Need hat repair on logitech 3d extreme

Dedman · Post by **Dedman** » Sun Jan 16, 2005 12:00 pm

I have a logitech wingman 3d Extreme and the hat is starting to go out. I have recalibated and rechecked the software and it isn't that, so I am pretty sure it is the hat. Has anyone successfully repaired a broken hat on one of these things?

Mobius · Post by **Mobius** » Sun Jan 16, 2005 12:52 pm

I have the 2.4 freedom, and I'm assuming the HAT is the same in the 3D Pro. Unfortunately, you won't be able to repair it.

The HAT itself is made from plastic, and the OMROM BF-xxxx microswitches in the mechanism are made from ceramic material. The plastic literally wears away from the friction with the ceramic. When you take it apart, you'll see that there is a lot of plastic grit in there, and the HAT toggle itself has "holes" in it which prevent the toggle from operating the microswitches.

If you could replace the HAT toggle, that will be the only repair possible.

If you are VERY technically skilled, you might be able to further grind the toggle down, and glue, using super strength araldite (or similar) 4 very small pieces of hardened wire into the location on the toggle, where the microswitches rub.

Take it back and get a new one.

Deadmeat · Post by **Deadmeat** » Sun Jan 16, 2005 1:04 pm

I started losing the up hat on one of mine and found a broken solder joint on the switch. A quick touch with an iron and solder and it's good as new. I'd suggest soldering them all as long as you're in there. Grendel had the same problems with the Freedom 2.4 sticks.

Mobius · Post by **Mobius** » Sun Jan 16, 2005 7:24 pm

Can't help I guess - my first stick had "dry solder" and soldering the contacts on the base of the HAT assembly did work for a while:

Gareth Hayes of Logitech (Europe) has assured me that the "solder bots" (read as "taiwanese peasants") have been adjusted to increase the amount of solder they use...

Apart from that solder trick - there's little you can do - because the cunning HAT assembly design means the hat switches themselves are held in place by the assmebly once it's put together - they can't move at all once a stick is assembled.

Dedman · Post by **Dedman** » Tue Jan 18, 2005 11:54 am

Bring it back? No can do. It was purchased on Ebay. Guess it's time to get another one.

WarAdvocat · Post by **WarAdvocat** » Tue Jan 18, 2005 12:21 pm

buy another at WAL-MART or similar.

Place new stick on desk.

Place old stick in box. Return to retailer as "defective"

Hopefully,someday, someone, will make a quality stick

Dedman · Post by **Dedman** » Tue Jan 18, 2005 12:45 pm

Damn that's devious. I like it

Grendel · Post by **Grendel** » Tue Jan 18, 2005 3:30 pm

Call LogiTech support (DM has the number). They will send a new one.

If the hat switches work only intermittent it's most likely a bad solder point. The stick handle comes apart easily and resoldering the switches it a piece of cake compared to the hassle of RMA/returning the stick.

Deadmeat · Post by **Deadmeat** » Tue Jan 18, 2005 3:42 pm

You'll have to log in first and file for a case number. Then you can call 702-269-3457 Monday through Friday, 7:00 AM to 5:00 PM PST.

Grendel · Post by **Grendel** » Tue Jan 18, 2005 4:18 pm

Mobius wrote:[..]and the OMROM BF-xxxx microswitches in the mechanism are made from ceramic material.

They are a special version of the Omron B3F-3125 (no shield). Caps are made of plastic.

Dedman · Post by **Dedman** » Tue Jan 18, 2005 5:56 pm

Thanks mates. With luck, I will be in the mines again very soon.

MD-2389 · Post by **MD-2389** » Tue Jan 18, 2005 9:33 pm

Dedman wrote:Damn that's devious. I like it

Its also quite illegal.

(Though the employees are too ignorant to notice, or just don't care period. Not like it matters since they toss it into a trash bin and the store gets credited for the stick.)

Deadmeat · Post by **Deadmeat** » Wed Jan 19, 2005 12:02 am

"The HAT itself is made from plastic, and the OMROM BF-xxxx microswitches in the mechanism are made from ceramic material. The plastic literally wears away from the friction with the ceramic. When you take it apart, you'll see that there is a lot of plastic grit in there, and the HAT toggle itself has "holes" in it which prevent the toggle from operating the microswitches."

Figured out an easy fix for that. Take a piece of shrinktube and shrink it to the toggle shaft. This adds just enough thickness to the shaft to eliminate virtually all the slop in the hat and makes switch contact better. It also results in not having to mash the hat so much to make something happen.

WarAdvocat · Post by **WarAdvocat** » Wed Jan 19, 2005 7:25 am

Not illegal at all...Wal-Mart accepts returns for 90 days. The sticks never lasted more than a few weeks.

World War Woodi · Post by **World War Woodi** » Wed Jan 19, 2005 11:50 pm

Well, in a complicated way to explain I fixed mine by raising the hat from the assembly so the wear points were above the the contacts, hence new place to make contact. And resoldered the the switches to board.

To raise the toggle , I cut a piece of hard plastic to fit in the cage at the bottom of where the toggle sits. Then screwed the toggle back in. Result, it raised the toggle about a 16th of an inch, so it would make contact in a fresh place. Also the hat toggle being just a little higher also seemed to make it more responsive and comfortable.
I know this is just a temporary fix, I do like the shrink tube idea.

I considered grinding the ridges off completly and finding just the right size plastic tube to glue over the toggle shaft as a more permanent fix also.

The prob for me to take it back is I grinded the top of the toggle to make it more tackylike, thumb would slip on the hat, so I excessively roughed it up. Dont think they would take it back now !

Better solution to the slippery hat was, the thin rubber they use for the 8 dollar steering wheel covers, cut to fit on the top of the hat and glue, nice and sticky and never slips anymore.

2cents woodi

World War Woodi · Post by **World War Woodi** » Thu Jan 20, 2005 12:00 am

WarAdvocat wrote:buy another at WAL-MART or similar.

Place new stick on desk.

Place old stick in box. Return to retailer as "defective"

Hopefully,someday, someone, will make a quality stick

Know what, thats what Im gonna do !