Saitek Yoke - desk fitting

[Paul_Yorks 97]

I'm about to take the plunge with the Saitek Yoke/Quadrant, but am wondering if I'll be able to fix it onto my desk. I've searched here, no luck.I have an ooooold desk, with a drawer in an inconvenient spot just below where I'd mount the Yoke. There's about 6" between desktop & drawer bottom.Am I going to be able to clamp it? If not, I saw it suggested that heavy-duty velcro might work if the clamp doesn't - any views on that please?

[G7USL 117]

The clamp goes down to maximum 65mm gap. You can squeeze a bit more if you leave off the removable foot. Hope that helps?Saitek use a heavy duty velcro for their Pro Pedals for fitting them to the carpet and are very effective. Go for it.Other people I know have screwed it down to the desk by replacing the holding down bolts with longer bolts.

[flaminghotsauce 1]

I pulled the drawer out of my desk and put the body of the yoke in the slot:

[Paul_Yorks 97]

Thanks both, for the quick replies.Quick conversion tells me my 6" is 150mm, so the clamp's out.I LIKE the drawer dealie, though - I did something similar with my MSSW wheel, so I will give this a go.Time to go part with some cash. If all else fails, it's probably time for a new desk anyway :)

[flaminghotsauce 1]

One of the things I REALLY like about the "in the drawer" setup is it puts the yoke right in my lap, just like in the real life airplane. Just adds another bit of realism via ergonomics.

[Guest 747-fan]

If I'm ever to get one of these, I'll probably end up making some sort of MDF assembly for it. I use my FS computer for office duties as well, and this can't be there permanently. Having it attached underneath the desk seems like a good idea. The idea would be to make a drawer like thing for it that slides onto the desk with a couple of rugged arms that fit over the desk(metal or wood), "clamping" it in place. Add to that an USB extension cord for quick connection and you'll go from office desk to having the yoke ready for use before FSX has finished loading.

[Gypsy Baron 10]

I'm about to take the plunge with the Saitek Yoke/Quadrant, but am wondering if I'll be able to fix it onto my desk. I've searched here, no luck.I have an ooooold desk, with a drawer in an inconvenient spot just below where I'd mount the Yoke. There's about 6" between desktop & drawer bottom.Am I going to be able to clamp it? If not, I saw it suggested that heavy-duty velcro might work if the clamp doesn't - any views on that please?

I use velcro strips on the Yoke and both of my Pro throttle quadrants.I have a keyboard drawer that slides out of my computer "hutch" but found it to be toonarrow in width to accomodate my mX-45 stick, my extra wide programmable keyboard andthe two quadrants.I took an old shelf and cut it to the length ( it is made from heavy pressed wood ) and justplaced it on top of the hutch keyboard drawer. It's heavy enough that I didn't need anyadditional fastening. I put the velcro strips on the shelf section and on the bottoms of the quads, etc.When I want to use the yoke, which is rarely, I lift up the keyboard, attach the yoke to thevelcro underneath, and place the keyboard on top of the yoke.The throttle quads are "permanently" attched to the left of the keyboard and theX-45 stick to the right.I have an old mid-sized computer chassis that sits on the floor and has the X-45throttle attached to it, with velcro.That's my solution to the "klunky" Saitek mounting apparatus :) Paul

[Jeff 0]

I configured up a plan with my Saitek yoke, pedals, and throttles. Take off the mounting bracket of the yoke. On the bottom of the yoke there is 4 screw holes. Take a sheet of paper and trace around the bottom of the yoke. Then using the sheet of paper punch out the holes where the screws go in on the bottom of the yoke. Go to home depot they have pine boards that are used for table tops. I bought a 2ft x 4ft board. Go to hardware and get the crews to mount the wook base to the bottom of the yoke. Sorry I cant remeber what size but it is the same size screws that the throttle mounting brackets use. Take one of those with you and you can find the screw. Remeber to get 3/4 of an inch longer to go thru the wood mounting plate. You should need 4 with washers. Also get 1 1/4 inch counter sunk screws 1/4 with nuts and washers. You need 16 for the next step. Go over to plumbing get (2) 3 inch PVC toilet flanges, (1) 3 inch pvc pipe 3 foot long. This will give you a column look the flanges will attach to the wooden base on the floor and the wooden base of the yoke. Go over to the floor mats at home depot. They have these thin black mats under $3.00. Get 2 of those. Cut a foot off the 2 foot by 4 foot pine board you bought making it 2 foot by 3 foot. Out of that foot trace the paper templat you made and mark the screw holes. Cut out the base of the yoke and drill the screw holes. You can sand the cuts if you want to make them smoother. Place one of the flanges in the middle of the wood used as the yoke base. Mark the holes for the flange and drill them. I spray painted the wood for the yoke base and the flange. I then screwed the flange to the wood yoke base and then screwed the wood to the bottom of the yoke. Place the wod base that sits on the floor under your desk mesure the best location to mount the other flange to that piece of wood put the 3 foot piece of 3 inch pvs in the other flange nad put the yoke on top. This will allow you to install at a comfortable level and allow clearance for your desk. Mark the holes and drill. You can use spray adhesive if you want to adhere the rubber mats to the wood. I painted the bottom flange black and the pvc pipe. Screw the bottom flange to the base put the pipe in and put the yoke on top. I screwed my Saitek pedals to the base since they have screw holes. My desk drawer flips down and the throttles are put on there using the Saitek brackets. When not flying I take the yoke off the pipe, tike the pipe out of the base and put the items in the closet. This allows for a real yoke feel and the pedals dont slip around under the desk. I did this for $40.00 total in material and about an hour of time.