Gunfighter mk3 w/ 200mm extension is losing connection

[bazookaman]

My modern combat joystick controls are losing connection intermittently with the gunfighter mk3 base. It worked for a day or so until I started losing all controls intermittently but it's gotten progressively worse. I lose all controls every few seconds. I've narrowed the problem down to the connection that is either between the grip and the 200mm extension, or the extension and the base. Possibly both. I took both apart and reattached. It seemed better for a little bit but after several actuations of the stick, it starts losing connection again (vkb device config axes lock up, and light #2 goes from green to red). It will come back if I continue to move the stick. It's very sporatic.

If I take the extension out and attach the grip directly to the base, it seems to work fine, although I've only actuated the stick for maybe 15 seconds like this.

Looking at the connectors, I see 3 pins that push up against 3 plates. I'm not sure how this is supposed to stay tight. The locking screw keeps the grip fastened to the extension and the extension fastened to the base, but with no downward force other than gravity, it seems like it's only a matter of time before it comes loose.

I took them both apart several times and pushed them together while tightening the screw, but that only helped for a few actuations before it came loose again. I'm tightening the screw quite tight. I have not idea what else I can do to keep the pins pressed down.

[UIV]

Show the photos of the grip and base mountings.

[bazookaman]

Here's a pick of the pins that I took last night.

Grip pins

Extension plates

Extension pins

[bazookaman]

Base plates

[UIV]

Remove the dust cover and install the extension without dust cover.
If disconnection happened again make a photo (a place between down part of extension and base)

[bazookaman]

Will do it now and try it tonight. Thanks.

[bazookaman]

No luck. It worked long enough to get into recalibration and stopped about halfway through, with led #2 blinking pretty much constantly. If I loosen the screw between the base and the extender and twist it left or right a bit, I can get what seems to be a solid connection, but as soon as I tighten it down and start using it, it loses connection again. Right now I've taken out the extender and it seems to be working good.

[bazookaman]

I just flew a solid 2 hours without the extension and it was flawless. I don't see anything about the extension that is different, but I definitely need it as the stick is too short now. I'll mount it back on tomorrow and take a pic as requested.

[UIV]

There may be a problem with the spring contacts installed at the bottom part of the extension. Can you replace the PCB by yourself? We send you a replacement.

[bazookaman]

There's a PCB in the extension? If so, I don't know how to get to it. I took the two screws out and just see the cable and connector inside that connects the pin side of the extension with the plate side. I don't see anything else that can be disassembled.

[bazookaman]

Comparing the pins in the grip and the extension, it looks like the pins in the extension are shorter or have been pushed into the extension a bit. If there is supposed to be a spring behind it pushing those out, then it does appear that something has failed. If you sent me the "pin" half of the 200mm extension, I think that'd probably solve the problem. Unfortunately I don't know how to disassemble it further to access the pcb.

[bazookaman]

[Ron61]

You need to get out the rubber plugs and then push the board out. You may need to remove the conductors from the connector.

11-1.jpg (18.42 KiB) Viewed 10163 times

[bazookaman]

How do I get the plugs out?

[UIV]

We can send you the replacement (metal part with installed PCB). Where did you buy the joystick?