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#3790829 - 06/02/13 06:40 AM Warthog grip on uni-joint, also throttle and pedals on a frame  
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 108
julian265 Offline
Member
julian265  Offline
Member

Joined: May 2010
Posts: 108
Nothing new here... but it might give people some ideas.

I put the warthog's grip on my old uni joint stick (see http://www.jpfiles.com/hardware/uni_stick.pdf ) This stick doesn't have any centring spring, which might sound strange, but I don't mind it at all. The stick and stick adapter's weight give it a good feel.

The ADC is a BU0836A, with duplicated 25 pin sockets to input the hall effect sensors and joystick buttons.

I wasn't happy with the out-of-the-box warthog stick movement. Even after I removed the larger spring, the clunk (from new) when crossing the centre point was just too much. I also felt that the static friction was too high - requiring too much force to get the stick moving - which often meant overshooting the desired position. This was particularly noticeable when air-to-air refueling in A-10C, and with the fine controls needed for UH-1H.

It's all mounted on aluminium extrusions, which allow easy adjustments to critical dimensions, and are quite rigid. Previously the warthog stick was mounted on the right side, like the throttle in the following photos.
The pedals are supported and pivoted by a lazy susan bearing. Unfortunately this bearing has too much lateral slack, so I will replace it with something else.

I also need to add another support to the stick mounting pole - it can tilt forward or back if you place too much weight on the stick. Laterally it is rigid.






The warthog grip is easy to re-wire, owing to the switches all having wires that run to a circuit board, and consistent colouring. I needed to plan this one, rather than my usual thinking while soldering! I also used diodes, but probably didn't need to. I can post the connection list if anyone wants it.




a few cable ties later...




I had an adapter turned up by a machine shop, to fit in the drive-shaft of my stick base. It just needed a few layers of electrical tape to make it tight when in the drive-shaft.


Inline advert (2nd and 3rd post)

#3790928 - 06/02/13 04:27 PM Re: Warthog grip on uni-joint, also throttle and pedals on a frame [Re: julian265]  
Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 161
LocNar Offline
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LocNar  Offline
Member

Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 161
Nice to see someone addressing this, I too am pretty disappointed with the feel of the Warthog's gimbal... there's so. much. mechanical influence when moving the stick across the center, making pushing straight lines impossible, especially if the opposing axis is being held off center. Between the ratcheting, the plastic construction, and the huge tactile bump at the center I'm pretty put off and I'm going to make a new gimbal as well, but would never ditch the TARGET capable board since it's just too useful when being used with titles that have poor support, not to mention won't need re-wiring to work! What did you do with your board/base? Want to sell it since you're using a Bodnar board and a different gimbal now instead?

Extra parts would be helpful to make the new Warthog gimbal which will be be very similar in design to the old one but made in investment cast bronze instead of plastic, be able to be extended at the base of the shaft as a native component (allowing stick offset while leaving the base straight too), reduction in the center flat if possible, and maybe a grease zerk but will be a drop-in replacement to be used in the stock base. Ultimately it will never feel as good as a u-joint since there's no way a trapped ball/socket can compete with discrete x/y bearings like a u-joint, but should feel much better than stock.

#3791100 - 06/03/13 12:10 AM Re: Warthog grip on uni-joint, also throttle and pedals on a frame [Re: julian265]  
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 630
Ltfransky Offline
Sith Lord
Ltfransky  Offline
Sith Lord
Member

Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 630
Peterborough, ON, Canada
Shouldn't any board be target capable? TARGET just eliminates the on-board programming that the Cougar had. It sits between the stick and windows to interpret the button presses. Can't you do that with any stick (or rudder) since the program wraps it all up into 1 controller?


Please Heatware Me!

Ours is not to reason why. Ours is to do or die.
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I have slipped the surly bonds of earth
And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings..
Gillespie Magee, RCAF
#3791145 - 06/03/13 02:05 AM Re: Warthog grip on uni-joint, also throttle and pedals on a frame [Re: julian265]  
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 9,620
CyBerkut Offline
Administrator
CyBerkut  Offline
Administrator
Hotshot

Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 9,620
Florida
TARGET only supports the Warthog, Cougar, Cougar MFDs and the T.16000M.

#3791566 - 06/03/13 11:09 PM Re: Warthog grip on uni-joint, also throttle and pedals on a frame [Re: LocNar]  
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 108
julian265 Offline
Member
julian265  Offline
Member

Joined: May 2010
Posts: 108
I can sell the base - it's no use to me now! I still have the board from the grip as well.


Moderated by  RacerGT 

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