Hi all,
This thread is a complete tutorial on how to modify the HAPP Heavy Duty 8-Way Flight Stick using the internals from the Ultimarc UltraStik 360. I was inspired by
genesim in his
original post, so a special thanks to him for the initial idea.
Controls Required:
HAPP 8-way Heavy Duty Flight Stick (
HAPP Controls)
Ultimarc UltraStik 360 (
Ultimarc)
Tools Required:
Drill (with Metal 3/16" drill bit)
Screw Driver (Small-to-Medium Sized Regular and Phillips)
Miniature Screw Driver (Regular)
Wrench (Various Sizes)
Vise
Sand Paper (for metal)
Ruler
Pencil
Sharp Exacto (or Utility) Knife
Cool beer (to help celebrate when complete)
Materials Required: (total cost ~ $5 bucks!)
QTY 4 #10-32 Machine Screws (1 1/2" length each) with Hex Head
QTY 4 #10-32 Hex Nuts with threaded Nylon Stopper
QTY 4 #10-32 Machine Screws (1/2" length each) with Phillips or Regular Head
QTY 4 Nylon Spacers (1/2" Length, OD <= 1/2")
QTY 1-4 Thin Metal or Nylon Washers
Total Time: 2-4 hours, depending on how particular you are
The end result is a heavy duty flight stick with flexibility to run in both digital and analog mode; a true multipurpose flight control.
Overall depth measurements between the original HAPP 8-way and the HAPP U360 is pretty close. 1/4" additional depth is needed within the control panel to handle the additional depth of the U360 internals.
HAPP Orig: 4 1/2" depth
HAPP U360: 4 3/4" depth
BEFORE | AFTER |
| |
OK, here are the steps for the mod:
STEP 1: Disassemble HAPP 8-way Control(1A) Remove all four microswitches using screwdriver as shown
(1B) Remove Switch Actuator (white-square thing-a-ma-bob) using miniature screwdriver (be careful not to cut your finger as I did)
(1C) Remove HAPP plastic base plate using phillips screwdriver
(1D) Disconnect HAPP Rubber Grommet using an appropriate wrench and screwdriver
STEP 2: Disassemble U360 Control(2A) Remove Center Shaft and Plate by unscrewing plate and removing center components
NOTE the picture shown contains the heavier duty spring and a longer center shaft used for a BAT control knob. Obviously if you purchase a
U360 with the intention of pulling apart for conversion with a HAPP 8-way, you only need to purchase the stock/vanilla U360 control.
(2B) Remove Control Board using screw driver as shown; Make sure to save little round spacers and screws for later re-assemble.
STEP 3: Drill 4 New Holes in U360 Control (Plate and Base)(3A) Measure 4 new holes as shown using pencil (Dimensions are square 1 3/4" x 1 3/4")
(3B) Drill 4 new holes in the plate using 3/16" drill bit and clean new holes using sand paper; This is best done using a vise to hold when drilling.
(3C) Re-Assemble Plate and Base
(3D) Drill Plate/Base Combination and Clean; Use vise to hold unit when drilling
NOTE: Make sure to drill holes slightly larger than 3/16". This will help allow enough movement to compensate for hole alignment issues.
STEP 4: Re-Assemble(4A) Re-Assemble HAPP plate onto the four brass shafts using 1/2" machine screws as shown
(4B) Attach U360 plate and base to HAPP control using assembly parts (1/2" plastic spacer, 1 1/2" Machine Screws, Hex Nuts)
NOTE: Make sure to hand-tighten at this step as you may need to adjust using spacers to properly align center shaft.
(4C) Adjust center shaft using spacers (if required)
Check the center shaft and see if it is aligned vertical. If not, simply disconnect one or more of the corners, add appropriate spacer(s) and re-assemble. Check vertical to make sure perfectly aligned. The idea here is to make sure the center shaft (which will contain the magnet on the end) is perfectly vertical with respect to the control sensor when the board is attached.
STEP 5: Attach Magnet and Control Board Assembly(5A) Attach Magnet to the center shaft
(5B) Attach Control Board Assembly to the final HAPP U360 base.
Make sure to put plastic spacers between the control board and the mounting brackets. This will ensure proper spacing between the sensor and the magnet. When mounting is complete, move stick side to side and make sure magnet properly rotates around the control board sensor.
That's it.
Crack open that beer you've been saving, kick back and admire your work.
David