Time for a new Stick

[Gman]

Tough call IMO.

I have a couple of the VKB Gunfighters, Virpil T50s, several TM Warthogs and Cougars, Saiteks, and CH setups. I find for AH3 that CH is still hard to beat as for the cost it's the lightest stick, and you do a lot of moving that stick in this game I find.  That CH lightness makes for very accurate and precise shooting I've found too.

The VKB Gunfighters can be tuned with spring changes (the lightest springs of the 4 or so that come with them) to be even lighter than the CH Fighterstick, which is why I would choose the VKB GF probably over the CH Fighterstick. Only issue is, a: availability is pretty much impossible for the VKB stick right now, and b: cost, you can buy 3+ Fightersticks for what 1 VKB stick costs.  Virpil's T50 is an excellent stick, I use them for DCS, their throttle too, again, availability and cost are the disadvantage over CH or TM.  Also, even with the lightest springs the T50 is much stiffer than the CH stick.

Warthogs - I have a love/hate relationship with them.  Their gimbal is OK until it craps out...then it really, really sucks.  When you phone the French company for support..well, I suggest learning how to swear "en Francais".  I really like the WH metal stick, I put one in my 2nd Virpil T50 base, and that makes the optimal "jet stick" IMO - metal TM stick in the excellent Virpil gimbal and base.  Good times.

It's up to you OP, but considering for $100 to 125ish you can get a new Ch Fighterstick, and a new TM WH will cost you $500, you need to decide how much having the TM stick - which likely will have gimbal sticktion issues within a few years, all 3 of mine have to one degree or other after a couple/few years - is really worth to you.  Again, VKB and Virpil make excellent sticks (and one throttle), but they are out of stock at the moment, and are prepetually out of stock, I was very fortunate to get my first version of the Gunfighter off of ebay (and get a stick for that base unit when they finally came in stock at VKB), along with the GF2RevB which one day just happened to be in stock for a few hours while I was surfing.  You used to be able to put in orders for Virpil and it'd take 4 to 6 weeks, now, they just show out of stock with no option to place orders.

IMO - this is what I'd do in your shoes.  Get a replacement Fighter/Combat stick for right now, and once Virpil and VKB get their supply situation sorted out, get into one of those.  Virpil has desktop bases now available too, which avoids the desktop mount/clamp issue and finding a throttle that'll work on one of those clamps (only the TM WH throttle and their in house new one have plates that fit the mounts right now). 

edit - The TM Warthog's most typical sticktion problems CAN be addressed on your own, there are lots of Youtube help videos and websites on how to use better lubrication/etc than what they do at the factory.  There are also custom orings you can purchase, PTFE/teflon rings to replace the one that frequently craps out.  Just want to point out that sticktion which is the most common TM issue isn't some insurmountable thing, and even though their tech support generally hangs you out to dry on this after 1 year, you can fix it yourself in most cases.  For $500 the TM WH is still a reasonable deal, as the Virpil T50 and its throttle will cost you double that after shipping, easily. 

[Rebel28]

Alskahawk I had the same setup you are using and also upgraded. This is what I went with and the problems that were encountered and corrected.

I went with the TM Warthog great stick the metal feel and fit in your hand is really nice. But you will find that the stick will have what is called the sticktion problem this will annoy you until you, like me, will fix it. The fix works and makes it now a really great stick. It will require you to take it all apart and sand the mold flashing off the plastic parts. There are many Youtube videos to show you how to do this. Then re-grease with Lucas Red N Tacky #2 found at any auto parts store. The stick will now be butter smooth in its movement. After this the only thing you will need to do is once a month you will need to stir the stick to spread the grease around again. Start making circles starting around the outside edge of the movement of the stick and work the circles in toward the center do this in each direction. You will feel the difference.

For the rudder I went with the Saitek Pro Flight Rudder Pedals. Again these also are not without a problem. The center detent on them is way too tight with no way to adjust it. When moving off the center position the pedal will jump as the pin releases. This also will require you to disassemble to fix. Again Youtube and Google is your friend. I did not want to totally give up a center position so I did not remove the pin that causes the issue. I replaced the spring with a lighter one purchased at Lowes. I also cut a taper where the pin locks into the hole. Again Red N Tacky applied.
   
For the cost of these products I am sorry to tell you they are not perfect out of the box which they should be. But after correcting the problems listed above I would not go back.

[alskahawk]

Hey, I have several extra CH products fightersticks laying around that I keep just for reasons like this


All I'll charge is shipping cost if it will help you out....all I ask is pay it forward some day if you are able to

Let me know

~S~

TC

Thanks Tequila, But I have a CH Combat backup.

I have gone in and tore apart these sticks before but I think given the age of this stick I will just replace it. Right now leaning toward just going with another Fighter stick, since I only fly a couple of times a week on average.

[alskahawk]

 Went for the quickest solution. Ordered a new Fighter stick. Thanks for your input.