When it is working I feel the X55 is the very best HOTAS system you can buy and I accept the Warthog is a robust, reliable item but the Saitek has everything that system has PLUS that much appreciated rudder on the joystick. The problem however is the FACT that the X55 has 14 wires clamped to a static fixing and a few centimetres away from this static clamp, these fourteen wires are clamped into the underside of the throttle. the wires clamped at this location clearly have to move with any throttle movement. The more you move the throttle, the more these wires move.
Can you see where this is going?
You have FOURTEEN separate strands of thin copper wire being moved backwards and forwards, both ends are clamped which means sadly that these wires have to bend.
Every time we move that throttle, we bend and straighten these wires.
YES, a thousand times YES these throttles can last a year, they can last two years, they can even last a lifetime BUT........
If we keep bending and straightening any piece of metal, eventually fatigue will set in and that metal will break down!!!
This is not rocket science, this is simple physics and yes there are answers and yes there are far, far cleverer folks out there that can come up with solutions but until then we are faced with all the numerous electrical issues that are being discussed
Not a pretty sight and I guess this is an extreme example of just how bad things can get and way before this condition is reached the owner will be having problems with buttons on the throttle doing their own thing before refusing to function.
My advice is as soon as buttons start to malfunction, nip into the Control Panel in Windows and then check or test your HOTAS system. Check to see if the buttons are functioning as they should. If there is a problem... STOP and contact Madkatz or Saitek.
To Saitek, I would plead that you modify that wiring, modify it and be proud of this excellent product which sadly at the present time is flawed.
I am a huge fan and hopefully this issue will eventually be history and we owners will rule the roost
Merry Christmas everyone and a very prosperous New Year
Can you see where this is going?
You have FOURTEEN separate strands of thin copper wire being moved backwards and forwards, both ends are clamped which means sadly that these wires have to bend.
Every time we move that throttle, we bend and straighten these wires.
YES, a thousand times YES these throttles can last a year, they can last two years, they can even last a lifetime BUT........
If we keep bending and straightening any piece of metal, eventually fatigue will set in and that metal will break down!!!
This is not rocket science, this is simple physics and yes there are answers and yes there are far, far cleverer folks out there that can come up with solutions but until then we are faced with all the numerous electrical issues that are being discussed
Not a pretty sight and I guess this is an extreme example of just how bad things can get and way before this condition is reached the owner will be having problems with buttons on the throttle doing their own thing before refusing to function.
My advice is as soon as buttons start to malfunction, nip into the Control Panel in Windows and then check or test your HOTAS system. Check to see if the buttons are functioning as they should. If there is a problem... STOP and contact Madkatz or Saitek.
To Saitek, I would plead that you modify that wiring, modify it and be proud of this excellent product which sadly at the present time is flawed.
I am a huge fan and hopefully this issue will eventually be history and we owners will rule the roost
Merry Christmas everyone and a very prosperous New Year
![[VR] Mad Mike](https://forums-cdn.zaonce.net/data/avatars/m/27/27910.jpg?1553527108){kind=avatar}
