MFG Crosswind Pedal Review

[dburne]

So I finally decided it was time for a nice set of rudder pedals, after having used my Saitek Combats for the last few years. After much reading and research, I decided to go with the MFG Crosswind Pedals by Milan. He has been making these for at least a couple of years now, and they seemed to have a very good following. In all the reading I have read on the forums regarding feedback from folks that have these pedals, I never saw any negatives posted. So in October, I placed my order. Ordering was very easy , and the communication from Milan was top notch from beginning to delivery. 

I received the new pedals, Serial Number 1457 this past Thursday, but with the holiday and family was not able to open the box and delve into them until early this morning.

 

Packaging: Was very good, they shipped in a small plain box with lots of custom cut styrofoam inside to protect all the parts. I am sure these things in transit could easily take a lot of beating with no damage occurred to the pedals. Nothing fancy about the packaging, but very effective.

 

 

 

 

I removed them from the box, and the base assembly looks like this. Those two connectors are for the toe brakes, and they simply plug into the adapters in the base.

 

 

 

I opted for a couple of extra options, the Cam 5 Profile, and the Width Adjustment Plate.

Can Profiles: It came with Cam 4 and Cam 6, the Cam 5 is an additional profile available at a nominal charge. There may also be more cams in the future.

What is a Cam? Well think about a curve in a joystick  and what it accomplishes, this is kind of the same type of thing for the physical feel of the pedals as they move throughout their travel. It came with Cam 6 installed, so I just left it in there. I really like it, very small amount of center detent, barely perceptible, and very easy to move.

In addition, the width adjustment plates allows one to mount the pedals themselves to the plates ( the plates amount to the pedal base), and have inner and outer mounting holes. This way one can choose to have their pedals either a little wider, or a little narrower, than the stock setup.

Also when mounting the pedals as stock directly to the base, you can adjust the amount of toe out in the pedals for comfort.

 

The width adjustment plates and extra cams:

 

 

 

Final Pedal Assembly. ( Note total assembly time was 15-20 minutes). Milan has videos posted on his website of the assembly and adjustment process, that are very clear and easy to follow.

 

 

 

Now you will see in the above picture, at the front the two wall spacers that come with the pedals that I have attached. In my case, I really did not need the wall spacers attached, I have a very deep desk and if I put the pedals all the way forward to where the spacers would butt up against my desk back, they would be too far forward. The rubber type grip pads though he has on the bottom of the pedals, seems to hold the pedals well on my hardwood floor. I have probably spent a couple of hours flying with them so far today, and have not had any movement issues. The pedal base also has holes already drilled for folks that want to really mount them to something.

 

Ok so after assembly, I hooked them up into my powered USB2 Hub. Windows 10 immediately recognized them as MFG Pedals. Now, Milan does NOT recommend calibrating within windows, instead download his Ver 2 of the calibration tool from his website. It is just a self executing tool, no software installation. Run the tool, calibrate the pedals and toe brakes , close the tool and you are done. Everything is saved in the pedals firmware. The new version of the calibration tool ( for the newer pedals firmware), also has some additional features he will get around to disclosing in the future. One can also set center and end dead-zones in the tool as well.

 

Materials: The hardware that comes with the pedals is very robust, nothing skimpy there. The material the pedals are made from , is a thermoset composite material with phenolic resin. Coming from the industry I am very familiar with it, and can tell you it is a very durable strong material, that in a gaming environment I can't see ever having a material problem with. It is some very stout stuff.

 

So after getting them hooked up and calibrated, I took them for a spin. Wow, the smoothness and precision is incredible. With the installed Cam 6 profile, I could barely feel a slight detent around center, and could very easily move the pedals just a fraction left or right, almost seemed like just thinking about moving them started the movement.

 

Coming from the Saitek Combats, where my feet were on the floor and the balls of the feet on the pedals, to these pedals where I rest my feet in them, I was a little concerned in how I would adjust. I very quickly adjusted and found them to be very comfortable, and a real joy to operate. The amount of adjustments one can do on them is quite extensive. Very customizable to personal feel.

 

I will probably play around with the width adjustment plates, and the other Cam profiles ( these are easily and quickly changed out) at some point, but right now I just want to fly and enjoy them! I flew a helicopter for a while in another sim, and it really helped in that regard. The smoothness is incredible.

 

I am very happy with my purchase, and I am sure I will have many years of enjoyment out of these new rudder pedals.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Lusekofte]

I had mine for some time now, very satisfied

[Bando]

Great write up.

I fully agree.

[GER_GD]

Very good Review !

Agree to 100%

My Pedals arrived 23th ... Loved them from First Moment

[SharpeXB]

What are the dimensions of the pedals when fully assembled?

[dburne]

What are the dimensions of the pedals when fully assembled?

 

The dimensions taken from his product specifications sheet:

 

494 mm wide x 287.5mm long ( with wall spacers fully extended 348.5mm)

 

The stock pedal width comes out to 49.5cm

With the optional width adjustment plate, gives two more pedal width options:

52.5cm

46.5cm

 

So with that additional plate one can make them a little wider, or a little narrower than stock.

Right now the stock width feels pretty good to me, I may install the plates at some point and try the different widths  to see how I like the difference.

 

The more I use these the more I love them, just hard to believe how smooth they are.

Edited December 29, 2015 by dburne

[Sokol1]

What are the dimensions of the pedals when fully assembled?

 

 

http://mfg.simundza.com/assets/downloads/Specifications.pdf

[LukeFF]

They really are nice pedals and probably will be the last ones I buy for for a very long time.

[VBF-12_Stick-95]

Good review.  I have had mine for several months and they were worth every penny replacing old CH Pro Pedals.  Milan is one top notch guy.

[dburne]

Thanks guys!

 

I got some more time in with them today, the more I use them the more I love them. I really would like to try out some of the other cam profiles along with maybe adjusting the pedal angle a little, and even the pedal width adjustment plates but can not seem to tear myself away from just flying with them as they are.

Maybe tomorrow . Maybe next week lol.

[jaydee]

Great review Don ! ...You made my mind up for me ~S~.

[dburne]

Great review Don ! ...You made my mind up for me ~S~.

 

Thanks, and great choice!

 

Edited December 30, 2015 by dburne

[SvAF/F16_Goblin]

Milan's order books are full so my delivery is changed to March but who cares :D

[dburne]

It will be well worth the wait.

 

Love how customizable these things are, been playing around with the pedal angles this morning. They come installed default at 20 degrees ( at least mine did), and with the toe brakes having 20 degrees of travel that meant when fully depressed they were at 0 degrees.

​I adjusted the angle up some to around 28-30 degrees ( just loosen two screens and adjust with reference marks), and find that better and more comfortable for me so far. I would also note changing pedal angle requires recalibrating the toe brakes with his calibration tool.  Also been playing around with the spring tension which is very easy to adjust to get it fine tuned to my liking.

 

I have been flying with the Cam 6 profile that was installed by default, going to try out Cam4 and Cam5 here soon to see the difference. I am finding I really like Cam6 though.

Edited December 31, 2015 by dburne

[kestrel79]

I would love these but I think they are too wide for the Obutto Ozone footplate area. Might have to go with the Stratojet T-Flights instead. My CH pedals are over 10 years old

[Bearcat]

They really are nice pedals and probably will be the last ones I buy for for a very long time.

 

 

I agree... One thing I like most about them is the precision... they are much more precise than any pedals I have used thus far.. The only thing I don't like about them, which is minor considering what I like about them is the fact that they are unstable if you put one foot at a time on them. I suggested to Milan that he at least consider some kind of extension on the heel side of the base to make them more stable.. then they would be perfect... but again.. that is minor.

 

Great write up DB.

[dburne]

I agree... One thing I like most about them is the precision... they are much more precise than any pedals I have used thus far.. The only thing I don't like about them, which is minor considering what I like about them is the fact that they are unstable if you put one foot at a time on them. I suggested to Milan that he at least consider some kind of extension on the heel side of the base to make them more stable.. then they would be perfect... but again.. that is minor.

 

Great write up DB.

 

Thanks!

 

Lol I found out pretty quickly what would happen if I rested one foot only on the pedals. I just make sure I ease both feet in them now to keep from tipping one side, like you said not really a big deal. I had the same thought on the pedal base, but I read somewhere that the design he chose for it was keeping in mind future pedal attachments to be designed at some point, like a heels on floor type of design.

 

While I am really enjoying the feel of the Cam 6 profile that came installed, I do hope to at least try out Cam4 and the optional Cam 5 I got as well, just to see the difference. Hope to do so sometime this week.

Though I would probably be hard pressed to find one I like better than Cam 6 at this point.

 

And I still have not tried out the optional width adjustment plates yet either, just finding it hard to tear myself away from actually just using them to try out more of these options.

Edited January 4, 2016 by dburne

[VBF-12_Stick-95]

The cure for the instability for me was using Velcro to keep it in place.

[LukeFF]

The cure for the instability for me was using Velcro to keep it in place.

 

Same here

[Kandiru]

On 1/4/2016 at 9:27 AM, Bearcat said:

 

 

I agree... One thing I like most about them is the precision... they are much more precise than any pedals I have used thus far.. The only thing I don't like about them, which is minor considering what I like about them is the fact that they are unstable if you put one foot at a time on them. I suggested to Milan that he at least consider some kind of extension on the heel side of the base to make them more stable.. then they would be perfect... but again.. that is minor.

 

Great write up DB.

The Wheel Stand Pro pedal plate has matching holes for the MFG Crosswind, perfect fit and stability. Not to mention the add-on Warthog stick mount.

 

Just got mine earlier this week and it is a blast. Programmed zoom into the left toe axis, now mowing down AI targets with precision, got my 100mm Warthog extension from Ebay Polska courtesy of nolimit.2007 (Sahaj I suspect) which also helps a lot, zero sensitivities. Oh and the CH throttle quad, 12 buttons and six more axes. 

 

The angled pedal extensions is a great relief for the obese, just like SUVs. I have had Saiteks and CH Products before, they don't even come close for comfort.

Now I can spread my legs and steer leisurely with the permanent pregnacy hanging low enough to prevent narcoleptic fits during the long flyouts to the action. A bit of restraint at the trough would also help, but then just look at papa Göring:)

Edited September 4, 2018 by Kandiru

[TWC_Ace]

I returned my VKB mk4 pedals (couldnt get used to up and down movement) and ordered the MFG Crosswinds.

I finally have them and I absolutely love them. Even more than my simped vario (regreted after I sold them long ago). They are very comfortable to use and very precise and they look great (now in gunmetal black). I ordered the width adjustment plates because I wanted them even more wider and to be able to mount footrests in more narrow position so I can use them with heels on the floor. And it works! It works very well. The pedale are very very precise and feel durable. Such customizable pedals doesnt exist anywhere else. The 
funny part is that you dont need to mount them or velcro them because the heels are on the floor and thers no direct weight on them. Though in such position is a bit harder to use brakes but I dont care tbh.

Here is the pic with my "combat style" footrests mounted.

 

 

 

 

Edited February 2, 2019 by blackram

[dburne]

Still loving my Crosswinds and using them practically daily now for the last couple of years since I retired.

I too now have mine velcro'd to the floor.

[HunDread]

4 hours ago, blackram said:

I returned my VKB mk4 pedals (couldnt get used to up and down movement) and ordered the MFG Crosswinds.

I finally have them and I absolutely love them. Even more than my simped vario (regreted after I sold them long ago). They are very comfortable to use and very precise and they look great (now in gunmetal black). I ordered the width adjustment plates because I wanted them even more wider and to be able to mount footrests in more narrow position so I can use them with heels on the floor. And it works! It works very well. The pedale are very very precise and feel durable. Such customizable pedals doesnt exist anywhere else. The 
funny part is that you dont need to mount them or velcro them because the heels are on the floor and thers no direct weight on them. Though in such position is a bit harder to use brakes but I dont care tbh.

Here is the pic with my "combat style" footrests mounted.

 

 

 

 

Was yours in the Jan 28 shipment batch too? I'm expecting mine to arrive on Monday.

[TWC_Ace]

1 hour ago, -[HRAF]Black_Sab said:

Was yours in the Jan 28 shipment batch too? I'm expecting mine to arrive on Monday.

Im from Croatia and in a long touch with Milan so mine was "special delivery". Sry I cannot help you with your shipment info. But you can try to reach him on mfg@simundza.com

[HunDread]

4 hours ago, blackram said:

Im from Croatia and in a long touch with Milan so mine was "special delivery". Sry I cannot help you with your shipment info. But you can try to reach him on mfg@simundza.com

 

Thanks, but no issues with delivery. Everything goes as expected. I just thought you were in the same batch as me.

[HunDread]

My short review:

 

 - Very VERY smooth

 - Very accuarte

 - Customizable

 - Durable (based on the look and touch and weight and other reviews)

 - The purchase went exactly as advertized on the website. The order page displayed a date for shipping the next batch (Jan 28 in my case). I ordered 2 weeks before and exactly on Jan 28 I received the invoice, payed, and the pedals were shipped the next day. Then I received it 3 (business) days later.

 

The only con is that the pedals are flipping over when only one foot is placed on, but I easily solved this by screwing the unit to a wooden base. 

[TWC_Ace]

14 minutes ago, -[HRAF]Black_Sab said:

 

The only con is that the pedals are flipping over when only one foot is placed on, but I easily solved this by screwing the unit to a wooden base. 

 

Im using them heels on the floor so no issues with flipping over. Hovewer I will stick them with some high quality velcro. Your solution is better as its easier to move them around if needed (I dont need).

Congrats.

[Alonzo]

I have mine on a wooden board, it helps a lot with keeping them in one place. Added bonus: you can attach bass shakers to the wood, and your feet vibrate with the engine rumble.

[Guest deleted@134347]

Finally made a decision to explore and try out the MFG Crosswind. Ordered mine on Feb 7th and received them on the 14th (USA). Wasn't expecting it to be such a quick transaction.  Big kudos to Milan! I remember the price on these were in the $500 range (last year?), so I was pleasantly surprised the total was ~300 Euro's ($340). Not cheap but oh so worth it! Read on.

 

Just like @blackram I'm coming from the VKB t-rudders the improvement is hands down dramatic. I thought I was doing well with vkb ones, but I guess I never quite understood the rudder precision required to achieve the snap rolls with the least amount of E loss. Simply put the toe action with vkb t-rudders is way too dull and most of the times I was over-ruddering, if you will, robbing me of E and putting me in disadvantage during the scissors, knifing, yo-yoing.. etc.. etc. It'll take some time for me to get the full potential out of crosswinds but judging by what I've experienced so far in the first 3 hours of fighting with them on Berloga there's a massive advantage over t-rudders.

 

I had to make them narrower in order to fit in to my NLR rig, it's a bit of a hack rough setup for now now. I'll replace the ugly bolts and the wooden block raiser/spacers with some hard plastic later on to make it look nicer, but it definitely works as a concept, there's no wobble, it's solid.

 

 

Edited February 15, 2019 by moosya

[WheelwrightPL]

12 minutes ago, moosya said:

Simply put the toe action with vkb t-rudders is way too dull and most of the times I was over-ruddering.

 

VKB T-Rudders have no toe brakes so what do you mean by "toe action" ? If you mean you were using your toes to press them, then you were doing it wrong because you're supposed to use the ball of your foot to achieve required precision.

[Guest deleted@134347]

10 minutes ago, WheelwrightPL said:

 

VKB T-Rudders have no toe brakes so what do you mean by "toe action" ? If you mean you were using your toes to press them, then you were doing it wrong because you're supposed to use the ball of your foot to achieve required precision.

 

yup, I was. And that's because I had a better sense of the movement using my super sensitive toes rather than my fat heels. ? Or so I thought.  I tried putting my feet on the t-rudders but the thin tubes never felt good under my feet and the leg weight distribution never felt right.

 

As a resume the crosswinds provide the best ergonomics. Coupled with high precision is a win-win. Highly recommend! What else can I say?

 

btw, my t-rudders are going for sale now! ?

Edited February 15, 2019 by moosya

[TWC_Ace]

LOL Moosya, my crosswinds are in the widest postion (im using spacers/plates for wider mounting). MFGs are superb. I liked the simpeds alot and I can say the same for MFGs. But MFGs are suepr adjustable. CH and Saiteks were awfull. Though for the money they are ok.

Now I need to mount the pedals on some wooden board and I need to make or find someone to make "combat" style footrests.

 

Edited February 15, 2019 by blackram

[Guest deleted@134347]

5 hours ago, blackram said:

LOL Moosya, my crosswinds are in the widest postion (im using spacers/plates for wider mounting). MFGs are superb. I liked the simpeds alot and I can say the same for MFGs. But MFGs are suepr adjustable. CH and Saiteks were awfull. Though for the money they are ok.

Now I need to mount the pedals on some wooden board and I need to make or find someone to make "combat" style footrests.

 

 

I wish I could use even the regular width but alas it doesn't fit between the frame rails of my rig. The narrow setup works just as well, it's really just a matter of getting used to it. 

 

I was even thinking attaching some leather straps to keep my feet from sliding forward, flying in socks you know..   Otherwise i'd have to put the shoes on.. and that's just way too nerdy for me. ?

[Guest deleted@83466]

You've got some First World problems there, moosya. ?