Author Topic: Broke my J/S (Read 956 times)

Brenjen · « **on:** June 16, 2006, 11:34:26 PM »

Long story short; I turned a minor annoyance into three broken wires inside my Saitek X-52 & they are too tiny for me to solder back in place.

I am looking at CH fighterstick USB & the pro pedals combined with my X-52 throttle as my replacement set-up. What do you guys think? Good choice? Will the X-52 throttle be compatible with CH J/S?

I am completely unfamiliar with CH products & am still trying to decide between cost vs. reliability & performance & I would really appreciate anyones constructive input on this matter please.

38ruk · « **Reply #1 on:** June 17, 2006, 01:33:54 AM »

i used my x-52 throttle with my ch fighter stick and pro pedals util my throttle came in . Worked fine , i actually miss the rotaries on the x-52 .throttle

Brenjen · « **Reply #2 on:** June 17, 2006, 11:25:05 AM »

Thanks ruk, my other thought is to go with a cougar hotas & CH pro pedals; but ihear to make it a "good stick" you need to do something with hall effect sensors & potentiometers or some dam thing. I just don't know what to look for. My X-52 was ok, on a scale of 1-10 I'd have given it a 6 but I'm looking for an 8 or 9 at least.

GunnerCAF · « **Reply #3 on:** June 17, 2006, 12:16:47 PM »

I think the CH is well worth the cost. CH makes some good reliable sticks right out of the box. The good thing about them is you can use another throttle and buy a little at a time.

I have a Cougar and I think it's the top of the line. But it will cost you quite a bit for the stick and modification upgrades. If our interested, here are some pics of the hall sensors and gimbal upgrade. You can find more information at the link to Cougar World.

Gunner's Cougar Page

Brenjen · « **Reply #4 on:** June 17, 2006, 12:42:58 PM »

Thanks Gunner; so what you're saying is the Cougar is fine the way it is, but can be made better?

I have never had CH or Thrustmaster products...I'm not a J/S mechanic & don't know what the need for the hall effect sensors are if the pots or whatever work.

Do the Cougars suffer from stick drift within a few months or is it just the stiff springs that people prefer with the upgrade?

I have a squaddie with a Cougar & I think he did the hall effect sensor upgrade...I'm going to e-mail him & pick his brain too.

Brenjen · « **Reply #5 on:** June 17, 2006, 12:50:31 PM »

My problem with my X-52 was this:

#1 - stick drift, it would drift forward ever so slightly if moved just right & was bought new in Dec. of '05

#2 - the twisty rudder control would cause rudder stutter (lol) so when I got on an enemy planes six, it was difficult to make fine adjustments. It was like rubbing a rubber O ring against a damp plastic base or wet skin on an inner-tube & my rounds would not concentrate except by the enemy pilot turning into my guns & holding still or I just would get lucky & the rudder would stop stuttering on the plane.

I don't want to have that problem again.

I dont like the way CH sticks look, they look cheap. If I'm going to drop another hundred bucks I might as well drop two more & get a stick that's going to last & that's what has turned my eye to the cougar. I just can't decide what is the best thing to do.

Bronk · « **Reply #6 on:** June 17, 2006, 12:54:11 PM »

Not going to bash the cougar but... I thought that I read some go bad in just a few hours of use.
I don't like the fact you pay top $$ for a stick and to make it work you through more $$ at it.

Is it true people have $800+ into the Cougar hotas set up?

Bronk

Bronk · « **Reply #7 on:** June 17, 2006, 01:02:53 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by Brenjen

I dont like the way CH sticks look, they look cheap. If I'm going to drop another hundred bucks I might as well drop two more & get a stick that's going to last & that's what has turned my eye to the cougar. I just can't decide what is the best thing to do.

I'll bet you there are people out there using 10+ year old CH stuff.

I am currently using 10 year old game port ch pro peds .
Also I gave my Squady my old CH fighter stick was game port also.
I was to lazy to mess with jumping between dos and xp to program stick.
When I shipped it to him the axises were still working flawlessly.

Bronk

Brenjen · « **Reply #8 on:** June 17, 2006, 02:59:33 PM »

Thanks Bronk, I have heard the praises of CH sung here on these boards; & I know it's petty of me but I don't like the way they look. I hate it that my obsessive compulsive nature causes me to notice things like that. And what's worse it's only at the bottom of the stick where it attaches to the base, it reminds me of the floor shifter in a Mustang II.

I like the look of the Cougar, but I have never had my hands wrapped around either of them. My squaddie swears by his Cougar with the hall effect upgrade, but has never had a CH either & can't compare the two.

How difficult to find/purchase are the hall effect sensors used to upgrade the cougar? Anyone on here done it recently?

I appreciate all the help & information folks; that Frugals Cougar world page is really helpful, but I haven't gotten into it much yet; going to give it a read right now.

GunnerCAF · « **Reply #9 on:** June 17, 2006, 04:48:46 PM »

The Cougar out of the box will work fine, but it has play in the center. I had used the stock pots for several years. The Cougar is nearly all metal, and can be taken apart, repaired or modified. There is a lot of community support, and modifications available. But, if you don't like to open the hood and mess with it, it may not be what you are looking for. Building PCs and Joysticks is part of the hobby for me.

The hall sensors can take some time to get, but replacement standard pots are quite cheap and available through Cougar World (Red Dog). To eliminate any center play, you need to change out the gimbals.

The CH makes a good solid stick, no modifications needed.

Gunner

GunnerCAF · « **Reply #10 on:** June 17, 2006, 05:06:50 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by Bronk
Not going to bash the cougar but... I thought that I read some go bad in just a few hours of use.
I don't like the fact you pay top $$ for a stick and to make it work you through more $$ at it.

Is it true people have $800+ into the Cougar hotas set up?

Bronk

My Cougar did not go bad in a few hours use. But then some people can break a joystick rather quickly. It may be more to do with their flying style (temper) then the hardware

I have more in my joystick then I do in my last PC upgrade. $800+ is not unreal. I didn't buy it all at once. First the Cougar, a few years later, the Hall Sensors, now the NXT gimbals. My last TM FLCS/TQS lasted me 8 years and is still in use. It also had upgrade modificatons and a few repairs. I plan to use my Cougar at least that long and longer. This is my hobby, so want outweighs need

Gunner

Brenjen · « **Reply #11 on:** June 17, 2006, 05:24:09 PM »

I have all but decided on the Cougar.

I am also looking at the Über II NXT mod, that is the replacement gimble correct?

There are so many mods & the site is packed full of so much info it's difficult to understand what your looking at without already knowing what certain things are.

I absolutely live to take stuff apart. I have had nitro fuel powered 4x4 R/C trucks & modded them, I build P/C's now & then & twist wrenches on everything I own. I like the idea the Cougar is made out of metal & that is the single biggest factor that swayed me & the look of the stick was second.

I am thankful for the info Gunner/Bronk/38ruk

Bronk · « **Reply #12 on:** June 17, 2006, 05:26:02 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by GunnerCAF
My Cougar did not go bad in a few hours use. But then some people can break a joystick rather quickly. It may be more to do with their flying style (temper) then the hardware

I have more in my joystick then I do in my last PC upgrade. $800+ is not unreal. I didn't buy it all at once. First the Cougar, a few years later, the Hall Sensors, now the NXT gimbals. My last TM FLCS/TQS lasted me 8 years and is still in use. It also had upgrade modificatons and a few repairs. I plan to use my Cougar at least that long and longer. This is my hobby, so want outweighs need

Gunner

Hmmm

Quote

Originally posted by smash

I purchased the TM Cougar knowing that I was going to go ahead and spend the money on the NXT mod and the Hall sensors from Cubby. I went ahead and ordered both mods the day I bought the stick, but figured I would use it until everything came in. (The NXT from Ian got to me in less then a week -- still waiting on the Halls.) The stick is being used with a set of RCS pedals and a new computer that I've detailed here before.

I got 2-3 years out of my old TM stick before replacing the pots, so its not like I'm hard on sticks. I would not have guessed that a $239 stick/throttle would fail within 7 days of flying... I'm disgusted to say the least.

Here's a graph out of the analyzer showing what the spikes look like. I am moving the stick only in the X,Y. When you lean it to the right, everything is fine. As soon as you go left past center it goes nuts. Last night I couldn't even take my hand off the stick and use the autopilot. Since I ordered the mods I didn't keep the box or receipt... otherwise I would exchange it at CompUSA.

In the thread i got this from he said it happened in a week.

I completely agree with the $$ spent on a hobby. I can get a bit out of hand with my rc stuff.

Bronk

Brenjen · « **Reply #13 on:** June 17, 2006, 06:20:34 PM »

O.K.

Now what rudder pedals are recomended by you folks that are compatible with the Cougar?

I saw the Roo-peds, they look like they would work great by taking your shoes off & using your toes like a monkey

But aside from building my own Or begging some roo peds

, what brand/model are the best in your opinion?

Bronk · « **Reply #14 on:** June 17, 2006, 06:24:24 PM »

Guess I'm a CH fanboy.
In the 10 years I've had my set I've taken them apart once to clean the pot.

Bronk