Repair your broken 360 analog sticks

Update 3-24-2009:
Sorry, school is eating up most of my time. I made a quick reference for the analog stick. The photo labels most of the important parts that makes your analog stick works.

link: http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g225/Eureka_yolk/analogstickreference.jpg

Update 1-28-2009:
Here's a picture of the 7th hidden screw on a wireless controller:
http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g225/Eureka_yolk/hidden_screw.jpg

A somewhat detail picture of the left analog stick:
http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g225/Eureka_yolk/l_anlgstk2.jpg

I will post pictures of the soldered analog gryo taken from a PS2 controller, once I get home from school.


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This is an actual tutorial without video.

This tutorial is for anyone that wants to fix a broken analog stick, the right way. This involves soldering, if you're not familiar with it, please search for tutorials on soldering.

By the way, this is not a toothpick quick fix.

Here's how you do it. You'll need a spare PS2 or 360 controllers that you don't need any more; I recommend you get a PS2 controller for $20 and I'll tell you why in the next paragraph.

Well be using the spare controller to extract the analog gyro from the circuit board. If you purchased a PS2 controller, you can also use the thumbsticks for your 360 controller. Although it's just a matter of opinion; I prefer the rounded top over the concave 360 thumbsticks.
On a side note, you will need to force the PS2 thumbsticks through the analog holes on the 360 controller; I recommend you stick them through first before anything else.



Things you'll need:

- Spare/broken(not analog broken, of course) PS2/360 controller

- Soldering Iron

- Desoldering braid

- Security Torx 8 (Security torx have holes in the middle)

- Screw driver

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

Optional equipment

- desoldering iron

- vacuum tube

- desoldering tools

- desoldering bulb



Most, if not all, of these equipments are available at your local Radioshack.

If you dont know how to take apart a 360 controllers or PS2, please search for tutorials. The security torx 8 is used to open your wireless 360 controller, the screwdriver is for your wired PS2/360 controller.

1.) Take apart your spare controller and separate the circuit board from the rest of the components. Take off the thumbsticks and you'll reveal the analog gyro (the square box with an arm). Flip over the circuit board youll see 14 pins, and 13 of them are soldered to the board.

2.) Now we want to desolder the joints. You'll need your soldering iron and desoldering braid. Other options besides using the braid are vacuum tube, desoldering tools, desoldering bulb, or a desoldering iron. Although I have all the equipments, I did not try the other methods because using the braid is extremely easy and less time consuming.

What you do is place the braid between the joint and soldering iron (your iron should be on the top of the braid, the bottom of the braid should be touching a joint.

Theres a great tutorial on this, I suggest you look it up. Now hold it until you start to see smoke. If you look closing, you'll see the braid sucking up the solder. After you're done desoldering all joints, the analog gyro should come off fairly easy, little force is needed to yank it out. If you're having a hard time yanking it out, make sure there's no more solder on the pins.

Warning: Be careful when desoldering using the braid, it tends to get pretty hot and if you're not careful can melt your trigger.

3.) You'll need to repeat step two for your broken controller.

4.) Now you're ready to put the new analog gyro into your new controller. Its a one way fit; it shouldn't be hard to put it through the holes. Soldering it back on is relatively easy. This was how I did mine, put some rosin core near your soldering iron and it should melt and stay on the tip of the iron. Then apply it to the joint. Repeat it for the rest of the 13 joints, you do not need to solder the 14th joint, see your other analog on your 360 controller for reference.

It is imperative that when you're soldering the joints back, make sure you do not spill solder over to the next joint. Meaning, for each pin, the solder should not touch one another, and that goes for all joints. Look at the other analog stick for reference.

I'm sorry, but I am not responsible if you destroy any of your equipment.

Thank you for reading this brief tutorial and I hope that it helped you.

Video provided by chrismo2001 @ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TXAG2SlJ_bE&feature=related

Category:

Gaming

Tags:

• analog stick
• broken 360 analog stick
• thumbstick
• broken analog
• 360 controller
• xbox 360

[kcard707]

hi i tried desoldering the analog off and it worked, but i accidentally also desoldered the contact silver pad and now the solder wont stick to the board. i tried sandpaper but theres no copper in the hole, just around it. please is there a way i can make the solder stick?

[mazingerz99]

What do you mean by contact silver pad?

But, whatever you do, don't sand off the silver ring around each whole.

Here's what you need to do:

Put the new analog stick in. For each pin that has a silver ring around it, you put some solder on each one (just enough to cover the ring) and let it cool (1-3 seconds). That will hold each pin in place, it doesn't need to stick onto the PCB(gamepad board).

I'm glad you're trying this out. Let me know how it works out for you.

[mazingerz99]

The silver ring around each whole should not have come off when you desolder the pins.

How did you desolder the pins? Using desoldering braid is the best way to remove the solder.

If there are no more silver ring around each hole, I don't know what kind of material they use. But, since there are holes without the silver ring, there is a chance you can add it, somehow and that part, I'm not too sure about.

[mazingerz99]

If your game is moving w/o your control, then the thumbstick(s) are not not in the neutral position. To find out, open your controller, take off the thumbstick cap and look for the two brass bars holding the thumbstick neck. You need to make sure it didn't pop out.

For the thumbstick click, there's a tiny button next to the thumbstick that does all the clicking when you press down. Check to see if it's worn out.

[iTza702]

Uhm. Well I was hoping you could help me with a problem my controller has. Well the left analog stick doesn't have that distinct " Click " to it. And it's more of a mush. I know it's not too much of a big deal. But during gameplay it sometimes affects me.

[mazingerz99]

Checkout the first link in the "more info" and look for the "Analog button" description and arrow.

It'll point you to, hopefully, the culprit.

[tAcOsLaPpEr33]

For some reason with my right thumb stick if i turn left it will slow down or stop and then my charecter or screen will continure too move left, Ive never figured out why

[1717Logan]

@tradingallday i fixed it i just punched the analog stick and it worked

[tradingallday]

@1717Logan same here l0l..

[1717Logan]

@WishedForWishes same here

[WishedForWishes]

my analog stick on my controller , the left one , each time i play black ops and i push down on it , it wont sprint and when i walk forward it just stops suddenly Can anybody help?

[TheMrMechanic]

@SkepTikuhL you can try replacing the push button, theres a little pole that sticks out the side that presses the button when you press down. as for the tilt, there are little lines inside of circles on the left side and back (im pretty sure thats where they are) get a small flathead screwdriver and carefully loosen/tighten them. Please like this so other people will know.

[THExDinomite]

What do I do if my analog stick moves my call of duty character up slowly or on mortal kombat I keep jumping when I dobt touch it what do you do

[MultiZkid]

@mazingerz99 please reply, my analog stick get stuck, i opened it up and cleaned it out and it still sticks. and it messes up my gameplay!

[Fryer2k9]

Good tutorial that...

[TooPoorForANameXBL]

@mvfanjw No... and it's not hard work.