Joystick doesn't center after the upgrade

[Juicebag85]

Hi.

I already opened a ticket with the #8494 but since it got even worse the last days I wanted to post it here to ask people for help.

I own the regular Gladiator NXT and bought the upgrade kit to EVO. My old GNX worked like a charm but I wanted the dry clutches.

So I did the upgrade exactly like in the youtube video. But after that I recognized that my joystick doesn't center correctly anymore. Especially on the X-Axis, but the Y-Axis too.

I tried everything, re-calibrate it, using stronger springs, loosen the dry clutches, because I thought that they cause the problem because they could be too sticky and don't let the stick return to center.

But that didn't help. The problem just got worse if I tightened them up. But also if I loosened them completly the problem still occurs. Also in fact the dry clutches aren't really that sticky. I have to tighten they almonst all the way up to get kind of that stickyness, that I had with my old GNX Gimbal. The stickyness is also not very well balanced. If I push the stick forward it moves way slower back to the center as if I pull the stick back.

As you can see in the attached picture, the stick doens't return to the center (32767) and stops way before it. If I push it into the other direction it kinda centers but ingame it is almost impossible to give precise inputs like that.

In the VKB config software you can also see that there is like a mechanical deadzone, where my inpput is not even recognized.

So I guess I maybe have a broken product? Or am I doing something wrong?

[Juicebag85]

So after investigating a bit more I think I found the problem.

Inside the base, the spring is attached to two little hooks.

When you move the stick to one side they are moved and the springs ensures that they return back to the center. Between those two hooks is an little plastic piece, that stops them for going too far and "should" also ensure that the stick/gimbal is perfectly centered.

Well mine does not. It seems that this little plastic piece in my unit is a little bit too broad so that it prevents the stick from going completly to the center. It doesn't matters how I calibrate it, it always misses about 1000 Points to the perfect center (32767).

So I would kindly ask for a replacement.

I would do that in the ticket, but for some reason I can't reply to it or even look at it anymore.

Thank you.

[fallout9]

Could you please post pictures with the part that you think it's causing the issue?

[Juicebag85]

Sure. Thanks for answering (and working) even on a sunday.

To be clear: I'm not 100% sure that this part causes the issue since I don't realy understand how the gimbal and the whole system around it works.

I mean that middle part between those two hooks, where you put the spring on.

[fallout9]

I don't see any issue there. Are the dampers on X axis completely disengaged? What spring is on?

[Juicebag85]

Hey fallout9.

Sorry for the late answer. Today was a pretty busy day.

You were right. I completely disenganged the dampers on the X-Axis and now it centers correctly. I use the stick with #20 springs.

So maybe the problem lies in the dampers themself? Or am I just using the dampers wrong?

In my understanding I engange them until I get a friction of the stick that feels good for me. And I like it when the friction is pretty high.

But is there a physical limit how much I can tighten the dampers before the friction gets too high and the stick can't re-center correctly? So does this issue occurs with every EVO Stick or is it just mine?

And if it is a common issue with the EVOs, why can you engange the dampers so much? Or is that just if you want to use the stick springless?

[fallout9]

Thanks for the update. The dampers could get used in combination with springs, but too much dampening and the dampers will overcome the springs, so the grip won't be centering (it's normal spring behavior to pull with more force when it's completely extended than when it's almost compressed). Try using the #30 springs if you want to use the same dampening level or reduce the dampening level.

[Juicebag85]

Sorry again for my late answer.

This was in fact very helpful. I fiddled around and was able to reach the sweet spot, where it has the maximum stickiness but still centers perfectly. I'm very happy now.

This joystick is just great. And with the SEM attached to it, it is even better.