I recommend getting this kit. It has the crimping tool and all the female terminal connectors you'd need for HAPP or SANWA joystick and button installs.
it is a crimp connector your looking for,
**they come in different variations and jaws and do not do the same thing so its very important to get the right one**
The specific one you need can be found Here with the spare crimp terminals to fix your wire.
With that being said if all you wanted to do was get it back working without having to pay then all you ned to do is strip the wire to expose the copper inside and thread it through the push button metal terminal and wrap it around. as long as the connection is made it will work as it should do
A crimping kit is the best way. This comes with 50 of the female terminal connectors you need and will come in handy for any future button or joystick upgrades.
This has the crimper tool and 50 of the female terminal connectors you need.
I also recommend you use some #8 3/4 inch screws and washers for mounting it.
They are not plug and play and unfortunately there really aren’t any plug and play joystick upgrades out there. A large reason for that is that A1up solders the wiring to the joysticks.
Installing ILs doesn’t require any cutting or drilling in your control panel. You do have to create new holes to mount the joysticks. These are not visible and you can use 3/4 inch #6 or #8 wood screws as they will self tap into the underside of the control panel. It is EXTREMELY important that you center them when installing.
The main hassle comes with the wiring. You can either buy some or made wiring that has .187 female terminal connectors or what I prefer is to use a terminal connector crimping kit and the stock wiring. You can get a kit on Amazon that comes with everything you need (link below). Just break off the wiring at the soldering point then crimp on a .187 female terminal connector.
No drilling or modification of the control panel is needed. A1up solders the wires to the stock joysticks though so no matter what joystick you get you’ll need to either buy pre made wires or get a terminal connector crimping kit. I’d recommend this one. It comes with the female terminal connectors you’ll need so all you have to do is break off the wire at the soldering point to the joystick then crimp on a female terminal connector.
I bought about 30m of sleeving for the cables off eBay. I'm just working on finishing up the motherboard cable but am about to run out of heatshrink tubing but I have more on the way. Then the 2 PCI-E cables. I'm worry I may run out but I think I'll be fine.0
I bought this crimper in 2018 for arcade stick wires and have been using it for my PSU cables. It'll get the job done. You're going to need a multimeter for the pinout. Preferably something with a specific continuity mode that beeps, but nothing fancy. Soldering is going to be unavoidable for the double wires. I would recommend a decent one for that if you think you'll make use of one in the future. Any wire stripper should do the job. Shop around. I managed to get an alright self adjusting one at Canadian Tire for about 12 bucks back in the summer.
Since A1up continues to solder their wires to the joysticks instead of using female terminal connectors, you have 3 options.
Buy some pre-made wires. I personally don't recommend this choice as it's not as cost effective as the next 2 options until you don't plan to update any other cab, ever
Buy a Terminal crimper kit for $20 and use the existing wires. This is the route I went as I can always reuse the existing wires and don't have to mess up the existing wire management. All you have to do is break off the the wires at the weld on the joystick then crimp on a female terminal connector. The kit comes with 50 of each so you are covered for a long time. https://www.amazon.com/Preciva-Self-Adjusting-Ratcheting-0-5-1-5mm%C2%B2-Connectors/dp/B07H8G29M4/ref=sr_1_10?dchild=1&keywords=terminal+crimper+kit&qid=1603373354&sr=8-10
Solder them. Same process as option 2 but instead of the crimping on terminal connectors you solder the wires back on.
If you have basic wiring and soldering experience then you'll be just fine. This doesn't require any drilling or altering of the control panel. Since the wires are soldered to the old joystick the easiest ways to do it is to break off the old wiring at the soldering point on the old joystick and reuse the existing wires and just either....
a. Solder them onto the new switches on the joystick or b. Use a crimping tool to crimp on female terminal connectors, then plug them into the switches on the joystick.
Since you already have a soldering kit that's probably the best way to go but for someone that doesn't then a crimping tool kit that comes with everything you need can be purchased from Amazon for $20 (and might be cheaper during Amazon Prime days) https://www.amazon.com/Preciva-Self-Adjusting-Ratcheting-0-5-1-5mm%C2%B2-Connectors/dp/B07H8G29M4/ref=sr_1_15?dchild=1&keywords=terminal+connector+crimping+tool&qid=1602527018&sr=8-15
The new joystick will not use the same screw holes nor screws but that's not a big deal. You'll want to use 3/4 inch wood screws and perhaps a washer on each one. The screws that ship with the joystick aren't really ideal as they are a bit small. probably the hardest part is just making sure you center the joystick. Other than that it's really easy.
All 3 of these are reputable venders with good prices.
https://paradisearcadeshop.com/collections/il-industrias-lorenzo-1
https://focusattack.com/joysticks/popular-brands/industrias-lorenzo/euro-joystick/
https://www.arcaderenovations.com/industrias-lorenzo-arcade-joysticks.html
A great way to go if you don't mind the slightly lower quality of the Suzo Happ joystick (they are the exact same design as IL but use cheaper materials on a few of the parts) is to get this kit from Tornado Terry's. You can't touch the price he has for them anywhere and the buttons come with Cherry switches.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/382454288920?hash=item590c0d5218:g:0RIAAOSwImRYiRL5
Installation is a bit tricky in the Midway legacy cab due to the limited room on the control panel but it can be done without any cutting or drilling of the control panel and/or the joystick housing. You will need to either buy pre-made wires or if you want to use the exiting wiring then you'll want to get a Terminal connector crimping kit like this one. https://www.amazon.com/Preciva-Self-Adjusting-Ratcheting-0-5-1-5mm%C2%B2-Connectors/dp/B07H8G29M4/ref=sr_1_31?dchild=1&keywords=terminal+connector+crimping+kit&qid=1624290301&sr=8-31
The wiring is soldered to the joystick so if you go the crimping kit route, you just break off the wiring at the soldering point on the joystick, crimp on a .187 female terminal connector (comes in the kit), then plug it in on the new switches. You have to make sure you get the joystick centered though, that is crucial. You'll also want to get some #8 3/4 inch wood screws and washers to mount the joysticks as the screws that come with them are not ideal.
As you can see below, the fit is VERY tight but it can be done without cutting.
Just keep in mind it's not a straight swap. A1up solders the wiring to the joysticks so you'll need to either buy pre-made wire or get a terminal connector crimping kit and use the existing wiring by just breaking them off at the soldering point and then crimping on a female terminal connector. https://www.amazon.com/Preciva-Self-Adjusting-Ratcheting-0-5-1-5mm%C2%B2-Connectors/dp/B07H8G29M4/ref=sr_1_29?dchild=1&keywords=terminal+connector+crimping+kit&qid=1624369298&sr=8-29 It's a very tight fit but the joysticks can be installed without any cutting. Just make sure you get them centered.
The buttons fit right in and A1up now uses female terminal connectors on the stock buttons but they are .110 and HAPP based switches are all .187. You can either use a small flat head screwdriver to spread the prongs apart some so they fit the new switches or you can cut them off and crimp on new terminal connectors.
I would check Canadian Tire or Princess Auto for a multimeter. Preferably one that has a specific continuity mode and beeps. But there's another way to test for continuity. I have the same multimeter actually. As for sleeving, I've bought a bunch from this seller and it's pretty good. I own this crimper. I bought it for quick disconnects for arcade buttons but have been told it works just fine for atx pins.
No, I use the stock wiring and just cut off the smaller female terminal connectors or break the wires off at the soldering point on the joysticks then crimp on a .187 female terminal connector. This crimping kit comes with 50 of the connectors you need. https://www.amazon.com/Preciva-Self-Adjusting-Ratcheting-0-5-1-5mm%C2%B2-Connectors/dp/B07H8G29M4/ref=sr_1_7?crid=9ABWX1UKFL5H&keywords=female+terminal+connector+crimping+kit&qid=1665765394&qu=eyJxc2MiOiIyLjMxIiwicXNhIjoiMC4wMCIsInFzcCI6IjAuMDAifQ%3D%3D&sprefix=female+terminal+connector+crimping+ki%2Caps%2C104&sr=8-7
Yeah, I'm going to do step by step instructions with photos when I do it this time. I've done a basic guide for those that have never done it before but a full step by step guide is needed for some to make them feel more comfortable with the process.
​
HOW TO INSTALL IL or Suzo Happ joysticks:
Installing IL's in any of Arcad1up 6 button fighters is a bit of work and harder than it is in the MK based cabs. This is due to the buttons being positioned close to the joystick and IL or Suzo Happs have a wider base. The good news is you don't have to do any cutting or drilling on your actual control panel. Here is a VERY quick how to and what you'll need.
What you'll need before starting.
IL or Suzo Happ Joysticks:
ILs: https://www.arcaderenovations.com/industrias-lorenzo-arcade-joysticks.html
or https://paradisearcadeshop.com/collections/il-industrias-lorenzo-1
Suzo Happ (You can't beat this complete kit for the price, but Suzo Happs are lower quality than ILs): https://www.ebay.com/itm/261991815513?hash=item3cffedd959:g:5QEAAOSwjDZYiQ4l
Either a soldering kit or a terminal connector crimping kit: I personally use a crimping tool. This kit comes with the size you'll need for the female terminal connectors. https://www.amazon.com/Preciva-Self-Adjusting-Ratcheting-0-5-1-5mm%C2%B2-Connectors/dp/B07H8G29M4/ref=sr\_1\_11?crid=LPKHYJZER06E&keywords=terminal+connector+crimp+tool+kit&qid=1656601132&sprefix=terminal+connector+crimp+tool+kit%2Caps...
Dremel or other grinding tool
3/4 inch #6 or #8 wood screws and washers
Process:
Arcade1up solders the wires to the stock joysticks but you can reuse these wires if you want. Begin by removing the stock joysticks from the control panel. They will be glued as well as screwed in place so once you remove the screws, jut pop the top of the joystick and it will come right off.
The IL joystick will not fit due to the buttons being so close to the joystick in all of their 6 button fighter cabs. You will need to use a grinding tool like a Dremel to grind down some of the housing on the IL or Suzo Happ joystick. Example: https://i.imgur.com/tMBQ10L.jpg and https://i.imgur.com/qXnghMj.jpg. Mark of what needs grinding to get them to fit in place by the buttons. Example: https://i.imgur.com/sEcuT2g.jpg
Once you have enough of the joystick housing grinded down, mount the joystick using the wood screws and 2 washers. MAKE SURE TO GET THE JOYSTICK CENTERED! IL and Suzo Happ joysticks are designed for the thinner control panels of real arcades, not these thick wooden control panels. If you don't have it centered then the rod will hit the side of the hole in the control panel before the switches can be triggered.
Once the Joystick is mounted, break of the wires from the old joystick at the soldering point then either solder them on the new switches or crimp on female terminal connectors using the crimping tool then slide them onto the switches. All IL and HAPP based switches use .187 female terminal connectors (middle size). Example: https://i.imgur.com/5lCmHco.jpg
Once done, just put your control panel back on and test. I personally prefer using female terminal connectors over soldering as I can quickly and easily switch the wires around if I put them on the wrong switch.
Final Product: https://i.imgur.com/CsR6RU9.jpg
Yep. This is the one I've used for a few years now.
It comes with 50 of the size that you'll need. Expect to waste a few figuring out how to use the tool. It took me several tries to get it right.
HOW TO INSTALL IL or Suzo Happ joysticks:
Installing IL's in any of Arcad1up 6 button fighters is a bit of work and harder than it is in the MK based cabs. This is due to the buttons being positioned close to the joystick and IL or Suzo Happs have a wider base. The good news is you don't have to do any cutting or drilling on your actual control panel. Here is a VERY quick how to and what you'll need.
What you'll need before starting.
IL or Suzo Happ Joysticks:
ILs: https://www.arcaderenovations.com/industrias-lorenzo-arcade-joysticks.html
or https://paradisearcadeshop.com/collections/il-industrias-lorenzo-1
Suzo Happ (You can't beat this complete kit for the price, but Suzo Happs are lower quality than ILs): https://www.ebay.com/itm/261991815513?hash=item3cffedd959:g:5QEAAOSwjDZYiQ4l
Either a soldering kit or a terminal connector crimping kit: I personally use a crimping tool. This kit comes with the size you'll need for the female terminal connectors. https://www.amazon.com/Preciva-Self-Adjusting-Ratcheting-0-5-1-5mm%C2%B2-Connectors/dp/B07H8G29M4/ref=sr\_1\_11?crid=LPKHYJZER06E&keywords=terminal+connector+crimp+tool+kit&qid=1656601132&sprefix=terminal+connector+crimp+tool+kit%2Caps...
Dremel or other grinding tool
3/4 inch #6 or #8 wood screws and washers
Process:
Arcade1up solders the wires to the stock joysticks but you can reuse these wires if you want. Begin by removing the stock joysticks from the control panel. They will be glued as well as screwed in place so once you remove the screws, jut pop the top of the joystick and it will come right off.
The IL joystick will not fit due to the buttons being so close to the joystick in all of their 6 button fighter cabs. You will need to use a grinding tool like a Dremel to grind down some of the housing on the IL or Suzo Happ joystick. Example: https://i.imgur.com/tMBQ10L.jpg and https://i.imgur.com/qXnghMj.jpg. Mark of what needs grinding to get them to fit in place by the buttons. Example: https://i.imgur.com/sEcuT2g.jpg
Once you have enough of the joystick housing grinded down, mount the joystick using the wood screws and 2 washers. MAKE SURE TO GET THE JOYSTICK CENTERED! IL and Suzo Happ joysticks are designed for the thinner control panels of real arcades, not these thick wooden control panels. If you don't have it centered then the rod will hit the side of the hole in the control panel before the switches can be triggered.
Once the Joystick is mounted, break of the wires from the old joystick at the soldering point then either solder them on the new switches or crimp on female terminal connectors using the crimping tool then slide them onto the switches. All IL and HAPP based switches use .187 female terminal connectors (middle size). Example: https://i.imgur.com/5lCmHco.jpg
Once done, just put your control panel back on and test. I personally prefer using female terminal connectors over soldering as I can quickly and easily switch the wires around if I put them on the wrong switch.
Final Product: https://i.imgur.com/CsR6RU9.jpg
Worth it, yes, but don't expect changing the spring to make the joysticks feel like the original arcade joysticks. It's a slight improvement but since it's so cheap it's worth it.
If you want it to feel like the real arcade did then you want to install IL or Suzo Happ joysticks. SANWA and SANWA clone joysticks (stock sticks are clones) will never have the same spring back to neutral as the arcade joysticks had due to the design. You can put 10 pound springs in them and they still won't be able to do "popping" technique that you could do in the arcade. For example, popping the controller down would make the arcade joysticks pop back up fast enough to trigger Radeon's teleport. https://imgur.com/a/SbbjZtl
​
This kit by Tornado Terry's is hard to beat price wise. It's Suzo Happs, which aren't quite as good as ILs but they come with cherry switches which came in the original MK 1-4 arcades.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/261991816702?hash=item3cffedddfe:g:CeMAAOSwc5phTLK4
With the original MK2 cab, the wires were all soldered on so you'd need to either buy some pre-made wires or break off the stock wires at the buttons/switches then solder them back on or use a crimping kit to attach female terminal connectors. This kit has all that you would need to crimp on connectors. https://www.amazon.com/Preciva-Self-Adjusting-Ratcheting-0-5-1-5mm%C2%B2-Connectors/dp/B07H8G29M4/ref=sr_1_24?crid=2KJO2Y3DNR5ZF&keywords=terminal+connector+crimp+tool+kit&qid=1663763609&sprefix=terminal+connector+crimp+tool+kit%2Caps%2C92&sr=8-24
​
Another good mod is a light up marque. These turn on and off with the cab and look fantastic http://thearcadegamefactory.com/product/light-box-for-gen-1-arcade1up-cabinets/
Example of MK: https://i.imgur.com/ou1rFlm.jpg
You can add kick plate, riser, and bezel art for MK from here: https://arcadegraphix.com/product-category/arcade1up-graphics/arcade1up-3-4-scale-graphics-by-cabinet/arcade1up-mortal-kombat-cabinet/
Since it's gen 2 MK, you could do a screen tilt mod as well. Instructions: https://imgur.com/gallery/OiRkH8o
This may be the best way to go for you then. https://www.amazon.com/Preciva-Self-Adjusting-Ratcheting-0-5-1-5mm%C2%B2-Connectors/dp/B07H8G29M4/ref=sr_1_7?crid=3N4TFDLMTMXNB&keywords=terminal+connector+crimping+kit&qid=1661634673&sprefix=terminal+connector+crimping+kit%2Caps%2C93&sr=8-7
This kit has 50 of the female terminal connectors (4.8). I use this kit all the time and it takes a few tries to figure out how to use it but once you get it down it's really easy. Just cut the stock terminal connectors off, strip back a bit of the wire, then crimp on the new ones.
Joysticks Post 2 of 2:
​
HOW TO INSTALL IL or Suzo Happ joysticks:
Installing IL's in any of Arcad1up 6 button fighters is a bit of work and harder than it is in the MK based cabs. This is due to the buttons being positioned close to the joystick and IL or Suzo Happs have a wider base. The good news is you don't have to do any cutting or drilling on your actual control panel. Here is a VERY quick how to and what you'll need. NOTE: On MK cabs you can install IL or Suzo happ joysticks without doing any Dremel work.
What you'll need before starting.
IL or Suzo Happ Joysticks:
ILs: https://www.arcaderenovations.com/industrias-lorenzo-arcade-joysticks.html
or https://paradisearcadeshop.com/collections/il-industrias-lorenzo-1
Suzo Happ (You can't beat this complete kit for the price, but Suzo Happs are lower quality than ILs): https://www.ebay.com/itm/261991815513?hash=item3cffedd959:g:5QEAAOSwjDZYiQ4l
Either a soldering kit or a terminal connector crimping kit: I personally use a crimping tool. This kit comes with the size you'll need for the female terminal connectors. https://www.amazon.com/Preciva-Self-Adjusting-Ratcheting-0-5-1-5mm%C2%B2-Connectors/dp/B07H8G29M4/ref=sr\_1\_11?crid=LPKHYJZER06E&keywords=terminal+connector+crimp+tool+kit&qid=1656601132&sprefix=terminal+connector+crimp+tool+kit%2Caps...
Dremel or other grinding tool
3/4 inch #6 or #8 wood screws and washers
Process:
Arcade1up solders the wires to the stock joysticks but you can reuse these wires if you want. Begin by removing the stock joysticks from the control panel. They will be glued as well as screwed in place so once you remove the screws, jut pop the top of the joystick and it will come right off.
The IL joystick will not fit due to the buttons being so close to the joystick in all of their 6 button fighter cabs. You will need to use a grinding tool like a Dremel to grind down some of the housing on the IL or Suzo Happ joystick. Example: https://i.imgur.com/tMBQ10L.jpg and https://i.imgur.com/qXnghMj.jpg. Mark of what needs grinding to get them to fit in place by the buttons. Example: https://i.imgur.com/sEcuT2g.jpg
Once you have enough of the joystick housing grinded down, mount the joystick using the wood screws and 2 washers. MAKE SURE TO GET THE JOYSTICK CENTERED! IL and Suzo Happ joysticks are designed for the thinner control panels of real arcades, not these thick wooden control panels. If you don't have it centered then the rod will hit the side of the hole in the control panel before the switches can be triggered.
Once the Joystick is mounted, break of the wires from the old joystick at the soldering point then either solder them on the new switches or crimp on female terminal connectors using the crimping tool then slide them onto the switches. All IL and HAPP based switches use .187 female terminal connectors (middle size). Example: https://i.imgur.com/5lCmHco.jpg
Once done, just put your control panel back on and test. I personally prefer using female terminal connectors over soldering as I can quickly and easily switch the wires around if I put them on the wrong switch.
Final Product: big blue - https://i.imgur.com/CsR6RU9.jpg
MK Legecy - https://i.imgur.com/M42hAf5.jpg
Post 2 are for how to install IL or Suzo Happ joysticks. These are more difficult to install on the 6 button fighter cabs but if you grew up playing SF in arcades then these are likely what you remember.
HOW TO INSTALL IL or Suzo Happ joysticks:
Installing IL's in any of Arcad1up 6 button fighters is a bit of work and harder than it is in the MK based cabs. This is due to the buttons being positioned close to the joystick and IL or Suzo Happs have a wider base. The good news is you don't have to do any cutting or drilling on your actual control panel. Here is a VERY quick how to and what you'll need.
What you'll need before starting.
IL or Suzo Happ Joysticks:
ILs: https://www.arcaderenovations.com/industrias-lorenzo-arcade-joysticks.html
or https://paradisearcadeshop.com/collections/il-industrias-lorenzo-1
Suzo Happ (You can't beat this complete kit for the price, but Suzo Happs are lower quality than ILs): https://www.ebay.com/itm/261991815513?hash=item3cffedd959:g:5QEAAOSwjDZYiQ4l
Either a soldering kit or a terminal connector crimping kit: I personally use a crimping tool. This kit comes with the size you'll need for the female terminal connectors. https://www.amazon.com/Preciva-Self-Adjusting-Ratcheting-0-5-1-5mm%C2%B2-Connectors/dp/B07H8G29M4/ref=sr\_1\_11?crid=LPKHYJZER06E&keywords=terminal+connector+crimp+tool+kit&qid=1656601132&sprefix=terminal+connector+crimp+tool+kit%2Caps...
Dremel or other grinding tool
3/4 inch #6 or #8 wood screws and washers
Process:
Arcade1up solders the wires to the stock joysticks but you can reuse these wires if you want. Begin by removing the stock joysticks from the control panel. They will be glued as well as screwed in place so once you remove the screws, jut pop the top of the joystick and it will come right off.
The IL joystick will not fit due to the buttons being so close to the joystick in all of their 6 button fighter cabs. You will need to use a grinding tool like a Dremel to grind down some of the housing on the IL or Suzo Happ joystick. Example: https://i.imgur.com/tMBQ10L.jpg and https://i.imgur.com/qXnghMj.jpg. Mark of what needs grinding to get them to fit in place by the buttons. Example: https://i.imgur.com/sEcuT2g.jpg
Once you have enough of the joystick housing grinded down, mount the joystick using the wood screws and 2 washers. MAKE SURE TO GET THE JOYSTICK CENTERED! IL and Suzo Happ joysticks are designed for the thinner control panels of real arcades, not these thick wooden control panels. If you don't have it centered then the rod will hit the side of the hole in the control panel before the switches can be triggered.
Once the Joystick is mounted, break of the wires from the old joystick at the soldering point then either solder them on the new switches or crimp on female terminal connectors using the crimping tool then slide them onto the switches. All IL and HAPP based switches use .187 female terminal connectors (middle size). Example: https://i.imgur.com/5lCmHco.jpg
Once done, just put your control panel back on and test. I personally prefer using female terminal connectors over soldering as I can quickly and easily switch the wires around if I put them on the wrong switch.
Final Product: https://i.imgur.com/CsR6RU9.jpg
HOW TO INSTALL IL or Suzo Happ joysticks:
Installing IL's in any of Arcad1up 6 button fighters is a bit of work and harder than it is in the MK based cabs. This is due to the buttons being positioned close to the joystick and IL or Suzo Happs have a wider base. The good news is you don't have to do any cutting or drilling on your actual control panel. Here is a VERY quick how to and what you'll need.
What you'll need before starting.
IL or Suzo Happ Joysticks:
ILs: https://www.arcaderenovations.com/industrias-lorenzo-arcade-joysticks.html
or https://paradisearcadeshop.com/collections/il-industrias-lorenzo-1
Suzo Happ (You can't beat this complete kit for the price, but Suzo Happs are lower quality than ILs): https://www.ebay.com/itm/261991815513?hash=item3cffedd959:g:5QEAAOSwjDZYiQ4l
Either a soldering kit or a terminal connector crimping kit: I personally use a crimping tool. This kit comes with the size you'll need for the female terminal connectors. https://www.amazon.com/Preciva-Self-Adjusting-Ratcheting-0-5-1-5mm%C2%B2-Connectors/dp/B07H8G29M4/ref=sr\_1\_11?crid=LPKHYJZER06E&keywords=terminal+connector+crimp+tool+kit&qid=1656601132&sprefix=terminal+connector+crimp+tool+kit%2Caps...
Dremel or other grinding tool
3/4 inch #6 or #8 wood screws and washers
Process:
Arcade1up solders the wires to the stock joysticks but you can reuse these wires if you want. Begin by removing the stock joysticks from the control panel. They will be glued as well as screwed in place so once you remove the screws, jut pop the top of the joystick and it will come right off.
The IL joystick will not fit due to the buttons being so close to the joystick in all of their 6 button fighter cabs. You will need to use a grinding tool like a Dremel to grind down some of the housing on the IL or Suzo Happ joystick. Example: https://i.imgur.com/tMBQ10L.jpg and https://i.imgur.com/qXnghMj.jpg. Mark of what needs grinding to get them to fit in place by the buttons. Example: https://i.imgur.com/sEcuT2g.jpg
Once you have enough of the joystick housing grinded down, mount the joystick using the wood screws and 2 washers. MAKE SURE TO GET THE JOYSTICK CENTERED! IL and Suzo Happ joysticks are designed for the thinner control panels of real arcades, not these thick wooden control panels. If you don't have it centered then the rod will hit the side of the hole in the control panel before the switches can be triggered.
Once the Joystick is mounted, break of the wires from the old joystick at the soldering point then either solder them on the new switches or crimp on female terminal connectors using the crimping tool then slide them onto the switches. All IL and HAPP based switches use .187 female terminal connectors (middle size). Example: https://i.imgur.com/5lCmHco.jpg
Once done, just put your control panel back on and test. I personally prefer using female terminal connectors over soldering as I can quickly and easily switch the wires around if I put them on the wrong switch.
Final Product: https://i.imgur.com/CsR6RU9.jpg
WARNING: INCOMING WALL OF TEXT
There are 2 main arcade quality joysticks out there that are commonly used in these cabs. Both are equally good but each one has a distinctly different feel, often leading to very strong preferences for one over the other. Here is a look at each one.
IL(Industrious Lornezo) and Suzo HAPP: These 2 joysticks are the same exact design as they were once the same company. They split when Suzo HAPP decided to move production to China to save money. The only difference between the 2 are the material used in the Z-stop, pivot, and actuator. The ILs use a better material instead of hard PVC making the movement smoother.
If you grew up playing fighters like Street Fighter 2, Mortal Kombat, or KI in American Arcades then you grew up using IL/Happs. They were the standard for fighting arcades in the US. They have a larger bat, a smooth 360 motion, mostly quiet switches, the tops don't spin, and they have a very springy snap back to neutral that allowed for "popping" of the joystick (pop it down and it would spring up fast enough to trigger the up switch, making Radian teleport in MK, do a high jump in Marvel Super Heroes, etc). The spring used in them is much larger than SANWAS which is why they are more springy, it's not about the spring resistance which is way a SANWA still won't feel springy like an IL/HAPP even with a 10 pound spring. The down sides to IL/HAPPs is that some find the bat top to be too big, the springy nature is viewed to be less accurate by some, and you really can't customize them like SANWAS (change gates, springs, balltop, etc). When it comes installing them in an Arcade1up cab, they are also the more difficult one to do. While it won't require cutting or drilling into the control panel, you do have to cut off some of the joystick housing with a Dremel tool or other grinder to get them to fit around the buttons on ANY of the 6 button Arcade1up fighter cabs.
SANWA: These are the other major arcade quality joystick. While they weren't common in arcades in the US, they were the standard in the Japanese arcades (I think they are called Candy cades_ in Japan. They gained their popularity in the US through fighter sticks on the console side and have become more and more popular for home cab builders. They have smaller battops that spin, use games to guide or limit movements, have "clicky" switches, and use smaller springs that don't snap back as much, which some find gives them better control. They also give you the ability to change all the parts like the gates, switches, springs, and battop/balltop give you the ability to really customize your experience. The stock sticks in Arcade1up are SANWA clones so SANWAS will feel very similar to what are in your cab now, they will just be more accurate and reliable for pulling of moves. The down side to SANWAS is the movement can feel jagged due to the reliance on the gates, "clicky" switches = loud switches, and the less meaty feel of the tops and springs can feel a bit toy like. They are the easier of the 2 to install as you can use the mounting plate of the stock sticks and just switch out all of the parts. You'll need to buy and adapter wire as well I believe and the one you need varies by generation of cab I believe.
So which should you choose? I say keep it simple. If you grew up playing these games in arcades in America then chances are you'll prefer IL/HAPPs. If you grew up playing these games on consoles using fighting sticks and/or you really like the feel of the stock sticks, just not the performance then SANWAS will likely be better for you. Installing IL/HAPP is more difficult than SANWAS so when you decide which you want, check with us on the installation to make sure it's something you'd feel comfortable doing as it will require buying either pre-made wires, wiring harnesses, soldering, or a terminal connector crimping kit.
Options for buying IL or Suzo Happs:
The most affordable way to go is with this Suzo Happ kit from Tornado Terry's. These are Suzo Happ joysticks and buttons with cherry switches. https://www.ebay.com/itm/382706697210?hash=item591b18c3fa:g:YoMAAOSwkehhTLIt
If you want just joysticks or insist on the slightly better ILs:
https://paradisearcadeshop.com/collections/il-industrias-lorenzo-1
https://www.arcaderenovations.com/industrias-lorenzo-arcade-joysticks.html
https://focusattack.com/joysticks/popular-brands/industrias-lorenzo/
For SANWAS:
https://paradisearcadeshop.com/collections/sanwa-3
https://www.arcaderenovations.com/sanwa-arcade-joysticks.html
https://focusattack.com/joysticks/popular-brands/sanwa/jlf-series/
HOW TO INSTALL IL or Suzo Happ joysticks:
Installing IL's in any of Arcad1up 6 button fighters is a bit of work and harder than it is in the MK based cabs. This is due to the buttons being positioned close to the joystick and IL or Suzo Happs have a wider base. The good news is you don't have to do any cutting or drilling on your actual control panel. Here is a VERY quick how to and what you'll need.
What you'll need before starting.
IL or Suzo Happ Joysticks:
ILs: https://www.arcaderenovations.com/industrias-lorenzo-arcade-joysticks.html
or https://paradisearcadeshop.com/collections/il-industrias-lorenzo-1
Suzo Happ (You can't beat this complete kit for the price, but Suzo Happs are lower quality than ILs): https://www.ebay.com/itm/261991815513?hash=item3cffedd959:g:5QEAAOSwjDZYiQ4l
Either a soldering kit or a terminal connector crimping kit: I personally use a crimping tool. This kit comes with the size you'll need for the female terminal connectors. https://www.amazon.com/Preciva-Self-Adjusting-Ratcheting-0-5-1-5mm%C2%B2-Connectors/dp/B07H8G29M4/ref=sr\_1\_11?crid=LPKHYJZER06E&keywords=terminal+connector+crimp+tool+kit&qid=1656601132&sprefix=terminal+connector+crimp+tool+kit%2Caps...
Dremel or other grinding tool
3/4 inch #6 or #8 wood screws and washers
Process:
Arcade1up solders the wires to the stock joysticks but you can reuse these wires if you want. Begin by removing the stock joysticks from the control panel. They will be glued as well as screwed in place so once you remove the screws, jut pop the top of the joystick and it will come right off.
The IL joystick will not fit due to the buttons being so close to the joystick in all of their 6 button fighter cabs. You will need to use a grinding tool like a Dremel to grind down some of the housing on the IL or Suzo Happ joystick. Example: https://i.imgur.com/tMBQ10L.jpg and https://i.imgur.com/qXnghMj.jpg. Mark of what needs grinding to get them to fit in place by the buttons. Example: https://i.imgur.com/sEcuT2g.jpg
Once you have enough of the joystick housing grinded down, mount the joystick using the wood screws and 2 washers. MAKE SURE TO GET THE JOYSTICK CENTERED! IL and Suzo Happ joysticks are designed for the thinner control panels of real arcades, not these thick wooden control panels. If you don't have it centered then the rod will hit the side of the hole in the control panel before the switches can be triggered.
Once the Joystick is mounted, break of the wires from the old joystick at the soldering point then either solder them on the new switches or crimp on female terminal connectors using the crimping tool then slide them onto the switches. All IL and HAPP based switches use .187 female terminal connectors (middle size). Example: https://i.imgur.com/5lCmHco.jpg
Once done, just put your control panel back on and test. I personally prefer using female terminal connectors over soldering as I can quickly and easily switch the wires around if I put them on the wrong switch.
Final Product: https://i.imgur.com/CsR6RU9.jpg
Yes, they do for any of the 6 button fighter cabs but the process is by far the hardest on the Capcom Legacy cab due to it having the smallest control panel of all the fighter cabs they've made.
Basic guide on installing them.
HOW TO INSTALL IL or Suzo Happ joysticks:
Installing IL's in any of Arcad1up 6 button fighters is a bit of work and harder than it is in the MK based cabs. This is due to the buttons being positioned close to the joystick and IL or Suzo Happs have a wider base. The good news is you don't have to do any cutting or drilling on your actual control panel. Here is a VERY quick how to and what you'll need.
What you'll need before starting.
IL or Suzo Happ Joysticks:
ILs: https://www.arcaderenovations.com/industrias-lorenzo-arcade-joysticks.html
or https://paradisearcadeshop.com/collections/il-industrias-lorenzo-1
Suzo Happ (You can't beat this complete kit for the price, but Suzo Happs are lower quality than ILs): https://www.ebay.com/itm/261991815513?hash=item3cffedd959:g:5QEAAOSwjDZYiQ4l
Either a soldering kit or a terminal connector crimping kit: I personally use a crimping tool. This kit comes with the size you'll need for the female terminal connectors. https://www.amazon.com/Preciva-Self-Adjusting-Ratcheting-0-5-1-5mm%C2%B2-Connectors/dp/B07H8G29M4/ref=sr\_1\_11?crid=LPKHYJZER06E&keywords=terminal+connector+crimp+tool+kit&qid=1656601132&sprefix=terminal+connector+crimp+tool+kit%2Caps...
Dremel or other grinding tool
3/4 inch #6 or #8 wood screws and washers
Process:
Arcade1up solders the wires to the stock joysticks but you can reuse these wires if you want. Begin by removing the stock joysticks from the control panel. They will be glued as well as screwed in place so once you remove the screws, jut pop the top of the joystick and it will come right off.
The IL joystick will not fit due to the buttons being so close to the joystick in all of their 6 button fighter cabs. You will need to use a grinding tool like a Dremel to grind down some of the housing on the IL or Suzo Happ joystick. Example: https://i.imgur.com/tMBQ10L.jpg and https://i.imgur.com/qXnghMj.jpg. Mark of what needs grinding to get them to fit in place by the buttons. Example: https://i.imgur.com/sEcuT2g.jpg
Once you have enough of the joystick housing grinded down, mount the joystick using the wood screws and 2 washers. MAKE SURE TO GET THE JOYSTICK CENTERED! IL and Suzo Happ joysticks are designed for the thinner control panels of real arcades, not these thick wooden control panels. If you don't have it centered then the rod will hit the side of the hole in the control panel before the switches can be triggered.
Once the Joystick is mounted, break of the wires from the old joystick at the soldering point then either solder them on the new switches or crimp on female terminal connectors using the crimping tool then slide them onto the switches. All IL and HAPP based switches use .187 female terminal connectors (middle size). Example: https://i.imgur.com/5lCmHco.jpg
Once done, just put your control panel back on and test. I personally prefer using female terminal connectors over soldering as I can quickly and easily switch the wires around if I put them on the wrong switch.
Final Product: https://i.imgur.com/CsR6RU9.jpg
I've written that up so many times over the past 3 years I know have a word document that I just copy and paste from. LOL.
If you do go with IL/HAPPs, here is a quick guide to installing them and what you'll need. SANWA's are a lot easier to install but require a specific wiring harness that is different depending on the generation of the cab. I've installed SANWAs on two gen 2 cabs but haven't done it since as I personally don't like them.
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HOW TO INSTALL IL or Suzo Happ joysticks:
Installing IL's in any of Arcad1up 6 button fighters is a bit of work and harder than it is in the MK based cabs. This is due to the buttons being positioned close to the joystick and IL or Suzo Happs have a wider base. The good news is you don't have to do any cutting or drilling on your actual control panel. Here is a VERY quick how to and what you'll need.
What you'll need before starting.
IL or Suzo Happ Joysticks:
ILs: https://www.arcaderenovations.com/industrias-lorenzo-arcade-joysticks.html
or https://paradisearcadeshop.com/collections/il-industrias-lorenzo-1
Suzo Happ (You can't beat this complete kit for the price, but Suzo Happs are lower quality than ILs): https://www.ebay.com/itm/261991815513?hash=item3cffedd959:g:5QEAAOSwjDZYiQ4l
Either a soldering kit or a terminal connector crimping kit: I personally use a crimping tool. This kit comes with the size you'll need for the female terminal connectors. https://www.amazon.com/Preciva-Self-Adjusting-Ratcheting-0-5-1-5mm%C2%B2-Connectors/dp/B07H8G29M4/ref=sr\_1\_11?crid=LPKHYJZER06E&keywords=terminal+connector+crimp+tool+kit&qid=1656601132&sprefix=terminal+connector+crimp+tool+kit%2Caps...
Dremel or other grinding tool
3/4 inch #6 or #8 wood screws and washers
Process:
Arcade1up solders the wires to the stock joysticks but you can reuse these wires if you want. Begin by removing the stock joysticks from the control panel. They will be glued as well as screwed in place so once you remove the screws, jut pop the top of the joystick and it will come right off.
The IL joystick will not fit due to the buttons being so close to the joystick in all of their 6 button fighter cabs. You will need to use a grinding tool like a Dremel to grind down some of the housing on the IL or Suzo Happ joystick. Example: https://i.imgur.com/tMBQ10L.jpg and https://i.imgur.com/qXnghMj.jpg. Mark of what needs grinding to get them to fit in place by the buttons. Example: https://i.imgur.com/sEcuT2g.jpg
Once you have enough of the joystick housing grinded down, mount the joystick using the wood screws and 2 washers. MAKE SURE TO GET THE JOYSTICK CENTERED! IL and Suzo Happ joysticks are designed for the thinner control panels of real arcades, not these thick wooden control panels. If you don't have it centered then the rod will hit the side of the hole in the control panel before the switches can be triggered.
Once the Joystick is mounted, break of the wires from the old joystick at the soldering point then either solder them on the new switches or crimp on female terminal connectors using the crimping tool then slide them onto the switches. All IL and HAPP based switches use .187 female terminal connectors (middle size). Example: https://i.imgur.com/5lCmHco.jpg
Once done, just put your control panel back on and test. I personally prefer using female terminal connectors over soldering as I can quickly and easily switch the wires around if I put them on the wrong switch.
Final Product: https://i.imgur.com/CsR6RU9.jpg
Installing IL's in any of Arcad1up 6 button fighters is a bit of work and harder than it is in the MK based cabs. This is due to the buttons being positioned close to the joystick and IL or Suzo Happs have a wider base. The good news is you don't have to do any cutting or drilling on your actual control panel. Here is a VERY quick how to and what you'll need.
What you'll need before starting.
IL or Suzo Happ Joysticks:
ILs: https://www.arcaderenovations.com/industrias-lorenzo-arcade-joysticks.html
or https://paradisearcadeshop.com/collections/il-industrias-lorenzo-1
Suzo Happ (You can't beat this complete kit for the price, but Suzo Happs are lower quality than ILs): https://www.ebay.com/itm/261991815513?hash=item3cffedd959:g:5QEAAOSwjDZYiQ4l
Either a soldering kit or a terminal connector crimping kit: I personally use a crimping tool. This kit comes with the size you'll need for the female terminal connectors. https://www.amazon.com/Preciva-Self-Adjusting-Ratcheting-0-5-1-5mm%C2%B2-Connectors/dp/B07H8G29M4/ref=sr_1_11?crid=LPKHYJZER06E&keywords=terminal+connector+crimp+tool+kit&qid=1656601132&sprefix=terminal+connector+crimp+tool+kit%2Caps%2C87&sr=8-11
Dremel or other grinding tool
3/4 inch #6 or #8 wood screws and washers
​
Process:
Arcade1up solders the wires to the stock joysticks but you can reuse these wires if you want. Begin by removing the stock joysticks from the control panel. They will be glued as well as screwed in place so once you remove the screws, jut pop the top of the joystick and it will come right off.
The IL joystick will not fit due to the buttons being so close to the joystick in all of their 6 button fighter cabs. You will need to use a grinding tool like a Dremel to grind down some of the housing on the IL or Suzo Happ joystick. Example: https://i.imgur.com/tMBQ10L.jpg and https://i.imgur.com/qXnghMj.jpg. Mark of what needs grinding to get them to fit in place by the buttons. Example: https://i.imgur.com/sEcuT2g.jpg
Once you have enough of the joystick housing grinded down, mount the joystick using the wood screws and 2 washers. MAKE SURE TO GET THE JOYSTICK CENTERED! IL and Suzo Happ joysticks are designed for the thinner control panels of real arcades, not these thick wooden control panels. If you don't have it centered then the rod will hit the side of the hole in the control panel before the switches can be triggered.
Once the Joystick is mounted, break of the wires from the old joystick at the soldering point then either solder them on the new switches or crimp on female terminal connectors using the crimping tool then slide them onto the switches. All IL and HAPP based switches use .187 female terminal connectors (middle size). Example: https://i.imgur.com/5lCmHco.jpg
Once done, just put your control panel back on and test. I personally prefer using female terminal connectors over soldering as I can quickly and easily switch the wires around if I put them on the wrong switch.
Final Product: https://i.imgur.com/CsR6RU9.jpg
For buttons it's easy. Go with IL buttons and ideally for Pacman, Rollie Leaf switches. IL buttons fit right in as they are 28mm so no drilling is require. IL's are arcade quality buttons. Pacman and most 80's based arcades used Wico leaf switches for the joysticks and buttons and Rollie Leaf switches are leaf based switches designed for modern day buttons. I did an installation guide here. https://imgur.com/gallery/DLxW2ho
Problem is, now Rollie Leaf switches are hard to find so you may have to settle for Cherry switches. You can get IL buttons with cherry switches (or Rollie Leaf if they are in stock) from either here: https://www.arcaderenovations.com/industrias-lorenzo-arcade-pushbuttons.html or here https://paradisearcadeshop.com/collections/il-industrias-lorenzo-1
If you really want to go with a leaf based switch then these are supposed to be good but they are a bit pricy: https://groovygamegear.com/webstore/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=71&products_id=420
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As for joysticks, a popular choice for the Pacman cabs is this one from Tornado Terry's. It's a true 4 way joystick which is vital for pacman games. Pacman is programmed so that a change in direction won't get registered until the joystick returns to neutral. This mean is you are going up and you roll the joystick over to the right direction and the right side switch triggers before the up switch releases, pacman still goes up. That can't happen with a true 4 way joystick. https://www.ebay.com/itm/384415943223?hash=item5980f9ca37:g:CZ8AAOSw8PxhVKr4
Installing a new joystick is a bit trickier as they stock wires are soldered to the joystick. You can reuse the stock wires by either breaking them off at the soldering point and soldering them back on to the new joystick or you can crimp on the proper size female terminal connectors. You can get a terminal connector crimping kit that comes with everything you need from Ebay for about $25.
I use this kit. It comes with 50 of the .187 female terminal connectors you need. https://www.amazon.com/Preciva-Self-Adjusting-Ratcheting-0-5-1-5mm%C2%B2-Connectors/dp/B07H8G29M4/ref=sr_1_15?crid=22LVG184YDD7&keywords=terminal+connector+crimping+kit&qid=1646871342&sprefix=terminal+connector+crimping+kit%2Caps%2C79&sr=8-15
I used #6 and/or #8 3/4 inch wood screws with matching washers for installing both of these joysticks as well as IL/Happ joysticks in others. The wiring on the stock joysticks are soldered onto the joysticks so if you want to reuse the existing wiring then you can break them off at the soldering points then either solder them onto the new joystick or get a terminal connector crimping tool kit and then crimp on the proper size female terminal connectors (.187). I prefer crimping on female terminal connectors personally . This kit has everything you'd need https://www.amazon.com/Preciva-Self-Adjusting-Ratcheting-0-5-1-5mm%C2%B2-Connectors/dp/B07H8G29M4/ref=sr_1_45?crid=AUACQH5NYXLQ&keywords=terminal+connector+crimp+tool+kit&qid=1646776227&sprefix=terminal+connector+crimp+tool+kit%2Caps%2C88&sr=8-45
For adding games you'll have to do a PC or Pi build. That takes a bit of technical knowledge but there are guides out there on how to do it.
For joystick and button replacements, How are you with tools? That will be one of the two biggest deciding factors on what joystick and buttons are best for you to install. There are 2 main options out there SANWAS, which are the easier of the two and preferred by many that grew up playing these games using fighter sticks on consoles or played these arcades in Japan, or IL/Suzo Happs, which are harder to install on the Street Fighter A1up cabs but tend to be preferred by those that grew up playing these games in American Arcades as these were the joysticks that were in the actual fighter arcades like SF2 and MK 1 - 4. Both are great joysticks but they have a very different feel to them so make sure you get what you are looking for.
If you want to go with IL or Suzo Happ (same design, just IL's are better quality), the cheapest route to go is this kit from Tornado Terry's. https://www.ebay.com/itm/261991815513?hash=item3cffedd959:g:5QEAAOSwjDZYiQ4l They are Suzo Happs and the buttons come with Cherry switches so it will feel a lot like the original arcades. If you are just looking for joysticks and not replacing the buttons, ordering IL EuroJosticks from https://www.arcaderenovations.com/industrias-lorenzo-arcade-joysticks.html, https://paradisearcadeshop.com/collections/il-industrias-lorenzo-1 or https://focusattack.com/joysticks/popular-brands/industrias-lorenzo/euro-joystick/ is the best way to go as you are getting the better quality sticks and warehouse prices.
Installing HAPPs and IL's is the tricky part. In the Street Fighter and all other 6 button A1up fighter cabs, you don't have to do any cutting or drilling on the control panel but you do have to grind of part of the joystick housing to get them to fit. Example: https://i.imgur.com/qXnghMj.jpg and https://i.imgur.com/5lCmHco.jpg. You can do this in a few minutes using a dremel. You can use the stock wiring but that takes a bit of work as well. The stock wiring on the joysticks are soldered on so you have to break them off at the soldering point and then either solder them on or crimp on female terminal connectors. I personally prefer crimping on terminal connectors and use this kit. It comes with the size you'll need. https://www.amazon.com/Preciva-Self-Adjusting-Ratcheting-0-5-1-5mm%C2%B2-Connectors/dp/B07H8G29M4/ref=sr_1_9?crid=3CGG71FJWHQET&keywords=terminal+connector+crimping+kit&qid=1645806166&sprefix=%2Caps%2C78&sr=8-9
The buttons on the other hand don't require crimping on new connectors. The stock buttons use female terminal connectors on all but the original Gen 1 street fighter cab but they are the smaller size. You can use a flat head screw driver to spread them apart to make them fit. I made a guide for doing this process here: https://imgur.com/gallery/DLxW2ho
Examples of the final product once installed on Street Fighter cabs: https://i.imgur.com/CsR6RU9.jpg and https://i.imgur.com/8dvjvxg.jpg
If you decide to go with SANWAs, the installation is much easier but you have to make sure you get the proper wiring harness for the specific cab you have. I personally don't like SANWAs and have only installed them once so I'm not an expert on that process.
There are vendors out there that make pre-made conversion kits and/or control panels. Most do a fantastic job but they can be a bit pricey. Also be careful with arcademodup.com if you go that route. They have a long history of inconsistent quality in their products followed by poor customer service. Most people have good experiences but there are a lot of horror stories posted in this reddit channel when people had something arrive broken from them.
There are a few good options out there for true 4 way joysticks. These are truly 4 way and do NOT rely on a gate to limit them from 8 to 4 so there is no chance of them firing 2 switches as the same time.
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As for installing them, it does take a bit of work. The wiring for the stock stick is soldered on so you can't just unplug the old one then plug in the new. You can reuse the stock wiring but you'll need to either solder the wires onto the new joystick or what I prefer to do is to crimp o n the proper .187 sized female terminal connectors on the ends of the wire. That way you can unplug them again as needed. You can get a crimping kit with everything you need from Amazon. https://www.amazon.com/Preciva-Self-Adjusting-Ratcheting-0-5-1-5mm%C2%B2-Connectors/dp/B07H8G29M4/ref=sr_1_3?crid=2LNPGN4TOOHWN&keywords=terminal+connector+crimping+kit&qid=1645535921&sprefix=terminal+connector+crimping+kit%2Caps%2C74&sr=8-3
The screw holes don't like up for either so you will have to make new ones. This really isn't a big deal as you can use #6 or #8 3/4 inch wood screws along with matching washers and they will self tap into the underside of the control panel. Just make sure you center the stick.
Unfortunately no. A1up still solders the wires to the joysticks so if you want to use the stock wiring then you need to have either a terminal connector crimping kit or a soldering iron. Personally I prefer the terminal connector crimper route so I can disconnect and reconnect as needed. All HAPP and IL joysticks do use the same size terminal connector as the buttons so this kit has 50 of the female terminal connectors you'd need.
If you are installing a HAPP or IL joystick in a 6 button fighter cab then you also have to do some dremel work and grind off part of the controller mounting block to get them to fit around the buttons. https://i.imgur.com/qXnghMj.jpg
I plan to do a similar how to guide when KI arrives. Had I been thinking about it I would have done one when I installed the white ILs in Big Blue.
If you are installing SANWA joysticks then I believe you need a wiring harness to do it. I'm not really a fan of SANWA joysticks and I've only installed them in 1 cab almost 2 years ago so I'm not really an expert on installing them.
It's the same as any of the other 6 button fighter cabs for installing HAPP or IL joysticks and buttons, excluding the Capcom legacy cab which is even harder as you have to grind off more of the joystick housing.
On all of the 6 button fighter cabs you will have to grind off part of the joystick housing so it can fit around the buttons. Example: https://i.imgur.com/tMBQ10L.jpg and https://i.imgur.com/qXnghMj.jpg. A dremel tool can do it in about 5 minutes per joystick. You also have to do some work with the wiring as the existing wiring is soldered on the joystick. What I found easiest and most cost effective (especially if you do multiple cabs) is to buy a terminal connector crimping kit (https://www.amazon.com/Preciva-Self-Adjusting-Ratcheting-0-5-1-5mm%C2%B2-Connectors/dp/B07H8G29M4/ref=sr_1_16?keywords=terminal+connector+crimping+kit&qid=1639709777&sr=8-16) which comes with 50 of the female terminal connectors you'll need. You then break off the wire at the soldering point on the joystick then crimp on the female terminal connector.
It's important that you get the joystick centered. They are designed for the thin control panel of a full size arcade so if you don't have it centered the thick wood control panel will prevent it from moving far enough to trigger some of the switches. As long as you are close to centered though this isn't an issue. You will want to buy some #6 3/4 inch wood screws and matching washers to install the joysticks. The good news is there is no modifications of the control panel itself needed.
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Installing HAPP or IL buttons is much easier. They are 28mm, the same size as the stock buttons so no drilling is needed. The stock buttons on the Capcom vs Marvel cab have female terminal connectors for the wiring so you can just unplug them and pull the old buttons out easily. The female terminal connectors though are smaller sized than what the HAPP switches use though so you have 2 options. You can either use a flat head screw driver and twist to spread the female terminal connectors apart far enough to plug into the HAPP based switches (I've done this on several cabs, just be careful not to cut yourself), or you can do the same thing as the joystick and just cut off the existing female terminal connectors then crimp on the correct size using a crimping tool kit. For Marvel vs Capcom I'd recommend going with Cherry switches as they are what were often used in that era of arcades in the US.
Once done, it will look like this. https://i.imgur.com/5lCmHco.jpg
For the IL joysticks? No. I even use the stock wiring. I just break the wires off the stock joystick at the soldering point and then crimp on a female terminal connector. This kit comes with 50 of the size you need.
Keep in mind that neither the buttons nor joysticks are plug and play. For the buttons, the only think you'll need to do is use a flat head screw driver to spread the female terminal connectors apart some as the stock switches use .110mm and any happ based switches (Rollie Leaf, cherry, etc) use .187mm. The other others are to either buy pre-made wires (get's pricey fast) or get a female terminal connector kit like this: https://www.amazon.com/Preciva-Self-Adjusting-Ratcheting-0-5-1-5mm%C2%B2-Connectors/dp/B07H8G29M4/?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_w=wkBK9&pf_rd_p=29505bbf-38bd-47ef-8224-a5dd0cda2bae&pf_rd_r=CT7XZDK4936J2M7WN1GC&pd_rd_r=0c906a76-2c05-4938-bd23-18c65c60af32&pd_rd_wg=0WyJl&ref_=pd_gw_ci_mcx_mr_hp_atf_m
You can get buttons and Rollie leaf switches at these 2 sites (just select the switches when you add them to cart).
https://paradisearcadeshop.com/collections/il-industrias-lorenzo
https://www.arcaderenovations.com/industrias-lorenzo-arcade-pushbuttons.html
https://www.arcaderenovations.com/suzo-happ-arcade-pushbuttons.html
Worth noting is that IL and Suzo HApps are the exact same design as they were once the same company. Suzo Happ moved production to China to save money and now us cheaper material. IL and Suzo happ use slightly different colors so you may have to mix and match to be the most accurate to the original arcade.
For the joystick you will need to buy some wiring harnesses I believe. I'm not an expert on installing SANWAS as personally I'm not a fan of them but the stock sticks have the wiring soldered to them. There is a modding company that sells the harnesses but I don't recall which one it is. For the joysticks you can look at the places I linked above as well as https://focusattack.com/joysticks/popular-brands/sanwa/jlf-series/. All 3 of these are Arcade vendors that tend to have the best prices around.
Difficulty varies per cab and joysticks/buttons you use. None are plug and play yet almost none of them require drilling or cutting into your control panel either. The buttons are the easiest as most newer cabs have the wires connected using female terminal connectors. IL and Suzo Happ buttons fit right in the existing holes and you can use the existing wiring but you'll have to spread out the female terminal connectors some so that the .110 connector fits over the switches .187mm terminal. If you are installing them on an 80's arcade cab then you'd likely want to use Rollie Leaf switches to be as close to the original wico leaf switches that arcades had then and if it's 90's on up or fighter cabs then cherry switches
Joysticks are tougher as A1up solders the existing wiring to the stock sticks. In most cases installing SANWA joysticks is easier and they are fantastic joysticks but were not used in arcades in America so they aren't as authentic. If you don't like the clicky, top spinning stock joysticks then you may not like SANWAS either as they are similar, just SANWAS are top of the line quality. American arcades (fighter cabs) had Suzo HAPPs in them that were made in the Industrias Lorenzo factory in Europe. They slit into 2 companies years ago and Industrias Lorenzo (know as IL's) are made with higher quality materials than Suzo Happs but they are the exact same design with interchangeable parts. They can be harder to install depending on the cab but on the MK Legacy cab you can just barely fit them in without having to cut off any of the joystick housing. Since the stock wiring is soldered you'd need to either by pre-made wires to replace the stock wiring or you can use the exiting wiring and either solder the wires to the new IL/HAPP joysticks or buy a terminal connector crimping kit ($22 on amazon and has everything you need) and then break off the wires at the soldering point then crimp on the right size female terminal connectors.
The process is the same with the Pacman cab but for that you want a true 4 way joystick. Below are links to kits that both I and many others have used.
4 way joystick: https://www.ebay.com/itm/384415943223?hash=item5980f9ca37:g:CZ8AAOSw8PxhVKr4
IL buttons (select switches with purchase): https://www.arcaderenovations.com/industrias-lorenzo-arcade-pushbuttons.html or https://paradisearcadeshop.com/collections/il-industrias-lorenzo
MK kit: https://www.ebay.com/itm/382454288920?hash=item590c0d5218:g:siEAAOSwXuphTLMP
IL joysticks on their own: https://paradisearcadeshop.com/collections/il-industrias-lorenzo-1 or https://www.arcaderenovations.com/industrias-lorenzo-arcade-joysticks.html
No. These kits aren't A1up specific. You can use the exiting wiring though and just get a crimping kit like this one. https://www.amazon.com/Preciva-Self-Adjusting-Ratcheting-0-5-1-5mm%C2%B2-Connectors/dp/B07H8G29M4/?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_w=6hjmp&pf_rd_p=29505bbf-38bd-47ef-8224-a5dd0cda2bae&pf_rd_r=4FR426DYY778NHJTER0M&pd_rd_r=f0434742-9c61-4e0f-91eb-ff80229368ae&pd_rd_wg=0JPTJ&ref_=pd_gw_ci_mcx_mr_hp_atf_m
The stock buttons have the smaller .110 terminal connectors so you can actually reuse those by spreading them apart far enough that they fit the .187 HAPP switches use. It can be rough on your hands to do that though so you can just cut the existing female terminal connectors off and crimp on the correct sized ones.
For the stock joysticks you'll have to use a crimping kit as the wires are soldered on the stock sticks. You just break them off at the soldering point and crimp on a .187 female terminal connector. The kit I linked above comes with 50 of the size you need to it has everything you need.
It's also worth noting that the screws that come with these joysticks are not ideal. They are meant to be installed on full size arcades that had metal control panels, not these thick wood control panels. I would recommend getting 3/4 inch #6 or #8 wood screws and matching washers to install them with. Also you have to make sure you center them.
No, there really aren't any plug and play options other than getting an after market control panel that has them already installed for you.
These are made for full size arcades so to get them into an A1up takes a some work, especially in the 6 button fighter cabs. The buttons are the easy part. The holes on A1up cabs are 28mm, the same as IL and HAPP buttons so you can slide them in without any sanding or drilling. The female connectors on the existing wiring though are .110 whereas the IL and HAPP buttons use .187 so they don't fit. You can use a flat head screw driver to spread the female terminal connectors apart to make them fit for you can use a terminal connector crimping kit and cut of the old connectors then crimp on the new ones (more on the crimping kit below).
The joysticks are much harder. The good news is that they don't take any cutting or drilling on the control panel. The bad news is that you will have to use a dremmel or some other cutting/grinding tool to grind off part of the mounting plastic on the IL or HAPP joystick for the 6 button fighters. Example: https://i.imgur.com/sEcuT2g.jpg The reason for this is that the base of the IL\HAPP joysticks are wider than the stock joysticks and the buttons are too close to the joystick hole for them to fit without removing part of the mounting plate.
After getting them mounted you then have to deal with the wiring. The wiring for the joysticks is soldered to the stock joysticks so you have to either replace the stock wiring, break the wiring off the old joystick at the soldering point the solder the wires to the new ones, or break the wiring off the old joystick at the soldering point and crimp on female terminal connectors. I prefer to use the existing wiring and crimp on female terminal connectors. This crimping kit comes with everything you'd need.
It is very important that you get the joysticks centered. The arcade1up control panels are very thick so if you have it off to one side some then it could prevent the joystick from moving far enough in one direction to trigger the switches. If you get them centered they work perfectly.
A great starter kit for 6 button fighter cabs these from Tornado Terry's.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/261991815513?hash=item3cffedd959:g:5QEAAOSwjDZYiQ4l
He uses HAPPs with cherry switches. IL's are better quality than Suzo Happ (they used to be the same company but now Suzo Happs are made in China with cheaper materials) and you can't beat his prices. I've bought this kit a twice and IL's from another site and it still came out cheaper than getting all IL button and joysticks from anywhere else.
You can get IL joysticks and buttons from these 3 vendors. These are typically the best prices you'll find.
https://www.arcaderenovations.com/industrias-lorenzo-arcade-joysticks.html
https://paradisearcadeshop.com/collections/il-industrias-lorenzo-1
https://focusattack.com/joysticks/popular-brands/industrias-lorenzo/euro-joystick/
These are NOT drop in replacements, especially in the 6 button Arcade1up cabs. The buttons are relatively easy as they are the same size as the existing buttons (28mm) but the female terminal connectors used in the stock buttons are smaller than what HAPP style switches use so you have to either expand the existing ones with a flat head screw driver or cut them off and crimp on the .187 sized female terminal connectors.
The joysticks are harder to install. On the 6 button cabs you don't have to modify your control panel at all but you do have to do some dremmel work and grind off part of the housing on the mounting base of the joysticks so they can fit around the buttons (Example: https://i.imgur.com/sEcuT2g.jpg). For the non 6 button cabs such as the Midway legacy cab you don't have to do any modifying of the joysticks as they can just barely fit in. (Example: https://i.imgur.com/Auteewe.jpg)
You'll have to make sure you get them perfectly centered and use 3/4 inch wood screws to mount them. The stock hardware that comes with the joysticks is for real arcade control panels, not these thick wooden panels used in A1ups. The stock joystick wiring is actually solder on to the joysticks so you have to either replace the wiring or use the existing wiring by breaking them off at the soldering point then either solder them on the new joysticks or crimp on female terminal connections. I usually crimp on new female terminal connectors and this kit has everything you need.
There are no plug and play joysticks since A1up solders the wiring for the existing joystick. You can either buy some pre made wires for HAPP joysticks or what I do is I bought a crimping tool kit that comes with all the connectors you need. This kit comes with 50 of the .187 female terminal connectors you'd need so all you do is break the wire off of the existing joystick at the point it's solder and then crimp on a female terminal connector.
You'll also want to get some different screws to install it with. 3/4 inch #8 wood screws with washers is what I use.
Examples: https://i.imgur.com/K0ELx7S.jpg, https://i.imgur.com/KydYqch.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/PkTOrBl.jpg?1, https://i.imgur.com/4CTEkND.jpg
If you don't want to solder you can still use the existing wiring by getting a terminal connector crimping kit. They come with everything you need. Just cut off the existing wire where it is solder to the joystick then crimp on a .187 female terminal connector. The kit comes with 50 of them in the needed size.
A few questions.
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Installation isn't that hard on the non 6 button cabs. Since A1up continues to solder their wires to the joysticks instead of using female terminal connectors, you have 3 options.
You will need 3/4 inch wood screws to mount them. Honestly the hardest part is centering them. For that create a template.
Another Canadian! Thanks guy. I'll look up Princess Auto. In the meanwhile do you have an opinion on this crimping tool or this one?
No cutting or drilling is necessary but the screw holes won't line up so you'll have to make new ones (not a big deal, just use any wood screws).
The stock control board works as well but the existing wiring will not as you'll need .187" terminal connectors. You can either buy new wires with .187" terminal connectors on amazon or you can get a terminal crimping tool kit for the same price you'd pay for 20 pre made wires and us the existing wires, cut the .110" connectors off and attach the .187" that comes with the kit.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07H8G29M4/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
If you buy the terminal connector kit you have a reusable tool with plenty of connectors to last you if you plan to do any modding of other cabs.
I did comparisons awhile back with player 1 having the HAPP sticks/buttons and Player 2 having the 4 pound spring and octangular gate with the stock joystick so you can see the differences. The pop test was always my way of testing MK joysticks in arcades
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A few other pics comparing them.