Bought these (retro) hardware today \ VOGONS

I remember blowing about $300.00US on a similar Thrustmaster setup in 1998 or so. I loved the size and stiffness of the F-22 Pro joystick, but it only lasted about a month of regular use in fight sims and X-Wing Collector's Edition. The problem was that, as you moved the handle, there are a couple of cylindrical bars (made of graphite perhaps) that rub against each other in the base, and they simply wore down over that month of use. As a result, there was severe hysteresis around the detent position, and there was no way to fix it other than replacing the cylindrical bars.

I have yet to see a mechanical design that was worth a darn as far as joysticks go.