Installing HAPP Competition Joysticks

[16bitcatholic]

I'm about to pull my hair out trying to get this done. In my frustration, if I've missed a link or another post telling me how to do this, I apologize.

I have the Happ Competition 8-way joystick, and for the life of me, I cannot get the actuator to stay in place. Perhaps the e-ring is too loose, do I have to manually tighten that thing or does it clip on in some magical way that I'm not aware of? Anyways, I've spent an hour almost trying to get this to work, and I have no idea what I'm doing wrong.

[OSCAR]

No prob, we all started there...

Can you post a picture of what is causing you the problem?  I don't recall if the Comp stick needs a sleeve to keep the actuator in place, but that could the problem you describe.  Sounds like there is a part missing somewhere if you are seeing this kind of problem.

[16bitcatholic]

Wow thanks for the fast reply!

The instructions that HApp gives seem to indicate that this pops up. To make matters more confusing, I have four joysticks, all similar and all from Happ (two four ways and two eight ways), with different sizes of e-rings. I have put the two erings in my hands in the photo.

[OSCAR]

Okay...  the Comp typically comes with 2 different sleeves for installation into a wood or steel control panel.  Based solely on your pic, you are installing into a steel control panel, so that means you need to use the shorter spacer on the joystick shaft.  The deeper your joystick base is from the top of your control panel, the longer the spacer you need.  The joystick shaft should use the larger e-clip.

[16bitcatholic]

Thanks for the heads up. As far as attaching the e-ring, is it just supposed to snap on, or do I need to use pliers to tighten it?

[JDFan]

Thanks for the heads up. As far as attaching the e-ring, is it just supposed to snap on, or do I need to use pliers to tighten it?

Clip should fit into the slot and stay in place without tightening but may need pliers to slip it completely onto the shaft.

NOTE : from your pic - the second slot should be where you place the clip after pressing down on the black actuator to expose the second slot -- Or there should be a spacer that can be placed onto the upper part of the shaft ( on other side of stick) to make it sit higher and then you would use the lower slot after pressing the black portion up -- Here is a copy of your pic with the black piece that needs to be pressed into the direction of the arrow to expose the other slot in the shaft where the clip should be placed. ( it can be hard to get the piece to slide at first but should just expose the slot and the black piece will press onto the clip when released so that the clip stays in place )

[16bitcatholic]

Thank you all so much for the help. It's definitely a learning process. And my Lord, how strong did Happ make the spring? You have to push in with all of your might!

[JDFan]

Thank you all so much for the help. It's definitely a learning process. And my Lord, how strong did Happ make the spring? You have to push in with all of your might!

Yep it takes a pretty good push and trying to keep it pushed in and put on the clip at the same time takes a bit of practice. (doesn't help that the first time you buy them they come disassembled so it is hard to figure out that you have to push in the first place.)

Glad you got it sorted.

[16bitcatholic]

Success!!!!!!!!!!!!

I think!

I have the problem now that when I move the joystick, sometimes the cherry switch makes a clicking noise right away. Other times, it just barely presses against the red switch. I literally have no idea what I'm doing wrong. But am I correct in assuming that unless you hear the cherry switch click, it isn't going to register a movement?

[Unstupid]

That's because Happ competition joysticks are sloppy compared to other sticks.  Mostly because the square actuator can rotate in the cavity enough to alter the throw distance between actuations.  IL eurosticks, which the happ competition is based off of, are a little tighter, because the actuator is slightly larger.  But if you want consistent throw distances you have to look at the Japanese joysticks.