The Ultimate Star Wars Yoke Thumb Button Thread

Samuel-IGN

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I just paged through a ton of threads to try and put together info on my suddenly non-working left thumb button on my Star Wars yoke. I installed the VectorLabs kit and suddenly it decides not to work, go figure. No ESB for me.

Anyway, I guess this is a common issue, so Searchers of the Future, I found these links helpful:

Rebuild images:
https://picasaweb.google.com/105648148944558411044/YokeRebuild?authuser=0&feat=directlink

Connector pins:
http://forums.arcade-museum.com/showthread.php?t=89926&highlight=star+wars+thumb

But on to my question: I've never taken apart the yoke or addressed this problem, I was wondering if I could get some advice on common thumb button problems, and how to go about figuring out what's wrong.

+100 Thank Potions for any advice.
 
All you need is an allen wrench to remove two screws on the inside of each handle and they will come off. You can find the small microswitch at several different online retailers for $7-8 or for $2-3 at Radioshack or other electronics stores (I got mine at You-Do-It electronics here in Boston). You just unscrew the switch, put in the new one, screw it in, replace the little spring under the thumb button, replace the side and you're done. It's about a 5 minute job to do...I just did it myself a month ago. Don't worry about buying rebuild kits and such...usually your thumb button and spring will be fine, it's just the switch that wears out.
 
All you need is an allen wrench to remove two screws on the inside of each handle and they will come off. You can find the small microswitch at several different online retailers for $7-8 or for $2-3 at Radioshack or other electronics stores (I got mine at You-Do-It electronics here in Boston). You just unscrew the switch, put in the new one, screw it in, replace the little spring under the thumb button, replace the side and you're done. It's about a 5 minute job to do...I just did it myself a month ago. Don't worry about buying rebuild kits and such...usually your thumb button and spring will be fine, it's just the switch that wears out.

Nice. Sounds like a plan if the switch is the issue. I removed and replaced the connector on the board a lot in getting the ESB kit to work, so I'm wondering if the button's wiring could be bad.

Is there a way to test for that? If this is the problem, what's the remedy?
 
You can go into self test to check function. Once there if you have the cover removed you can test the switch and short the connectors. If the button doesn't toggle the display but the shorting of the wires does then your switch is bad, and wiring is good.
 
You can go into self test to check function. Once there if you have the cover removed you can test the switch and short the connectors. If the button doesn't toggle the display but the shorting of the wires does then your switch is bad, and wiring is good.

This is exactly what I did, and I found the problem easily: the solder on the switch had loosened. Fixed. Hooray!
 
I just replaced a bad switch on my SW yoke. I ordered them from Twisted Quarter for about $2.50 each, express shipping extra. Be very careful when removing the handle. I lost a spring and could not find it. So I had to improvise and got a spring from a ball point pen and it work like a charm. I also had to desolder and resolder the wires to the micro switch.
 
I just replaced a bad switch on my SW yoke. I ordered them from Twisted Quarter for about $2.50 each, express shipping extra. Be very careful when removing the handle. I lost a spring and could not find it. So I had to improvise and got a spring from a ball point pen and it work like a charm. I also had to desolder and resolder the wires to the micro switch.

Yeah I was going to make this point too: NOTHING holds the springs in except for a bit of friction from the spring itself. They will fly out if you aren't vigilant.
 
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