Sanwa JLF shorter throw add-on

Tech Talk
1

As is known, there is a little plastic spacer (aka actuator) in the JLF that is responsible for both engage and throw distances:

http://img27.imageshack.us/img27/7449/60694820.jpg

By increasing the girth of B you make the throw shorter.

This is covered in Akihabarashop’s video “JLF ultimate mod” (4:40 - 7:16):
[media=youtube]QytcbzZmXaI[/media]

The mod is very basic and consists of wrapping a length of electrical tape around the “B” section of the spacer. The choice of tape was clearly meant to make the mod easily performable by as many people as possible. The shortcomings of this choice are quite evident though: tape is too soft a material and doesn’t feel right when it hits the gate. Also, it wears off pretty quickly.

An attempt to improve the mod is shown here:
http://forums.shoryuken.com/showthread.php?t=172633

The material used, heat shrink tubing, is no doubt more resistant and reliable than tape but nowhere near as hard as plastic. As a result, it feels similar to tape when it hits the gate, hence the complaints:

http://forums.shoryuken.com/showpost.php?p=5972140&postcount=32
http://forums.shoryuken.com/showpost.php?p=5977984&postcount=35

This leads to the obvious conclusion that the only way the mod can work is by using plastic as the enlargement material, i.e. a plastic tube that fits tightly around the spacer. Easy enough. The problem is to find one with the right external diameter.

I gathered all the plastic tubes I could find and ended up with two possible candidates: one has a 13.3mm diameter, the other 12.4mm. I had to widen the internal diameter so they could fit the JLF spacer but this was easy:

http://img524.imageshack.us/img524/7246/35058420.th.jpg

The 13.3mm one gives a throw that is practically identical to the engage and occasionally a direction is missed. Rejected.
http://img29.imageshack.us/img29/8500/74355636.th.jpg
http://img29.imageshack.us/img29/3476/46792885.th.jpg

The 12.4mm tube was just perfect though: shorter throw but no direction is ever missed. It couldn’t be better. When the gate is set to 4-way it actually makes it 4-way as it’s impossible to actuate two microswitches at the same time as it happens normally (Unlike Seimitsu sticks, a standard JLF has a faux 4-way mode).
http://img196.imageshack.us/img196/4671/32109894.th.jpg
http://img29.imageshack.us/img29/9148/28192930.th.jpg

2

M K L does it again!
Even fixes the Sanwa GT-8F 4-Way problem.

3

Very nice job! Where did you find the 12.4mm pipe?

4

Excellent post M K L! :clapdos: I love the feel and precision of my JLF, but just wish it had the throw of a Seimitsu.

Any information you have regarding where to find that tubing size, and what you did to increase the internal diameter would be much appreciated. I see you’re in Italy however, so I’m guessing it wasn’t just a simple trip to a Home Depot store.

5

Awesome, please let us in on where you found the tube!

6

I thought mario and luigi knew everything that was to know about tubes :smokin:

Seriously though, great mod.

7

Well, just a normal hardware store where they carry plastic (and metal) tubes of various sizes. I guess you can find something similar in the US too. The tube in question is the same I used for my custom Seimitsu LS-32 shaft cover:

http://img338.imageshack.us/img338/8895/s2020123.th.jpg

As for increasing the internal diameter, I wrapped a piece of sand paper around a long metal rod with a diameter only a tad smaller than the plastic tube and then sanded the tube internally by moving it up and down the rod.

8

does anyone know what the diameter is for inches i think this would be a great mod to try out but i dont think home depot sells pipes in mm

9

Took a trip to Home Depot today, and they have 1/2 inch (12.7mm) polyethylene tubing that may work. They also have vinyl tubing in all of the same sizes, but that is way too mushy to duplicate the same feel of the Sanwa actuator. The polyethylene felt pretty solid to the touch. The brand name of all small tubing types they had in stock was “Watts.”

12.4mm tubing converts to .4881", so I don’t know where I would go about finding such a particular size in inches in the US. I’ll give it a test this weekend and report back what I find out. Hopefully with some sanding it will fit!

10

Hey Godfather, what department at Home Depot was that polyethylene tubing stocked? I may want to try this out.

11

anyone know how to adjust the the throw/engage on a sanwa flash joystick?

12

THat LS32 looks sick man, nice job.
Good job on the findings for the jlf too.

13

I found the plastic tubing in the irrigation/sprinkler section. There were bins of different sizes in rows along the floor.

The smallest amount of 1/2" tubing I could buy was 25’ worth. Its pretty inexpensive stuff - just under $8.00. Lets just say I’ve got PLENTY of slack to experiment with.

14

Excellent find. I wonder if the same hack can be used effectively to replace a P360 actuator instead of grinding down the stock one.

15

I would so buy one of these from you if you made more >_>

16

Same.

OP, if you can make me a 12.4mm tube, I’ll buy it.

PM me if you’re willing.

17

Same here. I’m interested.

18

Selling this? hmm, I’m not sure I want to do that. It’s just a small piece of plastic, how much could I charge for it? Cents? 1 dollar?
Also, it’s a bitch to put on and off the spacer/actuator, it would be better to have a spare actuator with the tube permanently on. So if someone wants to send me an actuator I’ll fit the tube on it, make sure it works fine and ship it back. I just need shipping expenses and paypal fees covered which should amount to about $5.

19

Cool.
I’ll do that.

I have four extra Sanwa JLF-P-5 around for experimenting.

20

this shortening throw without shortening engagement. on original JLF you have 8mm throw 5,5mm engage. and this is not good relation but work (~somehow). on this mod you get throw 6-7mm and engage 5,5mm. this joystcik will not correctly buffer diagonal (clear/on QCF).
this is not mod for fix/repair JLF, this mod only damage parameters - enlarges handicap JLF
think what you do, throw it is not JLF problem, but reports throw/engage - therefore seimitsu joystick work/buffer better