Atari 8 Way Joystick Not Working

Michael Roma

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I had a fully working IJ ToD with a 8 way joystick. It sat unplayed in my garage for 5 months or so until I moved it into my house last week. When I got the game in the house I powered it up and do not get any directional movement (buttons work). I pulled the control panel and noticed that the grease/goop is covering the little white nub of the microswitches. I also noticed that when I move the joystick I do not here that little 'click' sound of the microswitches registering. I cleared away some of the grease uncovering the white nub on one microswitch but now it seems that the joystick doesn't reach enough to depress it.

What gives...

- Mike
 
Are you sure it's grease and not the rub ring deteriorating? If the grease is black, your ring is probably shot. There is a white plastic piece that does not hit the microswitches. There is a rubber ring that does that goes around the white plastic. You can use a flipper rubber from a pinball to replace the old one.

Brian
 
So this 'grease' is not actually meant to lube the joystick and is/was actually a rubber ring?

Now that I think about it it does have the same sticky, messy characteristics that I had on my Star Wars yoke that had the rubber bumpers liquefied.

atari8way_joystick.jpg


- Mike
 
Yep, That is (or was) the "cushion ring". Just scrape the ring off give her a good cleaning and put on a flipper rubber and you should be good to go.

Brian
 
Roma, I have rebuild kits for these joysticks which include the correct width rubber ring. I also sell them fully rebuilt and ready to go. If your coming to crabtowne on saturday and want me to bring anything just let me know.
Btw, that looks like it has a 4-way plate on it, not 8 way.
 
Well I disassembled, cleaned and replaced the the microswitches and melted rubber ring and with a flipper rubber and the game is working.

Riptor, you are right that it has the 4 way restrictor plate and not the 8 way. Anyone know where to get the 8 way restrictor plate? Trying to play Indy w/o it really sucks.

- Mike
 
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