Hi,paddler.Send a e-mail to Thrustmaster support if this is possible.They do sell important spare parts.It's not important how old your wheel is but how much operating hours it has.
The T500 has a dual-belt drive system. Frankly, you need some technical know-how to repair it. Or you could contact Thrustmaster support. Just give it a try; the unit is eight years old, and if it doesn't work, you can always buy a new one. You don't have much to lose.
Belt system are only available at beginner level wheelbases only for a reason. They are noisy, they have delay, they lack Nm and even loses more Nm through the belt, and what it delivers is mushed by the belt having to transfer it. If you suffer at the switch from Belt to DD it's definitely up to wrong settings you have to look into. Getting a DD to your needs with all the settings is part of the experience you have to deal with. I do not know a single person that would want to go back to a belt from DD. Of course it takes some time to switch and get used to the new system since they feel different. It's totally fine to stick with a Belt system if you're happy with that, but arguing that they are better, wow... Can anybody fill me in what exactly the software issues with Fanatec are? Running it for years, used it on Xbox, PC and PS5 and never had any issue at any sim so far
Nobody is claiming that a belt drive is better than a direct drive. There are many aspects that make a direct drive significantly better than a belt drive; I could give countless examples. But the aspect I mentioned is simply better with belt drives. This wasn't about the entire system, but only about this one aspect. I'm not defending any particular drive, regardless of the manufacturer. But I have enough experience to see and feel the advantages and disadvantages myself. If you're happy with Fanatec, that's fine; it just has to work for you. Regarding the power and your claim that it's too weak: there are belt drives that deliver up to 8 Nm, and recently you claimed that nobody needs more than 8 Nm. To each their own. Addendum: Even with weak bases, you can have a fantastic experience. Whether it's a 2Nm gear base or a 6Nm belt base. Unfortunately, I can't support your statement.
