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Removing Springs from a Logitech 3D Pro Joystick

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Removing Springs from a Logitech 3D Pro Joystick

Postby HeliFan001 » Sat Sep 17, 2016 11:11 pm

Another newbie question.

I am thinking of opening up my Logitech 3D Pro Joysticks to remove the centering springs.

Once I get up the learning curve for this software I am hoping that will make heli-flying easier.

The controls may become too sensitive but I'm hoping I can jury-rig some friction into the system to make them less jumpy (just like in the real world).

Any thoughts? Has anyone tried this and had any success (or failure)?
I thought I should ask before I trash my joystick(s)

Thanks
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Re: Removing Springs from a Logitech 3D Pro Joystick

Postby blcjr » Sun Sep 18, 2016 12:25 pm

I haven't tried this. But have you tried modifying the deadband in the joystick xml file? That might seem to be something to try before going to the extreme of physically tinkering with the joystick. I have the Logitech extreme 3d and even in the C172p felt that the joystick was way too sensitive, so I tinkered with deadbands in the xml file and finally got it to where I'm comfortable with it.
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Re: Removing Springs from a Logitech 3D Pro Joystick

Postby wkitty42 » Sun Sep 18, 2016 2:47 pm

another idea may be to loosen the centering springs if they're just too tight and forceful about returning to center... "loosen" meaning to actually loosen the tension or possibly to replace them with other not-so-strong springs... of course, that won't work if you want to place the stick at a certain angle and be able to let go of it... in that case, yeah, removing the springs and fixing a friction hold method would likely be the best... i'm not so sure that the collective can be let go of during flight... especially not with the motorcycle-style throttle control on the same physical unit...
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Re: Removing Springs from a Logitech 3D Pro Joystick

Postby AndersG » Sun Sep 18, 2016 7:19 pm

wkitty42 wrote in Sun Sep 18, 2016 2:47 pm:i'm not so sure that the collective can be let go of during flight... especially not with the motorcycle-style throttle control on the same physical unit...


Considering that letting go of the cyclic is likely to be even worse I would assume that the friction lock on the collective and (I presume) the throttle allows the pilot to release the collective to do the other various short tasks that are needed in the cockpit with that hand.
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Re: Removing Springs from a Logitech 3D Pro Joystick

Postby HeliFan001 » Sun Sep 18, 2016 8:32 pm

Thanks for the replies... I guess no-one who replied so far has tried removing or replacing the springs.

The dead zone adjustment sounds interesting and would be very useful to solve some scenarios of twitchiness around zero.

In my particular case I am trying to get rid of the self-centering tendency and move closer to a "set it and forget it" feel.

One example that is easy to explain and visualize is a throttle lever or a fuel mixture lever on a Cessna.
Although it is theoretically "possible" to adjust a throttle using a spring loaded control.. you would be constantly fighting the spring and unable to let go.
A throttle that always wants to return to zero is a little unhelpful.

In fact that's one of the scenarios I have for the helicopter collective control...

I will have TWO joysticks and use the pull and twist of the second joystick to adjust collective and throttle respectively.
Then I will strap this second joystick to my left chair arm pointing at 90 degrees away from me.

By the way, this explains my other thread (adjacent to this one) where I am trying to figure out how to use and configure TWO joysticks with the SAME make and model.
No one has replied yet to say if that's even possible.

By the way, in a real training helicopter (like a Robinson R22) the Governor and the Correlator would be helping you with throttle adjustments.
The correlator helps to make a bulk change to the throttle as you raise and lower the collective (therefore loading and unloading the rotor disk) and the Governor helps to make fine controls to maintain engine RPM.
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Re: Removing Springs from a Logitech 3D Pro Joystick

Postby dave-lister » Tue Feb 08, 2022 2:05 am

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