+ HS rcs Hall Sensor Kit for TM s RCS Rudder Pedals for use with the Thrustmaster HOTAS Cougar Designed / Prototyped by Ernie Cubpilot Smith The Thrustmaster RCS Rudder Pedal + HS rcs Hall Sensor Mod for the rudder axis is designed to install with the minimum amount of modification to the rudders. - Ernie Cubpilot Smith Thrustmaster RCS Installation: To install your + HS rcs Hall Sensor Kit you will need to disassemble your RCS pedals. Because the rudder spring can be a hand full to install it will be left as it is when disassembling the rudder system to install this kit. Turn the rudder pedals upside down as shown in the picture to the left. Using a 3/16 allen wrench and a 1/2 wrench (or pliers) for the nut, remove the screws (1) & (2) that hold the foot pedals to the pedal base. Remove both foot pedals. Turn the rudder pedals right side up. With a 1/8 allen wrench and a 3/8 wrench or pliers for the nut, remove the rear rudder pedal pivot (1) as shown in the picture to the right. Pay particular attention to how the screw, plastic pivot bearing, large plastic spacing washer, and the smaller plastic washer and nut are assembled in relation to each other. Remove the similar rear pivot screw on the left rudder pedal. Remove the rear rudder bar and set it aside. The rudder base slides will have to come off to install the good time to do this. anti-static friction tape, now is a The two pictures at the right show the two screws (1 & 2) that hold the glide rail to the base. Remove both screws using a 1/8 allen wrench. After removing the screws carefully slide the rudder glide rail along the rudder base rails (1 & 2) to remove it as shown in the picture to the left. Do the same for the other rudder glide rail and set them aside.
In the picture at the left, (1) is the center pivot bolt and bushing, (2) is the pot and pot gear. Remove the center pivot bolt using a 1/8 (3mm) allen wrench and a 3/8 wrench or pliers for the nut. Remove the rudder bar and set it aside. Leave the front rudder bar pivot (white washer and bolt) assembled. It has the rudder bar spring assembly under the rudder bar. The picture at the right shows the pot gear (1). To remove the pot, pull the pot gear off the pot shaft. Those of you that are very astute will notice that the gear shown in the picture looks a bit different than yours. I gave my original pot to someone that needed one. What you see in the picture is a hall sensor with a shaft adapter (prototype #1) in place of the original pot for photo purposes. Turn the pedals over and remove the pot cover (1) as shown in the picture on the left. It should come off with a gentle tug on the cover. Turn the pedals right side up and unscrew and remove the pot nut (1) as shown to the right. Remove the original pot (1) shown in the picture to the left, (your pot will look different, a hall sensor is shown). Pull the cable strain relief (2) out of the notch as shown in the photo to the left. Make a note of which hole in the center bar of the rudder base is used for the sensor. The picture on the right shows the hall sensor that you are going to install. The ridge (1) next to the sensor body is a slightly larger diameter than the outside diameter of the threads above it. The sensor hole in the rudder base will need modification because of this.
As mentioned in the previous step, the sensor hole needs to be modified. The threads of the hall sensor will fit through the unmodified sensor hole but the ridge close to the the sensor body is slightly larger than the hole and will not fit into it. The side of the sensor hole that the sensor body is on will need to be modified so the hall sensor body fits flat against the rudder base. The side of the sensor hole that the hall sensor shaft is on will remain the same diameter as it is originally. The drawing to the left shows a cross sectional view of the sensor hole modification. The dotted lines represent the sensor hole through the rudder base. The original hole diameter (X) remains the same on the top of the base after the modification. The original sensor hole (1), after the modification, looks something like what is shown in (2). The picture to the right shows this process, the rudder base is upside down, i.e., this is the side shown that rests on the floor when the rudders are in use. Be sure you modify the correct hole. It is the hole nearest the strain relief slot (1). This side of the sensor hole (2) needs to be enlarged enough so that the ridge on the sensor body will fit into the hole and the sensor body lays flat on the rudder base. To modify the sensor hole imagine a cylinder that is perpendicular to the rudder base and passes through the hole. Hold the rat tail file (or properly sized half round file) at a 30 to 45 degree angle to the side of the imaginary cylinder as shown. Enlarge this side of the hole all the way around 360 degrees with the file, check your progress by inserting the sensor into the hole. Remember, you only need the added clearance on this side of the sensor hole (the side the hall sensor body is on), do not enlarge the other side of the hole. When the main part of the sensor body lays flat on the rudder base all the way around the sensor you are done. After cleaning up the the metal filings from modifying the sensor hole it is time to install the hall sensor. The picture on the right shows the sensor installed in the correct rotational orientation to the base. To get this correct draw an imaginary line (1) through the center of the sensor shaft and the center of the black insulation block where the wires exit the hall sensor (or tape a straightedge to the sensor, a piece of paper with a straight side will do). Extend that line to the side of the rudder base rail near the cable strain relief notch. Measure from that point of intersection with the inside edge of the base rail to the edge of the strain relief notch (3). The dimension (2) should be 1/8 (4.6 mm) as measured on the inside of the rudder base. Take your time and get this correct. It will save you from having to readjust the sensor later. This should position the hall sensor very close to the center of its linear output range when the rudders are centered. That s a very desirable thing! On the other side of the base install the lock washer and the nut on the hall sensor as shown in the picture on the right. Tighten the hall sensor nut with a 12 mm wrench or pliers. Check the sensor alignment after tightening the nut and adjust as necessary to achieve the proper hall sensor position as specified above.
Got to do something with all that wire. As shown in the picture to the left, wrap the sensor wire counterclockwise around the hall sensor (1). Place the drain wire (2) as shown. The other short wires can be placed as shown. The short orange wire in this group is + 5v, make sure the yellow shrink tube is on the end of this wire to insulate the end of the wire from the metal base. Push the strain relief into the slot as shown. Fit the sensor cover over the hall sensor as shown to the right. It sits a bit higher than with the stock pot but there is enough room, it won t hit the floor if you still have the rubber feet on you rudder base. If rubber feet are gone you can find some stick on rubber feet in any home center (they are about 5/16 [9.8 mm] thick). Now you can locate the position of the drain wire stud in the base. Leave a bit of slack in the drain wire but locate the drain wire stud (1) so that the red insulation on the ring connector is not interfering with the black plastic cover. Mark the position of the center of the hole in the ring connector on the rudder base. It may help to put a piece of masking tape in the area of the hole to make your marks on. In the picture to the left your mark for the drain stud you marked in the step above is represented by (1). Now you need to locate the drain stud up and down on the side of the rudder base rail. From the outside of the rudder base rail locate the hole half way between the top and bottom of the rail (2) and centered on your first mark. As they say, X marks the spot, this is where you will drill a 1/8 (3 mm) hole for the drain stud (screw). The GND ring connector shown in the picture is for illustration purposes, it is actually on the inside of the center base channel. As shown in the picture to the right, it is best to center punch the center of the hole (make an small indentation) before drilling. This helps the drill stay on your center mark when beginning to drill the hole. An example of using masking tape to mark the location of the hole and center punching can be seen in this picture. Drill a 1/8 (3mm) hole as shown in the picture at the left. After drilling the hole use a larger drill bit to clean up the burrs around the hole on the inside of the rudder bar caused from drilling the drain stud hole through the rail (don t put your drill bit in your drill, just turn the drill bit with your fingers to clean up the burrs). Clean up any metal chips. The picture at the right shows how the drain stud and drain wire is installed on the base. The red line represents the side of the rudder base. Before inserting the 3 mm screw, scrape the paint off the inside of the rudder base channel around the hole you just drilled to help provide a good ground. The 3 mm drain stud screw (1) goes through the outside of the rudder base. The internal lock washer (2) is installed next. Then the wire connector(3), split lock washer (4), and finally the 3 mm nut (5). Tighten up the screw and nut using a 2.5mm allen wrench while using pliers to hold the nut.
While you have the drill out now is a good time to finish drilling the rest of the holes. Get the rear rudder bar you took off in the second step. The angle bracket from your + HS rcs Kit attaches to the front side of the rear rudder bar. The picture on the left shows the location of the angle bracket (1). The angle bracket has two holes in it on the narrowest face (1) of the bracket. You will use the angle bracket and these holes as a template to drill two corresponding holes in the front side of the rudder bar. When positioning the angle bracket on the rudder bar you will use the edge of the cutout in the center of the rudder bar to locate the angle bracket. The end of the angle bracket and the edge of the notch in the rudder bar should be flush (2) as shown in the picture to the left. The two holes you see in the rudder bar are what you will need to drill. In the picture to the right the angle bracket is shown in the proper position on the rudder bar. The rudder bar is shown upside down, the black post to the right of the angle bracket is the rudder bar center pivot and the rudder bar gear is on this post (the gear is not shown in this picture). To position the angle bracket line up the right end of the angle bracket so it is even with the cutout in the rudder bar (1). Make sure the angle bracket is even with the top or the rudder bar (2). Then clamp the bracket to the rudder bar with vice grip pliers or small C-clamps. Although only one vice grip plier is shown, using two clamping devices would be much better when drilling the holes. Not sure where the angle bracket goes? The picture on the left shows the big picture. The top of the angle bracket (1) with the single hole in it is even with the top of the rear rudder bar. The right edge of the angle bracket is flush with the left edge of the notch in the rudder bar. So what are you waiting for? Drill the two holes for the angle bracket as shown in the picture on the right. Use a 1/8 (3mm) drill for the holes. Make sure the bracket is flush as explained above before you drill the holes. Attach the bracket with 3mm screws, lock washers, and nuts as shown in the picture on the left. The screw goes through the bracket and the rudder bar, then the split washer on the screw. Finally the nut goes on and is tightened. The picture on the right shows the rear rudder bar bushing /gear as it comes from TM. A screw (1) holds this gear in place and keeps it from rotating. Remove the screw with a 3/32 allen wrench. You will not see the hole (2) on your gear. In the next step you will be locating and drilling hole (2).
The picture to the left shows the new position of the gear. It is rotated so that the gear teeth are not in the notch on the rudder bar as it was originally. This is done to give the needed clearance to the hall sensor arm. I highly suggest that you do this step as shown instead of cutting off the gear teeth. If you do that you have no option to go back to the original gear system. You may be asking, Why go back?. I do not have a good answer for you. However, I do think it is a good idea to have that option available if needed in the future. You can t get a new gear. In the previous step you removed the screw (1) that holds the gear to the rudder bar. If you haven t done so already, remove the gear. As shown in the picture to the right, the new hole (2) is located 90 degrees (1) to the right of the original hole. It can be a little more than 90 degrees but I would not make it less than 90 degrees. Locate the hole the same distance away from the outside edge of the gear as the original hole is. Using a scrap piece of wood as a backup, drill the new hole using a 3/32 (2 mm will work) drill bit. When locating the hole do not drill through the small hole in the rudder bar to locate the new hole in the gear, it is threaded, you may ruin the threads if you do this. Reinstall the gear in its new position as show in the picture to the left with the gear teeth in position (2). Install the screw, it will be a tight fit and make its own threads though the plastic gear, this is not a problem. Turn the screw into the small threaded hole in the rudder bar. Just snug the screw up, don t over tighten it, the head of the screw may pull through the plastic if you over tighten the screw. This is to be avoided. When you are done with this step set the rudder bar aside. Next thing to do is install the glide rail anti-static friction tape. The anti-static friction tape (1), original glide rail (2), and Exacto hobby knife (3) are needed for this step. Any sharp knife with a similarly shaped blade can be used in place of the Exacto hobby knife. However, it does need to have a narrow point to it similar to the Exacto hobby knife shown. THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT AND SHOULD NOT BE SKIPPED! Be sure that you clean off any grease that may be on the original guide rail. Even if you see no grease you will need to clean the guide rail. Use Isopropyl Alcohol to do this. You should be able to get this in any drug store if you do not have any. This step will ensure that the anti-static friction tape will adhere properly to the glide rail. Other solvents may damage the plastic glide rail, only use Isopropyl alcohol. Note in the picture to the left that the anti-static friction tape (1) is longer than the glide rail (2). When installing the tape center it so approximately the same amount of tape is beyond each end of the guide rail. To help locate the tape when beginning to install it, put some masking tape (or other tape) on the anti-static friction tape that lines up with the one end of the glide rail as shown in the picture to the right.
Install the anti-static friction tape to the glide rails. The tape has a white peel off backing on it. Peel the backing off starting at one end of the tape and fold it over on itself (1) as shown in the picture to the left. To get started lay the anti-static friction tape down on the slide rail with the masking tape mark (2) even with the end of the slide rail. Don t worry about the extra length of tape hanging of the end of the slide rail at this time, just leave it as it is. Be sure to center the tape along the length of the slide rail. As you go along peel some more peel off backing from the tape until you get to the other end of the tape and slide rail. If the tape starts to run off center as you go just lift it back up and realign the tape until it is centered the full length of the slide rail. Avoid making any bubbles or any areas of the tape that are not laying down flat as you install the tape. The tape is pretty thick so you shouldn t have much trouble with it in this respect. After the tape is applied to the full length of the slide rail apply pressure to the tape with your thumbs push the tape into the slide rail to ensure good adhesion. Now you can take care of the ends of the anti-static friction tape. You will notice, in the picture to the right, that the very ends of the glide rails have a bevel on them just like the length of the glide rail has (1). What you want to do here is roll your thumbs over the end of the slide rail so the tape sticks to the bevel first and then to the end of the slide rail. Trim the extra tape, finish the other end of the side rail. OK, do the same to the second glide rail. The last thing to do is cut out the holes for the slide rail attachment screws as shown in the picture to the left. First, locate the hole (1) underneath the anti-static friction tape. You can do this by locating the general area of the hole (1) and apply pressure over that spot with your thumb and rotate your thumb a few times. You will be able to feel the sides of the hole (1) and when you look you will be able to see the outline of the hole (1). Plunge your sharp exacto knife into this area near an edge of the hole (1). Cut the tape out over the hole using a sawing, up and down motion (2), as you follow the edge of the hole 360 degrees around. Do the same for the other three holes in the slide rails. Reinstall the slide rails onto the base. Be careful sliding them back on the base, don t break them. Install the rear rudder bar on the base. The bushing and screw (1) goes into the pivot hole on the rudder base (2) as shown in the picture to the far right. While holding the screw so it doesn t fall out flip the rudder over and install the nut with the star washer on the rear rudder bushing screw (1) as shown in the picture to the right.
The picture at the right shows the assembly order of the outer rudder bar pivot parts, just as a reminder for you. The bushing and bolt (1) goes through the top of the U shaped foot pedestal that the plastic foot pedal attaches to represented in red (2). Next the larger plastic washer (3). Next is the rear rudder bar with the large washer on the top of the rudder bar, the rudder bar is oriented as shown in red (4). The smaller washer is next (5), then the self locking nut (6). Assemble both outer pivots on the rear rudder bar. NOTE: At each end of the rudder bar you should have a plastic pad (7). This pad rubs on the slide rails. If you happen to have one of these missing and you still have the cover for the pot you are in luck. The cover for the pot and this pad are exactly the same, so you may use the pot cover to replace one of the four rudder bar pads if you need to. The pads are simply glued in place with silicone. Assemble the linkage to the sensor arm as shown in the top picture to the left. The linkage screw goes through the hole at the end of the sensor arm. Make sure the brass part of the sensor arm and the linkage screw is oriented as shown. The screw goes through the end of the sensor arm. Use a 5/64 or 2mm allen wrench to turn the screw through the sensor arm. The screw will make its own threads as you screw it in. Then the small brass spacer goes on the screw, the rounded side of this spacer goes towards the linkage. The linkage is next, then the nut. To install the sensor arm and linkage on to the hall sensor shaft locate the spacer tool (1) included with the kit and position it as shown in the picture to the left. Orient the flat on the hall sensor shaft so it is pointed out in the direction of the red line (2). Install the sensor arm with the brass up as shown in the picture to the right. The flat on the sensor shaft is oriented parallel to the red lines (1). Hold your thumb over the brass part of the sensor arm and push the sensor arm tightly towards the spacer tool. Tighten the sensor arm set screw (2) using a 7/64 allen wrench making sure it contacts the flat on the sensor shaft. Remove the spacer tool after you have finished tightening the sensor arm set screw.
Turn the rudder pedals over and insert the linkage screw (1) into the hole in the bracket as shown in the picture to the left. Next put the brass spacer (2) on the screw, the flat side of the spacer goes towards the bracket. The linkage goes on the screw next followed by the nut as shown in the picture to the right. Tighten up the linkage screw using a 5/64 or 2mm allen wrench while holding the nut with a wrench or pliers. Turn the rudder pedals right side up. You should end up with something as shown in the picture to the left. That should about wrap it up, except for calibrating the rudder axis you should be done! Unplug your Cougar, if it isn t already, and attach the rudder cable to the DB15 connector on the Joystick. Plug the Cougars USB cable back into your computer. Calibrate your Cougar and all its axes. You can use Auto Calibration or Manual Calibration. I recommend that you set up the rudder axis in CCP with 1% upper, 2% middle, and 1% lower dead zones. The 2% middle dead zone will ensure proper rudder axis centering in the analyzers and your sim/game. Proper centering is also dependent on how your spring is adjusted. It is of a similar design to the original joystick gimbals and when centered the legs of the spring should touch all four of the spring posts (bolts in this case) at the same time. If that is not the case than you will have play at the center rudder position, this will adversely affect your rudder axis centering. Setup your rudder axis curve in CCP to suit your needs. Another recommendation is to determine where your rudder pedals are most comfortable in use and measure from the front rudder base bar and the wall (1). Cut a 3/4 (19.05mm) thick piece of plywood the correct width (1) to use as a spacer between the front of the rudder base and the wall. This will keep your rudder pedals in place during use. It also has the added benefit of supporting the ends of the plastic slide rails (2). The front ends of the slide rail can break off, particularly if you are using them in a pit and tilt the base up. This will increase the force on the front ends of the slide bars and it may be more force than the slide bar can handle. Of course you are free to varnish or paint the plywood to match your room or pit decor! 2005 Ernest Cubpilot Smith. All rights reserved.