Aces High Bulletin Board
General Forums => Aces High General Discussion => Topic started by: Zippy41 on June 16, 2007, 10:13:04 PM
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Is anyone else having problems with buttons failing? I've lost two buttons and a hat switch so far. It's less than a year old, too. :O
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Originally posted by Zippy41
Is anyone else having problems with buttons failing? I've lost two buttons and a hat switch so far. It's less than a year old, too. :O
Lost my original throttle, and my original hat switch is... unreliable. It works sometimes, and other times it doesnt. Widewing was kind enough to send me one of his old sticks, and despite these few problems, I still enjoy it more than any other stick ive got. Perhaps you should try routing to the other hat switch? And play with the mode switch to utilise single buttons to perform multiple functions.
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If you're handy with a soldering iron and desoldering braid, you can fairly easily replace them.
But yeah, they're made from cheap components, and fail pretty readily in my experience.
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Wow. My X45 is almost 3 years old. No spiking, no loss of buttons. You've gotta be a puttin hundreds of hours every few months of use to wear out buttons and alike on a Saitek. It's good stuff!
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Think it has a lot to do with how you use it--the way you push the buttons matters.
My 1st X45 I busted the hat switch in less than a year. I switched the upper left one down to the middle and it worked a while longer.
I got a 2nd X45 and kept the 1st for parts. Used it over a year (but I've been more careful/gentle with it) and it's not spiking, flickering, etc.
You might be able to search the forums for repair + joystick and find a link for the parts. Someone had it posted a while back.
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I had my X52 for less then 9 months before the POV hat switch went out, the twisty motion started squeaking from rubber rubbing rubber, and one of the buttons started going "off" even when not pressed.
Got myself a set of CH products and never looked back.
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Originally posted by Mister Fork
Wow. My X45 is almost 3 years old. No spiking, no loss of buttons. You've gotta be a puttin hundreds of hours every few months of use to wear out buttons and alike on a Saitek. It's good stuff!
80+ hours a month here on this game alone.
If you want spare parts, ive still got my original stick, id be glad to send you any pieces you might need.
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Originally posted by Mister Fork
Wow. My X45 is almost 3 years old. No spiking, no loss of buttons. You've gotta be a puttin hundreds of hours every few months of use to wear out buttons and alike on a Saitek. It's good stuff!
Up until 3 months ago I put over 100 hours a month. The past 3 months I've dropped below 40.
Almost without exception, the first thing to go on a Saitek (I've had both the X36 and X45) is the hat switch. I keep a spare on hand so when something fails I can switch them out and send the bad one for repair.
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The hat switches seem to go first on the X45 and X52. Of course, I have to toggle mine constantly since everything is always behind me. :)
My only gripe with the X52 otherwise is how stiff it gets. I tried graphite, but that lasts about one evening of flying.
I am afraid to lubricate with oil or grease.
Any ideas?
Thanks.
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Talon.. I use white lithium grease on my X45's plastic disc. It lasts about 6 months without a problem. The part that actually causes the drag is the part that rides vertically on the stick, not the point where the disc contacts the base.
Contrary to popular belief.... Graphite + Plastic = Sandpaper. :(
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hehehe, I thought my x-45 would be the last j-stick I would have to buy for a long time, it lasted exactly 6 months, (i was playing 300 hrs a month then). Im on my 5th 20.00 stick. Ive had this one a yr...... wally world.
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Originally posted by Zippy41
Is anyone else having problems with buttons failing? I've lost two buttons and a hat switch so far. It's less than a year old, too. :O
where did you find a new X45 less than a year ago? They stopped making them awhile ago. Only X52s around here for several years now...
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Originally posted by Mister Fork
Wow. My X45 is almost 3 years old. No spiking, no loss of buttons. You've gotta be a puttin hundreds of hours every few months of use to wear out buttons and alike on a Saitek. It's good stuff!
Had my ST290 for 5 years...despite a slamm throttle problem it is still flyable like new...but I bought an X52...needed something with more buttons...
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Originally posted by TalonX
The hat switches seem to go first on the X45 and X52. Of course, I have to toggle mine constantly since everything is always behind me. :)
My only gripe with the X52 otherwise is how stiff it gets. .
stiff as in...gliding? because mine glides like its on the wind...
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Originally posted by TalonX
The hat switches seem to go first on the X45 and X52. Of course, I have to toggle mine constantly since everything is always behind me. :)
My only gripe with the X52 otherwise is how stiff it gets. I tried graphite, but that lasts about one evening of flying.
I am afraid to lubricate with oil or grease.
Any ideas?
Thanks.
I use vasoline and it works great.
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Originally posted by Eagler
where did you find a new X45 less than a year ago? They stopped making them awhile ago. Only X52s around here for several years now...
Wonders you find in the Navy exchange!!!
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I went through two X45s in a year. One I tore up pulling too hard on the stick, the other the throttle system gave up. My current X45 has lasted over 2 and half years with no problems. I am having it's official retirement ceremony as I type this. The kids gave me an X52 for fathers day.:aok
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OK, you've hit my pet peeve topic.
Been playing AH 26 months. In that time I've bought 8 X52's and my newest stick, the X52 Pro, arrived just this last weekend.
First X52 lasted about 10-11 months and was a dream untill hat died and axis started spiking real bad. In the following months I bought an used 4 sticks that lasted from barely 2 to 4 months before they were unplayable. The other three I purchased were bought and returned immediately to the store for a replacement as they were defective out of the box.
Obviously, I like the design and feel of the X52 and am way too adicted to AH that can't be without a stick, but the manufacturing quality and reliability seems to be missing in the old X52 in general, though some get long use out of their's. Since I bought all but one of these from Fry's Electronics, and they have always been suspect for some of their merchandise, I'm wondering if they are selling factory seconds at my store.
Anyway, the good news is, I've started sending the old X52's back to Saitek and with their 2 year warranty, I can get them repaired or replaced. This means I may have my own little sale on a couple of sticks if anyone is interested. Cheap! LOL
The new X52 Pro is supposed to have different type of contacts and supposedly is way more reliable. It certainly has some improvements in design and feels even better than the old sticks. We'll just have to see if it holds up better.
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Originally posted by NHawk
Talon.. I use white lithium grease on my X45's plastic disc. It lasts about 6 months without a problem. The part that actually causes the drag is the part that rides vertically on the stick, not the point where the disc contacts the base.
Contrary to popular belief.... Graphite + Plastic = Sandpaper. :(
I got that part right!
Thanks. I will go with the lithium grease trick.
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Originally posted by Sloehand
OK, you've hit my pet peeve topic.
First X52 lasted about 10-11 months and was a dream untill ... axis started spiking real bad.
This was the only issue with my first one, which lasted a very long time with a lot of use. (Well, the other issue was stiffness, but the lithium grease trick worked wonders).
My Pro has exibited no issues besides stiffness, fixed as above.
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was wondering if those that had spiking issues were on a powered usb hub or not