DIY Smartphone Flight Simulator 2 - Assembling the Spring "Spider" to Return the Horn to Center

ID: 186428

Description:

Steps:

1. Flight simulator, how to achieve the "airplane on runway or autopilot" central rest position: how do we get that stable central position, to which our joystick or yoke returns when we let go?
2. We will achieve this through what I have called "the spring spider."
3. You can buy springs of various sizes on AliExpress, online, or at local neighborhood discount stores in the DIY section.
4. We will place the joystick in the "rest" central position that you see in the photos.

5. To make the Spider part that provides the central rest position, we use the white main axle tube. Green Arrow.
6. The mobile tube or dark gray steering bar, Yellow Arrow.
7. A piece of cut tube that will allow us to more easily attach a metal clamp with 2 side screws. Red Arrow.
8. Metal clamp with screws, Orange Arrow. A screw with 2 nuts, located at the bottom of the metal clamp, Blue Arrow.

9. The first thing we will do is place the cut white tube over the dark gray tube; be careful not to glue it in case we need to adjust the distance.
10. The second step is to secure the metal clamp approximately in the middle of the distance between the front board and the wooden block.
11. Now we will begin to set the central rest position. This is a task that requires patience, as we must place a spring, securing it with tape at the base (yellow arrow), then stretch the spring slightly and place the screw that secures it (green arrow); next, we do the same with the 2nd spring that stretches from the opposite side (orange arrow).
12. We will do the same for the other 2 springs.

13. Once these first 4 springs are in place, we will see that the controller stays in that center position, but it lacks central stability; it falls to the left and right quite easily, so we need to install the 2 thinner lateral springs that provide stability to the horn so that it does not fall to the left or right.
14. For these 2 springs, do some testing; I tested them directly attached to the screw, with rings, and by placing plastic blocks so they wouldn't move, as well as placing washers with a hole, which ultimately proved to be the best option.
15. Be patient; creating the "spring spider" requires patience, testing, and several adjustments to the position and stretching or retracting the springs as needed; it never works on the first try.
16. Photo 1 Controller pushed "start of descent".
17. Photo 2 Controller pushed all the way. "Abrupt descent"
18. Photo 3 Detail of the springs stretched by the controller pushed all the way.

19. First test with rings was not satisfactory.
20. I achieved the final satisfactory option by placing washers with a hole to install the spring.
21. Explanatory video of the spring adjustment:

22. Change of the test with rings, switching to washers with a hole for the spring, much more satisfactory, being the final solution adopted.
23. End of Guide 2, Link to all the documents published about this project, I am still producing a part of them.
24. Link to all the videos on YouTube: