Really Dumb question about mounting joysticks (mag-stick plus)

[gurnie]

Be kind to the wee girl:

I have a hotrod se that I am putting in my solar fox cab (that was for free, completely gutted).  I want to change out the 1st player joystick with the Mag-stick Plus ( http://www.ultimarc.com/controls.html ) so players have the option of 4-way or 8-way.

So I'm studying the stick and figured out I can't remove the handle top in order to slide out the plastic disc that cover the mounting hole.    Unscrewing the mounting plate doesn't help either.   

Do i need to unscrew the nut at the bottom of the stick in order to properly mount the stick? 


If so, has anyone does this on a mag-stick plus? I'm sure this joystick is probably a little more cranky with how the spring and bolts are re-attached.

I was going to ask Andy of Ultimarc but I've already bothered him with a bunch of i-pac chip replacement questions and I didn't want to bug him more.

and I tried searching for the answer but I couldn't find what I needed.

thanks for your time and patience guys.   

Oh, and if anyone has it, does anyone have the layout (in dimensions) of the controls in the hotrod se?  I made a cool marquee and I want to make a better control panel overlay to cover-up that butt-ugly purple.  Sorry that wasn't very lady like to say 

[GameOver]

yep, unscrew the nut at the bottom and the stick will slide out.  Just be careful not to lose the little parts and the spring!  Pay attention to the order you take them off so you can put it back together.  Only a couple of parts not hard at all.  Good luck!

[Zebidee]

Be careful not to bend the small U-shaped metal bracket that comes off after you loosen the nyloc nut at the bottom of the shaft.  If this U-bracket gets bent even a little, it can make the joystick action a bit sloppy and unreliable.  Good news is that if this problem occurs, you can carefully bend it back into shape with pliers and patience.

[gurnie]

Awsome, thank-you both. 

So, do you choose to screw in the mount then put in the stick (after removing the stick) or does it not really matter?

[tba]

you might also want to make sure that you have enough room in the hotrod se to mount the stick, there is VERY little clearance on the bottom of the hotrod, if the magstick is even a little bigger it wont fit !

[GameOver]

So, do you choose to screw in the mount then put in the stick...

Bingo!  The hole in my CP at least isn't big enough to allow the 'bat' stick to pass thru so only option for me was to put the mount in first, then slide the stick in.  Good luck!

[gurnie]

If possible I will be removing the bottom of the control panel so I shouldn't have any issues getting the joystick into the mount (fingers crossed).

[BobA]

The magstik plus will not mount on the same screw holes as a super(used in the hotrod)  You will need an adapter plate to use the existing screw holes or you will need new screw holes or a different mounting method.  One set of holes is 20 mm off.

[BobA]

Link to retroblast article on making mtg plates.

http://www.retroblast.com/articles/joystick_plates-04222006-01.html

[gurnie]

My dad and I were able to mod the control panel so it fits (without drilling holes).

[mccoy178]

How big is the base plate of the mag stick plus in comparison to a midway 49 way base?  I'm thinking about switching over because I hate not having any restrictions on the throw and also I like the idea of switching 4/8 way from the top.  I know they stink for fighters, but does anyone know the length and width difference between the two?  I'm hoping the mag stick plus is about the same size, as I don't have a whole lot of room to work with.