Issues with Virpil brackets only after a year? Questionable?

Hi All

Since I heard about Virpil I have been a dedicated user of their products. Initially ordering a full set including the stick and throttle, spending over £800.

Its been a year since I placed the initial order and since then i have upgraded the throttle to the latest version

Initial Order

VPC MongoosT-50 Throttle

VPC Mongoose T-50 Grip

2 x mounting brackets

Ordr was placed in May of 2018. products arrived and I was very happy with them. So my Desk is a custom desk made up of a solid piece of Oak 2 meters long and 40mm thick, which is used for day to day stuff when i am at my PC, so when i am not flying I remove the clamp for the stick (as I like to fly with the stick directly between my legs) so that I can use the desk for normal PC stuff also.

Anyways a year of doing this I noticed over the past month that it just wasn't staying tight enough so when i moved the stick to the left or right i was getting a little bit of movement.

Checking the brackt I noticed that the threads where it tightens for the thickness of my desk had worn away. I paid 60 Euros including postage for this so to be this was a defect. All I had done for ajust over a year was move into placae, tighten, then move out of the way,

So I contacted Virpil Warrenty via email and included this picture

This is the email I got back after sending them a photo of the worn threads on the screw.

============= EMAIL CONTENT =====================

Hi Clarke,

I'm sorry to hear that you're having some issues with your VPC gear - rest assured we will aim to get this resolved ASAP!

I want to warn you that what I see in the photo does not look like a warranty case. Please explain to me what actions with the bracket led to thread damage.

Please provide information for the service center on the list below.

Full Name:

Order Number:

Product:

Serial Number:

Shipping Address:

Contact Phone Number:

=============================================

so I replied and said I tighten the stick when i want to fly and remove when i am not. (IMPO stupid question really, what am i gonna do with swing off of the curtains with it.)

Just got a email asking for me to provide my address (which they have on their system, very obscure

Anyways I just wanted to get your feedback here, I am really expecting too much here, expecting that a product should last more than a years use?

Thanks Specter

If the shaft isn't being turned square as its installed, the threads won't ride true and will wind up being worn down. Overtorqing can cause this sort of thing as well, and at least in the image there does look like a minor amount of bend in the shaft near where the material is damaged- so I am seeing some of why they would question.

They do rather have to ask the question, because they're not there in your work space, and don't know specifically what your particular usage case is. Lifespan of a product is going to be entirely based on how its used; the party making it can't account for every environment. And you'd be amazed at how many people walk into admitting they actually are at fault for something failing just by asking what happened. So it is what it is.

Similarly, they need to confirm the address, because they don't know if you've moved, set up an alternate mailing location, etc.

In the end, if they do deny your warranty service request, pop the clamp end off, replace the shaft with a same thread measure of bolt (clean the threads in the mount prior to replacement), and get back to it.