Main > Main Forum
Rebuilding Choplifter Flight Stick
migraineman:
I recently purchased a Choplifter flight stick. It's missing a roll pin and a handful of screws, but is otherwise in decent shape. I disassembled it, and gave it a good cleaning - there was a healthy layer of gunge throughout.
Having taken the assembly down to parts for painting, I'm noticing that the restrictor plate is round, is very hard, and has a circular metal sleeve. This has been this way for a while, as evidenced by a circular scar on the joystick shaft. I'm wondering, should there be some rubber or urethane bumper bonded to the metal sleeve? I'm tempted to get a piece of urethane tubing and sleeve the joystick to give a little compliance to the limit stop.
TopJimmyCooks:
I don't know about whether there was originally a resilient bumper on the restrictor, but there are people here who do and who will respond. However, the sleeve sounds reversible and you should give it a try - if you like it better than the metal on metal, go with it.
I can't recall any game where the joystick hits a metal stop, but again, not an original controls expert here. Cool flight stick.
D_Harris:
The Nintendo games have metal restrictors that the "bare" joystick moves around in.
This thread reminded me that I also have to put out feelers for a Choplifter Joystick. (The Gorf joystick I have is not authentic enough for me).
Darren Harris
Staten Island, New York.
TopJimmyCooks:
Good info D_, thanks. Should a choplifter have a rubber interface with the restrictor?
D_Harris:
--- Quote from: TopJimmyCooks on June 19, 2011, 06:44:51 pm ---Good info D_, thanks. Should a choplifter have a rubber interface with the restrictor?
--- End quote ---
Pics can only tell you so much, but if that was a good idea I'd think it would have been originally made that way.
A "rubber interface" might interfere with the throw distance and directional changes, and it definitely be a chore to maintain, because you'd have to keep replacing it every few games.
There's a reason why metal-to-metal is the way these joystick shafts contact the restrictor. Especially in the longer flight sticks where the force of wear is greater than with conventional ball/bat top joysticks.
Darren Harris
Staten Island, New York.
Navigation
[0] Message Index
[#] Next page
Go to full version