sanwa joystick help

[dfg]

i got a issue with one of my sanwa joysticks on my cab.  it seems that over time of using it the joystick itself doesnt return to its original point when pointed in a certain direction causing it to jam slightly.  eg  street fighter the player would continue to move forward unless i knock the stick back into the middle point.  is there a part i can purchase that would fix this?
cheers

[Hituro]

I got some Sanwa sticks.  What model are yours?  Is it the shaft that's getting stuck? (god that sounded wrong lol).  Just wanting to try and figure this out, if you have a similar model to the ones I have, I could try and see what might be causing the shaft to stick.  Also, hard stuck does it get?  I mean, if you have to wail on it to get it to go back to normal, might be something serious.

[dfg]

I got some Sanwa sticks.  What model are yours?  Is it the shaft that's getting stuck? (god that sounded wrong lol).  Just wanting to try and figure this out, if you have a similar model to the ones I have, I could try and see what might be causing the shaft to stick.  Also, hard stuck does it get?  I mean, if you have to wail on it to get it to go back to normal, might be something serious.

yeh some times it gets stuck but  its only by a minimal margin enough to cause it to trigger the button. its as if the spring or whatever it is isnt strong enough to knock it back into its original place at times.
not too sure on the exact model of the joystick.  hopefully this image i took can verify it?

[Jack Burton]

Can't really tell much from the photo, but joysticks are not complex devices so it's not really necessary.

Either your spring is too weak or your joystick is not greased well enough.  

I think it's unlikely the spring would go break or become too weak.  They are used in arcades for ages and generally don't go bad.

Try lubricating the joystick before replacing the spring.

Here's a relevant discussion on the topic.

http://shoryuken.com/f177/joystick-grease-lubrication-202494/

[dfg]

Can't really tell much from the photo, but joysticks are not complex devices so it's not really necessary.

Either your spring is too weak or your joystick is not greased well enough.  

I think it's unlikely the spring would go break or become too weak.  They are used in arcades for ages and generally don't go bad.

Try lubricating the joystick before replacing the spring.

Here's a relevant discussion on the topic.

http://shoryuken.com/f177/joystick-grease-lubrication-202494/

i found it its a sanwa JLF joystick. just shaking the joystick around lightly feels loose compared to the 2nd player joystick so im not sure what it is?
 i took apart both joysticks and the spring seem to be the same tension.  so im not sure what it can be??

[Hituro]

Can't really tell much from the photo, but joysticks are not complex devices so it's not really necessary.

Either your spring is too weak or your joystick is not greased well enough.  

I think it's unlikely the spring would go break or become too weak.  They are used in arcades for ages and generally don't go bad.

Try lubricating the joystick before replacing the spring.

Here's a relevant discussion on the topic.

http://shoryuken.com/f177/joystick-grease-lubrication-202494/

i found it its a sanwa JLF joystick. just shaking the joystick around lightly feels loose compared to the 2nd player joystick so im not sure what it is?
 i took apart both joysticks and the spring seem to be the same tension.  so im not sure what it can be??

Did you try swapping the springs to see if it has the effect on a different joystick?  If you swap the springs and it doesn't have that problem, then it's the spring

[Franco B]

My first thought would be to lubricate it as suggested. Secondly I would suggest it is assembled correctly if you have doubts. You can use the working stick as a reference guide to how the parts go or you can take photo's of the parts and I will tell you what order they go in.

Failing that I would try to stretch the spring slightly which should increase the return force when pushed away from centre.

[dfg]

My first thought would be to lubricate it as suggested. Secondly I would suggest it is assembled correctly if you have doubts. You can use the working stick as a reference guide to how the parts go or you can take photo's of the parts and I will tell you what order they go in.

Failing that I would try to stretch the spring slightly which should increase the return force when pushed away from centre.

hrm what part would i be lubricating exactly? sorry if its a noob question.
im pretty much certain the assembly of the joystick is correct. as both of them are the same only one side feels slightly loose. illl try and stretch the spring hopefully it fixes the issue.

[Franco B]

Take a look at this picture:



The bottom assembly is the JLF. You want to lubricate the underside of the white plastic piece that is on the shaft in that picture. This part combined with the moulding in the base of the stick acts as a ball joint pivot and the bottom of that white plastic piece is the bearing surface.

[Nacimroc]

I was going to post this exact problem tonight! I have 2 brand new JLF's (as far as I remember) and they are loose as hell and don't return to home position easily. I found that if I put a small piece of something between the circlip at the end and the plastic piece, it compresses the spring more fixing the problem (ish).  BUT....surely I shouldn't have to fix joysticks that are sold all the time that I haven't heard many people complain about.  

And the lubrication doesn't fix the problem. A mild breeze would blow the joystick from the left position to the right. It is very loose.

[armi0024]

Some people will also replace the spring with a stiffer Seimitsu spring which can help.

[Franco B]

These don't sound like any of the JLFs I have seen. Are you sure they are genuine Sanwa and not cheap knockoff's?

[armi0024]

Just thought I would post a few pictures for people to tell the difference between real Sanwa and the common knock off.  1st off, sanwas use Omron microswitches, the knock offs use what ever was cheapest the day they were built, the on I have I think has Omsron.  The ones we have in our store are not bad, but they aren't Sanwa's, and there is definitely more play in the middle than the originals.

hole patterns are different, Sanwa on the right has straight holes.(Stick on the left is the knock off)


Bad machining of the stick at the bottom, the chromed finish is not smooth at the base of the stick(the stick on the left is the knock off)


The wire connection has an over hang for the wire harness on the knock off, Sanwas do not

[Nacimroc]

Mine are genuine judging by your pics. I did install the LED balltops with the new bored out shaft, but this shouldn't have made any difference as its back exactly how the original was. It seems to be that the spring is just not powerful enough. But it just doesn't seem right that I have to change it!

[Franco B]

What is it like with the original shaft in?

If the distance from the collar to the e-clip groove was longer on the replacement shaft then that would cause the symptom you describe as the spring would be under less compression.

Ignore that, I just re-read your post and you said that it's back to its original state.