Make Trax joystick needed

Mr Do

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Which joystick does Make Trax use?
The preset bolt treads don't line up with a standard wico.

Left to right distance to center holes: 3 & 5/8

Front to back distance to center of holes: 1 & 5/8
 

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Interesting question. Looks like it was a different type of 4-way. Not sure who made it.

I think I might actually have one of these, but there's one on this page:

http://thearcadeboneyard.com/controllers_and_parts/joysticks.php


It looks like you should be able to substitute a regular 4-way Wico though. Probably a tall skinny, as the one above looks to be a skinny.

EDIT: Archiving the pic here, for reference:

attachment.php
 

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I was able to track down not one, but two of the original Make Trax joysticks and wanted to add a few more photos.
The manufacturer is Sankyo.
 

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interesting and thanks for posting follow-up pics. I figured my wico joystick was not original. see thread at the end.

looks like no restrictor, right? Wonder if it feels like a 4 way or more like a monroe.
 
Sorry for the necropost, but I find it very interesting that this has springs on the bottom. Don't recall seeing that on other joysticks. I wonder if this is what inspired the Williams hardware engineers to create the rubber spider for their own 8-way/49-way sticks.
 
Sorry for the necropost, but I find it very interesting that this has springs on the bottom. Don't recall seeing that on other joysticks. I wonder if this is what inspired the Williams hardware engineers to create the rubber spider for their own 8-way/49-way sticks.

It is a somewhat unique design. But it's also from a different company.

People were trying different stick designs at this time, with different ways of doing the centering. Wico and others had the rubber grommet. Nintendo had the single perpendicular spring. Williams had the spiders. And Sankyo had this spring design.

It is an oddball. But if you want to be period correct for Make Trax, it's the right stick.
 
Right. Williams didn't make their own joysticks yet until late in Joust's production run so it make sense they were using Sankyo sticks for Make Trax. The cross shape of the springs reminded me of the rubber spider design.

I also remember seeing a pic of a Sinistar 49-way installed in a cockpit, and some operator replaced the rubber spider with springs welded onto the bottom of the joystick assembly in a very similar fashion to the Sankyo stick.
 
Right. Williams didn't make their own joysticks yet until late in Joust's production run so it make sense they were using Sankyo sticks for Make Trax. The cross shape of the springs reminded me of the rubber spider design.

I also remember seeing a pic of a Sinistar 49-way installed in a cockpit, and some operator replaced the rubber spider with springs welded onto the bottom of the joystick assembly in a very similar fashion to the Sankyo stick.
I never really considered this, were the Defender joysticks Taito's design? those are what Joust used, I can't remember if the optical joysticks were early or later production on those. actually had one of those at my old-old job, Torin traded me the regular control panel. 10 years, what have I done with my life?
 
I never really considered this, were the Defender joysticks Taito's design? those are what Joust used, I can't remember if the optical joysticks were early or later production on those. actually had one of those at my old-old job, Torin traded me the regular control panel. 10 years, what have I done with my life?
I'm not sure if the design originated from Taito. It seems like Williams and Taito of America both found the same part supplier. And from what I can remember, the Joust optical joysticks were late in production.

Ken Lantz, who helped designed the 49-way joystick on Sinistar told me recently that the 8-way optical joystick design came first. Once it was already in production they figured out how to turn it into a 49-way after some rearranging of the components.
 
Do you have a copy
Please find document attached to this post... (has some cool Willis art too!)

Here's the 2-Way 'Defender/Joust/Moon Patrol' from the catalog.
1736285572585.png
~Brad
 

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