Thinking about modding the Warthog slew stick

[Raptor]

@Raptor:

I’ll find the solution with that cursor…

Found…

I’ll be back.

[Viking]

Yes please!:idea:

[TheLT]

I’ve modded my Warthog with a regular analog stick from a gamepad. It was a used thrustmaster dual analog 4, but any decent gamepad will do. Like a Logitech.
Not an easy job but not that hard either. The stock controller was replaced. I had to make a small PCB to fit the stick on, also had to cut the handle to make a hole for the PCB to sit in.

Here is how the result looks. Sorry I didn’t take pictures of the process itself. The stick itself is much more precise than the stock pimple and also has push action.

[Sarge55]

That looks very functional, good work. Perhaps Thrustmaster should take note.

[RightStuff]

@Sarge55:

That looks very functional, good work. Perhaps Thrustmaster should take note.

They won’t react… - mean: deny/ignore the problem.

How long is the Warthog on the market? Assuming 5-6 years.
I know nobody ever saying “This thumbstick is marvelous”.
Assuming only 1% of customers having complained the microstick, TM (Guillemot) should have got dozens (or hundreds ?) of these mails - and even the newest WHs still suck in this point…

Meanwhile I’m thinking as well of replacing the microstick with a gamepadstick, which is connected to an Arduino which will be set up as a Game Device with axes and DX-Buttons So, the original microstick won’t be used anymore.
I’m thinking of using this type of stick:
http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item.view&alt=web&id=361351958328

Replacing the microstick directly with the one from a gamepad would be the better way, but I fear electronic dependencies and afterwards screwing the whole throttle.

Concerning the 3d-Print (Tazintosh), there might be the problem, that the weight of the printed knob will put continuous force on the “down”-position, rendering it useless. Have heard of some DCS-guy having had this problem. Furthermore the problem of the almost not existent travel stays.

[TheLT]

@RightStuff:

They won’t react… - mean: deny/ignore the problem.

How long is the Warthog on the market? Assuming 5-6 years.
I know nobody ever saying “This thumbstick is marvelous”.
Assuming only 1% of customers having complained the microstick, TM (Guillemot) should have got dozens (or hundreds ?) of these mails - and even the newest WHs still suck in this point…

Meanwhile I’m thinking as well of replacing the microstick with a gamepadstick, which is connected to an Arduino which will be set up as a Game Device with axes and DX-Buttons So, the original microstick won’t be used anymore.
I’m thinking of using this type of stick:
http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item.view&alt=web&id=361351958328

Replacing the microstick directly with the one from a gamepad would be the better way, but I fear electronic dependencies and afterwards screwing the whole throttle.

Concerning the 3d-Print (Tazintosh), there might be the problem, that the weight of the printed knob will put continuous force on the “down”-position, rendering it useless. Have heard of some DCS-guy having had this problem. Furthermore the problem of the almost not existent travel stays.

The easiest and cheapest route is, indeed, to route the microstick to an arduino as a separate controller. I took the “gamepad” approach as I was told the chinese sticks sold for DIY are of inferior quality (plastic shafts, bad quality pots). An ideal stick would have hall-sensors, though.

Frankly, I am waiting for the new products to hit the market and I am considering alternatives to the Warthog throttle. I am reluctant to fix the handle wobbling issue and I’ve already had to replace the wiring looms twice.
Another note. Make sure you use a thumbstick with decent clearance of the “mushroom” itself. The higher - the better. It’s quite cramped inside the handle and it’s not easy to hotglue the stick with adequate clearance so you would get full range of travel.

[RightStuff]

I dumped my approach (see above) and half a year ago I bought this cursor replacement from a buddy ‚over there‘:
https://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=200198

Installation was PnP and though definitely worth the 50 EUR.

Caveat: Cursor Enable Button will be lost.
But that‘s not really a big problem as it can be mapped anywhere else.

[hoover]

@RightStuff:

I dumped my approach (see above) and half a year ago I bought this cursor replacement from a buddy ‚over there‘:
https://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=200198

Installation was PnP and though definitely worth the 50 EUR.

Caveat: Cursor Enable Button will be lost.
But that‘s not really a big problem as it can be mapped anywhere else.

How difficult is the installation of that mod? I know which end of the soldering iron gets hot but that’s about it.

thanks & all the best,

Uwe

[RightStuff]

Hi Uwe,

really PnP:
Almost only just pulling out the old stick and plugging in the new stick.

It already has an JHC(?)-Connector.
Nothing to solder.

Here is a pic from his webpage:

Edit - Webpage:
https://deltasimelectronics.com/

[Sting]

@RightStuff:

I dumped my approach (see above) and half a year ago I bought this cursor replacement from a buddy ‚over there‘:
https://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=200198

Installation was PnP and though definitely worth the 50 EUR.

Caveat: Cursor Enable Button will be lost.
But that‘s not really a big problem as it can be mapped anywhere else.

Hey mate i have ths same mod and i did not lose my cursor enable switch. Maybe yours is broke?

Sent from my SM-T530 using Tapatalk

[RightStuff]

@Sting:

Hey mate i have ths same mod and i did not lose my cursor enable switch. Maybe yours is broke?

Oops? I‘ll check and if yes, I’ll get in touch with him.
An reason might be that meanwhile he found a better, new stick with a button function.
I am very sure my one lacks this feature, as I jumped in on the second batch he made.
When did you get yours? This might be an indication for my assumption.

Thank you for the heads-up on this!

[Sting]

Mate I got mine in August.

[hoover]

Thank you Holger(? :)), I just placed my pre-order for January 2019.

All the best, Uwe

[RightStuff]

Jep.
Gern geschehen!