Recommend me some rudder pedals

Hi team,

I currently own the Logitech X52 Pro HOTAS and am strongly considering purchasing a set of rider pedals. I don't plan on paying on my current HOTAS for some time as I have two sets die to a warranty replacement.

Currently for pedals I'm looking at some VKB T-rudder mk iv as they have some good reviews online, are affordable and seem to be a good price.

Currently I'm playing DCS (A-10C, F/18, F/14, KA50), IL-2 and occasionally Arma 3.

Is anyone else using these pedals or could the team advise me on something similar?

I'malso looking art three Thrustmaster TPR pendular rudder but they come at quite a high cost.

I'd get the MFG Crosswinds, small company but really made with passion, knowledge and love.

I second the MFG Crosswinds. Solid construction, great design, and many options for adjustments through cams and springs.

+1 for MFG Crosswinds :thumbup:

Depends on what you fly . The VKB's are high quality and fine for helicopters and most Russian and Warsaw Pact fixed-wing aircraft . For Western aircraft , however , the lack of toe-brakes is a huge negative .

I've had the Thrustmaster TFRP ones and they were very good value for money to get started with. They weren't in the same league quality wise as the VKB ones I have now, but they functioned perfectly well for fixed wing aircraft.

They weren't great for helicopters though, which has become my favourite type of flying. They had a bit of stiction so the very fine inputs necessary for helicopters was a bit frustrating, but for things like the Spitfire or the Mustang they were fine where you are booting the rudder back and forth to avoid a ground loop.

The VKB MkIVs are lovely pedals for rotorcraft, it's easy to get very fine and subtle movements out of them and they are a quality piece of kit, similar to the warthog joystick in construction.

The main drawback as mentioned above is the lack of a toebrake function, which isn't necessary for helicopters (or the Spitfire for that matter). Apparently there is a software workaround but I haven't tried that.

+1 for MFG Crosswinds

For custom pedals the Xwinds or VKB peds as stated. I have both, as well as a set of Slaws I bought back in 2015 for $375 Euro, much cheaper than now.

Slaw are more $ than the other 2 alternatives and take much, much longer. IMO either the VKB or MFG would be a better option for OP.

I'll list off a few random thoughts in no particular order about the VKB and MFG pedals -

VKB are usually in stock, MFG Xwind it's nearly always going to be a wait(right now for once a very short wait, they are delivering today by March 4th). VKB pedals are less expensive by about $50 USD than the MFGs.

VKB and MFG move in a different plane of motion as well. The VKB pedals, it's more of an ankle movement, a more fine motor skill control IMO, where as the MFG pedals move like most commercially available non custom peds, such as the CH/Saitek and so forth.

Your feet sit on the pedal rests of the MFG and they sort of rotate around a center point in between them. The VKB pedals while attached to one another in terms of motion, are controlled more by a toe press/ankle movement as stated, while the MFG move with more of an heel press/motion from the entire lower leg or knee. I guess one way to explain this is that the VKB entire rudder pedal motion is sort of like pressing the toe brakes on a larger scale with most other types of pedals (which is why there IS no toe brakes with the VKB pedals).

It's just personal pref, but I find I have more fine control with the VKB due to the way they move.

MFG Crosswinds are much nicer to look at, by far, have larger and probably for most users a more comfortable pedal to rest feet upon, as well as hardware toe brakes. The VKB toe brakes don't really exist outside of a software "work around", which I dislike compared to the actual moving pedal toe brakes available on the MFGs.

Both the MFG and VKB are mostly made of metal (nearly all metal), and both are very high quality products IMO, with good support in my experience.

edit/correction - Both MFG and VKB are made of metal (some metal/aluminum for the MFG, nearly all metal for the VKB).

You would be very happy with either set IMO.

There are Slaw pedals, then there’s everything else.

Both the MFG and VKB are mostly made of metal (nearly all metal), and both are very high quality products IMO, with good support in my experience.

 

A little correction here.

The MFG Crosswinds are not made of metal. At least the frame/body of pedals.

They are made from a very strong thermoset composite material (phenolic).

I came from that industry and that stuff is rock solid and about as tough as it gets. Plus no corrosion. It is a great material choice for these pedals.

Been running my Crosswinds since Dec 2015 and love them as much as the day I got them.

Flawless.

I wondered what that stuff was called with the MFGs - I did say "mostly metal" for the MFG, and "nearly all metal" for the VKB. Should be changed to "mostly not" for the MFGs, was just typing too quickly.

There are Slaw pedals, then there’s everything else.

Mine are the BF109Cam, I haven't tried or even seen any of the other Slaw models up close. I wish he could make them faster...part of the reason they are so good I think is that he spends a LOT of time building them. I ordered mine back in Jan 2015 before he got even MORE popular, and it still took 3 months. Consider myself lucky as they've increased in price by about 30 or 40%.

Baur is the one set I don't have that I'd like to try, hopefully now that he works with a larger new stick manufacturer they'll be putting out some pedals together sometime this year.

For me, the choice is between slaws, and the TM TPR's. Must have metal! Careful with the crosswinds. Your entire foot rides on the pedal like ww2 planes versus heel on the floor, like modern aircraft, and Heli's

IMO the only reason the Thrustmaster TPR isn't getting a lot of recommends is the price. Yeah, I know it's stupid high, I get it. On the other hand you if you've got the ching and you drop it you're not going to be sorry. I was instantly a better pilot just rolling out to the runway. Not exaggerating, the only way those things would feel better is if a tentacle popped out the top and gave me a reach around. Stupidly expensive I said? Maybe, maybe not. It wasn't for me. For you?

+1 for MFG Crosswind, they have been a joy to own and fly.

The biggest difference for me is Milan, he's a great person and I'd rather spend my money supporting him. Personal support through the process, you will not see that much today and it's worth making a point about it.

S!

I have the VKB MKIV's, wouldn't want another one. especially because of the small size and the fact you don't have to rest your feet on it. I never missed toe-brakes, I use the brake lever on the VPC MT-50 grip for that.