Repair service for Saitek X52 sticks

[Gringo6]

I have two Saitek flight controllers that are broken.

Does Saitek (or anybody else) offer a repair service for
these controllers ?

I'm getting tired of buying these things only to have
them fail after a couple of years, so I'm looking for
something more durable.

Any suggestions

[OldAirmail]

How are they "broken"?

Plastic parts cracked & snaped? Buttons not working?

[Fozzer]

I've got a spare bedroom full of broken joysticks over the years.

Like most things, they don't last forever.

I just bite the bullet, and buy a new Joystick to last a few more years!

Paul.... ...!

[Gringo6]

The trouble seems to be in the throttle modules. The cable connection
that runs to the control stick gets so it doesn't work. Maybe the
connector gets broken where it connects to the circuit board. I don't
know but this is what I suspect.

[OldAirmail]

Last Fall I had to take apart some Saitek controlers and use contact cleaner on the switchs. I'd push them and nothing would happen.

Contact cleaner also works on slider switches too.

For plastic on plastic binding, I use white lithium grease, I'd suggest the tube type.

Both can be found in auto parts stores and hardware stores.

[Skywatcher]

Which X52 is it, pro or standard? Cleaning sounds like a good suggestion.
I have the standard, bought it when they were first released so I think it's over a decade old now. Works perfectly except for some reason I can't turn the lights off! LCD will turn off but the button lights stay on and on full brightness, pain but I've got used to it now.

[garymbuska]

You have to understand that just about every joystick out there uses what is called a poteniometer otherwise know as a variable resistor. The problem with these devices is they use a copper arm or wiper to move across a carbon strip and after time the wiper stops making good contact cleaning them will help but after awhile you will have to either replace the variable resistor or the entire device. The more expensive units will usually have a better variable resister in them that lasts longer and of course there are some that use a digital Chip to do the same thing these devices last a life time as there is nothing to wear out but they will almost certainly cost more money. Bottom line you get what you pay for.