Chinese sim racing peripheral manufacturer MOZA’s first stab at creating flagship load cell-based pedals resulted in 2022’s CRP Pedals.
Although well-specced and boasting solid construction, our very own Piers Prior was less impressed with their brake pedal feel – the most vital aspect of any three-pedal set.
So, armed with a brand-spanking new set of MOZA’s latest CRP2 Load Cell Pedals I’ve been tasked with seeing if MOZA has nailed the mid-range sim pedal formula. More pertinently, can the CRP2s compete with the likes of Heusinkveld’s Sim Racing Sprint Pedals, Asetek Simsports’ Forte and Fanatec’s ClubSport Pedals V3?
MOZA CRP2 Load Cell Pedals unboxing
As I experienced recently while unboxing MOZA’s R12 wheelbase, the CRP2 pedals arrived well-packaged, with the gas and load cell brake pedal arriving in one box and a separate clutch in another.
MOZA also sent the CRP2 Performance Kit, which offers springs and damping blocks with varying degrees of feel and resistance.
The pedals attach to the base via four bolts into threaded holes, which is a nice touch, with the steel pedal base fixing to the underside of my GT Omega Prime Lite pedal plate without drama.
The CRP2s have a raft of adjustability options, with pedal face angle and height both changeable. You can also alter each pedal’s travel and feel with the supplied tools (MOZA also throws in a load of bolts, too, which is handy, but I did require a few of my own washers during the fitting process).
I immediately opted for a slacker pedal face angle and spaced the brake as far to the left of the gas as possible to make left-foot braking easier. For me, I think there could be more mounting holes on the base plate to provide a better range of pedal spacing options.
In terms of compatibility, the CRP2 pedals can be used on PC, either by connecting directly via USB or by connecting to a MOZA wheelbase. Xbox users can also use CRP2s via their ESX steering wheel connected to a MOZA wheelbase.
Braking the habit
The brake damping can also be altered, which is by far the most important feature of any load cell pedal set. The load cell sensor range goes up to 200 Kg, which is more than enough, with a range of alternative damping blocks included to alter the braking feel.
MOZA’s manual suggests the supplied default damping blocks mimic road cars, supercars, rally cars, GT4s, GT3s and Formula 3s, but in my experience, all of these were far too soft: it was as jarring as left-foot braking in your road car.
This is where the CRP2 Performance Kit came in to save the day (£19), including stiffer springs and damping blocks (in theory, this provides up to 1,764 different brake damper combinations, as opposed to the default 115).
I first used a combination of red damping blocks and the red spring, before opting for the ultra-stiff purple spring, two red and two aluminium blocks. In my opinion, this makes the CRP2 Performance Kit essential for experienced sim racers. Beginners may prefer the softer default options, though.
Coming from Heusinkveld Sprints, I felt the MOZA was at its best using stiffer combinations, as using softer damping blocks gave me wildly unpredictable pedal inputs. Fortunately, calibrating and adjusting the progressiveness of each pedal is easily done through MOZA’s Pit House software.
One issue I experienced with the brake was down to the limit screw coming loose while driving. These can only be tightened by hand and when loosened they mess up the sensitivity of your inputs. Fortunately, it’s a quick fix, but not ideal while in the middle of a race.
On the other side of things
The CRP2s are a sturdy item, feeling very heavy and robust. The pedal plates have changed from their original drilled finish to a solid piece of aluminium alloy. They’re quite slippy to operate when wearing socks, but once your sweat wicks through the grip is there (apologies if you’re reading this during your lunch).
Sadly, the solid face plate construction means you can’t move them left or right to fine-tune their position. The three pedals are packed into quite a small area, which, in my opinion, could be mitigated by using the extra real estate at either side of the CRP’s baseplate.
The CRP2s compare favourably to previous load cell pedals I’ve owned. With the stiffer brake set-up they feel better to use than both the Fanatec CSL Elite and ClubSport sets, while being easier and more comfortable to operate than the Derek Speare Designs Wilwood Racing Pedals I had for a couple of years (albeit without the ultimate fidelity and bulletproof build quality you’d expect from a near-£1,000 product).
MOZA CRP2s: the perfect mid-range upgrade?
The big question is whether the CRP2s can challenge my current pedals. Although I was impressed by how easy the MOZAs are to adjust and set-up, for me the braking feel doesn’t quite match up to my Heusinkveld Sprints.
However, in terms of cost this makes complete sense, as the MOZA CRP2s are £399 for a gas and brake set (before shipping and taxes), while the Heusinkvelds are around the £570 mark (minus a baseplate and shipping). Once you factor in the clutch, the CRP2s are just shy of £500, which is a chunk more than Fanatec’s ClubSport V3 pedals but less than Asetek’s Forte load cell examples.
It’s a tough choice then, but if you’re looking for mid-range pedals the CRP2s are a solid choice, especially if you’ve already bought into MOZA’s sim racing ecosystem. I think improvements can still be made to the brake but the CRP2s will be a substantial upgrade for those sim racers moving from Thrustmaster and Logitech entry-level products to the mid-range.
I’m sticking with my Heusinkvelds, though.
Are the MOZA CRP2 pedals compatible with the MOZA mBooster Active Pedals?
As a final point, it’s worth noting that the CRP2s can be upgraded with active pedal technology. Thanks to their modular construction, it will soon be possible to fit MOZA’s upcoming mBooster Active Pedals to the CRP2 base.
The mBooster pedal can replace any one of the clutch, brake or gas pedals to provide haptic ABS and traction control-mimicking feedback and can be controlled by MOZA’s Pit House software as normal.
We haven’t had a chance to test the mBooster Active Pedals yet but this could very well elevate the CRP2’s braking feel to the next level.
Full disclosure: This product was provided by the manufacturer for review purposes. Here is our review policy.
MOZA CRP2 Load Cell Pedals key features
- Price: €449 / $499 / £399 (minus clutch)
- Pedal Body Material: Aerospace-grade aluminium alloy
- Heel Plate Material: 3K twill carbon fibre
- Base Material: High-strength steel
- Load Cell Sensor Range: 0–200kg
- Brake Sensor: Load cell sensor and angle sensor
- Angle Sensor Resolution: 15-bit (32768 PPR)
- Brake Pedal Feel: 115 standard adjustments, 1764 optional configurations
- Throttle Adjustment: Two spring options with infinite adjustment
- Clutch Adjustment: Two spring options with infinite adjustment
- Brake Travel Adjustment: 15–20°
- Throttle Travel Adjustment: 15–23°
- Clutch Travel Adjustment: 15–25°
- Pedal Angle Adjustment: 0–15°
- Pedal Face Height Adjustment: Up to 30mm
- Footrest Adjustment: Up to 30mm
- Pedal Curve Adjustment: Adjustable
- Real-time Pedal Output Display: Adjustable
- Pedal Pressure Engagement Point: Adjustable
- Pedal Surface: Biomimetic curved
- Inverted Mounting Kit: Optional
- Compatible with MOZA mBooster Active Pedals (sold separately)
