CH Fighterstick hat switch fix

[Max]

The 6:00 position on my hat switch (upper right side jstick handle) has become very hard to toggle...so much so I have a blister on my thumb.
A call to CH revealed that they don't sell a replacement hat. They're happy to fix it via RMA but that means no AH2 for 2-3 weeks.

Does anyone have a solution/fix that might work?

Thanks much 

[FLOTSOM]

max

my squaddie Ink knows the sight to program the other multi switch as your hat/view switch. i know he posted it in here somewhere but i cant remember the link. this way you can switch your views to a switch that works until you can find a way to replace/fix the hat switch without losing your playability for a month.

he hasnt been on much lately due to RL issues, but if you send him a pm i am certain he will send you the information when he can.

actually i think i found the post for you. it is in this thread http://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/index.php/topic,285448.msg3621151.html#msg3621151

I dont have large hands so the Fighter stick was a PITA to reach the hat, but I found a site that converts the 4 way Hat to 8, and now that it is set up like that it is awesome, way better the the X-52.

so any of you guys that have the fighter stick check this out, the only difference that I did was use a knife to trim out the hole, dremmel tool I think would be to easy to make the hole to big.  took me about 45 minutes to do, including the programming.
http://snomhf.exofire.net/8-WayHat.html

after viewing the link he posted i can see it is a little more indepth than just programing, but if you think you can handle a little exacto knife work then i think youll be fine.

good luck 

[Max]

I'll check that out flotsom...appreciate the tip!

[nrshida]

On the same website ( HomeBoy) under 'Articles & Downloads' the seventh link down entitled 'Hat Repair' should sort you out Max. If you find a faulty switch take it to your local electronics shop, they will likely have one in stock, it's just a generic momentary switch, only carries a signal current.

[Reschke]

There are some guys trading/selling/swapping out parts for various flight gear items on the Pit Builders section of SimHQ.com. They also might have a fix posted there as well.

[The Fugitive]

The 6:00 position on my hat switch (upper right side jstick handle) has become very hard to toggle...so much so I have a blister on my thumb.
A call to CH revealed that they don't sell a replacement hat. They're happy to fix it via RMA but that means no AH2 for 2-3 weeks.

Does anyone have a solution/fix that might work?

Thanks much 

I had one go bad once. I got an old analog fighter stick. You can find them on Ebay cheap. Strip it down for parts. To swap out the switch on mine took about 15 minutes with a screwdriver and a soldering iron.

[Max]

Thanks gents!

[Chalenge]

After ten years of use my Fighterstick had the same problem. I think the plastic stem piece inside the stick grows accustomed to flexing and eventually flexes above the microswitches which causes the buttons not to register as depressed (since they arent). My fix was to take a dremel tool and remove just a tiny bit of material from the handle and the grey insert around the hat position. Of course that means you have to take the stick apart but when your done the hat can move slightly further and the views work again. A new hat piece would be a better solution since you dont have to have a dremel tool.

[DREDIOCK]

I've done the dremel trick and it  worked for a while. but now Im back to where I was. in my case I can look straight back but not back left/right.

One thing that seems to be is that plastic pin seems to be wearing down so that there physically isnt enough mass to depress both switches at the same time which is what happens when your looking at your angle views.

simply put. You have 4 microswitches
Top (front)
Back(rear)
left and right.
when your looking back left for example. you are depressing both the back and left switches at the same time. If the pin doesnt have enough mass it can do one or the other but not both. at the same time. Now you can dremmel it out as I've done and has been suggested. but thats only a temporary fix as eventually its simply going to wear away even more and you will be back to square one as I now find myself in as there is only so much throw in that pin (the amount of distance it can travel)

And unfortunately its the one peice you cant buy as a replacement from CH. But all may not be lost

I've been toying with a couple of ideas.
First  was to cover the pin with some sort of plastic sleeve. that would work but it would hav eto be just the right size.
Anyone know where I can find one?... yea me neither. So thats out.
Second was/is to enlarge the pin itself. First thought was to brush on layers of superglue. But there is a problem with this. Getting a relitively even coat. And superglue tends to chip off things after a short time when friction is applied.

My final solution should work though and I may even try it in a little while.
Dipping the pin in 2 part fiberglass resin.
Its a liquid which means it should drain off  evenly leaving a relitively even and smooth coat around the entire circumference Its thick enough so that it sould leave a thick enough coat on it to make a difference. and once it dries its as tough as nails.
and it cures pretty quickly

The potential downside is when it cures it can also get incredibly hot. Which Im afraid might distort the pin.
So Im going to see what kind of similar thin piece of plastic I have laying around the house and sacrifice it as a prototype.
Soo as I know I'll put the results up here. In the meantime

Any thoughts?

[633DH98]

Find someone with a CNC mill and have a replacement made of aluminum or titanium? 

[Chalenge]

The problem is its made of plastic and it has to be made of plastic. Over time it grows accustomed to flexing ABOVE the microswitches and even allowing extra room for motion it still flexes above the proper position and eventually will fail. In reality the best option is a new hat piece but as Drediock says its not available. I have used a single or double layer of clear packing tape to stiffen up the stem so it is not as likely to flex but I can tell already it will fail one day.

I got ten years out of mine so if it fails it cost me just $11/year. I doubt any other stick ever made could say the same thing with the hours I have used this one.

[Ack-Ack]

Thanks gents!

As someone said, the best idea would be to scrounge eBay or Amazon and see if can find a stick to cannabilize for parts.  If you can't find one, PM me your address and I'll send you a spare Combat Stick I have that you can strip to use the hatswitchs as spares. 

ack-ack

[nrshida]

I have an unused CH hat switch here. It is the thumb one from a CH Fighterstick which I removed immediately for another project. Assuming the post / shaft underneath the hat switches are identical (a reasonable assumption given the baskets seem the same) I measure the diameter of the shaft at the switch touching part to be 5.64 mm. This is an approximate measurement because I only have a Vernier Caliper and no micrometer.

I think that opening out the aperture at the top of the assembly will only be a temporary fix because the switches themselves will eventually bottom, thus this will limit the leaning travel of the shaft. If it is the case that these shafts wear, then that would explain the difficulties of using two switches simultaneously (for back left view, for example). This is supported by what DREDIOCK says.

I haven't had occasion to test this because my stick is still fairly new, but I was thinking that an alternate solution to trying to make the shaft wider would be to glue something thin to the surface of the switches, the little grey cylindrical part that sticks out. As long as there is a little backlash (slack) still on the switches when the hat is in its neutral position it should be alright.

You could measure the shaft and compare it to my measurement and compensate any reduction by a similar sized spacer on the four switches. It would be a lot simpler than widening the shaft since the switches have flat tops.

Also, you can rotate the actual hat and therefore shaft in 90 degree increments once you have removed the screw from the bottom. Perhaps turning it 180 degrees might be a prudent measure, assuming you check behind your aircraft the most.

Just a thought anyway, worth a try if the thing if f.u.b.a.r. already...