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TM Hog Switch Replacement


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Hello! Would anyone happen to know the specifications for the trigger switch in the TM Warhog stick? I'm talking about the first stage of the trigger pull.

 

I love my TM HOTAS, but I've had some bad luck. First, my master lighting switch failed (the month my warranty ended, but they sent me one) and now my first trigger stage (trigger 1) isn't responding. For a $450 device, I'm a bit disappointed.

 

Suffice to say, my gun-runs in the A10 have gone to shit, since the GUN PAC doesn't function. Thrustmaster has offered to send me one for $50! I know it is coming from FRANCE but that's just silly.

 

I am hoping one of you has opened it up and recognized the switch they used so that I can buy one for a few dollars off of digikey or something.

 

Also, has anyone else had a trigger switch go bad, or any switches? It isn't like I knock the HOTAs around the room, I'm obsessively careful with my gear.

 

Thanks for any help I can get!

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  • ED Team

I am in a similar position, but it is my paddle switch button 4 which has gone faulty, out of warranty. I am currently trying to find a replacement switch with the same dimensions.

 

anyway here is a pic of the warthog stick and its insides, you can see the two stage trigger buttons here

 

http://forums.eagle.ru/showpost.php?p=1390944&postcount=9

 

SimpitJan2010016-800.jpg

smallCATPILOT.PNG.04bbece1b27ff1b2c193b174ec410fc0.PNG

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Oh good, it isn't just me! Though I'd trade my pinkey switch for the trigger switch any day :P

 

Here is another picture I found showing the inside. I'm about to open mine up to take a closer look. I'll take some better pictures.

 

technology_174a_018.jpg

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The trigger is just a regular 12x12 mm tactile switch, they can be found anywhere. They're "through hole" connection, with the soldered wires and the leads bent back so the button slides in the grip housing.

 

IMG_20150109_215935_zpsbcf66d4b.jpg~original

 

IMG_20150109_221522_zpsc3d4e28f.jpg~original

 

For a DIY repair you would need these from ebay. These are packs of 10, if you have access to Mouser or Digikey you might get away with ordering just one of each:

 

12mm tactile switch:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/12mm-Tactile-Push-Button-Switch-Pack-of-10-/141117628292?pt=UK_BOI_Electrical_Components_Supplies_ET&hash=item20db441f84

 

And a 1.25mm pitch JST 2pin connector:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Micro-Mini-JST-Connector-1-25mm-2-pin-w-Wire-x-10-sets-/161344644655?pt=Radio_Control_Parts_Accessories&hash=item2590e3e62f

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Thanks a lot hegykc! That's exactly what I'd needed. Though in my case I have good news! It was a bad solder. In my foolishness, I couldn't fathom that they'd screw up something like that, but the brown wire was hovering a mm away from its contact. I put a dab of new solder to connect the gap and it works!

 

I know, I was a fool for not taking it apart sooner, but I was so sure it was a switch failure. I took high res pictures, but it looks like negykc has us covered, as I didn't dare take apart the switch housing.

 

Good chance you've just got a wire not making contact BIGNEWY, get in there and take a look :)

 

Hardest part is taking apart the paddle assembly without losing any of the tiny bits.

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No problem. Here's the one you need to repair one of the buttons with the housing, like the paddle switch:

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/50pcs-Tact-Switch-SMT-SMD-Tactile-membrane-switch-PUSH-Button-SPST-NO-4x4x0-8mm-/181442700440?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2a3ed3e498

 

and the 1.25mm pitch 2pin JST connector again.

 

2$ to repair 50 warthogs :) Although these ones are 4x4mm and the one in the warthog is 9.5x9.5mm but it should work.

 

Anyway it's more likely that it's a bad solder as it seems, so check that first.


Edited by hegykc
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Thanks hegykc

 

think I will take the switch apart today and have a look

 

Good chance you've just got a wire not making contact BIGNEWY, get in there and take a look :)

 

I have not been so lucky, it looks like the membrane on the tactile switch has failed so does not pop anymore. trying to find a tactile switch now 9mm x 9mm


Edited by BIGNEWY

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  • 2 weeks later...
  • ED Team

Thought I would follow up on this post, had a reply for my out of warranty warthog switch issue.

 

Thrustmaster want 29.6 Euro for 1 X Hotas Warthog joystick S4 button (5090144).(shipping fees included)

 

I have fixed the switch myself by modifying it and using a tall micro switch.

 

Bag of 100 from china £3 including postage.

 

;)

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Awesome. Hopefully this thread has enough key words as to help out fellow googlers. Sadly this HOTAS is both expensive to buy and to maintain, at least if you can't find generic replacements.

 

But at least it is put together in such a way that we can get at the parts inside and replace them. I have a otherwise perfect X45 with a bad twist(yaw) sensor that freaks out, and it is buried behind so many layers of plastic and glue that I stand no hope of repairing it.

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I have used these trigger switches more than million times in my life but I never actually operated one. Thank you for sharing the information. Using a trigger switch is much better when it comes to joysticks since it’s easily replaceable. However, there’s one small consideration, if you’ve connected an external connector with it, ensure than the external pins of the trigger switch are properly covered with a paper tape before you enclose it in your gear.

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  • 8 months later...

Hi guys,

 

I have a button problem too and was after some advice please.

 

A few days a go I noticed that my TM Joystick pinkie button (NWS for the A10-C) button No. 3 in Windows (just above and behind the paddle lever) has stopped working. Under the windows control panel/ hardware and sound/ Devices & Printers/ Game Control Settings/ Properties for the TM Joystick, it shows button No. 3 constantly on. I have unplugged it/ plugged it back in - no change to the problem. The button feels fine and freely presses and pops back up in the same manner as the other similar buttons (e.g. Master Mode button - button No 5).

 

Given I have changed nothing about my TM Warthog setup in forever, I'm suspecting a hardware fault, either:

1. faulty switch No.3

2. possible fraying of the wiring loom causing a short as it goes down through the gimble to the base (based on reading other posts).

 

However, I was wondering if anyone else had experienced a similar fault where the button appears to be constantly pressed on, and if so, what the fix was. Appreciate any advice.


Edited by Phantom453
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  • ED Team

I have had this happen and so have many others, like you say it will be a loose wire or the tactile switch inside the plastic part of the switch will have failed.

 

If you are still in warranty contact thrustmaster who will send a replacement switch, if out of warranty they do sell the parts at a price.

  • Like 1

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Thanks BIGNEWY,

 

Pretty much what I was expecting.

 

Unfortunately mine are almost four years old (and the first fault I have had).

 

Parts at a price, slow response and shipping to Australia is not what I was looking forward to, so worth asking first.

 

And worse of all - 5 damn minutes before they release 1.5!!

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  • ED Team

the alternative is to take the switch out, and have a look to be sure, I have replaced two of my tactile switches with cheap ones from ebay.

smallCATPILOT.PNG.04bbece1b27ff1b2c193b174ec410fc0.PNG

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  • 3 weeks later...
Hi guys,

 

I have a button problem too and was after some advice please.

 

A few days a go I noticed that my TM Joystick pinkie button (NWS for the A10-C) button No. 3 in Windows (just above and behind the paddle lever) has stopped working. Under the windows control panel/ hardware and sound/ Devices & Printers/ Game Control Settings/ Properties for the TM Joystick, it shows button No. 3 constantly on. I have unplugged it/ plugged it back in - no change to the problem. The button feels fine and freely presses and pops back up in the same manner as the other similar buttons (e.g. Master Mode button - button No 5).

 

Given I have changed nothing about my TM Warthog setup in forever, I'm suspecting a hardware fault, either:

1. faulty switch No.3

2. possible fraying of the wiring loom causing a short as it goes down through the gimble to the base (based on reading other posts).

 

However, I was wondering if anyone else had experienced a similar fault where the button appears to be constantly pressed on, and if so, what the fix was. Appreciate any advice.

 

Update: - so I stripped the joystick down and tested the switch and it worked fine. Double checked with another switch and also by swapping the suspect switch onto another switch connector, and it worked fine there, so not a switch fault.

 

Given joystick switch #3 is indicating "on" (pressed) all the time, I suspected that there could be a pinched wire/ short somewhere. I stripped down the entire stick but could find no such fault.

 

So I'm left with either a PCB fault or partial IC fault as far as I can tell, unless anyone else can offer any other suggestion as to what it could be??

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  • 1 year later...
All of the other buttons have a housing that snaps into the grip shell. I haven't looked for these, but I'm sure these "on the pcb tactile" switches can also be found on online retailers:

 

IMG_20150109_220853_zps5dd57673.jpg~original

 

I have experienced a pushbutton failure on my paddle switch. I disassembled the joystick and got the pushbutton out, but I could not get the pushbutton switch apart. I see tabs that look like I should be able to depress but they don't move at all when pressed on. I even deformed the plastic abit on the tabs I was pressing so hard. Is there a trick or am I doing it wrong? Anyone who has disassebled one of the Thrustmaster Warthog pushbuttons before mind giving me some advice please.

 

thanks

~Thump.

 

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please allow me one bump to see if anyone has any experience disassembling the pushbuttons I noted in my above post. I am really eager to get my warthog back to 100%!

~Thump.

 

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  • 1 year later...

This picture is awesome, I will try to fix my LTB that failed yesterday.

 

Anyone has a similar one for the 5-way and 4-way hats?

 

This was the 5th switch with problems on my Warthog in 3 years... :(

 

 

All of the other buttons have a housing that snaps into the grip shell. I haven't looked for these, but I'm sure these "on the pcb tactile" switches can also be found on online retailers:

 

IMG_20150109_220853_zps5dd57673.jpg~original

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Info here has prevented me from buying a tm product if i can find another option i much prefer the vkb products based on my personal experience with the gladiator 2 and pedals. I’m waiting on a gunfighter 2 pro with a modern combat grip pro and an extension as so as they are released and ill be getting their twin engine control system as soon as it is released also.

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I have experienced a pushbutton failure on my paddle switch. I disassembled the joystick and got the pushbutton out, but I could not get the pushbutton switch apart. I see tabs that look like I should be able to depress but they don't move at all when pressed on. I even deformed the plastic abit on the tabs I was pressing so hard. Is there a trick or am I doing it wrong? Anyone who has disassebled one of the Thrustmaster Warthog pushbuttons before mind giving me some advice please.

 

I opened mine yesterday by lifting the exterior case with small flat screwdrivers, inserting them next to the tabs that fix the button to the stick/throttle (see image).

 

Good news in my switch is that the metallic plate was OK. It was stuck down, but I just warped it a bit and now it does its function correctly again. Now I need to solder it back.

 

PS: I haven't found any info on the hats yet, anyone has disassembled them?

warthog_button.jpg.4e30e44092242b0775436d37135b70b1.jpg

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  • 5 years later...

Have been unable to find a view of the top plate off the warthog flight stick, so here is one.

nullThat red weapon release button is the trouble maker for me. Can manage to get it to work if I wiggle my thumb on it a lot, but even then it is about a 1 to 15 chance that it will work for me.
Not fixed it yet.

For peoples interest, the weapon select button (grey on the side) is accessible by just taking of the top plate. Make sure this button is not loose when reassembling, before you put the screws in.
Need to open up the sides of the stick to work on the other buttons and switches.

All screws use a T-10H star screwdriver.

null

image.png

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I have to replace my CMS switch as it is buggy. I contacted the TM support and got it offered from them. Pre wired to connect it to the PCB. I would do the same, send a picture with the faulty switch and see, if the price is worth it for you.

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