Warning to All!!! F-18 warthog flight stick

[Jason S]

Hi Everybody just want to warn you all about the new F-18 warthog replacement stick.

 

I just received mine today and attempted to replace it by removing the A-10 stick.

 

My warthog stick is older as I purchased it when it first came out.

 

The silver twist dial at the base of the a-10 stick absolutely refused to turn loose.

 

In my attempts to loosen the silver dial the entire A-10 joystick sheared off.

 

During the attempt to loosen the dial twisted the gimbal counter clockwise over 90 degrees resulting in what I think broke off the magnetic sensor inside gimbal completely and maybe even broke the control wires for the stick buttons in the base station.

 

End result I now have a totally dead A-10 joystick a totally dead warthog joystick base station and a brand new very expensive replacement stick that are all useless.

 

Just a heads up that the two finger twist instructions might not apply.

 

Hope this saves someone else from a very sad day.

 

EDIT **** #1

Hi all I'm just sending a warning that I have one of the first warthogs sold serial number 2940.... if you ordered the replacement stick and your A-10 silver disk does not want to turn loose don't try to force it that's all.

 

Leave it alone unplug it and save it for the f16 / a10 flights.

 

Buy a new base for your new F-18 stick that's all.

 

EDIT**** #2

Once again the silver dial was completely seized, IT WOULD NOT TURN COUNTER CLOCKWISE AT ALL, after the damage was done I didn't care anymore as I knew entire stick and base were gonzo. I went to my neighbours and the extra set of arms and two pairs of vice grips were actually able to get the silver dial to finally turn off. So once again to anyone trying to replace the A10 stick with the F18 one...if the silver dial does not want to turn LEAVE IT ALONE.

 

Anyway all is good I bought a new stick and have the new F18 stick setup and good to go.

 

Thanks to all that offered help I appreciate it guys.

Edited August 9, 2019 by Jason S

[Supertaquito]

Uhm, how much torque did you apply to it so turning JUST the dial would actually shear off the Joystick?

 

I'm sorry but I'm not buying it. What did you actually do?

[Mars Exulte]

I'm 100% certain that was user error. There's no reason for a break THERE if you were attempting to turn the correct spot. Next time try WD40 and some pliers or something instead of whatever you did there.

[Moafuleum]

What does the manual say about puttting off the stick from the base? Did you grab and applied torque exactly at the point where it instructed you to do so?

[Oban]

finger tight only !

 

I've no idea why you'd have it so tight you were unable to loosen it.

 

Human error, didn't read the instructions methinks.

[will-]

 

simple google search.

 

not sure why you can't just use ur f18 stick still as you broke the warthog one. did you damage the base also?

[Scofflaw]

I spy vice grips and metal shavings.

[Phantom453]

Hi Everybody just want to warn you all about the new F-18 warthog replacement stick. .........

 

I don't see what this really has to do with the new F/A-18 flight stick, in any way?. You (somehow) snapped off the A-10 stick! :music_whistling:

[XtraChrisP]

Hey Jason sorry for your loss. Thanks for sharing your experience with the community, hopefully others learn from it and don't break their stick. Here's hoping you find a replacement stick soon!

[Deano87]

Blimey.

[Cyborg71]

I sympathise. Thats really bad luck dude.

You may need to reassess how you shake peoples hands.

[Weegie]

Jason

 

Couple of things, having renovated old motorcycles, stuck fasteners & frozen threads are nothing new to me, but still a hassle

 

First it always helps to lube threads with a smear of grease to prevent them freezing, especially coarse ones like the locking wheel used in the hog.

 

The neck snapping is not an unknown problem, it was reported a lot by people using the Hog with Real Simulator's force stick base. It's not surprising looking at the neck it looks cast and in a pretty crappy metal.

 

Debolestis has replacements available in whatever material you choose to get, bit pricier for what they are but far stronger and also with angled necks should you choose, the angle makes a big difference to the comfort factor IMHO.

 

https://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=160114

 

Hope that helps and thank you for posting up the warning

[Supmua]

Warning to All!!! F-18 warthog flight stick

 

That is the known weakest spot on that grip (see how thin the metal part is). But it should not break there unless you tried to twist it out by using the main shaft instead of the connection ring at the bottom below that break point.

 

The base should still be functioning though if you can get the metal ring out.

 

If that won’t come off, don’t brute force it out because some of the internal fixation inside the base is just Epoxy glue. I would lubricate first.

 

On the other hand, your stick is probably pushing 10 years old so you already had a good use out of it.

Edited August 2, 2019 by Supmua

[Deano87]

The base should still be functioning though if you can get the metal ring out.

 

Guys, I think the base is borked as well. He says he rotated the whole gimbal through more than 90 degrees.

 

During the attempt to loosen the dial twisted the gimbal counter clockwise over 90 degrees resulting in what I think broke off the magnetic sensor inside gimbal completely and maybe even broke the control wires for the stick buttons in the base station.

 

So replacing the tail of the stick doesn’t do him any good.

[lucky-hendrix]

I don't understand how it broke at that point ? You are not supposed to hold the stick at all when unscrewing! I think he tried to unscrew the stick itself resulting in this.

 

You are supposed to only apply torque on the knurled nut, there shouldn't be any torque on the stick !

 

If anything with a stuck nut you would damage the gimbal, but not the grip !

 

Sent from my VTR-L09 using Tapatalk

[StandingCow]

I wonder if you could fix that with some epoxy made for steel or Quiksteel.

[Deano87]

You are supposed to only apply torque on the knurled nut, there shouldn't be any torque on the stick !

 

If anything with a stuck nut you would damage the gimbal, but not the grip !

 

Read his post. He did destroy his gimbal too.

 

And actually holding the stick and inputting counter force to the force on the nut is actually a good idea. It helps reduce torque felt by the gimbal.

[Sokol1_br]

Well, use this "incident" as excuse for buy Virpil T50CM base. ;)

[Supmua]

Warning to All!!! F-18 warthog flight stick

 

The gimbal is held by epoxy to prevent rotation. I had popped mine off before using too much force trying to twist it off the extension tube. If it’s just the epoxy that came off then it could be a simple fix. The only way to know is to open the base.

 

But considering how old the stick is, it might be better just to get a new one...or a different base.

Edited August 2, 2019 by Supmua

[norbot]

So what's the problem with the F-18 replacement stick? I don't think you can blame the new stick for your old one breaking.

[Shahdoh]

See, its the new sticks fault for making him need to take the other one apart.....

[lunaticfringe]

I spy vice grips and metal shavings.

 

Bravo India November Golf Oscar.

[=Panther=]

How much torque did you put that thing on with?

[JG27_Arklight]

Uhm, how much torque did you apply to it so turning JUST the dial would actually shear off the Joystick?

 

I'm sorry but I'm not buying it. What did you actually do?

 

 

 

Actually, he's spot on. My 8 yr old son broke mine by accident. Looks exactly like that.

 

My son twisted the stick while he was playing (sitting in my cockpit seat) and it sheared the stick right away from the metal. And no, he doesn't have metal vice grips as hands. Lol

Edited August 3, 2019 by JG27_Arklight

[hansangb]

Good lord. The man has 19 posts and you guys jump all over him.

 

 

 

So what exactly did he do, but warn others that they should take care in replacing the A10C joystick.

 

 

 

And it's not exactly metal, is it. Almost all experience TM owners (like me) know that it's not metal. If it were, there wouldn't be shapeways store selling plastic and aluminum replacements.

 

 

It's notoriously weak point and easy to shear off. He might have used the handle to help assisting the knurled ring, or it might have happened exactly the way he described it.

 

 

Why the hate? Why jump on a newcomer who posted a cautionary tale?