X-45 issues

[Witchking]

Hi Guys,

 

I finally was able to get back my rusty old X-45 and fired up LO2 and DCS BS with it.

 

First things first...this stick is sooo tough and "un-smooth" to move. It has been sitting like that for over 3y and I think it needs a greasing. Any suggestions on how to do this? I remember there was a link for a cougar oiling...but I don't recall one for the 45.

 

Secondly.... I tried playing around in the quick start A-10 mission and immediately started with labels off. It showed me how bad I am at this. I always keep getting killed by the 3rd wave SAMS. ANyways...the point is... right from the get go after pressing pause, the stick seems to be pulling up..I have to forcefully push it down and even when I use CTRL + T to reset trim... it works for a few seconds...but the moment I touch the throttle...the nose wildly pitches up again. I never had this issue with this stick back in the days when I used to fly in FC1.

 

ANy suggestions? also...can someone share their profile and give a short tutorial of how to best set deadzones and sensitivities for the X45?

 

thanks,

 

V

[coder1024]

I'm also using an X-45. I just bought a tube of silicone grease from radio shack and used that to lube the X-45. Worked well and smoothed out the movement.

 

For awhile I had used a zip tie to hold a couple of the springs together. This provided less resistance on the motion, but I've since taken those off as they would bind occasionally.

 

I haven't noticed any of the nose up behavior you mentioned in FC2 though. Double-check your axis tune on each axis.

[Witchking]

How did u apply the silicone? I am assuming Ihave to take off that 8 screws around the stick..lift it up etc and somehow apply the silicone and put it back without breaking it? :p lol!

[coder1024]

I didn't remove any screws. I used a qtip and just moved the stick to its extreme and put the grease right on the plastic where the 2 pieces of plastic interface. So I'd move it all the way right and hold it there and put the grease on, then move it all the way left, etc. Then you just move it through its range a bit to get the grease spread out.

 

As for the 8 screws, if you mean the ones on the ring around the stick, there are only 4. It looks like 8, but half of them are just decorative there are only 4 actual screws. Taking them off doesn't reveal anything, its just attaching the decorative ring.

 

I think you need to remove the other big screws around the edge to get in and work on it. I haven't tried it yet, but I do have some looseness there giving me a sizeable physical dead-zone and I was thinking about trying to open it up to see if there's something I could tighten internally.

[Witchking]

aaah! Thanks for describing that out man. I hope you can get it working properly again. Do take pics if you decide to open it. ;) Might be useful to keep a record of this stuff. :)