Tool free Sanwa JLW-TM-8

[sublimejhn]

So I have a question that I would have thought would have been easy to find an answer to, but so far I've had no luck. I have 2 Sanwa JLW-TM-8 sticks in my cab. I just leave the second player on 4 way as I don't play 2 player often. When I do have a second player though, it would be nice to switch over to 8 way on the second stick. I can reach the back of the stick pretty easily through the coin door, but loosening and tightening the screws that way is pretty difficult.

Now I know Ultimarc has a tool free design on their J-sticks, which would be prefect for me, but when I built my cab they were sold out. So being as impatient as I am I just went ahead and bought standard Sanwa's elseware. Now I'm kicking myself.

I'm just wondering if anyone knows what exactly is used in the J-sticks that makes them different from the standard Sanwas. It seems like I could just buy some new screws, some springs and maybe some washers? They don't seem to be all that different but I don't really know what it is I need to buy to make mine tool free. I only need to switch over the 2nd player's stick since I can leave player 1 in 8 way at all times. Anyone with experience with these know what I would need, or possibly someone that has done this as well?

Thanks for any help

[brad808]

You could use thumb screws instead of regular screws. They would be tool free and you can get them at all hardware stores.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus

[BadMouth]

People used to just leave the screws loose enough that the restriction plate can be turned when pushed upward.

There is also groovygamegear's Omni2 as a reference:
http://groovygamegear.com/webstore/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=65&products_id=383

[DeLuSioNal29]

There is also groovygamegear's Omni2

+1 on the Omni2.  If I remember correctly, one of our members bought some and swapped out some parts for the better feeling Sanwa parts creating a Hybrid. (I think it was MGB but not sure).

If you want it automated you can always get the Ultimarc servo stick, but I doubt you have room.  http://www.ultimarc.com/servostik.html

To answer your question about the parts:  I had contacted Andy at Ultimarc.com a few years ago asking the same question and he replied with,

"We now use washers and small springs. The washers are M4 hole, 10mm dia x 1mm thick nylon. You need low-strength Locktite threadlock on the screw threads. On ours we use M4 x 25mm screws which bottom-out in the hole and stay tight but then you would need the springs to fill the gap...  The springs were determined by a lot of trial and error which required investment in 10 different spring samples. So these are special."

Finding the correct spring is the hard part.  But here are the rest of the parts:
Nylon Washer:  http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?jspStoreDir=hdus&catalogId=10053&productId=202210243&navFlow=3&keyword=594993&langId=-1&searchRedirect=594993&storeId=10051&endecaDataBean=com.homedepot.sa.el.wc.integration.endeca.EndecaDataBean%40745ec14&ddkey=Search

Screw:  http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?jspStoreDir=hdus&catalogId=10053&productId=202210022&navFlow=3&keyword=650062&langId=-1&searchRedirect=650062&storeId=10051&endecaDataBean=com.homedepot.sa.el.wc.integration.endeca.EndecaDataBean%40e216c9f&ddkey=Search

Loctite:  http://www.amazon.com/Henkel-Corp-209728-Loctite-Threadlocker/dp/B0043EK14O/ref=sr_1_1?s=automotive&ie=UTF8&qid=1368654490&sr=1-1&keywords=loctite+blue

[mgb]

Yeah I bought an Omni 2 but I had some issues.
  The Omni 2 is not an actual JLW but its pretty close, but not quite as beefy.
The issue I had with the Omni 2 may have even been my own fault.

I ended up just transferring the restrictor plate and mods from the Omni 2 over to my faithful JLW.

[sublimejhn]

Perfect, just the answer I was looking for! Thanks a lot. I am definitely not going to buy an Omni2 when my sanwa works just fine, and you are right I do not have room for the servo. I can always buy some springs and figure out what works best. At least I know the screws and washers now

There is also groovygamegear's Omni2

+1 on the Omni2.  If I remember correctly, one of our members bought some and swapped out some parts for the better feeling Sanwa parts creating a Hybrid. (I think it was MGB but not sure).

If you want it automated you can always get the Ultimarc servo stick, but I doubt you have room.  http://www.ultimarc.com/servostik.html

To answer your question about the parts:  I had contacted Andy at Ultimarc.com a few years ago asking the same question and he replied with,

"We now use washers and small springs. The washers are M4 hole, 10mm dia x 1mm thick nylon. You need low-strength Locktite threadlock on the screw threads. On ours we use M4 x 25mm screws which bottom-out in the hole and stay tight but then you would need the springs to fill the gap...  The springs were determined by a lot of trial and error which required investment in 10 different spring samples. So these are special."

Finding the correct spring is the hard part.  But here are the rest of the parts:
Nylon Washer:  http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?jspStoreDir=hdus&catalogId=10053&productId=202210243&navFlow=3&keyword=594993&langId=-1&searchRedirect=594993&storeId=10051&endecaDataBean=com.homedepot.sa.el.wc.integration.endeca.EndecaDataBean%40745ec14&ddkey=Search

Screw:  http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?jspStoreDir=hdus&catalogId=10053&productId=202210022&navFlow=3&keyword=650062&langId=-1&searchRedirect=650062&storeId=10051&endecaDataBean=com.homedepot.sa.el.wc.integration.endeca.EndecaDataBean%40e216c9f&ddkey=Search

Loctite:  http://www.amazon.com/Henkel-Corp-209728-Loctite-Threadlocker/dp/B0043EK14O/ref=sr_1_1?s=automotive&ie=UTF8&qid=1368654490&sr=1-1&keywords=loctite+blue