I had some forced simulator downtime recently and thought I would try to improve my Logitech Flight Yoke while waiting on the Fulcrum release. While the fix is not perfect, it is a HUGE improvement over stock.

Leo Bodnar is an electronics dealer out of the UK and he sells USB logic cards that will remove the dead zone in the Logitech yoke. Full details can be found at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YEqkz2JxoFo&t=667s

The spring fix (versus the rubber bands) improves the feel, getting rid of the notchy travel in both the elevator and aileron axis. I opted for the spring kit since I know that rubber eventually rots. Details are here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C2rhTPCmw1s

The results are pretty impressive. There are a couple of things of note:

1 - I used 1/2 pound springs instead of 2 pounds, if only because I could not locate the 2-pounders. This make elevator travel easier and aileron travel effortless, to the point of having to fine-tune the yoke position to get a level flight path. Still, because the null-zone has been removed it is a pleasure to hand fly aircraft, as minute changes in yoke position yield changes in flight attitude. I have tried the modded yoke on a variety of aircraft and have yet to find one that is not a joy to hand fly!

2 - I inherited Essential Tremor from my Dad, and when tasked with doing tiny detail work my hands will dance all over the place. In order to do the soldering I had to self-medicate with a couple of ounces of fine bourbon. Your mileage may vary.

3 - What looks like a tidy wiring job while the unit is upside down (i.e., the top of the Logitech unit holds all the components) is not that great when turned right side up. Think ahead to the orientation of wires and whatnot when the unit is in the normal position.

All in all, a very worthwhile modification. All my frustrations over landings are gone, since small changes in the yoke yield the appropriate small corrections in flight.  I used to pretty much grease every landing using my Thrustmaster T.1600M stick, but after changing to the stock Logitech unit I was a mess - all the notches, detents, and dead-zones made my landings a nightmare. No more! 

Now I can enjoy flying while I wait for Fulcrum to come out with their yoke. Still going to pop for the Honeycomb Bravo throttle quadrant, but the Fulcrum looks like a much better unit than their Alpha Yoke.

 

" . . . but the Fulcrum looks like a much better unit than their Alpha Yoke." I agree and also waiting. JJ

My plan for input devices this year is precisely the same - Bravo Throttle + Fulcrum yoke.  Here's to hoping the wait isn't too much longer.  

I did the same with my Logitech / Saitek Yoke: Integrated the Leo Bodnar electronics and it works very fine and precise - no dead zone existing anymore.

I really recommend it!

Works fine until i find an adequate new Yoke (Yoko, Brunner, Fulcrum, or whatever)

I've ordered the Leo Bodnar board and required wiring myself to hopefully kill the dead zone when turning right. The 5º dead zone is annoying!

Sadly, I've had to return the Honeycomb yoke. It simply would not work properly with FSX, P3d v4.5 or FS2020...

Their 'calibration and assignment' software would not install either, and their customer support pretty much blew me off.

9 hours ago, n4gix said:

I've had to return the Honeycomb yoke. It simply would not work properly with FSX, P3d v4.5 or FS2020

What was wrong with it? Obviously the yoke works with FSX and P3D for most people. As far as I know they don't provide any calibration software, although there is a way to activate the factory calibration mode if you know how. I haven't sought help from Honeycomb myself but admittedly their attendance to support in their forums is pitiful. I have seen two reports of 'grinding' noise in the roll axis, but other than that I think all the issues I have seen reported with the yoke are actually issues with the button programming software. You don't actually need this for basic functionality, although I believe it does provide a leg-up for P3D by allowing access to Lvars in XML gauges.

8 hours ago, MarkDH said:

What was wrong with it? Obviously the yoke works with FSX and P3D for most people. As far as I know they don't provide any calibration software, although there is a way to activate the factory calibration mode if you know how.

I meant to type "configuration software", not "calibration". In both FSX and P3D the roll and elevator axis were reversed, and ticking the reverse axis in the sim made no difference.  The leftmost lever I assigned to elevator trim was way too coarse, making trim not possible.

The  tiny white button on either side of the yoke are too small and awkwardly placed to be of practical use. But overall the inability to run the configuration utility made assigning all of the available controls a logistical nightmare.

However the real deal breaker for me is that the yoke controls were way too heavily sprung, making it difficult for this old man's weaker wrists to push/pull and roll left/right very painful! I guess I just expected better for a $250 product...

I received the Leo Bodnar parts three weeks ago and managed the 'surgery' in just under an hour. Calibration was easily accomplished and now there are no dead zones.

However, after two weeks, aileron's have begun 'fluttering' and I have no real idea why. It could be as simple as the USB current being insufficient and causing the A/D signal to drop in and out. I'll have to explore this when I have some free time.

On 3/23/2020 at 5:29 PM, n4gix said:

I received the Leo Bodnar parts three weeks ago and managed the 'surgery' in just under an hour. Calibration was easily accomplished and now there are no dead zones.

However, after two weeks, aileron's have begun 'fluttering' and I have no real idea why. It could be as simple as the USB current being insufficient and causing the A/D signal to drop in and out. I'll have to explore this when I have some free time.

Hi.

Are you supplying auxiliary 5V power to the Yoke's USB with a wallplug power pack ?

3 hours ago, Pevenhull said:

Hi.

Are you supplying auxiliary 5V power to the Yoke's USB with a wallplug power pack ?

No, I plugged into one of the USB ports on the Saitek yoke. When I find some spare time from development work I'll try a wallplug power pack if you think it will help.

Recently, I bought Flight Pro Yoke and pedal via Logitech. When I got it and installed - everything works fine, except for the dread dead zone. 

 

I went research on that and found same Youtube from Mixturerich. I ordered the USB chipset from Leo Bodnar and got it.

 

Today, I opened the case and watched the Youtube and explained what color wire goes to what and then I was stumped. On Youtube, nearest yoke - he had yellow/red/black and on the side, he had black/red/yellow.

 

But on my side, nearest yoke - I got red/yellow/black and on the side, red/yellow/black. 

 

Now, it's completely different order and I felt hesitated to continue this project. I don't want to ruin it if I follow exactly what Mixturerich showed.  

 

Can anyone help me out? That would be great appreciated!

4 hours ago, JMH714 said:

Recently, I bought Flight Pro Yoke and pedal via Logitech. When I got it and installed - everything works fine, except for the dread dead zone. 

 

I went research on that and found same Youtube from Mixturerich. I ordered the USB chipset from Leo Bodnar and got it.

 

Today, I opened the case and watched the Youtube and explained what color wire goes to what and then I was stumped. On Youtube, nearest yoke - he had yellow/red/black and on the side, he had black/red/yellow.

 

But on my side, nearest yoke - I got red/yellow/black and on the side, red/yellow/black. 

 

Now, it's completely different order and I felt hesitated to continue this project. I don't want to ruin it if I follow exactly what Mixturerich showed.  

 

Can anyone help me out? That would be great appreciated!

I'm not sure what you mean by "nearest yoke', but suggest you just go by the location of the pins on the potentiometers (pots). For example, look at each pot and see where the video shows the respective wire from the middle pin goes, and then do the same for your 'middle pin' wires (the yellow wires in your picture). Same idea for the 'right' and 'left' pin on each pot, see where the 'right' and 'left' wires for each pot go, and do the same.

I would expect the red wire from each pot goes to 5 volts, and the black wire on each pot goes to ground, 0 volts. But as long as the pots in your yoke are oriented the same direction as in the video you are using, looking at the pins as suggested above should keep things straight.

Al

Edited August 30, 20205 yr by ark

14 hours ago, ark said:

I'm not sure what you mean by "nearest yoke', but suggest you just go by the location of the pins on the potentiometers (pots). For example, look at each pot and see where the video shows the respective wire from the middle pin goes, and then do the same for your 'middle pin' wires (the yellow wires in your picture). Same idea for the 'right' and 'left' pin on each pot, see where the 'right' and 'left' wires for each pot go, and do the same.

I would expect the red wire from each pot goes to 5 volts, and the black wire on each pot goes to ground, 0 volts. But as long as the pots in your yoke are oriented the same direction as in the video you are using, looking at the pins as suggested above should keep things straight.

Al

Thank you for replying.

Sorry for bit confusing with wording - I mean "nearest yoke" as pot on the top of the picture. Because it's closer to steering handle. 😉

I decided to take the circuit card in my yoke to get a close look on letter where wires connected to (since I build my own computer and I know which wire/plug goes to what pins). I found it interesting and Logitech seems they don't care what color as long as it connect to right pins. 

I took picture of circuit card:

I just realized that I made a mistake on bottom pot - yellow wire should be "Axis_Y".

Okay, my hesitate is now gone. Thank you for helping me out.

I just purchased the Logitech G Pro Yoke and want to make the spring Mod to correct the terrible elevator problem but have read that the mod would not work on newer model of the yoke.. The model number  is 945-000067, S/N 2052KK018119. can anyone tell me if the mod will work on this unit or if there is a newer mod that will?