CUSTOM ILLUMINATED GRIPS - FANATEC FORMULA WHEELS

Philips Head Precision Screw Driver (or a Jeweller's screwdriver. A set can normally be purchased from a £1/$1 store if you don't have one). The end needs to be narrow enough to fit into the grip screw holes.

Cloth (to protect and rest your steering wheel)

Set of Hex Keys (Allen® Keys).

Plastic thin edged tool (like a mobile screen

opening pry).

Small container to keep all your removed

screws, washer etc safe. 

Place the Wheel carefully face up onto your cloth.

Firstly, remove the two Countersunk Head Screws from the front face using a Hex Key

Make sure the Hex Key fit is good as these screws can be very tight on the first time of loosening and covered in thread lock. A poor fitting Hex key can result in you rounding the hex hole on the top of the screw head  . 

Now flip over the wheel and remove the bottom cover to reveal the PCB and two paddle connections Place the Wheel carefully face down onto your cloth.

If you have the Advanced Paddle Modules (APM) they will be connected to the two outside connections (as shown in this example). 

If you have Standard Paddles then they will be connected to the two middle connections. 

(as indicated in the photo)

If you have Standard type paddles, undo the two Socket Cap Head Screws + Washer + Spring Washer situated on the side of each paddle shifter (using a Hex Key). 

If you have the APM type undo the two Socket Cap Head Screws (using a hex key) situated underneath on each APM.

Carefully remove the APM  by feeding the

cable from the through the indicated opening

on the rear cover.

Repeat for the other APM.

Flip the Wheel carefully on its back again. 

Remove the six indicated screws.

Make sure the Hex Key fit is good as these

screws can be very tight on the first time of

loosening and covered in thread lock. A poor fitting Hex key can result in you rounding the hex hole on the top of the screw head. 

Flip the Wheel carefully on its front again.  

Remove the two screws from the top of 

the rear cover.

Make sure the Hex Key fit is good as these screws can be very tight on the first time of loosening and covered in thread lock. A poor fitting Hex key can result in you rounding the hex hole on the top of the screw head.  

IMPORTANT! Before attempting to remove each rear grip half (containing the haptic

motor), remove the screw from the area indicated, using a Philips Head Precision Screwdriver (or Jeweller's Screwdriver).

There is one on each side. These holds the

wheel, PCB and rear grip together so its

essential these are removed.

You now have access to all three screws situated on each rear grip half. 

Unscrew fully all the three 3mm x 8mm long Posi Pan Head Screws from each grip (using the Philips Head precision screwdriver or Jeweller's screw driver. Again, these can be factory over tightened so be cautious when unscrewing. 

Flip the wheel on its back again.

Lift off each front grip half.  
 

Place the wheel on its front.

Carefully now lift off the rear cover, keep the ribbon connector attached as shown. 

Make sure you do not pull or strain this connection. 

Place a cloth between the rear assembly and

front/PCB assembly to protect the wheel from

scratching and damage to the PCB. 

Gently lift the haptic motor up towards you from the main wheel plate, but do not bring it too far as the red/black wiring has a limited length. It is connected to the PCB via a small white connector on the underside of the PCB. 

Rest the haptic  onto the cloth for now (still connected to the PCB). 

Now push the rear grip half downwards and out away from the wheel plate (note as you are doing this, part of the grip is tucked in between the PCB and wheel plate. So, its a careful "down and away" action) Once the grip is away from the wheel rest it onto the cloth.

Push the haptic motor back through the wheel plate hole it came from and re-unite it with the rear grip half. Place it for now back into its holder in the grip housing.  

Unplug the haptic motor from the PCB. This

is attached with a small rectangular white

connector on the edge underside of the PCB. 

Be very careful unplugging this. DO NOT

PULL ON THE WIRES to remove the

connector, carefully free it loose by a side to

side motion as you pull it. It is a little fiddly, 

but it will come out.   

Finally, carefully remove the wires from the

PCB's  "T" slot.

Your Custom illuminated Grip Kit should

consist of the following parts:

Qty 1: Front Left Grip Half with customised text and coloured lens.

Qty 1: Front Right Grip Half.

Qty 1: Rear Left Grip Half.

Qty 1: LED light Assembly.

Qty 2: Pin St. Steel 3mm dia. x 17mm long.

Qty 2: Pin St. Steel 3mm dia. x 21mm long.

Qty 6: Grip Spacer

Qty 6: Self Tapping Posi Pan Head Screw No.2

(2.2mm x 13mm long)   

Peel the 3 adhesive tape strips (parts you see in yellow)  using your finger nail or tweezers.

Firstly, pass the red/black wires (with the white connector on the end) through the rumble motor hole on the wheel plate.

Now place the main body of the LED Light Assembly into the rumble motor hole and stick the LED strip onto the wheel plate as shown. 

Be mindful to keep the LED strip as far away as possible from the two closest holes (as shown above the LED strip on the photo)

Ensure the wiring assembly (part shown on the left of the photo) is stuck centrally on the wheel plate and so it avoids blocking the wheel plate hole (hole farthest left on the photo).

Take the rear left grip half and place it underneath the wheel plate as shown.

Press the two wires red first them black into the grip slot as shown.

Position the rear grip into position on the wheel plate. It is very IMPORTANT that you guide the wires as shown and DO NOT trap them in any way. 

Carefully assemble the wheel plate and rear plate assemblies as shown, continuing to make sure the wires are not trapped in anyway.

Ensure the wires DO NOT pass under the hole hole where you are about to reassemble the fastening, as there will be a risk of squashing the wires.

Screw the M4 x 16mm long Socket Countersunk Head Screw into place as shown.

Place the two LONGEST Stainless Pins (3mm dia. x 21mm long) into the two holes as shown.

Push the pins into their mounting holes as far as you can, but don't force them. The metal pins act as a guide for assembling the top half of the grips and adds  strength to the grips once screwed together. 

Place three of the black grip spacers into the wheel plate holes as shown .

Place the Left Front Grip half onto the assembly as shown.

Now carefully flip the wheel over (hold the two grip halves together as you do so).

Attach the three No.2 (2.2mm x 13mm long)   Self-Tapping Posi Pan Head Screws to the grip.

Tighten until the two halves are closed and you feel and obvious "stop" feeling resistance.

DO NOT OVER TIGHTEN THE SCREWS! 

Flip the wheel over onto its back.

Re-attach the grip retaining screw (2mm dia. x 10mm long Philips Pan Head Screw)

Carefully pull the slack in the wires until it is safe to reach the connection on the pcb. 

Plug into the connector, orientated as shown (black wire on left, red wire on right)

Ensure that the LED lighting wires are not underneath the left hole and connect the bottom rear cover using the two 3mm dia. x 15mm Long Countersunk Screws as shown.

Fix all the remaining screws to fasten the wheel plate assembly to the rear cover assembly.

Attach the rear right grip half as shown. 

Place the two SHORTEST Stainless Pins (3mm dia. x 17mm long) into the two holes as shown.

Push the pins into their mounting holes as far as you can, but don't force them. The metal pins act as a guide for assembling the top half of the grips and adds  strength to the grips once screwed together. 

Place the three remaining black grip spacers into the wheel plate holes as shown .

Place the Right Front Grip half onto the assembly as shown.

Now carefully flip the wheel over (hold the two grip halves together as you do so).

Attach the three remaining No.2 (2.2mm x 13mm long)   Self-Tapping Posi Pan Head Screws to the grip.

Tighten until the two halves are closed and you feel and obvious "stop" feeling resistance.

DO NOT OVER TIGHTEN THE SCREWS! 

Flip the wheel over onto its back.

Re-attach the grip retaining screw (2mm dia. x 10mm long Philips Pan Head Screw)

To re-attach the Paddles, simply follow (in reverse) the procedure described in Parts 1 to 4.

Your wheel upgrade is finished. Attach it to your wheelbase, power it up and it should look something like this.

Congratulations! You have successfully  made your wheel more personal and more beautiful.