VKB Gunfighter Pro Mk III - trying to remove slop around center

[dburne]

So have been running my Mk III with Ultimate Grip and 200 mm extension for a while now. Have been having some slop around center in the pitch axis. I am using the Avia S cams on both pitch and roll. Roll was ok, but pitch would not return to the same spot but had a small area around center you could just move the stick to let go and it would stay there. 

So this morning I removed the gimbal. Have been running "I think" a #50 and a #30 spring on each axis or maybe it was a #20 not sure.  So first before trying to go to the Avia H cams I thought I would just take off that #30 spring and add a #40 to just the pitch axis, so now have #50 and #40 on the pitch axis.  Re-assembled and mounted back on my extended Monster Tech Mount. Went to test the axis, pitch is now perfect returns to the same spot each time. I was thrilled. But then I checked the roll axis, the one that was always working great, only to find now it has a significant dead area where the stick just stays there when moved slightly. Augh! Now why in the world would a stronger set of springs on pitch axis affect the roll axis like that.

I guess all I can do at this point is take the dang gimbal back out again and put a #40 along with the #50 on that roll axis like I have on the pitch. Maybe another day... Or maybe I should just use the hard center cams, not really sure at this point.

The area that has the slop is to the left, when I move the stick slightly left it will stay there up to a point. Moving to the right from center is no slop, just moving to left from center. Anyone running the hard center (Avia H) cams in their Gunfighter? If so curious as to your thoughts on the feel of those cams. I have put a small dead zone (4) in DCS to compensate for the slop in the stick movement around center, but would love to get rid of it completely in the hardware.

Edited August 20, 2022 by dburne

[dburne]

Ok went back in to the gimbal and added a #40 spring just like I did on the pitch axis, roll axis now behaving much better returning to center properly now. I guess moral of the story, is to keep same spring strength on both axis.

Still debating if I want to try the Hard cams instead of Soft I have installed, but will leave that for another day should I decide to check it out. Would still be curious if anyone running their Gunfighter with the Hard ( Avia H ) cams and how they like the feel.

Even with a # 50 and #40 spring on each axis my stick still moves very easily until get to about 2/3rd the way on the axis then it gets pretty stout. I am thinking it may be this very easy movement around center causing me trouble in learning how to do air to air refueling in my Hornet. But who knows.

So anyone running the Avia H (hard) center cams in their Gunfighter?

Edited August 20, 2022 by dburne

[Dogmanbird]

From the factory, I had a tiny bit of gunk in the valley of one avia-s cam which caused the same symptoms. It was like dried honey and stuck solidly. It needed to be scraped off with edge of a credit card

I tried the Avia-H but found they need too much pressure to get the stick moving from centre, causing it to suddenly over travel and harder to control short movements, even though I'm using a 35cm extension offering plenty of leverage (light carbon fibre). If they could modify it so it's just a little softer around the very centre it would be great imo.

Of the 3 cams I prefer the Avia-S.  One of my bases has #10 spring on each axis for choppers and another has a #40 + #50 on each axis for planes. The helicopter base has deadzone removed and stick stays anywhere it's placed. The plane base eventually re-centres itself exactly after oscillating for a bit, so I'm just using the default deadzone VKB use.

 

Edited August 22, 2022 by Dogmanbird

[dburne]

9 hours ago, Dogmanbird said:

From the factory, I had a tiny bit of gunk in the valley of one avia-s cam which caused the same symptoms. It was like dried honey and stuck solidly. It needed to be scraped off with edge of a credit card

I tried the Avia-H but found they need too much pressure to get the stick moving from centre, causing it to suddenly over travel and harder to control short movements, even though I'm using a 35cm extension offering plenty of leverage (light carbon fibre). If they could modify it so it's just a little softer around the very centre it would be great imo.

Of the 3 cams I prefer the Avia-S.  One of my bases has #10 spring on each axis for choppers and another has a #40 + #50 on each axis for planes. The helicopter base has deadzone removed and stick stays anywhere it's placed. The plane base eventually re-centres itself exactly after oscillating for a bit, so I'm just using the default deadzone VKB use.

 

 

 

Ok thanks much for the feedback that is what I was looking for! Yeah sounds like I better stick with my soft center cams and #50 and #40 spring on each axis.

Edited August 22, 2022 by dburne

[grimm862]

On 8/22/2022 at 7:37 AM, dburne said:

 

Ok thanks much for the feedback that is what I was looking for! Yeah sounds like I better stick with my soft center cams and #50 and #40 spring on each axis.

 

Why don't you just swap the cams over and try it for yourself?