x52 Help

[Jed]

The hat switchh on top, has started to give me problems.  Most times it won't work, making looking left rather difficult. Any known fixes to this? Thinking it has more to do with actual joystick then any driver or hardware issue.  Am I looking at another stick?  It's only 4 years old.

[Randy1]

Although not an answer to your post exactly, but you might consider a TrackIR then you want need the hat switch.

[Seadog36]

Throw that X52 in the garbage, the wear out and need to be constantly re-calibrated ~ Get a CH fighterstick and you will never need a new one. The rudder pedals and throttle from Saitek are very good though.

[guncrasher]

Throw that X52 in the garbage, the wear out and need to be constantly re-calibrated ~ Get a CH fighterstick and you will never need a new one. The rudder pedals and throttle from Saitek are very good though.

bs i have owned 2 fightersticks in the past 2 or 2 1/2 years.  I am actually going back to an x52 this weeked as that pos ch stick wont hold calibration for even a full flight.


midway

[Seadog36]

I had to buy 3 x52s in a year and a half~ all wore out and needed constant calibration. They would freeze up in every good dogfight. I've had my fighterstick for two years and have never had to calibrate it,  had a button fail or stick once. I bet you will remember why you switched to a fighterstick again soon after you get your x52 midway. I've heard the same sad story from dozens of pissed off x52 owners as well.

[Bizman]

The hat switchh on top, has started to give me problems.  Most times it won't work, making looking left rather difficult. Any known fixes to this? Thinking it has more to do with actual joystick then any driver or hardware issue.  Am I looking at another stick?  It's only 4 years old.

Four years can be a long time for any joystick, depending on how often and how aggressively you use it. If your problem is just one hat direction, you might want to open the stick and use some electronic cleaner for the buttons below the hat. If that doesn't work and if you're handy with a solder, you can either change the places of the buttons or, if you can find one, install a new one. There's been discussion and instructions even on this board quite recently, you'll find them if you want to.

[guncrasher]

I had to buy 3 x52s in a year and a half~ all wore out and needed constant calibration. They would freeze up in every good dogfight. I've had my fighterstick for two years and have never had to calibrate it or had a button fail or stick once. I bet you will remember why you switched to a fighterstick again soon after you get your x52 midway. I've heard the same sad story from dozens of pissed off x52 owners as well.

funny mine was the other way.  I never had to calibrate the x52, you can actually tell when I got the chfighterstick as my tank kills in the il2 went down by 1/2.    I only had to buy a single x52 versus 2 chfightersticks.  only reason I switched from x52 is that I actually believed that the ch would be an improvement.  big dissapointment.

midway

[Seadog36]

funny mine was the other way.  I never had to calibrate the x52, you can actually tell when I got the chfighterstick as my tank kills in the il2 went down by 1/2.    I only had to buy a single x52 versus 2 chfightersticks.  only reason I switched from x52 is that I actually believed that the ch would be an improvement.  big dissapointment.

midway

I hope you have better luck than I did. I was getting seriously out turned flying the x52, in addition to all the constant re-callibration headaches. A few really decent pilots insisted that the ch would help. I wasn't so crazy about the feel and the button location at first but it instantly leveled the playing field against pilots that previously owned me.
My il2 mortality went up and kills went down when they got rid of the f3.

[major347]

Jed dont give up on your x52 if you dont want to!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I have had the same problem with my x52 and I fixed mine quickly and easily.
Radio Shack has a "Control/Contact Cleaner and Lubricant" in a spray can ($12) with a straw that you shoot into the stick. You can either take the stick apart or just shoot it in under the edge of the HAT switch. I fixed my HAT switch by spraying the lub and working the HAT around and repeating until the contacts are clean. The problem is just the contacts in the HAT switch are getting corroded and just need to be cleaned and lubbed.
If you want to do a really good job. You can look it up on Youtube how to take the stick apart. It really isnt that hard.

[cattb]

Jed dont give up on your x52 if you dont want to!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I have had the same problem with my x52 and I fixed mine quickly and easily.
Radio Shack has a "Control/Contact Cleaner and Lubricant" in a spray can ($12) with a straw that you shoot into the stick. You can either take the stick apart or just shoot it in under the edge of the HAT switch. I fixed my HAT switch by spraying the lub and working the HAT around and repeating until the contacts are clean. The problem is just the contacts in the HAT switch are getting corroded and just need to be cleaned and lubbed.
If you want to do a really good job. You can look it up on Youtube how to take the stick apart. It really isnt that hard.

+100
Its worth a try, fixed mine. Could be a wore out hat switch though. I had a x52 and the hat switch went bad, bought a used set for 50 on ebay. The can of contact cleaner is about 10 dollars I think.Enough to last a life time.

[rpm]

My X52 Pro has hat issues. The button broke off the top switch after a few months, but it still works. The lower one has a dead right/right forward spot which makes things "interesting" in a dogfight. I suspect 2 dead switches.

I won't lie, I'm rough on sticks. I have a heavy hand and it only got worse after I flew with a FF Sidewinder. Non FF can't take the abuse. I want to try a Thrustmaster Warthog, but can't justify spending that much on a new joystick especially when my pc is starting to croak.

[Maniac]

My X52 Pro has hat issues. The button broke off the top switch after a few months, but it still works. The lower one has a dead right/right forward spot which makes things "interesting" in a dogfight. I suspect 2 dead switches.

I won't lie, I'm rough on sticks. I have a heavy hand and it only got worse after I flew with a FF Sidewinder. Non FF can't take the abuse. I want to try a Thrustmaster Warthog, but can't justify spending that much on a new joystick especially when my pc is starting to croak.

The A10 Warthog is probably the way to go for you, it is an non FF stick that can take abuse, and it feels "stiff".

[Jed]

Took it apart and couldn't get to the hat switch. To complicated for my taste.  I will try the can cleaner thanks! Believe it is just a contact problem.  Other then this, I have loved my x52.  NO other problems

[homersipes]

I have had my X52 for almost 4 years now, the ONLY problem I have had with it was the cable that goes from throttle to joystick, replaced that once about 2 years ago.  Never one time has it lost calibration, all buttons work.  It has even sustained the abuse from my 3 year old flying on here with it .  Hck I would take it apart if it were mine   just to see if it could be fixed, I have heard of guys in game talking about fixing hatswitches.