Yes, the warthog does require significant force to nudge from center (breakout force). This can be lessened by removing the large center spring, but the stick will still require more force than it should and the breakout is never clean and smooth, which for precison flying it really needs to be, especially for that kind of money.
As for the metal in the stick, that is cheap stuff as well. It feels quality only because it’s heavy.
In my opinion you are vastly better off getting a VKB gunfighter. It has the best and smoothest cam setup in the market, even better than Virpil’s, and the build quality is second to none. Short of a Brunner force feedback stick ($$$$) there is no finer stick that I’m aware of. If you really want to use a warthog grip on either a VKB or Virpil base they both have adapters available as well.
Another nice feature of the gunfighter is replaceable/adjustable cams and springs. You can choose the resistance and centering force you want independently. Both the VKB and Virpils can handle extensions as well, which the warthog is far too heavy for. Even a small 10cm extension can provide a massive improvement in precision around center for small corrections (amazing for close formation flight etc).
Cheers.