Hello,

looks like my Warthog stick has just died. Since I´m out of warranty I´ve opened it up to have a look if there´s something fried inside and indeed it was. I´ve attached a picture of the fried board. Any electronic experts here that can tell me what the fried part is? Is it some kind of fuse? If I knew exactly what part I need I could try to replace it. I have to admit that I have very very limited knowledge of electronics, but I´m not afraid of soldering to bring my warthog back to life. I´ve also contacted Thrustmaster support for a replacement board, but after reading about the experiences many users had with TM support I don´t expect much of them. So I´m just checking my options what I can do to repair it. Thanks for any form of help!

So after asking Dr. Google I believe that FB next to the fried part should stand for "ferrite bead". But I have no idea what kind of ferrite bead it is. I don´t know if there are marking or something on the part that can identifie the type used, but since it is fried I can´t see anything that helps me identifying the part. Any idea what to use or what could work as a replacement for a ferrite bead?

I'm not sure what you mean by that. I've had good experience with TM Support for my 3 Cougars and 1 Warthog. Granted they reply a bit slowly; I'm in the UK and IIRC the tech support guy is in Canada, so might just be a time difference issue. IMHO, it'll be better/safer to replace the entire board than fiddling with fine electronics. Also, how far out of warranty are you? Try contacting TM anyway, tell them your story, and they might give you the stuff for free. My first Cougar had bad pots and needed new wiring, and I got this Cougar used from a SimHQ member, who IIRC also got it off someone else on eBay. TM gave me what I needed for free.

Good luck!

Well, I read that thread [url=http://SimHQ.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/3467138/Re_Thrustmaster_HOTAS_Warthog_][/url] and it looks like it takes quite some time until you get a solution via the TM support and I really don´t want to wait months for my HOTAS to come back to life. But I´ve got some hope here since I´ve already received the first response from TM. Seems like they have a german support department, at least the first response was in german. They asked my to open up the base and send a picture of the board so they can check for loose wiring. So I sent them the picture I´ve posted here and pointed them to the fried piece on the board. But I think while I wait for the outcome of my support inquiry it doesn´t do any harm to check out my other options as well. The board is fried anyway so why not have a try at repairing it.

You don't wanna know my fix

Now I´m curious and wanna know

Let me quess: is it something like throwing the WH away and get a CH Stick?

Did you click the posted above?

Wy not try replaced? It's alread fried...

http://www.jameco.com/1/1/40984-blm31aj6...ion-filter.html

Since this is labeled #9 is probable that are anothers in circuit board...

Sokol1

Yeah, Beach's experience was rather weird. For myself, I've always "expedited" the process by telling them what I've already tried. For the first Cougar with the broken pots, I've even included a video of the calibration process and they could clearly see the indicator moving on the screen while the HOTAS stood by the monitor untouched. Help them help you.

Oh, and another experience with them --- one of my TM Cougar MFDs was acting up, after two emails they acknowledged that the MFD was broken, no need for me to even open it up. All they wanted was a pic of the broken MFD with the USB cable cut, and they sent me a replacement straight away.

I would really try for a solution from TM first if they can't fix it then ask them how to fix it. Warranty or not that's an expensive HOTAS and it shouldn't suffer from issues like that. It might take a long time to get it sorted out but its worth it if they end up fixing it. I'd start the argument along the lines of "would you like my hard earned $$$$ for one of your products in the future?"

Yikes! My Cougar, while I had it, never had any fried PCB issues...I'd expect better of the more expensive (factoring original MSRPs) Warthog.

At least TM/Guillemot support should hear you out, even if communication takes a while. That's more than I can say for Saitek/Mad Catz support (at least for people who can't immediately provide proof of purchase due to buying used or whatever)...


Buy the Fighterstick, rip the PCB out, and wire it up to the Warthog stick (presumably changing the trigger's dual microswitches for a small pot or Hall sensor in the process, then emulating the dual trigger stages with CMS) for the sublime combination of CH Control Manager support and superior TM ergonomics? Brilliant!

Well, this does throw T.A.R.G.E.T. integration with the Warthog throttle out the window...guess we'd have to PCB-mod that too, if it dies.

I had a problem with one of the boards in my Warthog Joystick base a while back.....numerous emails went back and forwards to their support desk. They stated that the springs, ball joint and 5-pin min-din can be replaced by them but anything other than that pretty much needs a whole new Joystick Base ordering.....which they would gladly do for £150!!

I bought a broken Warthog Stick in from Canada via ebay in the end for £80 and resoldered the innards back in myself.

Why ask for £150? They did mine for free... it was well within warranty at the time. I just had to pay for shipping to France IIRC.

Today I received an E-Mail from TM support. They offer me a new board for the stick for 40€. But at the moment I´m still waiting since a very friendly fellow simmer with electronics knowledge at the DCS forums offered me to have a look at my fried board. I´ve sent him the stickbase yesterday, maybe he can fix it. If not, I could still buy the replacement from TM.
The idea of ripping the CH stick and exchange the board came also to my mind The WH feels just to good to replace it with anything else...

wannabe, why are they selling you the board? Is the WH out of warranty?

I think that is not option, Melexis HALL Sensor used in Warthog use 4 wires to comunicate with PCB, CH pot's use 3 wires to PCB.
Someone say - in topic about use TM16000M PCB for rudder pedal - that this kind of sensor need a special programing done via thousand's dolar writer...

Sokol1

I think this was more an ironic response, because 531 Ghost suggestet to throw the WH away and buy an CH stick instead.
@ Ice: Yes,its out of warranty. I bought it second hand on EBay, I think it was originally bought in 2011.

I suggested no such thing. All I said was you don't wanna know how I'd go about fixing it.

Yeah, sometimes it´s easy to fix things...

If you contact the seller, he may be able to give you a copy of the receipt? Depending on when it was bought in 2011, it still may be in warranty. Ask TM if they'll honor it even if you're the second buyer.