How to make your joystick buttery smooth: Otto DIY V5 kit for fightsticks

[@Eth3realwarrior]

I'm absolutely in love with my Otto V5 dyi! A must for Street Fighter and Shmups. I use a polished stainless steel pivot ball and molycoat silicone grease and it's frictionless.

[@HushMySweet1]

Awesome! Yeah, I mainly do fighting games, but I've heard the shmup people also really dig the kit. I have some of those stainless pivots in my sticks, but I didn't want to include them in this vid since they aren't a part of the standard kit. But yeah, they are cool. Thanks for watching/commenting!

[@GamingNightsNeoMasaki]

I’ve just installed this on my hayabusa stick just for experimenting. It actually makes the hayabusa a lot smoother.

[@HushMySweet1]

Right on! I really like the kit.

[@nintendoroots3361]

I hear it takes away from the uniqueness of the Hayabusa. Is it true that after installing this kit on the Hayabusa makes it feel like a JLF or does it keep the same feeling but smoother ?

[@UnlimitedBrettWorks]

@@nintendoroots3361 since the otto replaces almost all the parts aside from the microswitches & lever, my understanding is that there isn't much left of the actual hayabusa. What made the hayabusa unique was the shape of the gate which has been replaced with the otto, I believe.

[@nintendoroots3361]

I purchased a bigger actuator only thanks to this review and replaced the stock one and felt the difference right away and now it feels more stiff compared to stock loving my Hayabusa now

[@zakutenakazumiya1516]

I hope someone would do the same for Seimitsus. We LS32 enjoyers don't get a lot of love when it comes to modding.😢

[@HushMySweet1]

I agree! There are some really cool Seimitsu levers.

[@johnlund3088]

There are Otto kits for Ls32 as well out there

[@zakutenakazumiya1516]

@@johnlund3088 care to share?

[@eraldylli]

Removing the stock screws is no joke. They are threadlocked in. If I knew how bad it was going to be (2 screws stripped and had to use a variety of methods and tool like angle grinder and vise to remove them, and I succeeded about 90 minutes later) I would have for sure ordered the metal plate, too. The mod is a marked improvement, definitely feel the difference. I'm not sure its worth 30+ usd, but it certainly makes it a little better.

[@HushMySweet1]

Yeah, they went way overkill with the loctite stuff on those screws. Glad you got it though! It's a fun little mod and definitely has a different feel over stock.

[@eraldylli]

@@HushMySweet1 Your video convinced me it was easy and worth doing. Cheers!

[@MrQawesome]

How’d you get the screws off the plate? I’m having a hard time because of the loclite

[@EricRShelton]

I don't know if I'll buy an Otto, but I've been looking for a detailed stick breakdown since I've been thinking of modding mine (first one) and this got right to the point! Fantastic video! Thank you!

[@HushMySweet1]

Hey, thanks for your nice comment and I hope the vid(s) help you on your modding journey!

[@DestroyForX]

Amazingly detailed vid my dude! Dying to see your SF6 gameplay!

[@HushMySweet1]

lol, I'm a slow learner (and don't see a true character for me just yet...I'm glad you got Cammy back though), so it may be a bit of time before I post SF6 content. We shall see! Thanks for watching/commenting!

[@DestroyForX]

@@HushMySweet1 Well there was a Barcelona shown in the showcase so we know Vega is gonna be climbing some walls.

[@HushMySweet1]

@@DestroyForX Really?! I missed that. Do you have a link? Having him in the game even down the line would really make my day!

[@DestroyForX]

@@HushMySweet1 Duuuudeeee I'm so sorry for fuck sake.... that is Kimberly's throw... what a fucktard I am... Sorry dude I'm a dingus. I deleted all the other comments. I don't wanna be spreading misinformation.

[@Kanoa99]

I sourced the teflon spring base and stainless steel pivot just to make things extra smooth, no grease needed.

[@HushMySweet1]

Right on!

[@shining4ce]

For step 2) I would add, get a JIS screwdriver to limit the chance of stripping the JIS screws on the mounting plate. I'd also add there are a few v5 upgrades to a stainless steel pivot seat or a stainless steel pivot. You don't want steel on steel, but it's nice not having to lube the pivot if you're using teflon + steel. Good stuff. I love my Otto DIY kits.

[@HushMySweet1]

All true and great advice! I didn't use the stainless pivots just because the kit didn't come with them, but they are pretty cool little units too.

[@JLo安全]

A tip for the people who stripped the 4 top screws: If you have a soldering iron, you can solder your screw driver into the screw. The heat will also help soften up the Loctite material covering the screw tip. I stripped all of mine and I was able to remove them with the lightest twist with this method.

[@HushMySweet1]

That is a great tip. I had never heard of that, so next time I strip one of these stubborn things, I'm definitely going to give it a try. Thanks for watching and weighing in, dude!

[@ZandoNoid]

Do you know if the otto v2 kit fits in a 2nd impact lever?? I've seen there is now a version for seimitsu levers as well, and i believe they're closer to the 2nd levers. Thanks in advance.

[@HushMySweet1]

I don't have a v2 kit on hand to test. I would venture a guess to say no, though. I believe the 2nd Impact levers are more similar to the newer Qanba ones than any Seimitsu counterpart. But I'm just guessing. Let us know for sure if you test! Thanks for watching.

[@ZandoNoid]

@@HushMySweet1 Thanks for the fast answer even in an older video. I will get the seimitsu version, as the sanwa gate mechanism on the body don't look like they fit with the pcb inside. Worst case i get the seimitsu parts to finish it.

[@ZandoNoid]

@@HushMySweet1 update: the otto v2m body doesn't fit the 2nd impact pcb. Restrictor kinda does and actuator is too small to hit the micro switches. I got an ls-56 to install it instead.

[@HushMySweet1]

@@ZandoNoid Interesting! Thanks for the info on your report back. Now we know for certain!

[@ilypo]

aaaanndd I'm adding another thing to my wishlist. Thanks for the great video mate, guess I gotta save up some more money for my next upgrade ahaha

[@HushMySweet1]

Stick modding is a never-ending rabbit hole of incremental upgrades. It's a cool kit though and I definitely recommend it if you want to beef up a standard JLF or Hori. Thanks for watching/commenting!

[@Wrekkshoppe]

Is that some kinda Mortal Kombat themed remix playing in the background? If so, what is the track from?

[@HushMySweet1]

Lol yeah! I use synthwave covers of fighting game OSTs for all my bg music. All the synthwave tracks are loaded up on this same channel if you'd like to listen to them.

[@chopstyx6228]

Which of the two gates that the v5 comes with do you prefer? I noticed the install had the square but the turtle stick had the rounded square.

[@HushMySweet1]

lol, good eye! I probably like the rounded square one better, but both are good options. What was your preference?

[@chopstyx6228]

@HushMySweet1 I've only tried the square gate for now but I may spend some time with the rounded square for a bit and see which I like.

[@MichaelHarto]

you should get the buttercade stainless steel pivot to further smoothen the movement.

[@HushMySweet1]

I do have some of those and they are great! I didn't include them here because they weren't part of the initial kit and I didn't want to muddy the waters. Thanks for watching!

[@DroopiTV]

Is the shaft supposed to be so tightly connected to the pivot so that it won’t spin?

[@MRSTU1210]

Wicked subbed

[@HushMySweet1]

Awesome! Thanks for the support!

[@PandorusFightStick]

wonder since the new Sanwa JLX has been released if this will compatable with this or needed now?

[@HushMySweet1]

Maybe I'll have to explore the JLX if and when I get one. Let me know your thoughts on the lever if you get it.

[@PandorusFightStick]

@@HushMySweet1 ordered from Focus attack, so should be here soon!

[@fiending]

if you have a chance, you should try the V2, it completely eliminates all the friction from the whole surface area of the round pivot because it's being held in place with a rubber grommet that's fixed horizontally, so when you move the lever, it's just bending the rubber that's wrapped around it to move around, no friction. the only friction you'll get is from the actuator touching the switch. I think it's really weird the actuators that come with this kit are so rough on the outside

[@HushMySweet1]

Yeah, it's on my list to do at some point, but I'm more of a fan of Japanese-style levers, so I'm keeping my expectations in check. Thanks for watching and commenting! I appreciate the support!

[@RollTide8569]

I just installed this and I'm noticing it's way too easy to accidentally get and up or down when just moving forwards or backwards. which actuator size would be best to use to get rid of this problem? I think I have the 12mm one in there based on the picture in the video.

[@HushMySweet1]

The smallest one, 12 mm (which is the one you're using). Double-check that's the one you have in there. If not, change to that one. If so, then it will take some deliberate practice to control your motions.

[@RollTide8569]

@@HushMySweet1 yeah, I have the 2 big dots and 1 small dot and the 3 dot one out of the stick, so i guess the 12mm is in there. I guess I just got to get used to it. I got some tension springs coming. i hope they help. I been playing on full collar korean levers for a long time, so that might be it, as well.

[@HushMySweet1]

@@RollTide8569 Ah yeah, if you're coming from a K lever background, this will be a bit strange at first.

[@deminator1472]

Interesting mod! Curious - do you prefer Square or Octag gates? When I use stick, I prefer Octag personally. Although these days im mostly just a stickless player hah. Also been getting into Mortal Kombat - which is bizarre for me as a fighting game that is more geared towards Pad rather than an arcade stick!

[@HushMySweet1]

I used to play charge characters so I've always used square. I really like the rounded square gate that comes with this kit though. I typically use bigger actuators and shorter shafts so the stick has less travel. Everyone plays a bit different, and I use my fingers rather than the whole wrist, so that's what I've found to work the best for me.

[@fiending]

are you using the 13mm actuator and are you using the 1.5lb spring, and are you using the sanwa short shaft? and when you are blocking down-back on player 1 side and let go really quickly, does the stick bounce enough to trigger an opposite input? thanks.

[@HushMySweet1]

On this one I assembled for the vid, I didn't install a short shaft. The one installed in that Technodrome stick does though and I have never noticed it over-extending on its way back through neutral. I'm smacking it around as we speak and I don't see enough play that this would be consistently triggering accidental inputs.

[@lawlznet]

I had the V5 installed, and while the performance was outstanding, for some reason the actuator wouldn't release the switches all the way after performing a move, and would "stick." I thought it was an issue with the switches (which turned out to be off brand) so I got some genuine Omron's to release them, but the same issue came back, just with different switches. :/ I ended up having to go back to a stock actuator and gate, but kept the pivot anyway. Still unsure what was causing the sticking issue.

[@HushMySweet1]

Wow, that's bizarre. I have V5s in several of my sticks and I've never heard of that issue. Wouldn't release them like the actuator was too big for them to reset or something? Could you try the V5 with a different actuator?

[@lawlznet]

@@HushMySweet1 Exactly! I noticed that when I put the switches back on, the actuator is so FAT that the switches essentially rub up against it without having to touch the lever at all. And this is on the smallest otto actuator, too- the stock one was tiny by comparison and when I went back to it, the "problem" resolved itself since returning to neutral released the switches. I'm wondering if there's something else in play, since I can't find many other people with the same issue. I don't know if it's the pivot being unlubed (arcadeshock no longer packages shin-etsu lube with the otto mods, because apparently them being made from teflon is supposed to take care of that) or if the phreakmods removeable shaft i'm using has something to do with it. Those are the other mods attached to this stick. I should also note that this was a mod on an 8bit do arcade stick, on what I originally thought was a genuine sanwa jlf lever, which may have been an offbrand. At this point though I've replaced enough of its pieces that it's a hybrid of parts, lol.

[@lawlznet]

@@HushMySweet1 Hello! I've returned just to let you know that I've corrected the problems I was experiencing. ^^ Thankfully, it turns out that neither the Otto parts nor the other parts on the stick, such as the Link Ex Groove detachable shaft, which were causing the problem- the issue was the lack of lube on the spring hat, which was causing too much friction and not allowing the stick to return to neutral properly. As soon as I thoroughly lubed it, the fight stick was functioning perfectly and I could no longer replicate the microswitch issue. ^^

[@HushMySweet1]

@@lawlznet Awesome! I was scratching my head at your original comment, so I'm glad it was something simple like that and you got it figured out!

[@KindKraken]

might have to try the Octogate one Us octousers are valid lol

[@victorbosch9855]

Great mod !!!!

[@HushMySweet1]

I really like it. Thanks for commenting, Victor!

[@johanseth3277]

Is an oversized actuator good for Tekken or 3D fighters?

[@HushMySweet1]

The general consensus usually holds that Korean style levers with the grommets and such are better (or at least more prevalent) in 3d fighters. There is a similar kit for a JLF called the V2 kit which skews it that direction.

[@johnlund3088]

Great review as always 👏 👍 I don't really feel that it's a upgrade to the JLF more like a downgrade but that's only my opinion.

[@HushMySweet1]

Yeah, it's definitely different, and at the end of the day, everything is all personal feel/preference anyway. Thanks for sharing your opinion regardless! Hopefully I'll touch on a mod you like better in the future.

[@johnlund3088]

@HushMySweet I tend to agree with alot of your videos. My problem with otto is that I feel that it makes my movements feel sluggish and slower than with out the kit

[@spookzdoublez2189]

Is this compatible with the JLX?

[@HushMySweet1]

I believe so. (However, I haven't done it myself, nor do I currently have a JLX in hand to confirm.) I would bet it would, but you may want to confirm with someone else before committing to buy.

[@zellerized]

I hate to be a newb since I've built over a hundred machines and gamed since Atari, but someone needs to sell a kit with an assortment of stick setups.. gates, actuators etc

[@HushMySweet1]

I know Arcade Shock has an in-person store setup (and they bring a similar setup along to majors) where they have tons of different buttons and levers sort of mounted in the wood, free to feel and try, and help you decide before you buy. But yeah, a kit could be pretty cool.

[@rj5485]

It's a game changer

[@HushMySweet1]

I like it, too. Really elevates a JLF imo.

[@rj5485]

@@HushMySweet1 yeah! Especially coupled with an Otto square or octo gate. Buttery smooth!