Stupid bat top removal question

[xand49]

Howdy,

I'm just in the process of removing the buttons / sticks from a CP that came with a cab I bought.

This may sound stupid but I'm not having much luck getting the battop head off to remove the stick, there is no screw head on the end.

Please see attached photo complete with some nice scoring from trying with pliers.

do I need to unscrew the whole contraption or am I just missing the obvious?

[Drnick]

I would say the entire handle should just pull out,  It has a groove for a C Clip on the shaft, but no C clip that I can see so it should just pull straight through.  Chances are the bat isnt designed to easily come off the shaft.  YMMV.  And of course I could entirely be wrong.  Someone else should be along in a bit though 

[xand49]

Done a full strip down and still can't see a way

[Drnick]

Does the stick allow you to rotate the shaft at all? It could just be really jammed. Any idea on what the joysticks are? Or what game did they come from?

[xand49]

The shaft is rotatable, pliers are just scoring the metal.

I believe they were freshly bought, presumably from ultramarc or gremlin

[DeLuSioNal29]

OK.  I think i see the problem.  If you look closely, you will see two rings at the bottom of the joystick shaft for the e-clip.  The one farthest from the joystick parts is used if you mount it on a wood panel (it's currently empty).  The one closest to the joystick (look closely, it's there with the e-clip on it) is if you mount it on a metal panel.  You have a metal panel, so the e-clip is lower.

To remove it, push the joystick from the handle towards the bottom of the shaft.  While doing this, push the activator (the square plastic piece) towards the top of the joystick.  It takes a little finesse to do this with one hand.  This will allow the e-clip to be exposed enough for you to grab it with a set of needle nose pliers and pull it out.  Once it's out, simply pull the joystick out.  Or if it's a little rusty, you may need to carefully tap the bottom of the joystick shaft to coax it out.  Be careful not to hit it too hard.  The control panel may bend if you just whack it full force.

Here's a pic from CoinopExpress.com for your reference showing the e-clip (this one is currently installed for a wood panel on the lower groove (see below)

Good luck!

DeLuSioNaL29

[Drnick]

I think the joysticks are Happ Competition from my looking online.  And yes there are 2 locations for the C Clip , Hopefully the information above gets you sorted.

[xand49]

Thank you greatly for the above info,

I can see said clip, it almost seems welded in is the unfortunate bit!

just tried a two person extraction job and the ---smurfette--- is still in there!

I can see the clip on my other stick,

this one doesn't seem to have any space between itself and the shaft hmm.

[DeLuSioNal29]

Keep trying.  The way i remove them is to put the control panel upside down on my lap, with the joystick bat top on my thigh.  I push down on the panel and while i do this, I use one hand to also push down on the black actuator.  This usually exposes the e-clip.  With my other hand, I remove the clip with pliers.

[xand49]

yeah, i've got the general idea down.

the e-clip itself doesn't have the 2 gaps exposed at any point, it has REALLY been stuck in there. i moved onto the heavy duty plier's and still couldn't budge, ended up punching myself in the face after a slight loss of tension!

so in conclusion. i'm going to try again tommorrow night, and if it comes down to it just cut the shaft and order a new one!

[DeLuSioNal29]

Did you ever get this removed?

[mgb]

He's probably doing what I did the first time I ever removed an e-clip. after prying it off, he's probably looking for it because it flew.

[yotsuya]

He's probably doing what I did the first time I ever removed an e-clip. after prying it off, he's probably looking for it because it flew.

 

[Gray_Area]

Yup. If he got it off.

[RandyT]

E-clips can be a pain, but they aren't too hard to remove.  You just need a small, flat blade screwdriver. 

Push down the actuator, expose the space between the inner diameter of the clip and the shaft, insert whichever part of the screwdriver tip that fits, hold the clip and twist the driver.  It'll come right off.