Joystick problems

O

OBIO

Retired SOH Admin
My trusty Saitek ST290 Pro is having a small mental break down and now refuses to recognize the number 1 button (primary trigger) on a regular basis. And that number 1 button is an important button. In CFS2, that button allows me to shoot down the enemy and any of my wing men who refuse to do what I tell them to do. In FS2004, button 1 is set up to engage my brakes....and my landing rolls have become incredibly long without the ability to put on my stoppers.

I have half a mind (which is all I have ever really had) to unhook the stick, take it apart and see if I can get button 1 working properly again. But I am hesitant to do that as I might mess up my stick totally. I have two back up sticks...a Saitek Cyborg Graphite and a Thrustmaster HOTAS Cougar stick and throttle set....but neither of these will give me rudder input...and flying a plane with out rudder control is not all that nice.

Has anyone ever pulled their joysticks apart to clean the trigger switches? Are they servicable/cleanable?

OBIO
 
You did do all the normal troubleshooting already, right?
I would take the stick grip apart very carefully, paying close attention to how the parts are seated and how the wires are routed. The trigger is probably just a small microswitch that you may be able to clean with spray contact cleaner (non-solvent, non-residue type). Worst case: you have to replace the microswitch but it's still cheaper than a new stick.
 
Yep, did all the normal trouble shooting. Unplugged the stick, rebooted the system, plugged the stick back in, calibrated it time and time again...still button 1 only works about 1/3 of the time. I would imagine that that trigger has been pulled many thousands of times in the last 3 years or so..maybe 4 years as I think I bought this stick when I was still trying to enjoy CFS3 (failed at that for 3 years before getting CFS2 and tossing CFS3 into a drawer to collect dust).

If the microswitch is bad, I could probable swap the one from the Cyborg Graphite into the ST290 Pro.

OBIO
 
If it's one like this one and if it is. They have about a 3 years or 4 years life as a primary trigger. The one on my M$ sidewinder was tost. Find one that works and get your soldering gun out and replace it with a working one.

microswitch6167a.jpg


I wish they would drop the ones above for the old controller style found in in the NES/SNES that I have that are pushing 20 years and still work.

Push the button, button pushes down rubber membrane with metal disc in it. conducts electricity, bye bye gose the plane. This rubber membrane is also what makes the button pop back up after you've pressed it.

Works real good, prob a pain in the butt to put in a joystick.
 
Took the stick apart...which was a real chore in and of itself...and found the problem. There are two small pins that hold the trigger switch in place. The upper pin was broken....3 to 4 years worth of trigger pulling, with some of them being a bit too hard I would imagine, and the plastic pin simply broke from fatique/stress. I pulled the switch out of its location, super glued the pin back into place, reinserted the micro switch and for good measure super glued it to the small plate that it butts up against. The switch is now solid as a rock again and the trigger should work just fine....well, once the pink wire that broke off the switch during my repair job is soldered back on. No biggie. I will get with my neighbor tomorrow evening and ask him to solder it for me...he is BIG TIME into RC dirt racing and is always soldering small wires and switches and servos. He has a specialized soldering gun just for small connections like this....and it wasn't cheap. He also has this super fine solder for use on small solder connections. Get the wire soldered back on, carefully reassemble the stick, and my machine guns and brakes should work like normal once again.

OBIO
 
Key word is "should". ;) Hope all goes well with the repair.

Saitek isn't what it used to be. That's the reason I went with A Thrustmaster Cougar HOTAS (Hands On Throttle And Stick), after going thru 3 Saitek sticks.
 
I have the Thrustmaster Cougar HOTAS set, and could fly with auto rudder on....but I like having rudder input. I have been watching E-bay for an affordable set of rudder pedals, but haven't come across any that were in my price range. Someday though, I would love to be able to use the Cougar set up.

Is it possible to program one of the dials on the throttle as rudder inputs? That would work for me until I get a set of rudder pedals.

And is there software needed for the Cougar set? When the set was given to me, there was not software with it, so I don't know if it is needed or not.

OBIO
 
Don't complain OBIO, I haven't seen the inside of a virtual cockpit for nearly a month. Got my tower back yesterday and took it back today. I need to apply for a job as tech for COMPUSA, I think I may know more about computers than they do, I just don't have the proper tools and tests.

It would be a novelette to Ickie's novel for me to describe the complete and utter lack of small items found in today's techs, such as using an ATI Crossfire Mainboard for two nVidia 8800 GTS SLI cards, uh-uh. don't work/.

Last time they put the SLI Mainboard in and when I fired up yesterday, I had no sound, no access to two rear and two front USB ports, two hardware attachment screws missing, no showing whatsoever of the CD/DVD drives. I called COMPUSA yesterday and some dingleberry told me to download the drivers from the MSI website.

"WHAT! Lemme have your manager, I have the bloody drivers, but how can I install them when I can't use the CD/DVD drives. Shouldn't you have done that in the first place. See you tomorrow, have your store manager waiting. I'm bringing my wife, so I don't go to jail. Pay the $49.99 process fee, I don't think so! Again, tell your manager to be waiting or I'll spend the night in Durham and wait for him! BTW, I know who he is, his photo is on your website dude!"

Better get it right too or Durham BBB and the Tiger Direct/COMPUSA honcho will get my attention and somebody's job will be on the line.

I ain't Vincent, but I have ways about me. The pen is mightier than than the sword. Take a man's life and all you do is take away his worries. Take his frikkin' job and then your have his yarbles.

Caz
 
OBIO, I have a set of Thrustmaster Elite rudder pedals with mine..... and a set of CH Pros for my spare Cougar.

No software needed for the rudder pedals. It's a dvi set, not USB, that plugs into the port on the joystick base. New CH Pros are USB and unless your Courar has a USB connection on the joystick base you be scrod. I'm pretty sure you need the dvi set pf pedals.

I could sell you the spare CH set I have but it will cost you. And there is an added deal too.... that concerns Ickie. ;) PM me and I'll let you know.

Do you have the Foxy software for your Cougar?
 
cfs2 flight problem in f4f two joysticks same problem

OK folks got a problem with the f4f not being able to pull around, in luf berry, or hold steady in real flight. Is it cfs2 quirks, or am I dreaming? Two joysticks, are doing the same in the game. I am banking around, at speed, next thing it starts going into a flat spin, just will not hold course, is this a limitation in the game, 'cause the damned zekes are glued to my tail, this is not reality, I do all the moves, split S etc., and it is loop (flat spin) city. Has anybody got a fix for this, or have I reached the locked limit to the f4f and cfs2 limit?
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On my 2nd trashmaster hotas setup, I went thru two sets of there rudder pedals also, and after this set dies out Im going to a CH joystick with a saitek throttle. I found a saitek rudder on craigs list for $40. Ebay has this stuff too. Trashmaster software is at there website, and I think that most controllers only last 3-5 years or so, and then they start to go stoopid and quit. BTW I have a box full of TM leftovers that probley could be repaired, Make me a offer.
 
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