Upgraded X52 Throttle finished

[OverDhill]

Hey guys. Been busy in the real world with the grandkids and retirement travel. I did however finally got the time to finish my X52 upgrade project. Pretty much all new high quality parts as well as a HALL Effect for the throttle position. Also includes a mini thumb joystick for the strafing requirements in the 6DOF games I play. I will be updating my blog when I install it in my simpit.

[Crash]

Neat job

[delta7]

that is very nice and smart

[Perfesser]

Beautiful work

[T_O_A_D]

Very Nice! Looking forward to more details, I've been toying around the thought of just gutting my old x-45 and moving the boards into a box and getting better switches and rotary slider and still using the saitek profiler to program it. Instead of building a bodnar board setup.

I have no clue though on what to get so its just a ponder at the moment.

[OverDhill]

Not had a X-45 apart. Does the Stick plug into the throttle like the-x52? So you can't change much of the electronics in the throttle or you lose the stick. If the stick has the USB connector you might be able to use that separately and use a new control card in the throttle. I liked the X-52 mechanics as it has a lot of buttons and I prefer the throttle's movement over the x-45. I got a used x-45 cheap off Ebay a couple years ago and was looking to MOD it but I didn't like the feel of it. I really don't like the Saitek X52 stick. The new set I bought had a HUGE deadzone issue. Lucky for me it died and I sent it back for a refund.

I really like the feel on the Thrustmaster 16000m stick itself. The buttons were crap though. The stick uses a HALL effect like the Warthog but the movement efforts are way less. Even with an extension my wrist was killing me after awhile. I also liked the CH Products Fighterstick handle and their switched are some of the best in the joystick market. So I grabbed a cheap serial version off Ebay and a used T16000 off Ebat and merged them.  It has worked out really well. There was just enough room in the shaft to transfer all the base switches of the T16000 to all the buttons and hats of the Figherstick. A lot of fine soldering but otherwise not too hard.

 

 

I find dealing with the original electronics a pain sometimes as they use special matrix setups on their switches so it is hard to make changes. Also neither the x-45 or X-52 stick has enough buttons or hats for my taste.

You can get a cheap used x-45 off Ebay if you want to try and rip one apart and see. That way your not out a setup if it turns bad. At the minimum you have some spare parts to use on yours. 

 

If it were not for the cost of the BU0836X 12-Bit Joystick Board the total price to do what I did on the x-52 throttle would not have been too high. The second highest cost was the HALL effect pot for the throttle itself. But of coarse that was the whole point. Get rid of the cheap little pot Saitek used. In fact it was pitiful to see how cheap all the pots and switches were. Also the other thing I wanted was a real mini joystick instead of what they had. It was basically a DPAD type arrangement that was passed off as a stick. It is no wonder why so many people complained how lousy the accuracy was. Using the BU0836X 12-Bit Joystick Board I was able to keep the scroll wheel on the back as it is basically an Encoder like they use in a lot of mice these days. The BU0836X 12-Bit Joystick Board can handle encoders. Also with 8 analog inputs you can add some pots for trim and pitch control.

 

Here is a parts like of what I used.

Velleman 12KEY Keypad 12 Keys Common Output

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000TA8PE4/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00__o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

On/Off/On Momentary Mini Miniature Toggle Switch

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01LYGWWHA/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o05__o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Mini Micro Momentary SPST Push Button Switch

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07HH2QZ1Z/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o09__o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

PC Mount Linear Taper Slide

https://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail/652-PTA15432215CIB50

9mm TOCOS B10K 10K Linear Taper Potentiometer 180° Degree Rotation

https://www.ebay.com/itm/2-x-9mm-TOCOS-B10K-10K-Linear-Taper-Potentiometer-180-Degree-Rotation/253049730107?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649

Hall Effect potentiometer

https://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail/858-6127V1A60L.5

Slide Potentiometers 100Kohms Travel=60mm Center Detent

https://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail/652-PTL60-15R1-104B2

100K ohm 3 Pins Split Shaft Rotary Single Linear Taper Potentiometers

https://www.amazon.com/BLS-Terminals-Linear-Rotary-Potentiometer/dp/B0745FBWT2/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1548039741&sr=8-3-fkmr0&keywords=100K+ohm+3+Pins+Split+Shaft+Rotary+Single+Linear+Taper+Potentiometers

3D Controller Joystick Axis Analog Sensor Module &Thumb Stick

https://www.ebay.com/itm/2Pcs-3D-Controller-Joystick-Axis-Analog-Sensor-Module-Thumb-Stick-HN8/332765941258?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649

BU0836X 12-Bit Joystick Board

http://www.leobodnar.com/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=94&products_id=180

 

 

 

[OverDhill]

[OverDhill]

I am still around. Been traveling a lot this year but the cooler weather is coming so will get back into gaming. I just finished swapping a couple switches out in my throttle and added a wrist rest to the stick. 

Debating what to start flying again.

 

[T_O_A_D]

On 2/3/2019 at 7:10 PM, OverDhill said:

Yeah just box all that up so I can dispose of it for ya. ?

[fromega001]

On 1/20/2019 at 6:49 PM, OverDhill said:

Hey guys. Been busy in the real world with the grandkids and retirement travel. I did however finally got the time to finish my X52 upgrade project. Pretty much all new high quality parts as well as a HALL Effect for the throttle position. Also includes a mini thumb joystick for the strafing requirements in the 6DOF games I play. I will be updating my blog when I install it in my simpit.

WAW, that's very nice, i have a X52 pro and the axes are nearly dead too
Is the any place to see more explanation of your works with theses stuff?
Thanks a lot

[Perfesser]

I think the DCS forum has the best section on modding/making controllers I've seen.