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thinking of buying a Thrustmaster Warthog but I've noticed an issue


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I went to a local computer store and tested the feel of the Warthog motion on the counter. I was impressed as to its weight and overall construction. I noticed a little lateral looseness in the dual throttles but was told it doesn't affect engine control.

What I did notice that has so far prevented me from making the purchase was the joystick slow motion stickiness within all ranges especially from centre. This has to affect precision maneuvering such as refueling. However, when moving it more aggressively it is very smooth.

Is there a way to eliminate this stickiness, maybe the spring is too tight?

 

 

Thank you.

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Yes, you can loosen the spring (this

), or others regreased it. Also, it looks like some have it worse than others. For example, I never had any issues.

hsb

HW Spec in Spoiler

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i7-10700K Direct-To-Die/OC'ed to 5.1GHz, MSI Z490 MB, 32GB DDR4 3200MHz, EVGA 2080 Ti FTW3, NVMe+SSD, Win 10 x64 Pro, MFG, Warthog, TM MFDs, Komodo Huey set, Rverbe G1

 

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Do more research before you buy the Thrustmaster Warthog. I also really wanted to buy this product. So I Googled "Warthog Joystick problems". There were lots of posts from unhappy owners complaining of stiction (which you noticed) and broken buttons. The outside looks great but the internals are inferior. Like they say....caveat emptor (let the buyer beware). Good luck!


Edited by lasvideo

Win 10 I7 6700K @ 4.0 GHZ. 16 gig memory GTX 1070 SSD

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Every product has its problems, every person treats their equipment differently.

 

I've had CH, Saitek, and TM. They all break. You however can't get the precision you need out of a less expensive set. There are other options these days but you won't be disappointed if you buy TM.

i9 9900K @ 5.1Ghz - ASUS Maximus Hero XI - 32GB 4266 DDR4 RAM - ASUS RTX 2080Ti - 1 TB NVME - NZXT Kraken 62 Watercooling System - Thrustmaster Warthog Hotas (Virpil Base) - MFG Crosswind Pedals - Pimax 5K+

VFA-25 Fist Of The Fleet

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I have had my CH Fighterstick / Pro Throttle / Pedals for 10 years. Never any problems. No stiction. No broken buttons. And to this day it allows me to control the A10C with precision and reliability. Fitness 88, you will hear from folks that have emotional attachments to their purchases and will doggedly rationalize their investment. Be wise and do your research before buying something you may regret in the future. Again, best of luck. Fly safe!

Win 10 I7 6700K @ 4.0 GHZ. 16 gig memory GTX 1070 SSD

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My first real setup was CH, the same as lasvideo. I replaced them because they had serial port connectors and USB was the new thing. They are a great quilty but not the precision the TM offer.

Then I had Cougars. They broke shortly after I got them. They were excellent but I was tainted.

I went to Saitek and used them for years. Excellent product as well but they were not a precise as TM.

Now I'm back to TM. There's good and bad. The new VKB stuff is interested. There's all metal versions of this and that and I assume better than TM. I don't know, I haven't owned them.

People do get emotionally attached to their favorite product but my statement comes from years of experience with various products. Your mileage may vary.

i9 9900K @ 5.1Ghz - ASUS Maximus Hero XI - 32GB 4266 DDR4 RAM - ASUS RTX 2080Ti - 1 TB NVME - NZXT Kraken 62 Watercooling System - Thrustmaster Warthog Hotas (Virpil Base) - MFG Crosswind Pedals - Pimax 5K+

VFA-25 Fist Of The Fleet

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And you could go with Virpil stick and TM Throttle. That would be another options.

hsb

HW Spec in Spoiler

---

 

i7-10700K Direct-To-Die/OC'ed to 5.1GHz, MSI Z490 MB, 32GB DDR4 3200MHz, EVGA 2080 Ti FTW3, NVMe+SSD, Win 10 x64 Pro, MFG, Warthog, TM MFDs, Komodo Huey set, Rverbe G1

 

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And you could go with Virpil stick and TM Throttle. That would be another options.

 

I'd buy Virpil throttle instead. Seems like high quality product, unlike TM throttle which has a lot of bricking issues. Mine bricked couple months ago but i got replacement but now i fear everytime when i plug in the throttle that it dies.

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The throttle turning into a brick is my only negative warning to anyone considering the Warthog. My throttle was very old and well used. But one day I unplugged it from a USB hub. When I plugged it back in, it had "bricked". I go online and find out that this is a known problem. Unlike me, many have had it happen very soon after buying the Warthog.

 

 

I tried to get a replacement board so I could repair it myself, but they were out of stock at the time. So I bought another Warthog HOTAS set. I still need to go back and repair the old throttle so that I have backup if one "bricks" again. But if that happens again, I won't buy another Warthog. I will consider alternatives.

[sIGPIC][/sIGPIC]

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WOW talk about differences of opinion. I have a Saitek x52 Pro for several years and it still works very nicely. I clearly understand it is not in league with the Warthog but there is no stiction, it's very smooth but of course not as precise. In Canada the Warthog is going for 569.00 + tax and for that amount I have no intention of possibly having to deal with the issue out of the box or down the road.

Thanks all for your opinions!

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I had Saitek X-45 for few years without any problem. Then I bought a Saitek Pro X52, I used that for 5 years, having a little problem with button lights (flashing light, I had to turn them off). Last year I bought TM warhog and is happy with it, no complain until now. I'm always gentle with those to keep problem away. :smartass::pilotfly::joystick:

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In my experience, the few with issues shout louder than the many without. I’ve had two Warthogs (Stopped simming and sold my gear, then came back to it and bought another) and both have been perfect with combined thousands of hours.

 

Yes, there are little things, like a bit of side jiggle in the throttle, but they really don’t affect controllability of the a/c. Those who are “plagued with issues” in my experience, are those who spend more time on the forum than in the sim. I’ve noticed a real habit of people who become obsessed with finding the perfect HOTAS or solving some sort of phantom problem, and it’s like a sickness!

 

If the Virtual Thunderbirds and the guys I’m lucky enough to fly alongside at the 476th can fly the way they do with the Warthog (or less) I don’t think anyone can attribute their inability to refuel or formation fly to a couple mm of play. Chalk it up to spending too much time looking for something to complain about :P

  • Like 2

476th vFG Alumni

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It's not that WH is a bad stick. Bought mine in '14, was using it in stock form for two years and was generally pleased with it... until the first thing in it broke (the infamous O-ring below the pressure plate dislodged - one of the more "common" issues of the stick). Disassembly revealed the legendary mediocre machining quality of internal parts, but after fixing, sanding and regreasing the thing, it was back in the business.

 

Then I bought the DCS Spitfire and the trademark stiffness and "sticktion" of WH, which are not really an issue with jet planes, became a very real issue with this ultra-responsive warbird, which requires much higher input precision than any modern machine ever will. Crafted myself an extension, which solved this problem.

 

All and all, after these adventures, I got the stick where I wanted it to be precision-wise and don't plan to replace it anytime soon. Still, I think a 400+ $ product shouldn't require mechanical modding in the first place, and it definitely shouldn't start malfunctioning after only 2 years - damn, even my old, cheapo Saitek Aviator served 6 before pots started dying.

i7 9700K @ stock speed, single GTX1070, 32 gigs of RAM, TH Warthog, MFG Crosswind, Win10.

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WOW talk about differences of opinion. I have a Saitek x52 Pro for several years and it still works very nicely. I clearly understand it is not in league with the Warthog but there is no stiction, it's very smooth but of course not as precise. In Canada the Warthog is going for 569.00 + tax and for that amount I have no intention of possibly having to deal with the issue out of the box or down the road.

Thanks all for your opinions!

 

Glad to help!

Win 10 I7 6700K @ 4.0 GHZ. 16 gig memory GTX 1070 SSD

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I have the Warthog HOTAS and am generally satisfied.

 

I was unlucky and got one with sticktion out of the box.

My friend got one that has been smooth all the way.

So YMMV.

 

But, precision has always been top notch, and way above what I got from my previous Saitek x52.

And also _no_ spiking which I got plenty of in the x52.

I could feel the difference in handling planes when I got the Warthog, much, much better.

 

About the sticktion, I did two things:

First I got an extension, which overcame much of it.

Then, not being fully satisfied, I dismantled the stick, carefully cleaned and sanded, and re-greased it with a better grease.

Now I have a very smooth and very precise stick.

 

Of course it's an expensive set, and shouldn't need such maintenance, but when it's done, it just works.

And is very precise.

So I can still recommend it.

System specs:

 

Gigabyte Aorus Master, i7 9700K@std, GTX 1080TI OC, 32 GB 3000 MHz RAM, NVMe M.2 SSD, Oculus Quest VR (2x1600x1440)

Warthog HOTAS w/150mm extension, Slaw pedals, Gametrix Jetseat, TrackIR for monitor use

 

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I still have CH gear, no problems at all. Looking to upgrade myself very soon to something nicer, decided to spend a little more and bypass the Warthog and will grab the VKB-Sim Gunfighter Pro. Plus this will be much better for the choppers too.

 

If I had the WH, I would replace the base with a VKB base and keep the grip.

 

I will be keeping my CH throttle for now, best mini stick on the market, the WH should have a better mini stick like the one on the CH.

 

I might go with the VirPil Throttle?

 

This gear is more expensive, should last along time tho.

 

EugP5hh.jpg


Edited by David OC

i7-7700K OC @ 5Ghz | ASUS IX Hero MB | ASUS GTX 1080 Ti STRIX | 32GB Corsair 3000Mhz | Corsair H100i V2 Radiator | Samsung 960 EVO M.2 NVMe 500G SSD | Samsung 850 EVO 500G SSD | Corsair HX850i Platinum 850W | Oculus Rift | ASUS PG278Q 27-inch, 2560 x 1440, G-SYNC, 144Hz, 1ms | VKB Gunfighter Pro

Chuck's DCS Tutorial Library

Download PDF Tutorial guides to help get up to speed with aircraft quickly and also great for taking a good look at the aircraft available for DCS before purchasing. Link

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The first question is that do you want to buy something now or can wait another half year or so?

 

Neither VKB nor Virpil throttles are out yet. VKB pro stick has been pushed back recently too. Virpil throttle and stick may be mechanically superior, but their hotas layout does not fit DCS aircraft as good as the TMHW. And if you think 400$+ joystick shouldn't require mechanical modding and disassembly, just read the VPC thread which is filled with posts like: https://forums.eagle.ru/showpost.php?p=3278396&postcount=1509

Hardware: VPForce Rhino, FSSB R3 Ultra, Virpil T-50CM, Hotas Warthog, Winwing F15EX, Slaw Rudder, GVL224 Trio Throttle, Thrustmaster MFDs, Saitek Trim wheel, Trackir 5, Quest Pro

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The first question is that do you want to buy something now or can wait another half year or so?

 

Neither VKB nor Virpil throttles are out yet. VKB pro stick has been pushed back recently too. Virpil throttle and stick may be mechanically superior, but their hotas layout does not fit DCS aircraft as good as the TMHW. And if you think 400$+ joystick shouldn't require mechanical modding and disassembly, just read the VPC thread which is filled with posts like: https://forums.eagle.ru/showpost.php?p=3278396&postcount=1509

 

Just to clarify, I think "filled" is a bit unfair (there are also many users that are very happy with their setup)! But If anyone does have any issues at all with their VPC gear, all they need to do is contact us and we'll get it resolved! :thumbup:

 

 

 

I might go with the VirPil Throttle?

 

This gear is more expensive, should last along time tho.

 

That's an old concept render of the VPC MongoosT-50 Throttle - check out the latest images on our store page!

https://virpil.by/en/shop/vpc-mongoost-50-throttle-vpc


Edited by Cyph3r

► Website: www.virpil.com // ► Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/VirPilControls // ► Twitter: https://twitter.com/VirPilControls

For support please email support@virpil.com to open a ticket!

 

[sIGPIC][/sIGPIC]

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I'm a very happy customer of TM. I've owned EVERY generation of joystick they made. The generic one, Topgun, F16, F22, Cougar and WH. I've never had an issue. But at this point in time, I would absolutely consider Virpil and VKB's of the world. And that Virpil throttle looks SWEEEEEET.

 

@Cyph3r, the website seems incredibly slow. You should alert them to see if anything is amiss.

hsb

HW Spec in Spoiler

---

 

i7-10700K Direct-To-Die/OC'ed to 5.1GHz, MSI Z490 MB, 32GB DDR4 3200MHz, EVGA 2080 Ti FTW3, NVMe+SSD, Win 10 x64 Pro, MFG, Warthog, TM MFDs, Komodo Huey set, Rverbe G1

 

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I understand the added leverage the WH joy stick extension gives helps reduce the feel of stiction. However sitting at my desk I can only raise my chair so much, doesn't the added extended height make it a bit awkward handling the joy stick?

 

It’s a very valid point. Most people who fly with an extension will typixally mount the stick either on the floor (on some sort of riser plinth - A floor to seat height extension is WAY too long for the WH, and would create a huge throw). Alternatively there are some good desk mounts (Like MonsterTech) which lower the stick to a more reasonable level.

476th vFG Alumni

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I wonder for those who have had problems, how is the support from Thrustmaster particularly regarding the stiction issue?

 

From the research I did before almost buying one...Thrustmaster no longer exists as a company. A French company named Guillemot Corporation Group is the new owner. Reports vary from OK to terrible. I just wonder why they havent taken action to correct the systemic problems (stiction, cheap buttons) that have been reported for years. I love the look of the WH, but know better then to judge a book....Hoping VKB and VIRPL step in to fill the void.


Edited by lasvideo

Win 10 I7 6700K @ 4.0 GHZ. 16 gig memory GTX 1070 SSD

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I am a very unhappy TM warthog owner. The flawed design of the gimbal cannot be corrected. It’s gimbal design shares more in common with an analog thumbstick (i.e., Xbox or PS controller) than anything resembling a flight control mechanism. Perhaps I’m just being picky there.

 

What cannot be denied is the abhorrent build quality and overall design. Yes the throttle levers have slop, are made of plastic and have only a thin metal veneer. Yet the throttle weighs nearly 10 pounds due to the steel ballast affixed to the upper side of the bottom cover plate. Switches on the throttle and stick are of the lowest possible quality and fail often. I would gladly take analog potentiometers over TM’s “H.E.A.R.T.” hall sensors in the throttle if the cost would allow something resembling a quality switch or button .

 

Now, look at the stickied post at the top of this sub forum for how many users have had total main board failures. My throttle is now on that list, despite following TM’s absurd instructions to plug the throttle in after PC start up. Why does no other USB device have such problems? Yet Thrustmaster Support continues to manufacture this product with a known flaw and when the failure occurs immediately they will offer sell you a replacement for $60. If you’re lucky enough to have it fail within the warranty, they will still send you a replacement board that you must replace yourself.

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