripherals like the ECCI HD. Try

disabling USB 2.0 to see if the problem is solved.

The Trackstar 6000 uses the universal HID driver that is native to Windows

operating systems. No driver disk or outside software is necessary. When the

unit is plugged in it will be automatically recognized as “ECCI HI-DEF USB” in

your operating system and software titles. If you have multiple game controllers,

make sure that the ECCI HI-DEF is at the top of the controllers list.

The Trackstar 6000 HI-DEF USB offers nearly 1000 discrete points of resolution

on the steering axis. Each pedal axis is capable of providing either 300 or 1000

points depending on the potentiometers used.

4.3 MODES OF OPERATION - USB HD ULTRA

The unit will automatically start up in Separated mode which allows independent

and simultaneous operation of pedals. Separated mode is preferable for most

sophisticated racing simulations. However, some titles poorly implement or fail to

support separated pedal mode. In this case you must use linked mode.

Linked mode emulates a simple two-axis joystick. Some titles will only run in this

mode. Steering acts on the joystick X-axis and gas and brake pedals work in

opposite directions on the ‘Y-axis’. Linked mode is simple to activate.

1. Disconnect the USB plug from the computer and wait ten seconds.

2. Next hold down one of the buttons or paddles on the wheel while you plug

the unit back into the USB port. Be sure to hold the button down while

plugging in and for at least five seconds after the plug insertion. This will

initialize Linked mode.

3. It is important to remember when switching from separated to linked mode or

back you must recalibrate the controller in the Windows Control Panel -

Game Controller routine. Failure to do this will cause improper operation.

Do not reboot the computer when switching modes. The computer needs to

be running to initialize linked mode. If your computer is rebooted for any

reason and you wish to use linked mode, you will need to re-initialize it after

restart using the above steps. If no buttons are held down during

initialization, it will always start up in separated mode.

4.4 SEPARATED MODE CALIBRATION - USB HD ULTRA

1. Close all other programs first. Then click the Start button. Go to Control

Panel and select Game Controllers from the menu.

2. The Game Controllers dialog box should appear. Windows should

automatically recognize that the ECCI HI-DEF USB controller is connected.

If this does not appear check your connections, and if still no control shows

up, reboot and start again.

3. Highlight the controller, and then click on the Properties button. Select the

Settings tab and click on Calibrate. You must follow the prompts carefully

to calibrate your system. Leave the controls untouched to set center point

then click a button on the wheel.

4. A square joystick calibration box will appear. It will prompt you to move the

controller to the limits of travel. The steering wheel will be recognized here

as the X-axis, moving the crosshair horizontally in the box. The Y-axis will

not be active. After moving the wheel left and right, release it to center and

press a button to move on.

5. Next you will be prompted to verify the center point once again Make sure

the wheel is centered, then press a button.

6. A horizontal box with a blue calibration bar will appear. This box will calibrate

the gas pedal. Move the pedal down all the way, release it, repeat several

times and press a button. If the bar does not move fully to the ends of the

box, ignore it. This is normal at this stage of calibration.

7. Another horizontal box will appear. This will recognize the clutch pedal.

Move the pedal down all the way, release it, repeat several times and press

a button. If you do not have a clutch, simply press a button to bypass this

step.

8. A third horizontal box will appear. This will calibrate the brake pedal. Move

the pedal down all the way, release it, repeat several times then press a

button. If you have a PMB-equipped unit and wish to reduce the amount of

brake pedal pressure to reach maximum braking, you can ‘short calibrate’

the brake pedal. Press down only as hard as you wish for maximum braking,

release and press a button.

9. After finishing select Test. Carefully observe the movement of your controls

in the square box and the vertical slider bars. Make sure that the wheel and

each pedal are recognized and operating smoothly to their limits of travel. If

not, recalibrate. Ignore the inactive slider bar if you do not have a clutch

installed. You are now finished. Click OK to accept calibration.

4.5 LINKED MODE CALIBRATION - USB HD ULTRA

1. Initialize Linked mode as described in Section 4.3. Then follow steps 1

through 3 as listed in Section 4.4. The next steps are as follows:

2. A square joystick calibration box will appear. It will prompt you to move the

control to the limits of travel. Turn the steering wheel left and right to its

limits. This will move the crosshair horizontally in the box. Gas and brake

pedals will be recognized on the Y-axis, moving the crosshair vertically in the

box. Move both pedals to the limit several times, release them, and press

a button.

3. You will be prompted to verify the center point now. Make sure the wheel is

centered and none of the pedals are depressed. Then press a button to go

to the next step.

4. A horizontal box will appear. This will be inactive in Linked mode. Linked

mode does not support clutch operation. If you need a clutch, use Separated

mode. Press a button on the wheel to continue. Two more horizontal boxes

will appear. These will be inactive as long as you are in Linked mode. Just

press a wheel button when prompted until you finish.

5. After finishing select Test. Carefully observe the movement of your controls

in the square box. Make sure that the wheel and each pedal are recognized

and operating smoothly to their limits of travel. If not, recalibrate. In linked

mode none of the slider bars will be active. This is normal. You are now

finished. Next click OK.

4.6 PROPERLY CALIBRATING THE PMB-II BRAKE PEDAL

The optional PMBII brake mechanism allows you to tailor both the feel and the

response of the brake to your personal preferences. The action of the PMBII

allows the brake to be set up based on pressure applied rather than distance

traveled.

1. When calibrating the PMBII you most likely will not use the full mechanical

travel of the pedal. Calibrate using the amount of pressure you want to

establish as 100% braking pressure. Optimal anti-lockup performance is

obtained when slightly more pressure is applied than you would normally

desire. This helps prevent brake lock at the limit of braking. You should

have to work the brake a bit to get full lock. Do not exceed your maximum

pressure target during the calibration. If you exceed your target, go back

and start calibration again.

Note the calibration numbers returned at your desired maximum pressure

setting and write them down.

1. Now finish calibrating the remaining controls and go to into your simulation

program. If the program uses the Windows Direct-X calibration information

directly, no further calibration is required, just go out on the track and drive.

2. If the program requires its own calibration (i.e. NASCAR 2003), calibrate the

PMB brake pedal in the controller options screen the same way as you did in

Windows, being careful to only apply the amount of pressure you want to

represent full braking. Write down the calibration number at your maximum

desired pedal pressure level to use for future reference.

3. Now go out and take a few laps. If it seems like you need to apply too much

pressure to get the desired braking effect, go back and recalibrate. This

time move the brake to a slightly lower maximum pressure which will return

calibration numbers a few numbers lower than before. Go back out to the

track and see how this works. If the brake feels too light, go back and

recalibrate to calibration values that are slightly higher than the previous

calibration values. You will need to do some experimentation to get just the

right braking effect.

4. If for some reason your desired pressures seem to be past the limit of brake

travel, or are less than 50% of the brake travel you may need to adjust the

PMBII pressure adjustment. If this does not get the desired result, you may

need to change to a lighter or heavier PMBII spring. All but a very few users

find their optimal setting by just adjusting calibration with the stock spring.

4.7 CONNECTING AND CALIBRATING A DB-15 PORT UNIT

The Trackstar 6000 joystick port system is connected to your computer using the

pedal unit cable. The pedal unit cable also has a female connector on a short

lead from the plug that attaches to the computer. This short lead is for attaching

the cable from the wheel unit.

1. Connect all cables securely making sure the thumb-screws are tight.

2. Select linked axis or separated axis pedal operation via the switch located

on the back face of the pot cartridge of your pedal unit. Separated mode

allows independent and simultaneous operation of pedals. Linked mode

combines gas and brake pedals acting in opposite directions on the same

control axis, Y-axis of Joystick 1. Separated mode is preferred for the most

sophisticated racing simulations. However, some titles poorly implement or

do not support separated mode. In this case use linked mode. Separated

mode is activated with the switch in the up position, and linked mode in the

down position.

3. Now turn on or reboot your computer. When the operating system comes up,

click the Start button. Go to Control Panel and select Game Controllers

from the menu.

4. The Game Controllers dialog box should appear. Select the Add button

and the Add game controller dialog box should appear. If you have a two

pedal unit, scroll until you find 2-axis 4-button controller. If you have a three

pedal unit scroll until you find 3-axis 4-button controller. In both cases select

the controller type with your left mouse button, then enable the rudder

pedal check box, and click the OK button. The controller should show OK

under Status. If not, check all connections, reboot, and try again.

5. Next click on the controller line and select Properties. Select the Settings

tab and click on Calibrate. Follow the prompts carefully to calibrate your

driving system. In separated mode the brake pedal will act on the Y-axis and

the gas pedal on a slider bar. When using a clutch, it will always act on a

slider bar. In linked mode, the pedals will act in opposite directions on the Y-

axis of the large square box and only one slider (clutch pedal) will be active.

6. After calibration select Test. Observe the movement of your controls in the

square box and the vertical slider bars. Make sure that wheel and pedal

input is being recognized and is operating smoothly to the limits of travel. If

not, recalibrate.

7. If you change pedal mode settings while the computer is running, you

may need to reboot the computer to recognize the new configuration. This

is particularly the case if you switch from linked pedal mode to separated

pedal mode. If one pedal does not register a signal input, reboot and

recalibrate. Joystick input electronics often require a resistance value to be

present at boot-up before a particular joystick axis is recognized as active.

5.0 ACCESSORY EXPANSION PORT

The ECCI USB HD ULTRA system supports four analog control axes and up to

20 digital on/off buttons. ECCI wheels typically offer only four buttons, in the form

of two shift paddles and two accessory buttons mounted near the wheel. In late

summer of 2005, ECCI will introduce a new paddle set that will retroactively fit all

4000 and 6000 series steering units. Six accessory buttons will be available at

the wheel in addition to the two shift paddles. However these new buttons will

only work with the ECCI USB HD ULTRA. If your existing system does not have

this interface, you will need to purchase an upgrade kit.

Another feature of the USB HD system is the ability to electrically access all 20

buttons via a DB-9 port on the side of the enclosure. This allows the user to

create their own custom peripherals like shifters, button pads, and the like to

enhance their ECCI system. Refer to Figure 30 for pin assignments. Expansion

port switches are organized in sets of four served by a single common. Rows 1 to

4 correspond with the four primary switches. Changing the common lead from

one column to another accesses the next set of four, and so on. This allows a

limited number of wires to control the full complement of buttons.

If using more than four buttons, it is necessary to provide switching diodes in the

circuit of each switch to avoid individual switches from ghosting across the

matrix, creating false control inputs on other buttons. Wiring diagrams to assist

making add-on peripherals are provided in this manual. [Figures 31 - 32].

If you are using the expansion port to access the extra buttons, you will need to

make sure that diodes are also present at the wheel mounted buttons. These

were not provided originally in systems with only two accessory buttons. If you

have the six-button paddle set, this already has built-in diodes for the wheel

buttons. If not then you will either need to order the six-button upgrade or hand

wire in diodes into the wheel switch harness.

FLDS

Figure 26 - FLUID DAMPED STEERING SYSTEM

Figure 27 - DAMPING ADJUSTMENT OPTIONS

DRIVE BELT

DRIVE PULLEY

DAMPER

PULLEY

DAMPER BELT

TENSIONING SLOTS

FLDS ROTARY

FLUID DAMPER

STANDARDLIGHTLIGHTEST

RESISTANCE CAM, FOLLOWER ARM,

AND SPRING ASSEMBLY REMOVED

DAMPER

PULLEY

FROM THIS VIEW FOR CLARITY

NOTE:

WHEEL TRAVEL

LIMITER

TRAVEL

ADJUSTMENT STOPS

MAIN STEERING

STOP

TRACKSTAR

NOTES:

6.0 POT REPLACEMENT AND POT SETUP

The following steps are required only if replacing pots. Pots are the electro-

mechanical components that sense the position of the wheel or pedal and

translate this to electrical information read by the ECCI USB HD system. These

are long-lived but will eventually wear out. The sign of pot wear is notchy,

inconsistent response at the same spot in the axis travel. If the problem is

variable, occurring in different areas of travel at different times, the problem may

instead be a loose pot shaft nut or a loose wire connector. Pots that do not

maintain calibration can also be caused by a loose not. Rule these things out first

before ordering new pots.

If you need new pots, use only ECCI pots. ECCI pots are specifically made for

ECCI controllers and have the required resistance range and performance

characteristics. ECCI cannot warrant the performance of any system not using

ECCI pots. When ordering replacements, order the ECCI HP Racing pots. The

USB HD needs a 100K HP pot for the steering and 50K HP pots for the pedals.

Unless you have a rare premature failure (under 1 year), ECCI recommends

replacing the entire set rather than the single pot with the problem.

6.1 STEERING POT REPLACEMENT

Replacing the wheel pot is a simple procedure. Refer to Figures 6 and 28 for

illustrations. The steps to perform replacement are as follows:

1. Mount the wheel unit securely to a tabletop with the clamp. Unplug the USB

cable from your computer. Remove the ten screws which secure the cover of

the wheel unit to the chassis. Lift the cover and set aside.

2. Leave the pedal unit and its associated ground cable attached to the wheel

unit. This will provide ground protection for the circuit board. If your pedal

unit is not attached, use the ground cable originally supplied with your

driving system to connect the steering unit chassis to a screw on the

computer case, a screw attached to the faceplate of an electrical outlet, or

other suitable ground.

3. Carefully pull the wire connectors from the pot terminals. Make sure to pull

on the connector body, not the wire.

4. Using a 3/32” hex key, loosen the steering shaft clamping screw located on

the pot connector [Figure 28]. Next use a philips screwdriver to remove the

pot bracket screws. The pot bracket assembly can now be removed.

5. Loosen the pot shaft clamping screw on the pot connector. Slide the

connector free and remove the pot retaining nut and the pot will fall free.

6. Mount the new replacement pot, into the pot bracket using the nut and lock

washer. Make sure the pins in the pot body engage the slots in the bracket.

Turn the retaining nut down until tight. Avoid over-tightening as this can

damage the pot. Turn the pot shaft so the slot is vertically in-line with the

center terminal of the pot. The slot must be vertical for the next step.

Next examine the pot connector. Note that at each end, the clamping

screw tightens a split in the ends of the connector. The split in the

connector must be horizontal with the clamping screws facing upward,

Making sure the pot

Figure 29 - PEDAL POTENTIOMETER REPLACEMENT

TRACKSTAR

Figure 28 - STEERING POTENTIOMETER REPLACEMENT

STEERING POT

POT BRACKET

SCREWS

POT MOUNTING

BRACKET

POT RETAINING

NUT AND LOCK

WASHER

STEERING POT

CONNECTOR

REAR CHASSIS

PLATE

STEERING SHAFT

TERMINUS

STEERING

SHAFT

CLAMPING

SCREW

POT SHAFT

CLAMPING

SCREW

PEDAL POT

BRACKET

POT SHAFT

POT RETAINING

NUT AND LOCK

WASHER

POT FOLLOWER

ARM

POT FOLLOWER

ARM

FOLLOWER ARM

SET SCREWS

SLOTTED POT SHAFT

TURN SLOTTED SHAFT WITH

SCREWDRIVER BLADE TO ADJUST

CENTER SLOT

OF POT SHAFT

MUST BE IN

VERTICAL

POSITION

STEERING POT BRACKET

ASSEMBLY READY FOR CHASSIS

INSTALLATION

EXPLODED VIEW

STEERING UNIT CHASSISSTEERING UNIT CHASSIS

POT

MOUNTING

BRACKET

HEX KEY

1. shaft slot is vertical, carefully slide the connector onto the shaft without

twisting. Slide down to about 1/8” from the bushing of the pot.

2. Snug down the pot shaft clamping screw and look into the open end of the

pot connector. Make sure the slot is perpendicular to the split in the

connector as shown in Figure 28. If it is not, loosen the clamp screw a bit,

adjust with a small screwdriver, and retighten.

3. Next slide the pot bracket assembly through the hole in the rear chassis

plate and onto the steering shaft terminus. Install the pot bracket screws but

leave them a bit loose. With one hand grasping the pot connector use a

Philips screwdriver to slowly tighten the pot bracket screws. While doing this,

rotate pot connector back and forth to make sure it slides freely on the

steering shaft. When the pot bracket screws are tight, the connector should

still rotate on the pot shaft without binding. If it does not, loosen the bracket

screws and try again. This procedure is important to avoid side-loading the

pot. Side loading can wear out the pot bushing prematurely.

4. Finally, slide on the wire terminal connectors as shown in Figure 19. Do not

tighten the steering shaft clamp yet. The pot needs setup which is explained

in the following section.

6.2 STEERING POT SETUP - USB HD ULTRA

1. The pot is setup using the Windows Game Controllers calibration routine.

Reconnect all cables, making sure the ground cable is properly attached and

start the computer. Go to Control Panel and select Game Controllers from

the menu. The Game Controllers dialog box should appear showing the

ECCI HI-DEF USB controller is connected. If this does not appear check

your connections.

2. Highlight the controller, and then click on the Properties button. Select the

Settings tab and click on Calibrate. Leave the controls untouched to set

center point then click a button on the wheel.

3. A square calibration box will appear. The steering wheel will be recognized

here as the X-axis, moving the crosshair horizontally in the box. Click the

box next to Display raw data. Numbers will be displayed for the X-axis.

Leaving the steering wheel centered, rotate the pot connector until the

number displayed reads 510 +/- 10 points. Using a 3/32” hex key, tighten the

steering shaft clamping screw of the pot connector.

4. Move the wheel left and right, observing the numbers. Let the wheel return

to center and make sure the numerical value at center has remained

consistent. Press a button to move on. Your steering pot is now setup and

the unit cover can be replaced.

6.3 PEDAL POT REPLACEMENT

Place the pedal unit on a clean well-lit workbench with the pedal pads facing

away from you. Remove the bolts at Pivot D [Figure 10] and rotate the pedal

frame away from you towards the heel rest. To avoid scratching the finish put

some cushioning material between the pedal frame and the heel rest. The next

steps involve removing the pot cartridge and are illustrated step by step in Figure

14.

1. Begin by removing the PMB pivot bolt that holds the cam plate onto the shaft

[Step 1]. You will need two 9/16-inch wrenches to do this. Remove the cam

plate, spring, and hardware. Pot cartridge removal is next.

2. Next remove the screws attaching the PMB spring bracket [Step 2]. Once

this is removed, loosen the screws holding the pot cartridge as shown in

steps 3 and 4.

3. With the pot cartridge free of the unit, slide the connectors off the pot

terminals. Next loosen the set screws that attach the pot follower arms to the

pot shafts [Figure 29]. There are two screws per pot. Next slide them off the

pot shafts. Using a 1/2-inch wrench remove the retaining nuts and washers.

4. Put the new pots through the pot mounting holes in the pot cartridge. Turn

the pots until the pots are in the positions illustrated in Figure 18 and the

locating pins are in their respective slots. Attach the pots using the nuts and

washers. Tighten with the 1/2-inch wrench.

5. Slide the pot follower arms onto the pot shafts but do not tighten the set

screws. Note that the pot arms are not all the same, the arm for the PMB pot

is shorter than the others. Also push the pot arm further down the shaft on

the PMB pot only. This is needed to clear the PMB cam plate. The wire

connectors can now be relocated onto the pot terminals. Match them

according to the jacket color / pot terminal information shown in Figure 18.

6. Reinsert the pot cartridge by reversing the removal steps. Then making sure

the PMB pot arm is engaged in the proper slot, mount the PMB cam plate

and tighten down. Setup is next

6.4 PEDAL POT SETUP - USB HD ULTRA

1. Pedal pots are setup using the Windows Game Controllers calibration

routine. Reconnect all cables, making sure the ground cable is properly

attached and start the computer. Go to Control Panel and select Game

Controllers from the menu. The Game Controllers dialog box should appear

showing the ECCI HI-DEF USB controller is connected. If this does not

appear recheck your connections.

2. Highlight the controller, and then click on the Properties button. Select the

Settings tab and click on Calibrate. Leave the controls untouched to set

center point then click a button on the wheel.

3. Move the wheel left and right, return to it to center, and Press a button.

Leave the wheel stationary and again click a button. The following steps

will apply to each of the three pedals in turn.

4. A horizontal box with a blue bar will appear. The first box will recognize the

gas pedal. Click the box next to Display raw data. Numbers will be

displayed for the pedal pot. Using a slender flat blade screwdriver or bit,

rotate the pot shaft in the gas pot follower arm. You will notice the numbers

will change. This is the method used to setup the static (at rest) position of

the pots before tightening them with the set screws.

6.4 PEDAL POT SETUP - USB HD ULTRA

5. Leaving the pedals at rest, turn the pot shaft to the following values for each

pedal. The max and min extremes of movement are 10 and 1013. It is useful

to turn the shaft just a bit past the point the number is reached to introduce

some movement tolerance. For example turning just past 1013 on the gas

pedal allows slight pedal movement before the numbers start downward.

GAS raw data – 1013 at rest – 10 fully depressed

CLUTCH raw data – 1013 at rest – 10 fully depressed

BRAKE raw data – 1013 at rest – +/- 250 (variable with PMB)

6. When your pot is set to the right position, use a hex key to tighten the

follower arm set screws. This locks the arm onto the pot shaft. Sometimes it

is necessary to hold the slotted pot shaft end with a screwdriver so it does

not rotate while the set screw is tightened. Test the range of raw numbers as

you depress and release the pedal. Make sure the readings match those

above. Then move on to the next pedal and repeat until finished.

When you finish all pedals you will end up at the Test screen. Check to be sure

that all pedals move fully from the top to the bottom of the colored bars. If a pedal

does not quite hit the end, you might need to add a bit more tolerance to the

static position of the pot. When all controls act reliably from end to end of travel,

you are finished.

6.5 CLEANING

The exterior surfaces of ECCI systems are powder coated steel with vinyl overlay

graphics. Use a moderately wet cloth with plain hot water for cleaning. If you

need to use a detergent, only use a diluted mild dishwashing liquid such as Dawn

for cleaning. DO NOT use dripping wet cloths or strong cleaning solvents, for

damage to electronic components and finishes may occur. NEVER use 409 or

similar household cleaners. 409 will quickly etch and ruin aluminum finishes.

Such damage is not covered under warranty.

7.0 SERVICE AND TECHNICAL SUPPORT

If you are experiencing trouble, first make sure all of your connections are

secure. This is the most common source of faults. Also check the white pin

connectors on the circuit board for looseness. Sometimes installation and

handling can cause a loose terminal.

Before contacting ECCI about any problem, first check the ECCI website for

troubleshooting updates. It is quite possible that the problem you are having has

a solution available just a mouse click away.

If an answer to your problem is unavailable online, ECCI support can be reached

by E-mailing: sales@ecci.net or calling (612) 824-6733.

543

1 2

Figure 30 - DB-9 PORT PIN-OUTS

COMMON #5

BUTTON #2

BUTTON #4

BUTTON #3

BUTTON #1

COMMON #1

COMMON #3

COMMON #2

COMMON #4

TRACKSTAR TRACKSTAR

Figure 31 - BUTTON ACCESSORY PANEL ELECTRICAL SCHEMATIC

DB-9

CONNECTOR

Figure 3 - SWITCH CONNECTION ILLUSTRATION WITH DETAIL

BUTTON #1

BUTTON #2

BUTTON #3

BUTTON #4

SWITCH DIODES

BUTTON #1

COMMON

BUTTON #2

BUTTON #3

BUTTON #4

COLOR

CODED

WIRE

GROUP

BUT #5 (1)

BUT #6 (2)

BUT #7 (3)

BUT #8 (4)

BUT #9 (1)

BUT #10 (2)

BUT #11 (3)

BUT #12 (4)

BUT #13 (1)

BUT #14 (2)

BUT #15 (3)

BUT #16 (4)

BUT #17 (1)

BUT #18 (2)

BUT #19 (3)

BUT #20 (4)

COMMON #2COMMON #3COMMON #4COMMON #5

RED

COMMON #5 17

BUTTON #1

COMMON #4

COMMON #3

COMMON #2

COMMON #1

BUTTON #2

BUTTON #3

BUTTON #4

GROUND FOR BUTTON POD HOUSING

BUTTON ASSIGNMENT MATRIX

BLUE

GREEN

YELLOW

PIN 1

PIN 6

PIN 2

PIN 7

PIN 3

PIN 8

PIN 4

PIN 9

PIN 5

BUT #5 (1)

BUT #6 (2)

BUT #7 (3)

BUT #8 (4)

BUT #9 (1)

BUT #10 (2)

BUT #11 (3)

BUT #12 (4)

BUT #13 (1)

BUT #14 (2)

BUT #15 (3)

BUT #16 (4)

BUT #17 (1)

BUT #18 (2)

BUT #19 (3)

BUT #20 (4)

BUT #1 (1)

BUT #2 (2)

BUT #3 (3)

BUT #4 (4)

COMMON #1

LEGEND

COMMON #2COMMON #3COMMON #4COMMON #5

SWITCH DIODE

MOMENTARY

CONTACT SWITCH

ELECTRICAL

CONNECTION

DB-9

CONNECTOR

GROUND

PIN -

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