Author Topic: CH Fighterstick HAT switche (Read 773 times)

-wrongway- · « **on:** January 25, 2003, 03:07:59 PM »

Mine just decide to stop working. I have done the typical delete, reload, reboot etc. Everything else works.

Still have stick spikes, what causes this?

Hawk!

CurtissP-6EHawk · « **Reply #1 on:** January 25, 2003, 03:14:41 PM »

oops, I logged in under my old username!!
Problem remains the same..

DamnedRen · « **Reply #2 on:** January 26, 2003, 09:54:27 PM »

Are all your views affected?
Or just rear views or the corners?
The hats do wear out. If your hat's worn out it needs replacement.

Spiking is a different problem and you can easily check it by going into the AH joystick setup or in windoz gaming stick setup located in your control panel. Just go in an move the stick around on its pitch and roll axis'. When they get dirty or go bad they normally spike around center. In AH joystick set up you can take out the spiking by moving the "dead band" tab up. Check it on the blue box to the left and readjust until the spiking goes away. If it spikes half way through the pull of the stick you may have no other choice but to either try taking apart the effected pot (potentiometer) and cleaning it with some tuner cleaner or replace it. Some guys have sprayed WD-40 in the pots and got somemore life out of them. More often than not replacement is the best bet.

Personally, I own 2 F-16 Fightersticks and a buddy that lives in town and also flies AH has the same. Whats most noticable is the hat's seem to last about 6-8 months for me. He seems to go a year so I guess I'm harder on them. Anyway I threw my spare into the hat and when a stick goes bad it's sent into CH for overhaul. I just got one back a month ago and sent the other in. My bud's hat just went south (no rear view) so when the spare comes back he gets that and his goes in for overhaul.

Now here's the good part. My last overhaul was a complete check on the stick and replacement of a couple of buttons and hat. The cost for the overhaul? $10 plus my shipping. They shipped the thing back on them. That's great service if you ask me. They said the price could go up to $30-40. I have yet to see that and the stick is returned "like new".

I have the direct e-mail contact for the CH guy if you need it.They'll give you a RMA number when you send it in.

While lengthy, I hope this helps.

DrDea/Kvorkian · « **Reply #3 on:** January 27, 2003, 09:24:55 AM »

Gawd reminds me of how Thrustmaster used to be.Good service is hard to come by.Ive got the CH Fighterstick.Pass that E mail contact on so when it has issues I can get em taken care of.Thanks.

DamnedRen · « **Reply #4 on:** January 27, 2003, 10:14:04 AM »

The CH guys name is Michael Sexton

You will need to establish communication with him via email.

His email is michael@chproducts.com...

Here was their original response and my expense to an overhaul.

"Sir,
We no longer have a "refurbish" program for our controllers. However, if you send the unit to me I will have it inspected and then repaired as if it were a defective product out of warrenty. The costs would be around #30-$40 roughly. When it is ready to return to you we can call you and then give you the cost and get your credit card information. Please include a small slip of paer in the box listing your problems as well as a print out of this email.
The shipping information is..
CH Products (attn:Michael)
970 Park Center Drive
Vista, CA 92083"

Here is the bill:

"Sir,
I left a messsage on your answering machine not 20 minutes ago and the cost is 10 dollars. Call sales with your payment information and they will ship it out to you. Best bet for quick service is to ask for Debby."

Now, one comment on my part. They kept my stick for about 3 weeks. Since I was in no hurry to get it back I didn't hound them about it. I think if you mention you need it "post haste" they will try and help. Again they establish possible expenses but for me even $30-$40 is a bargan compared to buying new stuff.

All in all and considering my sticks are getting old, I think the service CH is providing is excellent. When you think of the bells and whistles on the F16 fighterstick along with the cost, IMHO it's about the best on the market.
And no, I don't work for them, just a satisfied customer.

DamnedRen · « **Reply #5 on:** January 27, 2003, 10:23:57 AM »

OUCH! You also reminded me about my old TM gear.
I still use the (RCS) pedals and I'm wondering if their new pedals use the same pot as their new ones. I think I cleaned the pot too many times. Now I only get 1/2 throw with left rudder.

Ya know, I think I kept them busy sending me new hats for my stick. I never sent it in for overhaul but they always sent free pots out to anyone who needed them along with repair kits. I got to a point I was breaking a hat every month or so. I got real fast in yanking the old hat and sticking a new one in. Once the old soldering iron got going it took less than a minute.

That was one big difference between the CH and TM hats. CH makes a better hat!!

CurtissP-6EHawk · « **Reply #6 on:** January 27, 2003, 07:40:36 PM »

Thanks for the info!!!!!