Can anybody tell me it is difficult to open the CH yoke and replace the springs. I have had mine for about 7 years now and I think the springs are getting fatigued. I can see some screws underneath and have taken off two of the rubber seats and found a couple more under them. It seems very hard to get off and I'm wandering if I do succeed in getting this thing into two halves, will it spring out on me in a lot of pieces or will it come apart in two distinct halves with parts in tact?? Regards,noullet

It will not spring out, but you have to be carefull on closing to make sure everything is alligned.You also have to unscrew (by hand) the leg holders too... Unscrew... and continue until they are completely loose, then pull them out.Hidden under those legs you will see 2 more screws.Total : 10 small screws and 2 long that hold/tight the legs.I hope you can understand what I write here. It's late hours!George DorkofikisAthens, Hellashttp://online.vatsimindicators.net/811520/1704.png

George,Thanks for your reply. I was hoping that it wouldn't come apart in a million pieces and wasn't aware of the two hidden screws under the legs. Good info.Regards & thanks.noullet

Somewhere on the internet (maybe here) is a modification using small bungy cords that, from what I hear, greatly improves the feel of this yoke.Now that I have one, I'd like to find that mod again and maybe try it out.

Visit my site, go to "The Yoke and Pedals" menu and you can see a step-by-step description of how to dis-re-asemble the CH Yoke. It is not that difficult but you must pay attention to several small details. And yes, it CAN spring out quite easily and you must make a mental note of several things before spreading it on the floor.At least you'll get to see what it looks like in the inside before attacking those screws :-)

A very good general advice for "How Things Work", the "At Home-edition" is to get an empty egg carton or something like that, and, at every step, put all the screws and other small loose parts from that step into one "slot" of the carton. In an ordered sequence. It greatly helps when you start to put the thing back together, to go through the same carton in reverse direction. Eliminates the "ok, it's done, but what are these screws doing still on the table" -problems :)//Tuomas

Nice setup Al..Thanks for the tips on the disassembly of the yoke. Since my CH analog is 8 years old, I know that it has lost a lot of tension on the springs and I want to replace them with heavier gauge springs. Does anybody have any recommendations regarding this??One of my greatest disappointments in the flightsim enviroment is the lack of good hardware. The software is outstanding but the yokes, and that includes the other expensive jet yoke, is a disappointment to me also. My greatest complaint in that regard is the fact that there is too much play in the expensive yoke when you can push it forward or backwards with your little finger and have a (+ or -) 1/2 inch or greater play in it. That is NOT realistic in the real simulator and that's what I don't like about it. The aileron control is sufficient and more realistic than the CH and has a good feel to it, but the pitch (up or down) is not anywhere close to the real thing and it is because of this sloppiness or excess play near the center axis.When the hydraulics are actuated on the real sim, you had better get your legs out of the way or you might have a bruise on your kneecaps.....When you push forward or pull backwards, there is a CONSTANT pressure on the yoke and this is what I'm not getting in my current CH yoke or the other one which I'm hoping is due to the lack of tension from over-use since I purchased it back in 1998 to fly the PS1.2 Boeing 744...Anyways, the above is just "my own opinion" and not meant to flame any of the manufacturers. It's only offered as a constructive overview of my own experience with the various yokes and the real simulator yoke..Regards,jack