Thrustmaster T.16000M FCS Yaw issue

[stupor-mundi]

I have the T.16000M FCS since February, only the stick itself, not the HOTAS with throttle lever, no rudders.

It's been fine until very recently, now the Yaw (rudder) has become noisy, hypersensitive, around the center, even affected by hat input, and unable to reach full extent (not mechanically, but in output) on both sides, but very extreme to the left.

 

Has anyone experienced this? Are they meant to be maintentance free, or should I maybe open it up and attempt to clean it? I suppose, the way it's constructed, there is the potential of something getting in and maybe messing with a sensor...

 

Would that void the warranty though, and would I be better served just sending it in?

 

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Correction: the idea that some dirt having gotten into the base might have caused it, doesn't hold. The steel rod or tube that is the center of the stick, doesn't twist. It's the handgrip, that twists on this rod. So the potential of anything having gotten into the handgrip is pretty remote.

 

 

 

Edited August 5, 2018 by stupor-mundi

[Sokol1]

If are under warranty ask for replacement, open then will invalid the warranty.T.16000M is "entry level" category joystick = cheap made.

 

This joystick differential is use contactless sensor - no parts for wear, in main axes (X,Y) and have 16 buttons plus POV HAT.

 

But being cheap made use low cost/quality potentiometers in secondary axes - twist rudder and throttle, like all "entry level" joysticks.

 

Potentiometers degrade with use, so this spikes is caused the worm out or dirt resistive track.

 

Sometimes cleaning the pot - INSIDE help for a while, like this guy did. The twist rudder pot is inside the grip, not in the base. 

Sample of pot' cleaning:

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uVEp59rapQw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uVEp59rapQw

 

Pot' can be replaced, but this require some understanding on how joysticks work/are made, that seems you don't have.

 

 

 

Edited August 5, 2018 by Sokol1

[stupor-mundi]

Thanks @Sokol1 for the info. I'm ordering a Gladiator Mk II , but it's going to take a long time shipping.

If I can't make the T.16000M work in some intermediate, bearable, way until the replacement arrives, I may give the pot cleaning method a try.

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For the time being, I remapped my throttle to keys, and the yaw to the throttle axis. Taking off is challenging, but once I was in the air, I was amazed at how stable and calm the flying was. This fault must've been present for months, and I had mistaken its effect for turbulence, and wondered why my aim was so bad. Annoyed now.

Edited August 6, 2018 by stupor-mundi