Help me repair ACE yoke

[NedH]

My ACE yoke has stopped working for right and left turn movements. The pitch and buttons all work.

Has anyone experienced similar problems? It's somewhere in the yoke itself either the pots or the USB controller board.

Before I start taking it apart I'm asking if anyone knows what's inside? Is the controller board in the base? Is the aileron pot in the top or the bottom? If it's in the top how do I get to it?

Any advice would be appreciated--taking it out and apart is going to be a major task.

Thanks.

[fsaviator]

The controller board is attached to the center of base.  Wires run from the card up through the yoke column into the yoke.
The aileron pot is in the top of the Captains side column.  I can't for the life of me figure out why it wasn't built in to the bottom...  where the elevator one is.  I can't help you on how to get to it though.
If you can get to the board, check to see if a connection has come loose.  Also check to see if you have accidentally pinched some wires.  I would hate to go through the trouble of disassembling the yoke for nothing.

Take pictures if you end up going in, as they would help the rest of us.

Good luck.  One other thing...  if you are going in anyway, maybe you should think of replacing the pot with a hall effect sensor.

[NedH]

Thanks for the info. If I replace the pot with a hall effect sensor is it a one-to-one replacement for the three pins on the pot? Or is there more work involved?

[fsaviator]

It's just one to one.  The benefit is no wear with a hall effect sensor.  Not essential, but if you're going through the trouble.  I would check every possibility first though, even hooking it to a different computer to ensure that it is not system specific.

[NedH]

Well I plunged in and took every thing apart (almost). I could not get close to the aileron pot because it would have required removing the aileron tension spring.

Apparently a wire was pinched or a connection was loose because in the course of taking everything apart the yoke started behaving.

I took a bunch of photos that might be helpful for others who have to dis-assemble the ACE yoke.

[Trevor Hale]

Fantastic photos and fantastic help for everyone.

Great job and I am very glad you got it to work again.

[matta757]

Has Ali completely disappeared? His input would have been quite helpful in this post...

[willow]

A very good write up with attached photographs.  No doubt useful to others who may experience similar problems,   WilloW

[NedH]

Has Ali completely disappeared? His input would have been quite helpful in this post...

I've sent Ali several emails over the past year and have never received a reply. It's a shame the lack of communication. The yoke is extremely well made. Support not so.

[markfire]

Hi Ned


I guess it will be one of the wires to the bodnar board come loose. Put yoke on its back. Undo the screws on the bottom that attach the top plate to it. Lift of top plate making sure you dont snag wires on right hand side servo (bit tight).  You then have access to the bodnar card and you can see where all the wires are attached. Simply re-connect to pc and test. If its not a loose wire then you'll probably have to dismantle the head assembly, again not a major job, just fiddly!


Hope that helped.


Mark

[raam123]

Well I plunged in and took every thing apart (almost). I could not get close to the aileron pot because it would have required removing the aileron tension spring.

Apparently a wire was pinched or a connection was loose because in the course of taking everything apart the yoke started behaving.

I took a bunch of photos that might be helpful for others who have to dis-assemble the ACE yoke.

How did you get to the aileron potentiometer ? Behind the plate ?