Joystick buttons

[Glen Bell]

Anybody ever had to replace just the buttons on excavator control joysticks? I have a Wacker 38Z3 that has Rexroth sticks, most of the buttons seem to be UV damaged/cracked/missing. Rexroth website looks like new sticks have different looking buttons. Mine is a 2008. Sure Grip controls all look different too. Anybody have any info on 3rd party suppliers for such an item?

 

[Ronsii]

Pics???

Don't really remember what the wacker looks like... only buttons I've replaced were in the old style tophat rocker ones.

 

[Glen Bell]

I have pics but seems a bit tricky to get them to attach here. If I figure it out I will post for sure, thx

 

[AusDave]

Was it the rubber cap on the buttons which has failed exposing the innards?
I had the rubber caps fail on rexroth joysticks on my Haulotte. I had a friend cast some for me from silicon but would be interested in the original replacements.

 

[Glen Bell]

Was it the rubber cap on the buttons which has failed exposing the innards?
I had the rubber caps fail on rexroth joysticks on my Haulotte. I had a friend cast some for me from silicon but would be interested in the original replacements.

Yes, rubber caps died of sun exposure and years of thumbs mashing them. The one cap gone entirely with the little spring plate that is under it, leaving only a tiny plastic sorta pin to push to activate. Pretty tough on my arthritic fingers trying to jam that little pin all the time. Why is it so complicated to add a photo here? Thx for replies guys.

 

[Ronsii]

Photo's are pretty easy - Just click on the 'Upload a File' button on the bottom of the page... don't use the little picture icon above where you type... unless you picture is too big or something... is it giving you an error?

 

[Glen Bell]

Thanks for the photo help, I did try that before but had no option to retrieve pics, once I got the "documents" button I was able to go in that way. Anyhow, there's the pics of problem with buttons.

 

[AusDave]

Bumping this one up as the button issue is a real problem. I have three joysticks on my Haulotte with multiple buttons front and rear. They're all common Rexroth brand joysticks as per photo below. You would think a simple and inexpensive wear part like this would be readily available for replacement but no you might as well be asking for unicorn rocking horse excrement
The rubber has a limited life due to usage and uv damage then the little metal bits fall out, but it seems nobody has this problem except me? Are the machines scrapped when the rubbers fail? I told the Rexroth rep and he suggested new joysticks at $1500 each. It's like buying a new car when the windscreen wipers have perished!
Hope someone else has been down this path and found a solution.

 

[uffex]

Good day
Attached may be of help.
Kind regards
Uffex

 

[KSSS]

Did you try contacting a WN dealer and see if you can access those wear pieces through parts?

 

[John C.]

I have found them at Digikey.com. You have to get the old ones out and look for any numbers or letters molded or printed on the contact ends.

 

[Simon C]

I had the exact same problem on a Bob Cat Excavator with a rexroth joystick. It was $1700 at dealer.
Got an entire joystick from Rexroth Canada in Burnaby, B.C., Canada
It was only $300 plus freight and was the exact match. Worked like a champ.
1-604-205-5777 Burnaby EXT. 1611 Larry Ryan Engineer
They saved my bacon.
Hope it helps.
Simon C

 

[uffex]

Good day
Came across the attached, it may be a way out to replace the lever.
Kind regards
Uffex

 

[AusDave]

Thanks for all the feedback guys and I have found a solution
First I researched the hell out of buttons on the Internet and found one manufacturer that makes all kinds of buttons with some similar to what I needed so I knew there was an answer out there. I noticed some JCB joysticks used a similar button so I went to my JCB supplier here in Australia. It's not the JCB official channel but a JCB parts importer and wrecker who have given me fantastic support in the past for odd parts and spares for my various 1CX machines. Here's a link to their site if you're in Australia and want JCB parts and knowledgeable service https://www.rousehilltractors.com.au/ Jim is the guy who has been really helpful to me, good support for any equipment is hard to find these days.

Anyway I sent Jim a picture of my joystick as per my original post on this thread and he thought he may have something that might suit. The button came as part of a switch assembly which cost around $30 so I ordered two to see if they would work. I've posted the pic below of what I received and what I have done. The switch is a sealed unit unlike my Haulotte switches which are able to be disassembled. The rubber button was obviously placed in the barrel of the switch first, then the little loose metal plate followed by the switch itself. Epoxy is then poured in after that sealing the whole unit.

I found that I could use a pair of pliers on the plastic around the edge of the rubber button and pull it out enough so I could gently pull the rubber button out of its retaining slot. Then it's just a matter of disassembling the Haulotte joysticks, disassembling the switch and replacing the rubber button. Should be good for another decade, or longer if I keep the sun off them when not being used

One could replace the entire button assembly as suggested by others in this thread, even with another type of button as there are plenty of suitable buttons out there. However I didn't want to start cutting my loom and soldering in different buttons. Happy with the feel of the original buttons so I'm keeping them that way.

 

[Turbomarch]

Thanks for the write up aus Dave. Have just purchased a terex with the same issue and buttons look identical. Will be giving jim a call to get some of those!

 

[Turbomarch]

Thanks for the write up aus Dave. Have just purchased a terex with the same issue and buttons look identical. Will be giving jim a call to get some of those

Thanks for all the feedback guys and I have found a solution
First I researched the hell out of buttons on the Internet and found one manufacturer that makes all kinds of buttons with some similar to what I needed so I knew there was an answer out there. I noticed some JCB joysticks used a similar button so I went to my JCB supplier here in Australia. It's not the JCB official channel but a JCB parts importer and wrecker who have given me fantastic support in the past for odd parts and spares for my various 1CX machines. Here's a link to their site if you're in Australia and want JCB parts and knowledgeable service https://www.rousehilltractors.com.au/ Jim is the guy who has been really helpful to me, good support for any equipment is hard to find these days.

Anyway I sent Jim a picture of my joystick as per my original post on this thread and he thought he may have something that might suit. The button came as part of a switch assembly which cost around $30 so I ordered two to see if they would work. I've posted the pic below of what I received and what I have done. The switch is a sealed unit unlike my Haulotte switches which are able to be disassembled. The rubber button was obviously placed in the barrel of the switch first, then the little loose metal plate followed by the switch itself. Epoxy is then poured in after that sealing the whole unit.

I found that I could use a pair of pliers on the plastic around the edge of the rubber button and pull it out enough so I could gently pull the rubber button out of its retaining slot. Then it's just a matter of disassembling the Haulotte joysticks, disassembling the switch and replacing the rubber button. Should be good for another decade, or longer if I keep the sun off them when not being used

One could replace the entire button assembly as suggested by others in this thread, even with another type of button as there are plenty of suitable buttons out there. However I didn't want to start cutting my loom and soldering in different buttons. Happy with the feel of the original buttons so I'm keeping them that way.
View attachment 279693

i don’t suppose you have a part number for those buttons?