Orion 2 joystick-clunking axis across center

[Cgjunk2]

Hello all, I've had an Orion2 joystick for about a year and half.  Works great, and has been smooth and accurate.   I installed the wingwing extension on it recently, and a few days later I started experiencing a "clunking" feeling (that can also be heard) that happens when the stick  crosses over the center point of the axis travel.  The clunks is more prominent when I move the stick quickly across center, and sometimes even feels like something is shifting slightly.   The accuracy of the signal is normal and not affected during the clunk. 

By accident, I noticed that the clunking went away if I tightened screw ring of the extension down tighter.   But lately it's been doing it more frequently and I can't tighten it down any harder.  Sometimes if I loosen and re-tighten the extension it will go away for a while, but the clunking comes back. 

I don't think it feels or sounds like the springs settling/shifting as they get stretched and released.  Possibly it could be the cams shifting over their mounting studs, but I don't see anything to suggest excessive wear on that pivot point (even though there has always been slop between the cam and the mounting stud). 

I'm suspecting it might have something to do with the following.  When I first bought it and mounted the included F-16 grip, I noticed that I could sometimes turn the the grip on accident.  It didn't turn at the junction between the grip and the joystick, but rather the portion of the joystick that attaches to the gimbal structure was turning.  I don't know if that can be tightened down (there is a collar with flats that might be threaded that I might try to tighten).  Not sure if that could have anything to do with this. 

Is anyone else experiencing this clunk with the extension?  Does anybody else have any ideas what could be leading to the clunking? 

 

Edited March 22, 2024 by Cgjunk2

[MustangSally]

It's either loose where the ext joins the base, the ext adjustment screws or where the grip attaches to the ext.

[rob10]

Maybe try some plumbers tape on the threads to tighten things up a bit.

[PawlaczGMD]

4 hours ago, Cgjunk2 said:

Hello all, I've had an Orion2 joystick for about a year and half.  Works great, and has been smooth and accurate.   I installed the wingwing extension on it recently, and a few days later I started experiencing a "clunking" feeling (that can also be heard) that happens when the stick  crosses over the center point of the axis travel.  The clunks is more prominent when I move the stick quickly across center, and sometimes even feels like something is shifting slightly.   The accuracy of the signal is normal and not affected during the clunk. 

By accident, I noticed that the clunking went away if I tightened screw ring of the extension down tighter.   But lately it's been doing it more frequently and I can't tighten it down any harder.  Sometimes if I loosen and re-tighten the extension it will go away for a while, but the clunking comes back. 

I don't think it feels or sounds like the springs settling/shifting as they get stretched and released.  Possibly it could be the cams shifting over their mounting studs, but I don't see anything to suggest excessive wear on that pivot point (even though there has always been slop between the cam and the mounting stud). 

I'm suspecting it might have something to do with the following.  When I first bought it and mounted the included F-16 grip, I noticed that I could sometimes turn the the grip on accident.  It didn't turn at the junction between the grip and the joystick, but rather the portion of the joystick that attaches to the gimbal structure was turning.  I don't know if that can be tightened down (there is a collar with flats that might be threaded that I might try to tighten).  Not sure if that could have anything to do with this. 

Is anyone else experiencing this clunk with the extension?  Does anybody else have any ideas what could be leading to the clunking? 

 

 

You need to find out where the clunk is coming from. It would have to either be at the extension attach points, or at the cams. Move the joystick with the base removed and inspect the cam motion? Make sure all screws inside are tight.

Alternatively, there is a moon clip below the collar that is loose by design. It can make a noise when you shake the stick or move it abruptly, and that's normal.

[MustangSally]

14 minutes ago, PawlaczGMD said:

You need to find out where the clunk is coming from. It would have to either be at the extension attach points, or at the cams. Move the joystick with the base removed and inspect the cam motion? Make sure all screws inside are tight.

Alternatively, there is a moon clip below the collar that is loose by design. It can make a noise when you shake the stick or move it abruptly, and that's normal.

It wont be the cams. More then likely a grip to extension or extension to base tightness issue. I have 2 x Orion bases, one with the F-18 grip and the other with the F-15ex. Both have extensions fitted. I experienced the exact issue and it turns out I hadn't quite tightened the extension to base correctly.

Edited March 23, 2024 by MustangSally

[Cgjunk2]

4 hours ago, MustangSally said:

It wont be the cams. More then likely a grip to extension or extension to base tightness issue. I have 2 x Orion bases, one with the F-18 grip and the other with the F-15ex. Both have extensions fitted. I experienced the exact issue and it turns out I hadn't quite tightened the extension to base correctly.

 

 It was the two allen screws that secure the telescoping portion of the extension.   Good call!!
 

It took me a while to pin down the problem.  I took the cams off to get real good look, and decided to torque down the main axis bearing bolts thinking maybe it was the culprit.  (As an aside, I took a good look at my grip twising issue while I was there, and happened to notice I was wrong with suspecting that it was turning internally.   It was actually the screw collar twisting around the lower portion attached to the gimbal.)
 

Anyway, I thought it had to be the main bearings since I was able to get a quarter turn on a couple of them, so i was disappointed when it felt way worse after reassembly!   I previously hadn’t been able to replicate the clunk without being hard mounted to my sim chair, so the fact it was now clunking horribly on the workbench made it much easier to finally identify the problem.  I didn’t see any obvious movement/shifting between the two extension tubes, but it was the best guess.  When I got the allen key on them, it was obvious they weren’t tight enough.  I cinched them down tight, and the clunk was immediately gone. 
 

Just spent a couple hours flying with the stick hard mounted, and all was smooth and quiet!   Thank’s for the help everyone!!!

 

 

Edited March 23, 2024 by Cgjunk2

[YSIAD_RIP]

On 3/22/2024 at 11:06 PM, MustangSally said:

It wont be the cams. More then likely a grip to extension or extension to base tightness issue. I have 2 x Orion bases, one with the F-18 grip and the other with the F-15ex. Both have extensions fitted. I experienced the exact issue and it turns out I hadn't quite tightened the extension to base correctly.

 

100%  I had the same clunking for a few months and tightening up the two screws on the extension did the trick for me too.  I guess the stick needs a safety inspection and correction every 100 hours of flight.. lol 

If it gets loose again .. try adding a lock washer and or a dab of Blue Loctite or equivalent medium strength thread locker. 

Edited March 25, 2024 by YSIAD_RIP