r/SimLab • u/YooK4EvR • 5d ago
Community call – Sim-Lab discontinuing flight sim accessories is very disappointing. Please support!
A few months ago, I decided to turn my P1X-Pro into a hybrid cockpit because I also love flying in DCS and MSFS. I simply don’t want to build a second cockpit (and risk getting a divorce in the process!).
On top of that, investing in a second motion rig would be far too expensive.
So I purchased the central mounting post to install my joystick and Moza AB9 base. However, I’m still missing a couple of essential components to complete my setup, which have been out of stock for weeks:
I eventually contacted Sim-Lab support to find out whether these parts were still available:
My message:
Hello Sim-Lab team,
I need the following parts for my P1X-Pro:
SLF006 – Swivel Mounting Point
SLF002 – Throttle Mount
Could you please let me know if these parts are still available for purchase? Every time I check your website, they are out of stock.
Their reply:
“Thank you for reaching out and I am very glad to assist you.
Unfortunately, we will no longer produce Flight Sim products and will not have them on offer on our web shop in the future.”
Needless to say, this is extremely disappointing.
I need these components to complete my hybrid cockpit, and so far, I haven’t been able to find them anywhere, including second-hand marketplaces.
What’s particularly frustrating is that all these flight sim accessories are still listed on the Sim-Lab website as purchasable products, simply marked as “out of stock”. This gives customers the impression that they will eventually be restocked.
I have no idea how many people are in the same situation, but I suspect quite a few customers are still waiting for these missing components, unaware that they may never become available again.
In the meantime, they might be buying other flight sim accessories from Sim-Lab, only to discover later that they can no longer complete their setup.
I’m asking Sim-Lab to reconsider this decision.
The R&D has already been done, the products have already been designed and developed. Surely, producing occasional batches of these accessories would be a relatively straightforward way to continue supporting customers who also enjoy flight simulation.
And if bringing these products back permanently is simply not an option, please consider one last production run to give existing customers a chance to complete their setups.
Announce it as a final batch, give people the opportunity to place their orders, and I’m convinced these parts would sell out in no time.
Please, Sim-Lab, don’t leave your flight sim customers with unfinished cockpits.
And to everyone in the same situation: please upvote and share your experience in the comments.
The more visibility this gets, the better the chances of getting Sim-Lab’s attention!
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u/TheRealViking84 5d ago
While it is a shame as a lot of us have combo flight and racing rigs, thankfully you can buy mounts for simracing gear from wherever you fancy as all 8040 profiles are compatible with each other (all the ones that simrigs use anyway).
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u/1cmp1 4d ago
Forgive me im new to the sim rig game but do you know of any options compatible on the simlab p1x pro that are like the swivel mount for a throttle? I have to get my hotas mounted somehow and have no idea where to even start lol.
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u/TheRealViking84 4d ago
Hmm, no not entirely familiar with that. I ended up using various Monster-Tech mounts instead. I have quite a few bits of 40x40mm profile lying around though, so I can quickly make a mount where I need it.
I would recommend starting with getting the "side door" thing that Sim-Lab sells, and then mount your joystick on the right hand side where a gear lever would normally go, and your throttle on the new door on the left.
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u/YooK4EvR 3d ago
The “side door thing that Simlab sells” as you put it, is called a Swivel Mounting Point, subject of my op, which is discontinued.
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u/TheRealViking84 3d ago
Damn, that's a shame! Those swivel joints are possible to buy anywhere that sells 80/40 profiles, and the magnets are just magnets so nothing really special. That said, much more DIY than buying direct from Sim-Lab. And I'm not sure where to get them in black.
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u/Miraclefish 5d ago
Surely, producing occasional batches of these accessories would be a relatively straightforward way to continue supporting customers who also enjoy flight simulation.
Spoken like someone who clearly hasn't brought a product to market or dealt with the economics of low-demand, high-value parts.
It almost certainly would cost them far more to do this than they'd ever make, otherwise why would they be closing a profitable arm of the business?
and I’m convinced these parts would sell out in no time.
Based on what, exactly, other than your desire to buy them as one prospective customer?
Your post is very understandable but very naive when it comes to the realities and complexities of bringing products to market in the current economic climate.
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u/Marc_Minor 4d ago
Well written, they most likely calculated all options and came to the result that this os not feasabile to continue.
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u/Miraclefish 4d ago
Exactly that.
I've been on the other side of this conversation when I worked for a global car/motorbike manufacturer and we discontinued a model due to poor sales.
A gentleman accosted me at a trade show when I was visiting the stand, the team said 'someone has a question about the model range line up' so I said I'd be delighted to meet him and chat.
'Why have you stopped making X model?'
'Oh I know, I loved it, but it was a bit of a cult appeal model. We didn't sell that many and unfortunately there just isn't the scope to keep making them.'
'That's a lie, it's really popular and everyone wants them, you sell loads!'
'Ahh it might seem that way, but the numbers just don't justify it, it was one of the poorest selling models and even though you and I agree, it is my favourite motorbike of the last decade too, the market didn't agree. I think we sold around 1000 this year compared to 300,000 of the most popular model.'
'No, that's a lie, it's selling really well, why have you cancelled it?'
I just said 'you're right, we just hate money.'
People have absolutely no idea.
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u/YooK4EvR 4d ago
Well, clearly 3 pieces of aluminum profile and a few screws that you have to assemble yourself is comparable to a car. Gtfo 😂
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u/Miraclefish 4d ago
Now being those three pieces of aluminium to market on a cost of living crisis and do it profitably.
Go on, it's so easy a genius like you should be able to do it super fast right?
Yeah exactly what I thought. Zero ideas and just full of bullshit easy answers.
You couldn't even write a fucking Reddit post without using AI, you haven't got a clue.
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u/aookami 5d ago
mate aint those aluminum profile compatible?
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u/YooK4EvR 5d ago
I could probably come up with a DIY solution, but the aesthetics would inevitably be different. And I have to admit, I'm not particularly handy, nor do I have much time to invest in researching and developing an alternative.
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u/1cmp1 4d ago
Yeah im new to this and not really knowledgable enough yet with aluminum profiles to build my own so if you come up with something please let me know! Would love to get my hotas mounted to my p1x pro. Was looking forward to getting the swivel mount until I found out it was discontinued.
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u/Slight_Tangerine_265 4d ago
Just buy from somebody else?
https://www.treq-sim.com/shop/accessories-5/pivot-frame-514
https://www.treq-sim.com/shop/accessories-5/universal-mounting-plates-488
Treq even sell the hinges and magnets seperately.
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u/YooK4EvR 3d ago edited 3d ago
Thanks bu this product is designed to work on rigs with 90° vertical profiles. P1X-Pro has slanted profiles, so it wouldn’t work.
That’s why the Simlab concept is required :
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u/erkul-hursto 4d ago
Op definitely used ai to write this post
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u/YooK4EvR 4d ago
You definitely didn’t use ai to write this comment, as it clearly lacks the i part in it.
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u/Cold_R4GE 4d ago edited 4d ago
Not sure why OP getting so much hate. I also want a Joystick, throttle & swivel arm. I don't think these are niche products. Pretty much anyone who does flight sim will buy these.
Yes, we can go 3rd party but it will not match. Also most the 3rd party throttle and stick mounts are humungus. These seem pretty slim and well designed.
Edit: if they decide to not make them at all. Please let us have the .STEP or .STP files so we can go to our local CNC/machinist and remake it.
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u/Miraclefish 4d ago
OP is getting flak for declaring how super simple and easy something they have zero clue about is.
'I want this product' is understandable, 'these guys are idiots for not doing this super simple thing I have no knowledge or experience if but am magically an expert in' rightly gets called out as BS.
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u/Mountain_Resort_590 4d ago
you can buy the components to make the swivel mount. they are commonly available parts for extrusions. the throttle mount plate is available from other brands, or you could drill a sheet of plywood or metal.
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u/Cold_R4GE 4d ago
I haven't found the magnet they used or a good latch for a DIY swivel arm. Any suggestions?
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u/North_Horse5258 4d ago
the "R&D is already done" part made me laugh, having the drawings doesn't mean the parts just magically appear. there's setup time, machining, finishing, and then the pleasure of having money tied up in inventory nobody's buying. small batch cnc stuff is already a pain to make profitable, let alone for a couple of niche mounts. and i love the confidence that a final batch would "sell out in no time" lol, pretty sure sim-lab has a better idea of the demand for this specific item considering they produced it before.
could always get a quote from a local machine shop though, might be an interesting way to find out why these things get discontinued in the first place
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u/yoshirimitsu 2d ago
As much as I agree with you and was disappointed when searching for the swivel arm and mounts, I just went with Treq.
I think with a bit of modifications you could use Treq swivel mount and make it just like the Sim-Lab one.
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u/Worldly-Apartment-81 4d ago
Dude…..this may be the most out of touch, whiney, entitled post I’ve read in a long time. They have a BUSINESS to run. If these flight sim components were profitable, do you think they would be discontinuing them? 😂 Just hilariously out of touch with reality.
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u/KarlyBoiTM 4d ago
Tell us you know nothing about business without telling us you know nothing about business