Load Cell vs Hydraulic vs Active Sim Racing Pedals: A Canadian Buyer Guide

Most sim racers upgrade the wheelbase first. But the pedal you brake with decides how consistently you can hit the same brake point lap after lap. This guide covers the three pedal types you'll see when you shop: load cell, hydraulic, and active. It uses real specs from the Moza and Conspit pedals we carry at Full Push.

Why the brake sensor matters

A basic pedal measures how far it travels. In a real car, though, you brake by how hard you push, not how far. Load cell and hydraulic brakes measure force or pressure instead of distance, so your muscle memory learns to brake by effort. That's why a pressure-sensing brake is the most common pedal upgrade.

Load cell pedals: Moza CRP2

The Moza CRP2 Load Cell Pedals (throttle and brake) are a good example of a modern load cell set:

200 kg load cell sensor on the brake
15-bit high-precision angle sensor
Up to 1,764 brake-feel combinations, from road car to F1-style stiffness
Tool-free adjustment
CNC aerospace-grade aluminium with a carbon fibre heel plate
Supports inverted mounting
PC and Xbox compatible (Xbox when used in a compatible setup)

You can add the CRP2 Load Cell Clutch Pedal for a three-pedal set. You can change the brake feel further with the CRP2 Performance Upgrade Kit, which has 10 springs, damping blocks, and an aluminium block. To hang the pedals from above, use the CRP2 Inversion Kit, which has an adjustable 20° angle and adjustable pedal spacing.

Hydraulic pedals: the Conspit CPP family

Conspit's CPP pedals read brake input with a hydraulic pressure sensor. The lineup steps up in sensor range and build:

CPP APEX (in the Conspit APEX Bundle): a vertical dual-chamber hydraulic brake, a 10 MPa sensor, and an expandable clutch.
CPP LITE: an updated single-stage hydraulic brake and a 10 MPa sensor (Conspit lists a 100 bar max brake factor). It has a non-linear clutch that mimics a real diaphragm spring, stepped force adjustment on all three pedals, and M-DVF vibration feedback as standard.
CPP EVO: a dual-stage hydraulic brake that starts soft and turns firm and progressive, with preload you can adjust separately for each stage. It has a 20 MPa sensor (200 bar max brake factor), 4-stage force adjustment per pedal, full CNC 6061-T6 aluminium, and M-DVF vibration as standard.
CPP EVO V2: builds on the EVO with a chrome-plated 45-steel piston and a dual Step-Seal system rated to 400 bar. Conspit says the seal has about 50% less friction than a single-seal design. It adds PTFE push-rod guides for smoother throttle and clutch travel and a refined spring and elastomer system. It keeps the 20 MPa sensor and M-DVF vibration.

Every CPP set connects by USB directly or through Conspit CAN to an ARES wheelbase, and you tune it in Conspit Link 2.0 (mapping curves and brake input limits). The CPP APEX doesn't have vibration built in. You add it with the M-DVF Vibration Kit, and the APEX pedals need a USB connection to your PC for vibration, not the ARES base connection.

Active pedals: Moza mBooster

An active pedal has a motor that pushes back. Instead of a fixed spring stack, it can change its feel in software and play effects through your foot. The Moza mBooster Active Pedal uses:

Dual 200 kg load cell sensors
A 21-bit high-resolution magnetic encoder
A high-torque-density motor
One-click setup in Moza Pit House as a throttle, brake, or clutch
Real-time ABS, traction control, engine vibration, and G-force feedback

The mBooster Active Pedal Set pairs it with a CRP2 throttle, the CRP2 plate, and an extended plate.

Do you need a clutch pedal?

You only need one if you drive with an H-pattern shifter, do heel-and-toe downshifts, or want manual standing starts. Each family has an option. The CRP2 clutch has a progressive three-stage feel with dual-spring tension. The CPP LITE's clutch is non-linear, and the CPP APEX can add a clutch later. If you're starting with a Moza R3 or R5 bundle, the SR-P Lite Clutch Pedal adds a third pedal to those bundles (it isn't compatible with the full SR-P pedal).

Mount it solid

A brake rated in hundreds of kilograms, or in MPa, only helps if the pedals don't move. If the plate flexes or the pedals slide forward, that eats the consistency you paid for. Hard-mount the pedals to a cockpit or a rigid pedal deck. If you want an inverted, F1-style layout, the CRP2 Inversion Kit handles that for Moza.

How to choose

Starting out on Moza: the SR-P Lite pedals in the R3 or R5 bundles, with the clutch add-on if you shift manually.
Your first pressure-sensing brake: Moza CRP2, or the Conspit CPP APEX in the APEX Bundle.
Hydraulic feel with vibration included: Conspit CPP LITE.
More sensor range and adjustment: Conspit CPP EVO or EVO V2.
Brake feel set in software plus live effects: Moza mBooster.

FAQ

Is a load cell or hydraulic brake better? Both measure how hard you press, not how far the pedal moves. That's the big jump from a basic pedal. After that it comes down to feel and ecosystem: the CRP2 tunes with springs and damping blocks, and Conspit's CPP sets add hydraulic stages and vibration.

Do Moza CRP2 pedals work on Xbox? Moza lists PC and Xbox compatibility, with Xbox support when used in a compatible setup.

Can Conspit pedals plug into my wheelbase? CPP pedals connect by USB, or through Conspit CAN to an ARES wheelbase.

Which pedals have vibration? CPP LITE, CPP EVO, and CPP EVO V2 include M-DVF vibration that works with SimHub ShakeIt. The CPP APEX takes the optional M-DVF kit. The Moza mBooster plays ABS, traction control, engine, and G-force effects through its motor.

Where do these ship from? Full Push is an authorized dealer. Moza pedals ship from Canada, and Conspit pedals ship from Calgary with no duties.