Saitek ProFlight Cessna Pro rudder pedals

[jpreou]

Anyone know whether spare parts are available in NZ for these pedals, or do I have to spring for a whole new set?
"Gamewizz" are listed on the Saitek site as NZ distributors: no response from an email as yet.
I know who did this, and when: surprised it lasted as long as it did actually.
I've taken them apart and the left pedal is almost sheared off at the base.
I've thought about glue or "plastic weld" but don't think that would hold up (glue certainly wouldn't, I'm sure).
Cheers

[Ian Warren]

The plastic glue will not hold up for starts , if you have access to a workshop you could make and reconstruct the bits and pieces but frankly I think its a new set .... BUGGER!

[rocky289]

I've had good success in similar situations, using either fibreglass or epoxy resin.
But you must get a good bond to the componants & reinforce the joint.

[omitchell]

I'd just email Saitek directly and ask them for an NZ contact

[ardypilot]

Hi Jeff, support@gde.co.nz is your NZ contact for Saitek

[jpreou]

Thanks Guys.
I think I emailed "info" at GDE but I will try vasily
I'm rather suspecting that even if parts are available there is likely a massive wait time and cost approaching a reasonable portion of the new purchase.
I'' find out first, but suspect a new set and my old set will become spares for the future (and I'll bet the same bit breaks again! Sods law and all that!)
Cheers

QUOTE (rocky289 @ Oct 16 2014,9:15 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I've had good success in similar situations, using either fibreglass or epoxy resin.
But you must get a good bond to the componants & reinforce the joint.

That might be worth considering. It looks like I could get a small metal 'L' bracket on the inside to reinforce the joint. Hmmm. Can't make it any worse!
Cheers

[jpreou]

Ok, so I'm waiting on whether parts are available from Hong Kong, but I have been told by the NZ distie (gamewizz) that the Saitek pedals are no longer made.
If I need a whole new set of pedals, then what are other people using successfully?

[Ian Warren]

Jeff , I'm sure this must be a mistake, the amount off people who use and buy the Saitek rudder pedals , It surely must be a mistake .... For those who don't have rudder pedals, these are a must.

Only other option would be the CH products pedals , I had a set that lasted 10 years.

[jpreou]

Yeah, that's exactly what I was thinking. But I can only go on what I was told.
I have emailed Mighty Ape as well for them to confirm they can actually get a set before I place a $300 order with them.
I've looked at CH, but honestly, I prefer the 'look' of the Saitek pedals.

Once you are used to pedals then taxying and taking off on keyboard rudder is a nightmare. Cross wind landings? Forget it!
(and no, despite the pain, I can't be bothered to setup the twist rudder axis on my joystick)

[Ian Warren]

Funny just talking to Greg aka 'Scaber' the other day about sales people, I do no a little a bout PCs , but if your going shopping for one you send in a PC professor or get one to plop along with ya, what these sales people tell the unwitting ... they should have been politicians...

[jpreou]

So I got the word both from the disty and Mighty Ape.
The Cessna Pro pedals are discontinued and no parts are available.
The current replacement is the Combat Pro pedals.

I am thus attempting a repair of the pedals as follows, admittedly, this might not make much sense unless you have had the pedals apart and know what they look like inside!

- seems the plastic will melt back together with a soldering iron; so that was my first step. It holds it together but unlikely to have any strength.
- I then cut a square cornered 'C' shaped piece of very stiff piano wire (2mm). The top 'lug' of the 'C' is about 3mm and goes into a drilled hole inside the 'stem' / leg.
- the longer, bottom part is about 30mm and does along the base and into a hole in the plastic webbing, preventing it from lifting.
- a small piece of wood is hot-glued into the inside of the stem and this clamped to hold the wire tight in the correct position.
- I mixed up a glass flock and put this over the underside and into the 'hole' in the plastic webs; this is currently setting and I will leave it at least 24hrs, but probably until next weekend, if not later (since next weekend is the SAA Black Sands fly-in at Raglan).
- I will mix up more glass flock and do the inside of the leg, and then also some glass cloth over the whole thing (after sanding the flock as best I can to avoid sharp bits of glass strand that might cut the very thin wires.
- then it is 'simply' a case of smoothing everything outside (like where the piano wire pokes through the leg, among others) so that the assembly doesn't foul the base and slides smoothly, re-assemble, re-connect wires, et voila!

And if all that doesn't work, its a set of new Combat Pro pedals for me... (at $280 plus shipping)

I'm trying not to spend money as I am pursuing RL microlight flying hours towards my passenger rating which I want before Christmas (9 more to go), and then I'm planning a future airplane build in a few years, finances permitting.

Cheers

[deeknow]

Nice work Jeff. Be keen to hear how the repairs go.
Do you (or anyone) have the Cessna Yoke as well? hows the build quality on that? Looks like a nice piece of kit but dont wanna splash out on it if its frail, or discontinued...

[jpreou]

Will do. Nope, no yoke here. Plenty of other Saitek gear, which so far is holding up well.
Even the pedals are fine: I know what happened to them almost a year ago and not long after I got them, and the breakage I have experienced is really no fault of the pedals.
Won't go into details, this being a public forum, but I would have no concerns buying Saitek pedals again, or anything else for that matter.
Like most things ... "look after your gear and it will look after you" ... in my general experience at least.
Cheers

[harold]

I am surprise to hear the discontinuation of these flight
sim items? The market is out there? I found Mad Catz very helpful when I had to return my Comm/Nav Panel.

[deeknow]

QUOTE (jpreou @ Nov 2 2014,6:13 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I would have no concerns buying Saitek pedals again, or anything else for that matter.

Wicked. Good to know, thanks.

[Ian Warren]

QUOTE (harold @ Nov 2 2014,7:50 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I am surprise to hear the discontinuation of these flight
sim items?

Harold, I'm very sure the units, come rudder peddles or yoke or the Joysticks have not died, .... SOME silly rumour without foundation.

[DocScott]

Hi Jeff !

I didn't find your exact problem,but I for my part do this:
If plastic parts are broken I screw little holes in it( sometimes I do this with a heated nail ),then I fix the plastic parts with a pliable wire.
That's working for a lot of my plastic things.

DocScott

[jpreou]

Ian; only the Cess Pro pedals have been discontinued; I'm not aware of anything else. This is direct from the NZ distributor and Mighty Ape. The Combat pedals are still available.

DocScott; yep, that pretty much describes my fix, reinforced with fibreglass.

Cheers

[Ian Warren]

QUOTE (jpreou @ Nov 3 2014,7:47 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Ian; only the Cess Pro pedals have been discontinued; I'm not aware of anything else.

I thought the Cessna pedals were a little limiting off beat really once you put ya hoofers onto them and under the table you don't see them so seemed to me a little strange.

Pleased you got a fix, one other recommend is sheet tin folded around the broken part, go to the local scrap metal man, rather screws go the nut and bolt.