TM uses some cheap ass cast metal. The only grip i have ever had break is a TM Warthog. I mean the
TM uses some cheap ass cast metal. The only grip i have ever had break is a TM Warthog. I mean the grip itself fractured
LDid it drop to the floor?
HDoes anyone have a DCS Huey Profile they are willing to share?
Bno just through normal use. it started to crack around the neck and the material was so brittle you could pick it out like a hard piece of chocolate
SI know the metal is cheap but what kind of "normal use" caused it to just disintegrate?
Iit is not so bad, I have one TM warthog grig with a realsimulator FS without problems for 10 years
B~ 4000 hours of use in 7 years...i used to fly a bunch. I think what did it was that the finish was wearing off and oils,sweat,etc from my hands over that period on the exposed metal started some form of intergranular corrosion that weakened the part over time. BTW my other warthog grip SN in the 50k vs the 2500 for the first did not and does not show any of the same effects and is now older than the original one was when it failed.
BI ran my other TM grip on a FSSB set to ~13lbs and it was fine for the ~200 hours i used it on the base. I did use the lego mod after the neck started showing signs of slop and had to keep tightening the neck screws in the grip. After that i just went to a RealSim grip. My TM hornet grip is also just fine but likely has less than 250 hours on it
Sah, you mean the silver bit around the connector failed?
SI was imagining the shell of the grip for some reason, that makes much more sense
Bthe actual case itself on the first one
Soh huh
Bthe shell. I think i still have it here somewhere. It [the first one SN ~2500] started cracking around the base where the metal neck enters the grip and is mounted. Thats when i pulled it from service. Cracks in the powder coat. then after disassembling it the shell started cracking badly and was very brittle.
B
BI kept the “good” parts for spares
Aremind me to not shake hands with you
BAt least not for 4000 hours and 7 years lol
BThis realsim grip has about 1k on it. Since it’s a plastic you just get some shining of the surface
Sthat's impressive, I don't think I've ever seen that before
AThe wires here look thicker than those in my newer WH grip. When I disassembled to repair a broken CMS (my fault) the wires were very brittle and thin. Many of the solder joints broke as soon as the glue was removed and they were moved slightly. One of the wires broke internally as well. I re soldered everything and fixed the broken wire, and it worked
Show old is your grip? this one is from 2019... ish? and seems to have pretty much the same wiring
Splus some free masking tape from TM
BThe one I posted was serial number 2560 if I recall. Very early model.
BThey don’t change the designs once manufacturing starts. That is costly
SI have no idea what SN my grip would be honestly, guess it was probably on the base I got rid of
Sbut yeah I'm curious how old this newer grip is, because it seems like your SN 2500-ish grip and mine have basically the same wiring
Sbut mine is from before they started selling the F-18 and F-16 (standalone) grips, so maybe they changed it then? dunno
BMine was nearly launch day purchase
BMy second one was ~ 2013
Balso gotta remember these are cast, and casting can have imperfections as well as internal voids and stresses. It was also a early model so even if the design diddnt change the processes likely have. I can also see that the finishing process on yours is very different than mine. On both of mine the powder coating is on the exterior only. yours has it on the interior as well.
Ni don't think i've seen it crack there before lol
Nusually weak point is in the tailpiece apparently
Nbut yeah, the whole thing is not of a particularly amazing quality alloy
Byeah I forget which alloy it is, but I do remember its not a high quality one. But im used to working with aluminum like 2024T3, 6061T6 5052 and other sheet type alloys
AI thin kit's zamak
JMy favorite grip
BThis part is it’s Achilles heel
ASince my CMS is once again broken, in going to take it apart and I'll post pictures
AOne thing they call it is pot metal. It's really low quality metal.
AI'll be thrilled if TM updates their grips with an aluminum grip like their competitors, would go well with the new AVA.
BPot metal is a more generic term
Band typically what i referred to it as. But i did remember it was some sort of Zinc allow like Zamak as mentioned above
Bits likely mine had some sort of casting defect
Shonestly it would be a lot easier to justify the price they're charging if it was aluminum and had a stronger grip connector at the bottom
RWeird request, but can I ask to be moved back, like, a 150 spots in the queue? No time for DCS in the next couple of months 
JHaha, that screw hole on the right doesn't even have threads, that entire stem is held in by 1 screw which is wild
JI replaced that stem with a 3d printed one
Sit is threaded isn't it? you have to remove a bolt through that location to get the shell apart
JAh ya I guess you are right
Pthis guy in the pics hdd needs to be checked 