Some MkI to MkIII issues

[StandingCow]

Ran into two issues while upgrading from MKI to MKIII. First was a missing set screw, since I don't use the dampeners I just removed them so I don't need the set screw.

The other issue is the screw for the top of the PCB bumps into the new metal top plate:


New top plate from another angle:


Here is the original top plate, you can see the difference:


Original clearing the screw:

[fallout9]

There's no need for the washer on that spring, you could take it off; it'll fit without it.

I don't understand the second picture, are there 2 top plates on top of each other?

[StandingCow]

I tried it without the washer and it's.... better but it still scrapes the new topplate, actually I think that picture may be without the washer the white ring is just printed on the circuit board. Yea the second picture are two top plates on top of one another, just wanted to show the difference between the two, although that picture DOES have the washer.

[Ron61]

Properly position the cable from the grip. With your option, there is confidence in the soon grinding against the edge of the suspension. Do it right - through the end of the stem.

[Drano]

I know your shouldn't have to do this to a new part but if it were me I'd just take a few passes with a small file, put the dust cover on and be done with it. That only looks to be a mm or so.

I'll be receiving mine tomorrow per the tracking. I'll let you know if it has the same issue.

[StandingCow]

Properly position the cable from the grip. With your option, there is confidence in the soon grinding against the edge of the suspension. Do it right - through the end of the stem.

8-1.jpg

Fixed, in redoing it I see what was being accomplished better now. Thanks for the heads up.

[Ron61]

I want to clarify - is it possible to fix the board with a screw in this hole, as shown in the picture? Without using a top screw?

[StandingCow]

What screw is that? I tried the one that looks like that, the one that goes where the setscrew goes on the new setup and it wasn't catching/reaching threaded part.

[Drano]

OK the good news is I got my kit this evening and just finished taking a shot at it. I was able to get it put together OK with the gimbal wire fishing being the most challenging step as predicted. I forgot about the kit missing the blind screw in earlier posts but couldn't find one that would work at the hardware store. Command decision! Since I don't use the dampers anyway I just took them off. I used the other hole with another screw as Ron61 suggested although it's probably not a good idea to make that screw anything but hardly snug as there is no support under it. I thought it was just a cosmetic thing but that top screw actually stops the stick from rolling one way at all! Swapped out my cams to the new avia soft ones. They feel great. Hit the cams and bearings with some sil-glide and I'm off.....or not!

OK the bad news is I apparently have a dead board. As soon as I plugged it into the black box the black box goes dark. But if I take the grip off the base the black box pops back up. New base green light works. But if I put the grip on...dead. Grip off..alive. I rechecked the gimbal wire connection. Re-did the connector anyway but it seemed fine. Tried re-seating the other connector. Nothing. Tried plugging it in again and got the same result. I gave up. Reversed the process and went back to the original boards. Booted right up no problem. So that tells me it's something in the new board. So I guess a service ticket is gonna happen.

Further good news is I got pretty good at taking the thing apart! Otherwise kind of a bummer.

[fallout9]

Possibly your wires are messed up, make sure you're plugging them back in the connector exactly in the same order as they originally were. See this thread with the same issue: viewtopic.php?f=25&t=4034&p=38602#p38602

[Drano]

I'll give that a shot fallout but that's a job for tomorrow. So much for taking pics so you got the wires right lol! They're where they were I swear! I'll let you know how I make out. Thanks.

[StandingCow]

OK the good news is I got my kit this evening and just finished taking a shot at it. I was able to get it put together OK with the gimbal wire fishing being the most challenging step as predicted. I forgot about the kit missing the blind screw in earlier posts but couldn't find one that would work at the hardware store. Command decision! Since I don't use the dampers anyway I just took them off. I used the other hole with another screw as Ron61 suggested although it's probably not a good idea to make that screw anything but hardly snug as there is no support under it. I thought it was just a cosmetic thing but that top screw actually stops the stick from rolling one way at all! Swapped out my cams to the new avia soft ones. They feel great. Hit the cams and bearings with some sil-glide and I'm off.....or not!

OK the bad news is I apparently have a dead board. As soon as I plugged it into the black box the black box goes dark. But if I take the grip off the base the black box pops back up. New base green light works. But if I put the grip on...dead. Grip off..alive. I rechecked the gimbal wire connection. Re-did the connector anyway but it seemed fine. Tried re-seating the other connector. Nothing. Tried plugging it in again and got the same result. I gave up. Reversed the process and went back to the original boards. Booted right up no problem. So that tells me it's something in the new board. So I guess a service ticket is gonna happen.

Further good news is I got pretty good at taking the thing apart! Otherwise kind of a bummer.

Wire order should be red - yellow - black, from left to right when plugged in. I would check that the wires are pushed all the way in as it is sometimes easy for them to slip out just a tiny bit and not make contact or not make full contact, this happened to me.

Since you had the same issue as me it sounds like VKB needs to supply a flat head screw instead of round and supply the blind screw as well as lots of people have reported this missing. I am lucky as my old top plate works just fine, but I did buy this and expect to be able to use it... so vkb has some kinks to work out.

[Drano]

Hey yaknow just using the original top plate works with the new dust cover. Only diff is the little holes for the old dust cover and the shape to clear the gimbal which apparently didn't need to be changed! Part of tomorrow's re-rebuild will be putting that top screw back in the new board and seeing if it clears the opening on the old top plate. Bet it does. But it's late. Tomorrow.

[Drano]

OK I got mine straightened out. I swapped the red and black wires as suggested and that did the trick. It would have been nice to have known about that step as I was doing the rebuild as I already had to pull the wires out of the connector to fish them around the gimbal. That would have saved me the hassle of taking the thing back apart to do it all over. No worries tho, I'm back in business. Thanks for getting me on track. I can verify my original wires were in fact black-yellow-red on the connector left to right looking at the board. As were the wires on that board in the video before and after. I didn't think I was crazy!

Oh and I did put the stick back together using the old top plate and now it does clear the gimbal with the new board mounted as shown in the vid without having to use that middle screw hole on the PCB. I'd think that'd be a really bad idea because there's nothing under it supporting the PCB and if you tightened that screw too much you might damage the board. The new dust cover does work fine on the old top plate using the 4 screw holes that hold the top plate to the base section. Same pattern. Only diff that I see (other than the cut out shape for the gimbal) is the old top plate has a shiny edge where the new one is blacked out. Gunfighter logo is still front and center. The new top plate has flat screw holes where the old one had countersunk holes for the 4 screws so just use the new round head ones with the new dust cover. I think if you were really worried about it you could overlay the old plate on the new, mark the opening and then file or cut the new plate to match the old one so your gimbal will clear and hit the edge with a dab of paint. I think that's a lot of trouble to go through for something you're never gonna see tho. And for all I know it's only a GFMk1 thing too. Could just go over the shiny part with a black marker too!

[StandingCow]

Wouldn't mind having someone from VKB chime in since people may be paying for top plates that they can't even use?