X65F potentiometer replacement

[Speed]

After buying my X65F brand new and using it only 5 months, one of the potentiometers on my X65F throttle is broken. I'd just like to report it here for two reasons: to warn potential customers, and in case anyone has any advice for me on how to get it fixed. I THINK I'm registered on the Saitek forum, so I'll go ask over there about this. While I've heard some not so flattering things about their customer support, I'm willing to give it a go.

 

Anyone else had this problem, by any chance? Got any advice? I do intend to get this fixed somehow. I don't care at all if that means I have to order some potentiometer off digikey and replace it myself- but a part/model number would be nice! In fact, replacing it myself would avoid what would probably be months of waiting for Saitek to get around to it.

[BKLronin]

Can´t help you so much. I would be careful with guessing damaged components. Could be any part that has somethng to do with the thottle. If you replace it and it wasnt the potentiometer you got a serious problem.

 

Anyway it´s one of the best things to repair electronic components by your self :D Repaired by Waldorf BLofeld synthesizer a few weeks ago with some 50 cent condensers. Great feeling a bit like playing poker.

 

Good luck!

[Krebs20]

You can try to clean it. I managed to fix sim old suncom pots with contact cleaner. I'll try to find the guide I used tomorrow.

[4c Hajduk Veljko]

Don't you have warranty on it? Where did you get it from?

[Sokol1_br]

Pictures from X65F tread in Sukhoi forum: http://tinyurl.com/3ufmxuj

 

Pot labeled: 50 KB-270º - Axis trim flattened.

 

http://www.sukhoi.ru/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=117307&d=1284850427

 

Metal pot, fixed with nut:

 

http://www.sukhoi.ru/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=117306&d=1284850427

 

 

Eventually you can replace with a better one, ie CTS 284 series:

 

http://www.ctscorp.com/components/potentiometers.htm

 

Sokol1_Br

Edited October 16, 2011 by Sokol1_br

[Speed]

Don't you have warranty on it? Where did you get it from?

 

I bought it off of Amazon. Considering the general @$## the customer in the @$$ mentality of companies these days, do you really think it might be under warranty? I guess it's worth a look... if I even knew where to look for that stuff. Maybe in the manual? Who knows. All I know is I've heard absolutely miserable things about Saitek customer support :(

 

The rotary is getting worse and worse... it's barely usable now.. so tomorrow, I'm going to take some more serious action on it. I got my account recovered on the Saitek forum, so I can post again.

Edited October 18, 2011 by Speed

[Speed]

Pictures from X65F tread in Sukhoi forum: http://tinyurl.com/3ufmxuj

 

Pot labeled: 50 KB-270º - Axis trim flattened.

 

http://www.sukhoi.ru/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=117307&d=1284850427

 

Metal pot, fixed with nut:

 

http://www.sukhoi.ru/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=117306&d=1284850427

 

 

Eventually you can replace with a better one, ie CTS 284 series:

 

http://www.ctscorp.com/components/potentiometers.htm

 

Sokol1_Br

 

Thanks, but that is not the pot that is dying. The pot that is dying on me is rotary 2.

[Speed]

Ok yea... so finally did the research... under a bunch of conditional statements, they claim they have a two year warranty. I'll see how it goes. I guess I will have to send this damn thing off and use my five-year-old, sloppy, duck-taped, blinking, beat up, blue-screen-inducing X-52 again for who knows how long. No more air to air refueling for me! What makes me scared is that I've heard stories of people waiting two, three months for Thrustmaster to fix their Cougars... and if anything, Saitek customer support has a worse rep than Thrustmaster :cry:

Edited October 18, 2011 by Speed

[Cali]

Good luck, hope the turnaround time is fast.

[Sokol1_br]

Thanks, but that is not the pot that is dying. The pot that is dying on me is rotary 2.

 

Not sure, but probable the same - low cost, low quality - pot used in others Saitek products, like PZ-45 PRO quadrant. Look here for specs:

 

http://forums.vatsim.net/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=53678&start=30

 

Sokol1

[Cali]

Any word on what's going on Speed?

[4c Hajduk Veljko]

I bought it off of Amazon. Considering the general @$## the customer in the @$$ mentality of companies these days, do you really think it might be under warranty? I guess it's worth a look... if I even knew where to look for that stuff. Maybe in the manual? Who knows. All I know is I've heard absolutely miserable things about Saitek customer support :(

 

The rotary is getting worse and worse... it's barely usable now.. so tomorrow, I'm going to take some more serious action on it. I got my account recovered on the Saitek forum, so I can post again.

I understand your frustration. I have two X52-pro sets. One set is obviously spare. And when out of warranty, I do fix them by myself.

[Steel Jaw]

Just got an x65 myself so watching this thread too.

[Cali]

How is it working out for you so far mower?

[Speed]

OK, I have the new replacement throttle, via Amazon, but something seems very wrong with the left split throttle. It is NOT smooth at all. Past the aft detent, there is very little friction for the first 20% of its motion. Then, the friction is very strong, and there is the sound of stuff rubbing together- sorta the sound you get when you press your hand down on something like a desk surface, and then slide it across. You can feel and hear something rubbing together. The other X65 throttle was never like this. Furthermore, the right side split throttle moves smoothly and noiselessly, like the old throttle did, only with a bit too much friction, but that will change with time I'm sure.

 

I've been trying to slide the throttles past each other, work their motion a bit, change and rechange the throttle friction, but so far there has only been a small improvement. I'll keep trying. The result of this issue is that it feels like the throttle has two aft detents, there is such a strong jump in friction where there should be NONE.

Edited November 22, 2011 by Speed

[Speed]

Oh and I just noticed... the left throttle will not go all the way back to zero. This is a picture from the control software of the two throttles, unlocked, pulled back as far as they can go:

 

It looks like with the throttles locked together, it is the left throttle that determines the electronic position of the right throttle, so, locked together, you're going to have the same problem.

 

Furthermore, unlocked from each other, but physically in the same position, this leads to a mis-match in the electronic position of the two throttles:

 

Looks like the problem is more than just a physical feeling... I think I should definitely return this one as defective.

Edited November 22, 2011 by Speed

[Speed]

Yup.... just called Amazon, I'm getting this one replaced as well. Hopefully on friday I finally have a properly working HOTAS. I've got the old one back out of the box and re-attached... the rotary might not work, but holy hell, at least the throttles move smooth as butter and are capable of going all the way back.

Edited November 22, 2011 by Speed

[walker450]

Good luck! Keep us posted. (from a fellow X65F owner...)

[Javelin 6]

I'm a X65F owner as well, and reading this thread is making me nervous. I have had it about 4 months with no issues other than the mouse stick never centering (gave up on it), now I am just wondering if the thing is going to crap out any moment now.

[Speed]

I'm a X65F owner as well, and reading this thread is making me nervous. I have had it about 4 months with no issues other than the mouse stick never centering (gave up on it), now I am just wondering if the thing is going to crap out any moment now.

 

I just convert the ministick to a four way hat. It controls my flaps and speed brakes. It works.... MOST of the time, but sometimes it starts going berserk and I can't retract my speed brakes without raising my flaps, or lower my flaps without extending the speed brakes.... Saitek ministicks are very, very, crappy and unreliable. I had the same kind of experiences with the ministick on my X52.

 

For HOTAS slew, I just use the main hat switch that's under your right thumb when you grip the stick normally. I could never wrap my head around HOTAS slew on the ministick anyway. I also have to put joysticks in my lap to control my aircraft properly; I can't wrap my head around putting them on the right side of my desk. It just feels totally wrong.

 

Sorry, OT.

Edited November 23, 2011 by Speed

[Advicepuppy]

Oh and I just noticed... the left throttle will not go all the way back to zero. This is a picture from the control software of the two throttles, unlocked, pulled back as far as they can go:

 

It looks like with the throttles locked together, it is the left throttle that determines the electronic position of the right throttle, so, locked together, you're going to have the same problem.

 

Furthermore, unlocked from each other, but physically in the same position, this leads to a mis-match in the electronic position of the two throttles:

 

Looks like the problem is more than just a physical feeling... I think I should definitely return this one as defective.

 

When you connect the two throttles together, there is NO electronic connection or action taken to make them move together. I think your problem might be mechanical. If you open up the throttle (I made a video on it and can link it), you will see that the throttle is actually a rack and pinion gear system, and I think that your pot might not have been put back ALL the way before the rack was connected, thus making it impossible for it to be completely backward.

 

Should have been

. . . . . . . . .

^

 

But instead it's

 

. . . . . . . . .

__^

 

YOu see what I mean?

[Javelin 6]

Thanks for the tips Speed. Keep everyone posted on how this works out.

[primus_TR]

I've had mine for about 6 months now I think, and I never felt the need to go back to my old Cougar.

 

I have found that using a different USB port can sometimes help with occasional hickups.

 

Also, be sure to use the beta driver, if you don't already have it, which enables recalibrating the stick without replugging.

[Speed]

Ok, so I got the second replacement. The second replacement from Amazon is actually somewhat defective too- but not bad enough. The right throttle actually had NO detent! It moves smoothly from minimum range to maximum range. However, I can live with this, as I think the throttle detents are just a waste of the range of motion anyway. I hate them. Additionally, when linked together, I can feel the detent for the left throttle. With any luck, the left throttle detent will break too.

[Reticuli]

Ferrite choke cores work on the X-65F to drastically reduce interference, particularly with the twist axis. It should have them built into the cables, especially the end that plugs into the stick, but you can do this yourself. I'm using a bunch of small ones, but a single large cheap ring one would probably work with that cable wrapped around it a few times to get a similar effect.