Comparison: Cougar Uber2 mod vs Virpil WarBRD

[Lange_666]

For those who had (or have) both. How do they compare in:

- Feeling:

- Centering:

- Moving out of center:

 

Cougar U2 with original stick, Virpil with standard Warthog stick.

 

Why:

I had a Cougar with Uber2 mod and was really happy about it. Great gimbals.

I now have the Warthog but the although a big improvement over the stock Cougar gimbals, the Warthog gimbals are still way below par if i compare these to the Uber2.

I modified the Warthog already a bit, Sahaj's Green Spring instead of original spring, sanded the gimbals and added beter grease and although already a lot better then stock, still can't match the Uber2 feeling. These still a bit of friction, certainly around the center point and the centering still is a bit rough.

So i'm looking for something else. I have a few things in mind which i can try quickly but i guess the plastic gimbals of the Warthog need something better.

Edited March 9, 2020 by Lange_666

[Lange_666]

I can tell myself now since my Virpil WarBRD base has arrived.

Stock Cougar was just plain crap. The square output of the movement when trying to make a circle was, oh well, i already said it, plain crap. Ubermod (or variants) corrected that in a great way.

 

Stock Warthog, although better is crap also, the movement is not that bad, the output is a circle if you move the stick in a circle but then there is that friction... oh boy. Coming from an Uber, it's a big step back.

Came the green spring and some sanding of the gimbals. Better but still friction on tiny movements (air refueling...). Tried some options without center spring but then the stick is way to heavy and the gimbals become way to sloppy. Thrustmaster idea's on gimbals never was any good anyway. Expensive setup with cheap crappy gimbals.

 

Virpil then: Cool stuff although the stock cams (soft center) trowed me back to the stock Cougar feel (although less pronounced due to the less stiffer springs). Output when moved in a circle was squary with round edges. Not good.

 

Put in the No Center cams which are cool. This comes close the Uber feel of the Cougar. Warthog stick is a bit to heavy for the standard springs (stick leans slightly forward) so i might put in the heavy ones together with the Space No Center cams because i guess the heavy springs with the Aviasim cams can make the base flip if moved to the edges (or i must adapt the Warthog base to make the Virpil base fit on that one). Still a few this to try...:joystick:

Edited March 21, 2020 by Lange_666

[Lange_666]

Changed to the Spacecams No Center with heavy springs. The heavy spring set is better then the softer (stock mounted) on a heavy Warthog grip. This is a keeper.

 

The Spacecams don't have the increase force the further you move the stick like the Aviacams did. Will test this a while, i might move back to them.

[VpR81]

Same here. Using the WarBRD base with Warthog grip on top and heavy springs, as well as soft center avia cams installed. So far the best combo for the WarBRD base IMO. Tested the cosmo cams as well, but like the avia cams more. Also purchased the extra heavy springs as well, but haven´t tested them yet.

[Lange_666]

Did just one testflight. Will probably go back to the Aviasim cams No Center version. For the extra heavy springs i already did read a few times that the baseplae then can flip over. Solution is mounting the WarBRD base onto the Warthog base. But needs a bit of drilling... With the regular heavy springs it's just on the edge of flippin' already.

The Soft Center cams i don't like, reminds me way to much on stock Cougar gimbals although Virpils are quite a bit softer...

[VpR81]

Got my bases mounted to a simrig, so nothing flips over. The baseplate of the WarBRD base is indeed not the best solution. It's way too light and it's footprint is too small for comfortable desktop use IMO. If there is no possibility to mount it to a simrig or desk mount, i'd suggest purchasing a heavy steel plate and create something new instead of drilling the original Warthog baseplate. If you lack the tools, a local machinist will CNC cut, mill and drill it for a reasonable price. Just in case if you want to sell it some day.

[Lange_666]

Removed the No Center Space cams and replaced them with the No Center Aviasim cams again. The Space cams are good (same resistance along the entire travel path) but to soft for the heavy Warthog stick, certainly in the corners.