The in/out motion of my CH Products USB is very "sticky" That is, it sticks/stays in a partial out or partial in position and is far from smooth when pulling the yoke in and out. Quite irritating.I cleaned the rod/cylinder to which the yoke is mounted but no change. Used alcohol. I am guessing that I could loosen the two halves of the main body to reduce the friction on the rod. However, any suggestions before the screwdriver is applied?Regards,Dick Boley

Dick,I clean and lubricate mine with a simple silicone aerosol.I believe, everyone knew that?

I had the same problem and tried every type of lubricant without success. I finally disassembled the whole thing and sanded the yoke shaft, first with medium grit, then a fine grit sandpaper, and finally, with a plastic polish. It took me several attempts to get the smoothness I wanted. I then applied a small amount of silicone grease (ae team associated No. 6636, available at hobby stores for RC cars). The yoke travel is now smooth as glass and has been trouble free for over a year.While I had it apart, I took out the springs and took them to a local hardware store, where I located some the same length, but slightly weaker. This allows me to get full elevator travel without feeling like I'm going to pull the desk apart! This does make the aileron travel lighter, so not everyone will care for it.A word of caution - be very careful taking the case apart and note how everything fits together. I took a couple of digital photos during disassembly. When sanding, use some type of shield (plastic, cardboard, etc) to keep grit out of the electronics.Taking the unit apart voids the warranty. If your unit is still under warranty, you might consider returning it to the manufacturer with a note detailing exactly what is wrong - CH is a quality outfit (IMO) and will most likely replace it.Dale

>A word of caution - be very careful taking the case apart and>note how everything fits together. I took a couple of digital>photos during disassembly. >DaleHi Dale, when you first "split" the case on the ch yoke to open it, is there any chance of inner parts "exploding" all over the place, or is everything relatively secure? I would like to try your methods but have always been concerned about opening mine up. If you still have one of your pics, maybe you could post it to give us all a sense of what they're in for? Thanks.Regards, KendallDell 8400 3.2 GHZ H.T.800 FSB/2MB L22 GB 533 DDR2X800XT 256MB/Catalyst driver - 6.12's6x EATM AA/16x HQ A/FDiamond Xtreme/Logitech X-530'sDual Monitor: Dell 2405/1905CH Yoke/Pedals

Hi Kendall,No, things won't fly apart when you open the case. There will be wires attached, so you just have to go slowly so that you don't pull a wire loose. When you reassemble you have to make sure you fit a pin on the bottom side of the yoke shaft into the bushing that controls the ailerons. There are four screws to remove from the bottom of the case - after you remove them, turn the unit to right side up before you separate the case. There are only two springs, and they are attached to the bottom casing. I've attached the only picture i saved.Dale

Dale, thanks for the pic and the quick reply!.I didn't think it was too complex in there, but it's great to actually see before opening things up. I've heard the pedals are a different story though....some have cracked'em only to regret it later.Guess I have a project for tomorrow and I'll post back with my results.BTW: Anyone know if FSUIPC is any better for calibration VS. the CH Manager? Regards, KendallDell 8400 3.2 GHZ H.T.800 FSB/2MB L22 GB 533 DDR2X800XT 256MB/Catalyst driver - 6.9's6x EATM AA/16x HQ A/FDiamond Xtreme/Logitech X-530'sDual Monitor: Dell 2405/1905CH Yoke/Pedals

First of all do not use alchhol, and if you have used it for a long time without cleaning it, it has gotten dirty.if you are handy i would take apart a clean shaft off with a clean non abrasive cloth, then go to radio shack and get some silicon in a tube and completely cover the shaft and take the excess off.and it will depend on your inviroment i cover my yolk with a cloth to keep dust off of it when not in use..................Robert

oh yeah a make sure when you do put it back toghether make sure the trim lever is in the groove at the bottom, it can easily pop out when putting back toghether................Robert

Thanks for the picture. I wonder how much the small bearing surface of the two rings (front and back) may be a contributor. Anyhow, I took a chance and approached the problem in a very crude way. I used a paper towel with a small amount of cheap engine oil and rubbed it over the exposed area of the rod. That worked, for now. However, I know that I am exposed to dirt buildup so this is probably temporary. I will certainly save Robert's message expecting to need it soon.Thanks & regards,Dick Boley

>Thanks for the picture. I wonder how much the small bearing>surface of the two rings (front and back) may be a>contributor. Anyhow, I took a chance and approached the>problem in a very crude way. I used a paper towel with a small>amount of cheap engine oil and rubbed it over the exposed area>of the rod. That worked, for now. However, I know that I am>exposed to dirt buildup so this is probably temporary. I will>certainly save Robert's message expecting to need it soon.>>Thanks & regards,>Dick BoleyHi Dick,Do not use a petroleum based Lubricant! It will soften the plastic over time and make things much worse. Use a 100% silicon lubricant - you can find these at hobby stores where they stock lubricants for use with the plastic gears in RC cars.The bearings surfaces can cause a problem if they are rough. More likely, the "stickiness" of the fore and aft motion of the yoke can be caused by a binding as a result of imperfect alignment of the shaft in three separate bearings. The solution is to remove a small amount of material in either the bearings or the shaft. I found it easier to sand the shaft. Once you have the shaft to a diameter that moves in the bearings freely, it's important to polish the shaft so it is very smooth, them apply a small amount of the silicone lubricant.Hope this helps,Dale