@Dub Jubs Yep! They are the exact same joystick, minus the metal inserts in the joystick shafts on the elites (which are useless anyway). Doing this repair is actually how I got into soldering too so I'm optimistic you can pull it off as well. Best of luck!
What about the elite series 2 do you have to cut apart the thumbstick on that one as well? I have a series two that has a broken L3 button and I want to replace the thumbstick on it.
@@Andronicus87 If all you have is a soldering iron (no desoldering iron or heat gun) I believe that is the best technique to remove it. The through holes are very small on those controllers as well which can make it seemingly difficult to remove every bit of solder from each pin doing it the traditional way of removing solder. I believe those controllers also use lead-free solder so adding a bit of flux and extra solder should help to heat it up/remove it.
PS .... I am an 81 year old retired EE and ham radio guy. I still build and repair circuits that use surface mount components. I have a few medical issues but am blessed with steady hands and clear vision. I love a good project. What did we ever do before RUclips?!!
"And now comes the fun part" After trying this a few times, he's not lying! Thanks, whoever you are, for legit creating a new hobby for me. I've repaired countless controllers with your help!
@@MEXICANASSASSIN2 I've ordered both analogs and bumpers from SOSS and they're perfect. Some of their sets also come with all the tools you need to get the controller apart which is a nice bonus. The bumpers are better than OEM as they're made with better plastic and seem to fit more snugly but the analogs are the same ones used by Microsoft I'm pretty sure. There are no differences as far as I can tell. You'd be smart to order more analogs than you need for reasons outlined in the video. Swapping potentiometers may be necessary in some instances and having backups in case something goes sour like a pin breaking etc can save you time and frustration.
@@SOSSGAMING I need help so I have an elite controller and did everything you did im at the part right after you get the posts out to put the new joystick in my post won't come out i have the small hole contorller posts, I've only got 3 out so far can you or someone else help me please and thank you
If you're using just a soldering iron you can remove the joysticks without damaging them. First apply some new solder to each pin. Then apply some flux to your desoldering braid, press it to the pins you want to desolder and then apply a really hot soldering iron. I used about 420+ on my iron and the solder sucks right out of the holes and into the flux coated braid. Repeat this until all the pins are loose enough to pull the joystick out in one piece. Your iron will need to be really hot and the tip will need to be cleaned occasionally during the process but it works. It will take about 6 to 10 inches of desoldering braid per joystick but don't cut it beforehand, only cut off the used pieces of braid as you go and use a fume extractor or a fan... or just don't inhale.
That's what I was thinking. I haven't done my controller yet but I have desoldered many a module from pcb in my life and have never found it necessary to chop them up first. Just flux, heat and wick and it should come loose.
@@originalmachowi4671 Have you ever tried replacing a mouse encoder? That's the only time I absolutely needed to destruct the component unless I have 3 soldering iron lol.
30 minuets of knowledge, direction and no wasted time. Your instructions are spot on, methods of indestructible and destructive are appreciated as not always can people afford a hot air gun ontop of all the other stuff. I'm about to attempt this myself and was unaware that there's a high potential that the potentiometers need ajustment. Thanks.
@@TheOnlyUmagon dude yeah it's fxcking annoying. Even if you use a helder mod kit with adjustable potentiometers the dead zone could still be completely off whack!
Be careful because I damaged the PCB board and needed a replacement. It was the desoldering that caused the issue for me. I ended up damaging one of the holes, SHM. The rest looked great, but a small piece got stuck, and too much heat, well. I am waiting until the new part comes in. I ordered a heat gun and a desoldering gun for future projects.
Thanks for a great tutorial!! My son is heavy handed and got tired of buying new, managed to fix 2 of my controllers!! For anyone who will follow this tutorial, take your time and follow instructions , it’s not hard, just takes patience!!
For environmental reasons it should be illegal for a company to sell a shitty product that easily breaks and not provide the software needed to calibrate and repair the device.
@@jonasregnell7982 The EU has been trying to pass some legislation to fix some of these problems. It’s tougher in the US because so many politicians are in the pocket of big business that would rather sell us disposable products.
@@jonasregnell7982 they could easily fix the drift issue on game controllers by putting trim pots on the CB and make it accessible without tearing it apart.
Same here. This controller. Bought from best buy. 90 day warranty. Turns 1 yr old in 3 days. Can't replace it and not trying to wait for them to send me a refurbished one when I still haven't gotten a full year out of a properly working product. Thanks for this walkthrough but it's not helping me lol... Missing tools. But great job!
Excellent video. Just used it to repair a controller. Strictly speaking, one does not have to unsolder the motor wires. Taking care to leave the remaining half of the assembly flat on the table will prevent the headphone jack from falling out. Our calibration results were nearly perfect. The tool kit and repair parts kits were fantastic. Thanks!!
Imagine that feeling when you know that you will never have to buy a new controller because of a Drift problem. I am going to try this method for the first time tomorrow, and I'm very excited. Actually I'm thinking about taking a new hobby, as someone already mentioned above me. Lot of people around me are having trouble with Drift and there are only few people who can repair them well. Thank you very much for such an informative and hight quality video. Wish you everything good in your life.
This has been a huge issue since the 360 it just took longer back then to get drift if u want to practice soldering and desoldering I would say pick up old 360 controllers cheap and work on PC as well so you can still get use put of them also much easier to do the 360 ones as well
Clicked on this video to happily find out I was misunderstanding an issue with my controller taken apart. Then just listened to his voice while I reassembled my controller…. Good vid 👌🏼
Software for calibrating controller may not exist due to the lack of USB-based debugging on these controllers. I haven't looked to see if USB debugging exists on these controllers, and I'm not sure if this varies by model but I would assume each model is fairly similar, these controllers have SWD debug pads at the bottom of the main board next to the headphone jack; the silkscreen labels are 0/NA, RES, A14, A13, and 3V3. Through software, OpenOCD is a typical choice for this, you can find chip information, which is hidden under a blob of epoxy, and these controllers seem to typically use SMT32 chips. Through the software you can also access memory, of which you can dump, modify, and reflash, which SMT32 chips require a wipe before flashing to written memory. I personally haven't done a deep dive into the firmware, but recalibration through this method shouldn't be difficult assuming you're familiar with debugging. If there is USB-based debugging, that only makes the process simpler; but I personally doubt their is considering someone can brick their controller with a bad script, and scriptkiddies run rampant these days, it's probably a failsafe to deter this behavior by outright disabling USB debugging. I wouldn't be surprised if the various hacker and modder forums have already figured this out, long ago, as it's just a simple debug job over an SWD port. I also wouldn't be surprised if some repair shops don't do this also, as making a tool for this would be fairly easy, especially if you find a way to automate the process entirely. But the only issue with this is that Microsoft is constantly coming out with new versions of these controllers, and my main source of board information is currently unavailable so I can't just reference each version at the moment; this also assumes that Microsoft hasn't drastically changed the computing hardware either. Honestly I wish controllers would move to a better method for analogue sticks, as they're proving to be plagued with issues, especially when you deviate from the standard design, like with what Nintendo does. Even a hardware based recalibration would be nice, implement limit switches to measure min/max values when a calibration button is pressed; that kind of calibration button could also be hidden in the battery tray, or easily done through software.
One little tip for manually adjusting the pots without having to bend the pins (so keeping them more or less freely rotatable (if that's even a word)) is to use BGA solder paste to connect the pot pins to the pads. This is basically solder in spreadable paste form that melts into regular solder joints when heated, but is flexible and conductive before that, allowing for testing and adjustment without having to bend the pins over (or worst case having to tack-solder them in place multiple times even). Just don't make a mess with the paste as it's positive point (being conductive) can easily turn into a negative one (shorting things out)
I just swapped the old ones with new sticks, and behold, no calibration needed, works fine! :) I actually did the repair before watching this video, but you show lots of useful tricks. :3
Man, How I wish I had found this video before. I bought a used Xbox One controller for my PC, and the left stick was very bad. I bought new ones, and every single one I tried was drifting off. The seller send another ones after I complained they weren't good, but after seeing this I feel relieved, and kinda bad at the same time. I thought the parts were bad quality, and in the end they just needed to be calibrated... Well, living and learning. Anyway, thx a lot, I already left my thumbs up for you.
I just used this video to install your kit and it was WAY easier than I thought it would. I also am not an expert solder-er, but it was very simple following your example (after watching it like 50 times). The only think that I would add is that while the controller is open just go ahead and clean it. It will ALWAYS pay off!!
Never used sober before in my life tried to do this and fried a mobo now l'll just pay to have someone else do It especially for my elite 2 to big of an investment to chance. Don't see why Microsoft doesn't make them modular snap in&outs, my bad we are talking bout Microsoft
Very thorough and patient with explaining every step. And being mindful with showing differences between each kind of controller. Extremely helpful and appreciated 👍
Just used this process today to repair my Xbox One Wireless Controller that was drifting. It was a tedious process, but the outcome was great. Thanks SOSS Gaming for sharing your video!
I just replaced the sticks on a 360 controller, preserving the original pots but forgot I had changed the sticks previously and they wouldn't center correctly, now I can correct them with this manual calibration trick. You're the best! PD: I can't believe how well that worked. This must be my best repair so far
great tips. i am actually pretty experienced at soldering and i can tell you nice job pulling that first joystick, a lot of people with no soldering experience aren't going to get it out that easily lol BTW in my experience, unless your just touching up a solder joint the flux is crucial, as in more than recommended. It lifts contaminants from the contacts to the surface of the joint and out of the solder, improves balling and so on and so on. i know the solder is flux-cored, but that is only enough to quickly make your joint.
This is a good instruction video specially the method of disassembling (11:04). What most guide fail to explain is that the whole module will act as a huge heatsink hence why some people have trouble disordering and they end up damaging the board. Most casual people only have the cheapest and basic tools and with this method they'll be able to avoid damaging their controllers. Also for recalibration there's a new method for recalibrating sticks called Heller Drift Stick Fix but is quite expensive atm. Maybe there'll be a time when someone will mass produce these boards after all the PS5 joystick uses the same model as the ps4 so the drift issue will remain for the next 7 years or so
Aliexpress has very cheap alternatives to the helder kit. Also even with perfect centering using the helder kit the freaking dead zones don't get adjusted accordingly so you could end up with very limited range!!! It's trash!
@@vgrepairs Wow thanks for heads up about the aliexpress clones of the helder kit, just ordered one of every variety to test out. Wish I hadn't already wasted money on multiple helder kits. As much as I like supporting the inventor, his prices are highway robbery. And you are right, the helder kit can limit range. Luckily we solved this problem back in the xbox 360 days, as "slow turn" was common with 360 controllers. It requires a very advanced set of tools known as sandpaper. Just take the faceplate off, and whatever direction you are having trouble pegging the joystick in.... sand a little bit of material off the shell on that side to give the stick a little bit of extra travel distance. It is a helluva lot quicker and easier than all this cutting, bending and swapping potentiometer nonsense.
THIS IS AWESOME. I just wish I had searched for this like two weeks ago. I switched out the tension springs for my thumbsticks but the left stick was stuck down and I thought it was just broken but I guess all I had to do was recalibrate it! I supposed I can still fix em but I already bought two broken controllers that I've now fixed thanks to this vid
Top quality knowledge and instruction. I really appreciate RUclipsrs who don't add load music, speak clearly and show everything. I briefly considered replacing my sticks and could probably do this ok. Not the neatest at solder and the adjustment looks like a lot of effort so will look for a board instead. May be back to follow this if I start feeling cheap about it.
First time doing an in depth repair and following this guide worked perfectly! I didn’t need to calibrate the joysticks fortunately - guess I was lucky. Thanks for making this guide - very useful
My controller was a little too much for me to repair, thumbsticks were completely not working and some of the buttons weren't either. I guess that's what happens when you use it for 6 years😂. I just salvaged everything I could to put into my other controllers that needed repairs. I've now fixed them and countless others. Thanks for the help.
Thank you for this video! I used it today in an attempt to fix stick drift in my right thumbstick. I was successful in fixing the issue. I simply replaced the potentiometer for the x-axis by desoldering the old one and soldering on a new one replacing the disc as well. After looking at the inside of the old one it seems there were scuffs where the metal on the disc would be touching and creating the issue of drifting. After replacing it all is well and works just like it did the say I purchased it!! Thanks again for all your help!!
I just fixed my Xbox Series X Core controller, the left stick had major drift issues. Replaced it using the SOSS joystick repair kit off of Amazon and surprisingly the repair worked with no calibration needed. The replacement sticks are exactly the same ones that are in the controller, same manufacturer and everything. Unsoldering the old stick was quite a chore though and there is a major learning curve If your an amateur at soldering like I am, but it is doable and patience & perseverance is key. I used a soldering iron, flux, wire snips (to break down the old stick), small flat head screw driver (for prying potentiometers) and solder to get the job done. Thanks for the video which was a tremendous help and also for putting together a solid repair kit at a great price!
Also, I was wondering, is the reason why I didn't need to calibrate after the stick repair is because the Xbox Series X Core controller is self calibrating, or did I just get lucky?
@@davetaylor7271 You are correct that the newer Series S/X controllers also now have self calibration. And great job on the repair! Thanks for sharing the journey.
Those small thru holes are a royal pain. The way I did it was with a small piece of solid copper wire. Make a small U shaped bend. Paste a shitload of flux on the holes. Solder the solid copper wire to all 3 holes. Then let it cool. When you're ready, touch the solder iron to the center of the copper wire and let it heat up. Once it gets hot enough the 3 thru hole pieces will release all at once. That's how I did it. I'm sure there are way better ways to do it. But that worked for me. Good luck fellow DIYers!!! Great video sir!
Damn this new method is awesome. I’m only missing a helping hand but I’ve never soldered anything in my life. I’ve replaced several bumpers but that’s way easier than what you are doing. Well done. Liked and subbed. 👍🏽✌🏽
Awesome video! I ordered the parts and fixed mine. Biggest problem I had was sucking the old solder out of the holes using that little plastic suction thing it came with. I would recommend heating up the old solder and suctioning from the other side of the circuit board that was the only way that worked for me. Also, my potentiometers were nearly perfect once I bent the metal leads away from the joystick. I guess I got lucky with those. Overall it took me a while to fix but it is now 100% good as new.
Dude! I was mad as hell because I just bought a bunch of pots and all of them had some drift... I didn't know you could "calibrate" them like that. Thanks for the info.
This guide is really specific and helps me understand this better, I'm doing a small project to repair a BUNCH of my xbox controllers and will update by the end of this week!
@@SOSSGAMING I just finished my first controller, was able to get my thumbstick precisely centered on the first try. Thanks to you I became much more confident in soldering!
You are fantastic! You saved my custom "Yoshi edition" (design lab) controller, I was so bummed. Def the hardest project I've done, but this helped tremendously, very thorough and clear. Thumbs up!
before doing this i recommend to replace the joystick sensor inside the little green box on the sides! one of my scuff controllers had stick drift and changing the sensor fixed it! now with my other controller the left joystick was actually broken so now im watching this video to replace it! appreciate u actually telling us there is knock off joystick thats a life saver!
Wow... this was difficult. I had never soldered before. This was tough, but I got it done. One of the joysticks that came in the package was defective and after already installing the right successfully, the left was registering as if it was clicked in. I thought I damage the board and it definitely looks a little beat up, but I swapped it out and you know what? I freaking got it fixed. I did get a couple small burns on my fingers, but I learned a new skill and fixed my stupid $120 elite controller! I would highly recommend NOT bending the pins on the green parts all the way down to make the connection. This can mean some serious damage to the board if you are not careful and you will have to disassemble the whole joystick if it is really stuck. I simply plugged it in, to get a reading, then removed and moved the pins to the left or right, stuck it back in and when it was acceptable, just soldered it in. Thanks for the video!
And this is exactly the kind of attitude what Microsoft expects. This is why they don't provide a simple solution with a freely downloadable software, where you could calibrate the thumbsticks. They love their minions keeping buying their crap. Fuck them!
Another problem is the fact that they don’t provide the key tool to open their original Xbox controller. I have to not only waste time going to the store to find the right size, but the money I spend. Meanwhile multiple fake and trash brands are selling their cheap but shitty controllers like hot cakes. I have one of the shittiest brand controller called PowerA and their controllers are known to have sticks that fuck up so easily... Seriously Microsoft, get your thumb outta your ass and make a controller we can take apart for maintenance or make a controller with better quality that’s affordable.
@@keanuvernon6114 i have 4 how much would you offer lol. Two black controllers, 1 red gears of war edition and 1 blue gears of war edition. Controllers look great with no marks i just have drift on all of them.
6:48 I usually just cut an "X" over the screw with a razor, that way I can stick my screwdriver into the screw but it isn't very noticeable when everything is back together. Also, using a teflon razor helps a LOT with peeling off stickers. Especially "warranty" stickers.
You are the best, SOSS GAMING. Thank you for this awesome and detailed tutorial video. I can confirm that the X/S controllers (with the share button) will eventually auto calibrate! 1. Use the recently released (Feb, 2024) calibration software inside the Microsoft accessories app. 2. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND picking up a cheap *electric* desoldering iron/pump if you are a beginner. *Note: The auto-calibration is REAL.* My new potentiometer gained full range of motion after running it through Windows calibration. The calibration settings persisted across all of my devices (PC, laptop, iPad Pro, and Xbox Series X). I even clicked the 'Reset to default' option in game controller settings to see if the potentiometer would revert to its previous state with severely limited movement, it did not!
NICE MATE .JUST TO SAY RIGHT CLICK ON THE PIC OF YOUR CONTROLLER IF ANYBODY ELCE READS THIS AND CLICK PROPERTIES TO GET INTO THE SETTINGS TO CALIBRATE .AS I WAS CONFUSED AT FIRST .THANKS TO CHEATER FOR THE TIP
Hi, I manged to center perfectly an xbox one controller using your technique It took me about 3 hours I used the soldering at 300 C to avoid damaging the board and very carefully testing as you described thank you very much for your knowledge!!!!
Thank you so much for this awesome tutorial! I looked into tons of analogue stick replacement tutorials (which helped me with the technique how to replace the stick), but this video gave a lot of insights on how one can calibrate the analogue stick (without calibration the rest does not help so much). What I'm wondering is: why does no one at least mention that you need to manually calibrate your analogue stick? They just replace it and bam everything works - But this is not possible out of the nature of an analogue stick.
My pleasure! Unfortunately it is not common knowledge. It's something that frustrated me so much when I was trying to repair my own controller. Thanks to some forums and some testing of my own I was able to figure it out. And it's actually what made me decide to make my own video on it and even sell the correct parts on the side.
Hi Ralph, as you wrote "nature of an analogue stick" I wonder why there is no software for autocalibration available. As these potentiometers are surely linear you should be able to "center" them with software once and for all without the hassle of soldering. :(
Thanks for the amazing tutorial! I followed it and managed to fix replace a drifting joytick in my xbox elite controller. Not gunna lie... it was difficult, but very satisfying once it worked! I would have had no chance if it weren't for your careful, step-by-step instructions! Truly outstanding work!
Thanks a lot for the tutorial! My controller's left joystick has been broken on the Y axis since like 2019 and now it's fixed! You can also just change the potentiometer instead of the whole joystick.
Super helpful video and my repair went (almost) perfectly. Managed to get the left stick centered at ~0.01851x by ~0.02269y. The only problem is that the x-axis now has a huge dead zone on the right side (which I naturally didn't notice until I finished reassembly). The dead zone changes a bit depending on the y-axis input but no matter what it won't read past 0.67880. All other metrics seem to be fine. Is the fix for this to just swap out that potentiometer?
Congrats on the project! Good numbers. That's a great question, though. I've never seen it limited that bad before. I would first check to make sure the face cover/thumbstick is on correctly etc as restricted movement of the joystick could also be a contributing factor but that's probably not the issue but worth double checking. After that yes, I would then look at swapping out a potentiometer or two to see if that helps, and lastly the joystick if it doesn't.
Swapped out the bad potentiometer today (even got lucky and didn't have to adjust the calibration at all) and it's sitting pretty at -0.02571x with no outside dead zone. Thanks for your reply and for making the video!
Great video, just swapped out the left thumb stick on my friend's series 1 elite controller, which had the small pins. I have a couple observations and a couple questions: The larger solder tip is very helpful for desoldering the thumb stick body mounts. They have a lot of heat sinking into the board so the extra thermal mass of a larger tip helps a lot. I used a pretty fine tip and ended up switching to a chisel tip (not as big as yours) at the end and it made soldering the new stick on a lot faster. I also had to bump my Hakko up to 400 C, though with a larger tip, 350 C would probably work fine. I got lucky with my potentiometers. The x-axis was dead-on from the start, and though the y-axis was off, I just swapped in another unmodified potentiometer and it was within 0.06. I definitely recommend bending the pins outward, as it makes it easier to swap the potentiometer in and out if needed. Would it be a good first step to try cleaning the potentiometers with IPA when you have them opened up? They looked pretty dirty inside, so I'm wondering if a clean would get rid of any errant copper particles that could be causing the drift. Why replace the whole joy stick if its functional? If the drift problem is caused by the potentiometers and the stick is otherwise okay, it would save a lot of soldering and parts to simply desolder the potentiometers, pull them out, put in new pots, then calibrate as needed. Cheers for the video, I'm going to see if I can find some cheap broken controllers to repair now :)
You are correct. I should have been more clear that if only addressing drift, you can just change out the potentiometer causing the drift. When I was doing repairs, I'd always switch out the whole thing anyway, but it's not necessary as you've figure out. Well done on the repair!
@@SOSSGAMING I've replaced two potentiometers, one thumbstick worked with the new one while the other was unresponsive so I removed that joystick completely and did this method but I still have the same issue
@@richstrike8418 Sounds to me like one the through-hole pads are damaged. They are a bit finicky. Feel free to email me a picture at my gmail sossgamingcs if you want and I'll see if I can spot it. It can be "fixed" with a tracer wire(s).
Thanks for the guide. Will be starting on my 4 broken controllers, 1 is snapped off need a whole new joystick and 3 have drift thanks to my toddlers dropping them off the couch etc.. wish me luck. Down to 1 controller and not buying more lol.
amazing video I just started with this hobby and I have troubles wile removing the analog joystick, thanks. I have 1 question, the calibration method works for PS4 controllers?
Great video helped me out a lot, however, I was trying out another method. Instead of manipulating the potentiometer itself, I manipulated the white nub that turns the wipers. So far, my method has worked and tbh a lot less tedious, however, testing will still have to be done as im not sure if deforming the plastic nub a certain way is a long term solution.
I've tried this before with only temporary success. Personally, I don't think it's a very reliable way of doing it as per my experience, but maybe there's a way of making sure the new deformation is stable.
6:44 Fun Fact: That Sticker is Not legally Binding according to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), and Companies can't claim you voided the warranty for tampering with that sticker.
Hi, great video, thanks a lot for making it! Based on what you show in the video, i think there might be an even better way to do this without trial and error, that I wanted to share with you. I hope this helps you. the potentiometers are voltage dividers. the motherboard firmware will contain the following numbers: 1. max 2. min 3. center. they correspond to voltages located on the wiper. so desolder the joystick in full and reassemble the controller. the connections for the potentiometer will have 0V (gnd), +Vpp (probably something like 3.3V or 1.5V, measure it with the multimeter and write it down) and the middle between them will be the wiper. so you will want to put voltage into the wiper connection that is between 0V and Vpp. while looking at the calibration app, figure out the voltage you need to get the joystick to center in the calibration app. measure the voltage with the multimeter (don't use the display on your power supply, you'll see why later). write the voltage down, call it Vcenter. make sure that your adjustable power supply never goes above Vcenter or you'll fry the motherboard. next, get a power supply that can output Vpp (that you wrote down earlier). take a new joystick. remove the 3 nubs. take 3 pin headers from an IC socket (with the machined flat spring clips) and solder 3 wires to 3 adjacent pins. plug the joystick's potentiometer into those 3 pins. set your power supply to output vpp and connect its ground to where ground would be on the potentiometer if it were in the controller, and Vpp where it would be on the potentiometer if it were in the controller. finally, clip the multimeter between 0V and the wiper. with the joystick in the center position, turn the potentiometer around until you get the same voltage you wrote down earlier (Vcenter). fixate it using hot glue or super glue or tape or whatever. The joystick will now be perfectly centered when you put it in the controller, and it's way easier and faster to do that than the trial and error method you show. You can remove the hot glue / tape after soldering the joystick in place, it's going to stay calibrated now, because it's rigid through the solder joints. But bear in mind that I've never done something like this, so I can't really know if it will work. One advantage of this is that you can just set up your IC socket and power supply and multimeter, and plug in different joystick potentiometers until you find one that is the right voltage without needing to have its nubs cut off. Which saves a lot of time and fiddling as well. you also save a lot of soldering, and every time you heat up those tiny plated through-holes the glue holding the copper to the fibre glass heats up and degrades and eventually you get a lifted pad or trace or a stripped through-hole. bear in mind that your multimeter and your power supply might display slightly different voltages, so when you figure out the calibration voltage Vcenter and later calibrate the pot by moving it around so that it outputs Vcenter, you need to be using the same measurement device.
Not going to lie I'm a little lost but I think I get it. I think I would have to see what you are talking about in action though to grasp the idea completely haha. I'm actually able to whip through joysticks now with this method, so for me personally it's not an issue but still if it's an easier way I would definitely enjoy seeing it. Thanks for sharing!
@@SOSSGAMING alright, what are you lost on? you can talk to me on twitter my user name is plt_cheater that should be easier - i don't check youtube comments too much
Should definitely pin this comment as it explains a much more analytical approach to solving the problem, makes sense -- though would be benefitted for sure with its own video
Hi what is the stuff you apply where the rumble wires are before using the chizzle heat tip?? I'm new to tech soldering & eager to learn. Do you have a video on how to de-solder?
That was just some flux paste. Now I just add a little flux-core solder to help it melt. I don't have a video on de-soldering unfortunately, as I am still not a professional in that regards. These days I cheat with a Hakko de-soldering gun which is a game-changer lol
@@swwolf3640 A de-soldering tool has tips with a hole in them to suck the solder up. Technically you could solder with a desoldering iron in some cases, but it's not ideal as an actual soldering iron will be easier to work with as the certain tips you can use work better at heating up whatever you're working on.
Thank you for the great video! Am I correct in thinking that if Microsoft would provide the proper calibration software for the controllers we wouldn't have to do all of the manual potentiometer adjustments to correct for centering? If we had access to the proper calibration software we would just have to check the new control stick for proper operation/operating resistance before installation to ensure you are not installing a faulty part, then the software can compensate for the inherent manufacturing differences in the potentiometers? I really like your videos and I have learned a lot from them. I hope in the future that right to repair laws get better so the manufacturers have to provide all the information necessary to repair their products.
yah i wish there was calibration software, I found there is a setting in windows for calibrating for different controllers but it changes the pc not the controller. Also, it's not just the potentiometer differences there are differences in the actual joystick centering. I've been soldering on the potentiometer only then swapping out tons of joysticks untill i find one that is decent enough center.
@@adamneff1600 Have anyone actually managed to get the windows 10 calibrating tool to recenter the stick? I see everywhere people talk there is that solution as long as you play on the PC, but personally the calibration does nothing to me. It still behaves as per default settings aka drifts to the right 6-11% after releasing it.
Thank you so much for this video. I didn't understand the values needed to have the potenciometers calibrated correctly. I never knew this had so much trouble and error, to tell you the truth I don't solder I'm a total noob. I hope to see more of this videos on ps4 dualshock 4 controllers. Great video.
If you don't have the tools or the desire to learn the skill that's cool but I personally always upgrade other shell parts and buttons while I have it apart. Maybe find someone who does want to fix it and either have it fixed or give it to someone who can fix it. I've been paying more attention to wasteful products and trying to fix things or find someone who can rather than toss it.
add t12 solder stations, those are really nice with accurate temp control, 300c for leaded solder, and a small tube of leaded flux (or high lead solder) is really handy to mix with the oem non leaded solder
It's just the standard one that comes in the kit. Called a micro cutter. If purchasing one by itself, I'd recommend the Hakko brand micro cutter. Really good build quality.
I really am impressed by the quality of ur videos, u should have a minimum of 10k subs. I have several questions, 1. I want to change the potentiometers instead of the whole stick, should I go for the white ones or the old oems? Are the cheap quality sticks the actual analogs or the sensors itself, Thanks,
Thanks! Go for the oems. There are white ones that are oems (from the ps4's) that are the same, but 99% of the white ones on the market are the bad potentiometers with the deadzone. There are subtle visual differences. The cheap sticks are mainly an issue because of the sensors, but also the R3/L3 push button commonly has issues as well.
@@SOSSGAMING I make a lot of mistakes building circuits so I have gotten good at desoldering. I almost always put at least one diode in backwards. Haha.
I can't believe nobody has hacked or made some sort of calibration software that actually changes the controllers firmware or whatever on the controller. Its such a shame putting in a brand new joystick and having to manipulate so many things because you can't calibrate it.
@@csmanul also, the joystick design has not changed since the PlayStation 1 maybe even older then that. They know it's bad and don't care. They want you to replace the controller because of a part worth a few pennies.
If you are a PC gamer calibrating the pots doesn't matter because Windows game controller setup has a calibration setup anyway. So in that case even if the sticks are out Windows will know by how much and compensate.
Full-time MT student here returning with a bit of an update under my own perspective regarding this issue. There is a lot I would LOVE to talk about this BS but I'll try to keep it short and simple as I can, if you find yourself reading over three sentences then I have failed you but hope I provided enough substantial information regarding this tiresome and troublesome topic. First I will start with a quote from a comment I left on a teardown video for the Xbox Series controller. "As for countering the joystick drift issue? Replacing it with a new component may not help at all, what you might have to end up doing is taking out the wiper/s before clipping off the tabs and nubs (possibly sand down the clipped nubs if it's not flat enough with a file tool) from the potentiometer/s themselves, clear it of any debri/dirt before putting the wiper back in and soldering it back onto the board/PCB. One way I went about fixing this issue is getting all three points of contact hot at once before trying to tilt the potentiometer ever so slightly into the direction it keeps drifting towards. What still baffles me to THIS DAY is how Microsoft has a program that allows you to calibrate/center the joysticks more effectively, but refuse to do so under the intentions that we would be stupid enough to keep buying new controllers over and over instead of having some electronic technological expertise." Now the reason why I also clipped the hook tabs from my end of the story was due to how the tabs themselves were preventing me from tilting the potentiometer itself, you MAY not have to do this at all especially if you want to keep a tight/locked connection between the joystick component and the potentiometer itself, personally I had to make do by pressing my thumb against it to the component while soddering it in place while having it angle towards/biased to the direction it kept "Drifting" itself off to. With all this effort figuring out how to solve the issue it didn't come without losing one board for the controller itself, where I was being risky by constantly desoldering the meter, taking it out, and putting it back in, over and over until I fixed the drift, which ended up having my own solder wick "rip off" one of the metal plates that's supposed to stay on the board and was then I realized I could just keep it soldering and make the three points hot before tiling the darn thing. I wish you all a much more favorable luck in a similar manner that I HOPE to find a replacement board for one of my controllers soon, modding it in my own way such as having all the vibration motors removed including the trigger buttons since it messes with my "stability" for gameplay anyway and weighs down the controller QUITE a bit, which makes me wonder if a later design would try to use some haptic feedback instead. I should've probably made a video about this instead but I'm still much too busy with my studies and video games, that being said I still haven't tested keeping the controller connected while soddering the stuff in, but I am still super thankful for this guide going DIRECTLY to the main issue of the drift itself since most of the other videos I found were to be either confusing and/or "doesn't make sense".
"I don't think electricity and heat go very well together" Electricity in a way is still utilizing heat to make a sort of transmitted signal, what you should only really be concerned if it's pulling too much current/amp since it can get hot enough to cause a fire or even damage the component since it would be going well past it's tolerance. One of the many ways you can try to rectify these issues though is using a heat clamp or heatsink clamp so the heat would divert most of it's temperature to a source where it's not heated and would give more breathing time for the component itself as you sodder it in place. But my god depending on how you can sodder this kind of stuff it can be an absolute bitch to do.
Strange that these analog stick aren't just easy to swap in and out like the switch joy cons. I need to get all new soldering equipment but I will say, good job on your controller surgery. This was in-depth.
Just replaced a broken one on an almost $200 modded controller of mine and it worked great!!! Followed your steps exactly and only actually needed to adjust one of the pots. Your joysticks and video just saved me a butt load of money! Thanks again!!!
I am surprised that the calibration is not done by xbox console as a piece of software adjustment. Maybe M$ wants to sell you a brand new controller to make extra $$
thanks for the helpful video! do these potentiometers work for the new xbox series x controller, i messed up my first go at it and im going to try again. you make it look easy
Yes, they use the same joysticks/potentiometers. Remember to not use too high of temperature and/or for too long on the pads. I probably should have emphasized that more. Anyway, good luck this next go around!
@@SOSSGAMING I just went for it off memory your instructions were fine, that's my bad, break a controller every 3 to 6 months so I have a graveyard of practice ones(no I don't miss treat or throw them I squeeze to hard)
Can see you don’t have much soldering experience, that being said, soldering flux is your friend. Flux makes your solder flow much better, should help with those bubble joints.
Man i had no idea about the Disassembly method, this damn controller gave me so much trouble with the de-soldering pump, i think that the main problem is that they use lead free solder. For example i was able to fix 360, PS2 and PS3 controllers without any problems whatsoever with the same tools. Amazing video!
I dropped my series 2 elite o my tile floor cuz i feel asleep while playing and because it is such a heavy controller the L3 button on the left joystick doesn't work anymore. The plastic that presses it broke inside I tried to to glue the plastic back together with super glue but it didn't work. I will never buy another one of these controllers unless I move or get carpet. I have dropped the normal xbox controllers countless times onto the tile floor and they have never broken. It's the weight of the thing. Not worth 180 bucks.
Dude thank you! I replaced the sticks on my controller a few months ago and couldn't get them to work right...I don't know why I didn't think to calibrate them! Sometimes when you are frustrated your brain just stops working! I'm going to be trying this tonight
Thank you for the great tutorial! One question I have, if the pots are what go bad what’s the rationale for replacing the whole stick rather than just the individual pots?
I would replace the whole thing if the joystick is becoming loose, the shaft was broken, or the button wasn't working. If it's still pretty stiff and moving around just fine, returning to center just fine, the button works, I'd just replace the pot(s)!
as a sh. holder in Microsoft and the owner of the company, Im so glad and proud that we made it such a blast to repair wear-heavy items like controllers. please remember that, its us Xbox that are making fixing your controller easy peasy so even a kid can do it.. That is because for us, our users are the most important thing to us, and you can see how important you are, from all the steps we have taken to make it so easy. those security torx screws just give it all a little flair andf the lack of chip-overriding calibration-tool is just for giggles.. Your welcome guys & gals, Microsoft cares for our users, where most others simply dont..
![Twenty One Pilots - “The Line” (from Arcane Season 2) [Official Music Video]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/E2Rj2gQAyPA/mqdefault.jpg)
As always the links for the kits are in the description. Thanks for watching!
@@SOSSGAMING hey how do you find the controller parts?
@Dank Meme Amazon: amzn.to/2KgYP0e
eBay: www.ebay.com/itm/223831814472
@Dub Jubs Yep! They are the exact same joystick, minus the metal inserts in the joystick shafts on the elites (which are useless anyway). Doing this repair is actually how I got into soldering too so I'm optimistic you can pull it off as well. Best of luck!
What about the elite series 2 do you have to cut apart the thumbstick on that one as well? I have a series two that has a broken L3 button and I want to replace the thumbstick on it.
@@Andronicus87 If all you have is a soldering iron (no desoldering iron or heat gun) I believe that is the best technique to remove it. The through holes are very small on those controllers as well which can make it seemingly difficult to remove every bit of solder from each pin doing it the traditional way of removing solder. I believe those controllers also use lead-free solder so adding a bit of flux and extra solder should help to heat it up/remove it.
PS .... I am an 81 year old retired EE and ham radio guy. I still build and repair circuits that use surface mount components. I have a few medical issues but am blessed with steady hands and clear vision. I love a good project. What did we ever do before RUclips?!!
hell yea pops
We winged it used voltage meters
Salute to an original CO and Happy Belated Veterans Day
"And now comes the fun part"
After trying this a few times, he's not lying! Thanks, whoever you are, for legit creating a new hobby for me. I've repaired countless controllers with your help!
Awesome! Great to hear.
Can’t wait to do it on mine. Once done successfully I’ll probably do commissions for friends and family 👌👌👌
@@joshkennedy871 have you done it yet? If so, any recommendations on oem parts
@@MEXICANASSASSIN2 I've ordered both analogs and bumpers from SOSS and they're perfect. Some of their sets also come with all the tools you need to get the controller apart which is a nice bonus. The bumpers are better than OEM as they're made with better plastic and seem to fit more snugly but the analogs are the same ones used by Microsoft I'm pretty sure. There are no differences as far as I can tell. You'd be smart to order more analogs than you need for reasons outlined in the video. Swapping potentiometers may be necessary in some instances and having backups in case something goes sour like a pin breaking etc can save you time and frustration.
@@SOSSGAMING I need help so I have an elite controller and did everything you did im at the part right after you get the posts out to put the new joystick in my post won't come out i have the small hole contorller posts, I've only got 3 out so far can you or someone else help me please and thank you
If you're using just a soldering iron you can remove the joysticks without damaging them. First apply some new solder to each pin. Then apply some flux to your desoldering braid, press it to the pins you want to desolder and then apply a really hot soldering iron. I used about 420+ on my iron and the solder sucks right out of the holes and into the flux coated braid. Repeat this until all the pins are loose enough to pull the joystick out in one piece. Your iron will need to be really hot and the tip will need to be cleaned occasionally during the process but it works. It will take about 6 to 10 inches of desoldering braid per joystick but don't cut it beforehand, only cut off the used pieces of braid as you go and use a fume extractor or a fan... or just don't inhale.
That's what I was thinking. I haven't done my controller yet but I have desoldered many a module from pcb in my life and have never found it necessary to chop them up first. Just flux, heat and wick and it should come loose.
Honestly I'm a pretty decent solderer but FUCK THIS. Needlessly complicated, fucking idiotic design and absolutely not worth the time nor the effort.
@@originalmachowi4671 Have you ever tried replacing a mouse encoder? That's the only time I absolutely needed to destruct the component unless I have 3 soldering iron lol.
30 minuets of knowledge, direction and no wasted time. Your instructions are spot on, methods of indestructible and destructive are appreciated as not always can people afford a hot air gun ontop of all the other stuff. I'm about to attempt this myself and was unaware that there's a high potential that the potentiometers need ajustment. Thanks.
I recently started fixing remotes and learned this the hard way. I had no idea they needed adjustment
@@TheOnlyUmagon dude yeah it's fxcking annoying. Even if you use a helder mod kit with adjustable potentiometers the dead zone could still be completely off whack!
Be careful because I damaged the PCB board and needed a replacement. It was the desoldering that caused the issue for me. I ended up damaging one of the holes, SHM. The rest looked great, but a small piece got stuck, and too much heat, well. I am waiting until the new part comes in. I ordered a heat gun and a desoldering gun for future projects.
Thanks for a great tutorial!! My son is heavy handed and got tired of buying new, managed to fix 2 of my controllers!! For anyone who will follow this tutorial, take your time and follow instructions , it’s not hard, just takes patience!!
You're probably the most patient content creator I've ever watched.
I felt the struggle when you couldn't get the results right.
For environmental reasons it should be illegal for a company to sell a shitty product that easily breaks and not provide the software needed to calibrate and repair the device.
@@jonasregnell7982 The EU has been trying to pass some legislation to fix some of these problems. It’s tougher in the US because so many politicians are in the pocket of big business that would rather sell us disposable products.
@@jonasregnell7982 they could easily fix the drift issue on game controllers by putting trim pots on the CB and make it accessible without tearing it apart.
I've bene saying this for years
Same here. This controller. Bought from best buy. 90 day warranty. Turns 1 yr old in 3 days. Can't replace it and not trying to wait for them to send me a refurbished one when I still haven't gotten a full year out of a properly working product. Thanks for this walkthrough but it's not helping me lol... Missing tools. But great job!
my brain: yeah i got it
my hands: no you dont
Happens to me all the time. I see the technique for soldering and I'm like. Yeah I got it. Then I go and try and it's a complete shit show
@homebrewGT2 Have you tried using more solder when you're trying to desolder?
😂😂😂 brooooooo this was my Conversation a few minutes ago. Esp my left hand.
Excellent video. Just used it to repair a controller. Strictly speaking, one does not have to unsolder the motor wires. Taking care to leave the remaining half of the assembly flat on the table will prevent the headphone jack from falling out. Our calibration results were nearly perfect. The tool kit and repair parts kits were fantastic. Thanks!!
Imagine that feeling when you know that you will never have to buy a new controller because of a Drift problem. I am going to try this method for the first time tomorrow, and I'm very excited.
Actually I'm thinking about taking a new hobby, as someone already mentioned above me. Lot of people around me are having trouble with Drift and there are only few people who can repair them well.
Thank you very much for such an informative and hight quality video. Wish you everything good in your life.
This has been a huge issue since the 360 it just took longer back then to get drift if u want to practice soldering and desoldering I would say pick up old 360 controllers cheap and work on PC as well so you can still get use put of them also much easier to do the 360 ones as well
Clicked on this video to happily find out I was misunderstanding an issue with my controller taken apart. Then just listened to his voice while I reassembled my controller…. Good vid 👌🏼
Software for calibrating controller may not exist due to the lack of USB-based debugging on these controllers. I haven't looked to see if USB debugging exists on these controllers, and I'm not sure if this varies by model but I would assume each model is fairly similar, these controllers have SWD debug pads at the bottom of the main board next to the headphone jack; the silkscreen labels are 0/NA, RES, A14, A13, and 3V3. Through software, OpenOCD is a typical choice for this, you can find chip information, which is hidden under a blob of epoxy, and these controllers seem to typically use SMT32 chips. Through the software you can also access memory, of which you can dump, modify, and reflash, which SMT32 chips require a wipe before flashing to written memory. I personally haven't done a deep dive into the firmware, but recalibration through this method shouldn't be difficult assuming you're familiar with debugging. If there is USB-based debugging, that only makes the process simpler; but I personally doubt their is considering someone can brick their controller with a bad script, and scriptkiddies run rampant these days, it's probably a failsafe to deter this behavior by outright disabling USB debugging.
I wouldn't be surprised if the various hacker and modder forums have already figured this out, long ago, as it's just a simple debug job over an SWD port. I also wouldn't be surprised if some repair shops don't do this also, as making a tool for this would be fairly easy, especially if you find a way to automate the process entirely. But the only issue with this is that Microsoft is constantly coming out with new versions of these controllers, and my main source of board information is currently unavailable so I can't just reference each version at the moment; this also assumes that Microsoft hasn't drastically changed the computing hardware either.
Honestly I wish controllers would move to a better method for analogue sticks, as they're proving to be plagued with issues, especially when you deviate from the standard design, like with what Nintendo does. Even a hardware based recalibration would be nice, implement limit switches to measure min/max values when a calibration button is pressed; that kind of calibration button could also be hidden in the battery tray, or easily done through software.
Wow! So much information thanks for sharing.
This is helpful! Thank you!
One little tip for manually adjusting the pots without having to bend the pins (so keeping them more or less freely rotatable (if that's even a word)) is to use BGA solder paste to connect the pot pins to the pads. This is basically solder in spreadable paste form that melts into regular solder joints when heated, but is flexible and conductive before that, allowing for testing and adjustment without having to bend the pins over (or worst case having to tack-solder them in place multiple times even). Just don't make a mess with the paste as it's positive point (being conductive) can easily turn into a negative one (shorting things out)
I’m gonna smear this paste all over myself and run into a thunderstorm
I just swapped the old ones with new sticks, and behold, no calibration needed, works fine! :) I actually did the repair before watching this video, but you show lots of useful tricks. :3
Did you replace the sticks on an oem controller? I’m trying to do this on 3rd party controller but still huge deadzones
Man, How I wish I had found this video before. I bought a used Xbox One controller for my PC, and the left stick was very bad. I bought new ones, and every single one I tried was drifting off. The seller send another ones after I complained they weren't good, but after seeing this I feel relieved, and kinda bad at the same time. I thought the parts were bad quality, and in the end they just needed to be calibrated...
Well, living and learning.
Anyway, thx a lot, I already left my thumbs up for you.
I just used this video to install your kit and it was WAY easier than I thought it would. I also am not an expert solder-er, but it was very simple following your example (after watching it like 50 times). The only think that I would add is that while the controller is open just go ahead and clean it. It will ALWAYS pay off!!
Great work!!
your use of flux is very important as it spreads heat quickly and helps stop board overheating
Never used sober before in my life tried to do this and fried a mobo now l'll just pay to have someone else do It especially for my elite 2 to big of an investment to chance. Don't see why Microsoft doesn't make them modular snap in&outs, my bad we are talking bout Microsoft
Very thorough and patient with explaining every step. And being mindful with showing differences between each kind of controller. Extremely helpful and appreciated 👍
Just used this process today to repair my Xbox One Wireless Controller that was drifting. It was a tedious process, but the outcome was great. Thanks SOSS Gaming for sharing your video!
I just replaced the sticks on a 360 controller, preserving the original pots but forgot I had changed the sticks previously and they wouldn't center correctly, now I can correct them with this manual calibration trick. You're the best!
PD: I can't believe how well that worked. This must be my best repair so far
great tips. i am actually pretty experienced at soldering and i can tell you nice job pulling that first joystick, a lot of people with no soldering experience aren't going to get it out that easily lol
BTW in my experience, unless your just touching up a solder joint the flux is crucial, as in more than recommended. It lifts contaminants from the contacts to the surface of the joint and out of the solder, improves balling and so on and so on. i know the solder is flux-cored, but that is only enough to quickly make your joint.
Great additional input. Thanks!
This is a good instruction video specially the method of disassembling (11:04).
What most guide fail to explain is that the whole module will act as a huge heatsink hence why some people have trouble disordering and they end up damaging the board. Most casual people only have the cheapest and basic tools and with this method they'll be able to avoid damaging their controllers.
Also for recalibration there's a new method for recalibrating sticks called Heller Drift Stick Fix but is quite expensive atm. Maybe there'll be a time when someone will mass produce these boards after all the PS5 joystick uses the same model as the ps4 so the drift issue will remain for the next 7 years or so
Aliexpress has very cheap alternatives to the helder kit. Also even with perfect centering using the helder kit the freaking dead zones don't get adjusted accordingly so you could end up with very limited range!!! It's trash!
disassembling is TERRIBLE!
@@vgrepairs Wow thanks for heads up about the aliexpress clones of the helder kit, just ordered one of every variety to test out. Wish I hadn't already wasted money on multiple helder kits. As much as I like supporting the inventor, his prices are highway robbery.
And you are right, the helder kit can limit range. Luckily we solved this problem back in the xbox 360 days, as "slow turn" was common with 360 controllers. It requires a very advanced set of tools known as sandpaper. Just take the faceplate off, and whatever direction you are having trouble pegging the joystick in.... sand a little bit of material off the shell on that side to give the stick a little bit of extra travel distance.
It is a helluva lot quicker and easier than all this cutting, bending and swapping potentiometer nonsense.
@@nerdstrangler4804 true, helpful advice. thanks man! good to know an occasional comment helps some folks.
@@nerdstrangler4804 i wish clients were open to letting me sand their controller housing to fix their lack of range.
THIS IS AWESOME. I just wish I had searched for this like two weeks ago. I switched out the tension springs for my thumbsticks but the left stick was stuck down and I thought it was just broken but I guess all I had to do was recalibrate it! I supposed I can still fix em but I already bought two broken controllers that I've now fixed thanks to this vid
Top quality knowledge and instruction. I really appreciate RUclipsrs who don't add load music, speak clearly and show everything. I briefly considered replacing my sticks and could probably do this ok. Not the neatest at solder and the adjustment looks like a lot of effort so will look for a board instead. May be back to follow this if I start feeling cheap about it.
First time doing an in depth repair and following this guide worked perfectly! I didn’t need to calibrate the joysticks fortunately - guess I was lucky. Thanks for making this guide - very useful
Under rated RUclipsd I thought by the quality of this video you would have 100k good job
My controller was a little too much for me to repair, thumbsticks were completely not working and some of the buttons weren't either. I guess that's what happens when you use it for 6 years😂. I just salvaged everything I could to put into my other controllers that needed repairs. I've now fixed them and countless others. Thanks for the help.
Thank you for this video! I used it today in an attempt to fix stick drift in my right thumbstick. I was successful in fixing the issue. I simply replaced the potentiometer for the x-axis by desoldering the old one and soldering on a new one replacing the disc as well. After looking at the inside of the old one it seems there were scuffs where the metal on the disc would be touching and creating the issue of drifting. After replacing it all is well and works just like it did the say I purchased it!! Thanks again for all your help!!
I just fixed my Xbox Series X Core controller, the left stick had major drift issues. Replaced it using the SOSS joystick repair kit off of Amazon and surprisingly the repair worked with no calibration needed. The replacement sticks are exactly the same ones that are in the controller, same manufacturer and everything. Unsoldering the old stick was quite a chore though and there is a major learning curve If your an amateur at soldering like I am, but it is doable and patience & perseverance is key. I used a soldering iron, flux, wire snips (to break down the old stick), small flat head screw driver (for prying potentiometers) and solder to get the job done. Thanks for the video which was a tremendous help and also for putting together a solid repair kit at a great price!
Also, I was wondering, is the reason why I didn't need to calibrate after the stick repair is because the Xbox Series X Core controller is self calibrating, or did I just get lucky?
@@davetaylor7271 You are correct that the newer Series S/X controllers also now have self calibration. And great job on the repair! Thanks for sharing the journey.
Those small thru holes are a royal pain. The way I did it was with a small piece of solid copper wire. Make a small U shaped bend. Paste a shitload of flux on the holes. Solder the solid copper wire to all 3 holes. Then let it cool. When you're ready, touch the solder iron to the center of the copper wire and let it heat up. Once it gets hot enough the 3 thru hole pieces will release all at once. That's how I did it. I'm sure there are way better ways to do it. But that worked for me. Good luck fellow DIYers!!! Great video sir!
Neat trick! Thanks for sharing and good job on the repair
Damn this new method is awesome. I’m only missing a helping hand but I’ve never soldered anything in my life. I’ve replaced several bumpers but that’s way easier than what you are doing. Well done. Liked and subbed. 👍🏽✌🏽
Great work mate. I'm doing a controller repair as we speak - that HTML5 link is excellent thank you
I cant find the link where is it?
Awesome video! I ordered the parts and fixed mine. Biggest problem I had was sucking the old solder out of the holes using that little plastic suction thing it came with. I would recommend heating up the old solder and suctioning from the other side of the circuit board that was the only way that worked for me. Also, my potentiometers were nearly perfect once I bent the metal leads away from the joystick. I guess I got lucky with those. Overall it took me a while to fix but it is now 100% good as new.
Great to hear! Well done.
My kit just arrived and my controller has been fully restored using your method very pleased so thanks for saving me £40!
Dude! I was mad as hell because I just bought a bunch of pots and all of them had some drift... I didn't know you could "calibrate" them like that. Thanks for the info.
This guide is really specific and helps me understand this better, I'm doing a small project to repair a BUNCH of my xbox controllers and will update by the end of this week!
Best of luck!
@@SOSSGAMING I just finished my first controller, was able to get my thumbstick precisely centered on the first try. Thanks to you I became much more confident in soldering!
@@itsramee264 Awesome! Great to hear well done.
Said this on an older video but, puncturing that warranty sticker does not, I repeat, does not void warranty, look it up of you dont believe me
well if you had a warranty you could just replace the drifting controllr
You are fantastic! You saved my custom "Yoshi edition" (design lab) controller, I was so bummed. Def the hardest project I've done, but this helped tremendously, very thorough and clear. Thumbs up!
Thank you for your help. I accidentally dropped my controller the other day thinking I was needed to go buy another one. You just saved me $60 🎉
You're welcome! Always nice to give second life to a controller.
before doing this i recommend to replace the joystick sensor inside the little green box on the sides! one of my scuff controllers had stick drift and changing the sensor fixed it! now with my other controller the left joystick was actually broken so now im watching this video to replace it! appreciate u actually telling us there is knock off joystick thats a life saver!
Wow... this was difficult. I had never soldered before. This was tough, but I got it done. One of the joysticks that came in the package was defective and after already installing the right successfully, the left was registering as if it was clicked in.
I thought I damage the board and it definitely looks a little beat up, but I swapped it out and you know what? I freaking got it fixed. I did get a couple small burns on my fingers, but I learned a new skill and fixed my stupid $120 elite controller!
I would highly recommend NOT bending the pins on the green parts all the way down to make the connection. This can mean some serious damage to the board if you are not careful and you will have to disassemble the whole joystick if it is really stuck. I simply plugged it in, to get a reading, then removed and moved the pins to the left or right, stuck it back in and when it was acceptable, just soldered it in.
Thanks for the video!
I think I’ll just buy a new controller!
And this is exactly the kind of attitude what Microsoft expects. This is why they don't provide a simple solution with a freely downloadable software, where you could calibrate the thumbsticks. They love their minions keeping buying their crap. Fuck them!
Another problem is the fact that they don’t provide the key tool to open their original Xbox controller. I have to not only waste time going to the store to find the right size, but the money I spend. Meanwhile multiple fake and trash brands are selling their cheap but shitty controllers like hot cakes. I have one of the shittiest brand controller called PowerA and their controllers are known to have sticks that fuck up so easily... Seriously Microsoft, get your thumb outta your ass and make a controller we can take apart for maintenance or make a controller with better quality that’s affordable.
@@kosztaz87 I couldn’t agree more
No dont
@@keanuvernon6114 i have 4 how much would you offer lol. Two black controllers, 1 red gears of war edition and 1 blue gears of war edition. Controllers look great with no marks i just have drift on all of them.
6:48 I usually just cut an "X" over the screw with a razor, that way I can stick my screwdriver into the screw but it isn't very noticeable when everything is back together.
Also, using a teflon razor helps a LOT with peeling off stickers. Especially "warranty" stickers.
You are the best, SOSS GAMING. Thank you for this awesome and detailed tutorial video. I can confirm that the X/S controllers (with the share button) will eventually auto calibrate!
1. Use the recently released (Feb, 2024) calibration software inside the Microsoft accessories app.
2. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND picking up a cheap *electric* desoldering iron/pump if you are a beginner.
*Note: The auto-calibration is REAL.* My new potentiometer gained full range of motion after running it through Windows calibration. The calibration settings persisted across all of my devices (PC, laptop, iPad Pro, and Xbox Series X).
I even clicked the 'Reset to default' option in game controller settings to see if the potentiometer would revert to its previous state with severely limited movement, it did not!
NICE MATE .JUST TO SAY RIGHT CLICK ON THE PIC OF YOUR CONTROLLER IF ANYBODY ELCE READS THIS AND CLICK PROPERTIES TO GET INTO THE SETTINGS TO CALIBRATE .AS I WAS CONFUSED AT FIRST .THANKS TO CHEATER FOR THE TIP
Hi, I manged to center perfectly an xbox one controller using your technique It took me about 3 hours I used the soldering at 300 C to avoid damaging the board and very carefully testing as you described thank you very much for your knowledge!!!!
Awesome! So glad it worked out for you. Well done.
Thank you so much for this awesome tutorial! I looked into tons of analogue stick replacement tutorials (which helped me with the technique how to replace the stick), but this video gave a lot of insights on how one can calibrate the analogue stick (without calibration the rest does not help so much). What I'm wondering is: why does no one at least mention that you need to manually calibrate your analogue stick? They just replace it and bam everything works - But this is not possible out of the nature of an analogue stick.
My pleasure! Unfortunately it is not common knowledge. It's something that frustrated me so much when I was trying to repair my own controller. Thanks to some forums and some testing of my own I was able to figure it out. And it's actually what made me decide to make my own video on it and even sell the correct parts on the side.
Hi Ralph, as you wrote "nature of an analogue stick" I wonder why there is no software for autocalibration available. As these potentiometers are surely linear you should be able to "center" them with software once and for all without the hassle of soldering. :(
Sadly most people do a full analogstick repair...but it's the potentiometers who causes drift.
Thanks a lot mate, I have been pulling my hairs out trying to find a way to centre the joystick and you showed me how.
using nailclippers for cutting the potentiometer bumps is also neat.
Good idea!
Thanks for the amazing tutorial! I followed it and managed to fix replace a drifting joytick in my xbox elite controller. Not gunna lie... it was difficult, but very satisfying once it worked! I would have had no chance if it weren't for your careful, step-by-step instructions! Truly outstanding work!
Thanks for the kind words, and excellent job on the repair!
Thanks a lot for the tutorial!
My controller's left joystick has been broken on the Y axis since like 2019 and now it's fixed!
You can also just change the potentiometer instead of the whole joystick.
Super helpful video and my repair went (almost) perfectly. Managed to get the left stick centered at ~0.01851x by ~0.02269y. The only problem is that the x-axis now has a huge dead zone on the right side (which I naturally didn't notice until I finished reassembly). The dead zone changes a bit depending on the y-axis input but no matter what it won't read past 0.67880. All other metrics seem to be fine. Is the fix for this to just swap out that potentiometer?
Congrats on the project! Good numbers. That's a great question, though. I've never seen it limited that bad before. I would first check to make sure the face cover/thumbstick is on correctly etc as restricted movement of the joystick could also be a contributing factor but that's probably not the issue but worth double checking. After that yes, I would then look at swapping out a potentiometer or two to see if that helps, and lastly the joystick if it doesn't.
Swapped out the bad potentiometer today (even got lucky and didn't have to adjust the calibration at all) and it's sitting pretty at -0.02571x with no outside dead zone. Thanks for your reply and for making the video!
@@Pathfinder5k Awesome! Glad it worked and glad to help.
Lifesaver man thanks! Saved me from buying a new controller
Great video, just swapped out the left thumb stick on my friend's series 1 elite controller, which had the small pins. I have a couple observations and a couple questions:
The larger solder tip is very helpful for desoldering the thumb stick body mounts. They have a lot of heat sinking into the board so the extra thermal mass of a larger tip helps a lot. I used a pretty fine tip and ended up switching to a chisel tip (not as big as yours) at the end and it made soldering the new stick on a lot faster. I also had to bump my Hakko up to 400 C, though with a larger tip, 350 C would probably work fine.
I got lucky with my potentiometers. The x-axis was dead-on from the start, and though the y-axis was off, I just swapped in another unmodified potentiometer and it was within 0.06. I definitely recommend bending the pins outward, as it makes it easier to swap the potentiometer in and out if needed.
Would it be a good first step to try cleaning the potentiometers with IPA when you have them opened up? They looked pretty dirty inside, so I'm wondering if a clean would get rid of any errant copper particles that could be causing the drift.
Why replace the whole joy stick if its functional? If the drift problem is caused by the potentiometers and the stick is otherwise okay, it would save a lot of soldering and parts to simply desolder the potentiometers, pull them out, put in new pots, then calibrate as needed.
Cheers for the video, I'm going to see if I can find some cheap broken controllers to repair now :)
You are correct. I should have been more clear that if only addressing drift, you can just change out the potentiometer causing the drift. When I was doing repairs, I'd always switch out the whole thing anyway, but it's not necessary as you've figure out. Well done on the repair!
@@SOSSGAMING I've replaced two potentiometers, one thumbstick worked with the new one while the other was unresponsive so I removed that joystick completely and did this method but I still have the same issue
@@richstrike8418 Sounds to me like one the through-hole pads are damaged. They are a bit finicky. Feel free to email me a picture at my gmail sossgamingcs if you want and I'll see if I can spot it. It can be "fixed" with a tracer wire(s).
@@SOSSGAMING I had already emailed you a day ago and have been waiting on your response since
@@SOSSGAMING also what is this "tracer wire" that you speak of and where can I get it?
I did it!!!!! I fixed my elite 1 i spent $40 and 2 hours. Great tutorial!!! It was fun
Great video! That being said, I think I will buy a new controller. What brand do you guys recommend?
I personally like the Elite 2's. Although they have their own problems too :/
Amazing video this is a fun project. What a clear video..better than what's available
This helped so much, I couldn't figure out how to reassemble, but realized I didn't fully connect the motherboard to the second pcb 😭
Thanks for the guide. Will be starting on my 4 broken controllers, 1 is snapped off need a whole new joystick and 3 have drift thanks to my toddlers dropping them off the couch etc.. wish me luck. Down to 1 controller and not buying more lol.
Best of luck!
Calibrating the potentiometers on the pcb board, can I tinker with this to fix deadzone?
Great presentation!
amazing video I just started with this hobby and I have troubles wile removing the analog joystick, thanks. I have 1 question, the calibration method works for PS4 controllers?
Great video helped me out a lot, however, I was trying out another method. Instead of manipulating the potentiometer itself, I manipulated the white nub that turns the wipers. So far, my method has worked and tbh a lot less tedious, however, testing will still have to be done as im not sure if deforming the plastic nub a certain way is a long term solution.
I've tried this before with only temporary success. Personally, I don't think it's a very reliable way of doing it as per my experience, but maybe there's a way of making sure the new deformation is stable.
6:44
Fun Fact: That Sticker is Not legally Binding according to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), and Companies can't claim you voided the warranty for tampering with that sticker.
Hi, great video, thanks a lot for making it! Based on what you show in the video, i think there might be an even better way to do this without trial and error, that I wanted to share with you. I hope this helps you. the potentiometers are voltage dividers. the motherboard firmware will contain the following numbers: 1. max 2. min 3. center. they correspond to voltages located on the wiper. so desolder the joystick in full and reassemble the controller. the connections for the potentiometer will have 0V (gnd), +Vpp (probably something like 3.3V or 1.5V, measure it with the multimeter and write it down) and the middle between them will be the wiper. so you will want to put voltage into the wiper connection that is between 0V and Vpp. while looking at the calibration app, figure out the voltage you need to get the joystick to center in the calibration app. measure the voltage with the multimeter (don't use the display on your power supply, you'll see why later). write the voltage down, call it Vcenter. make sure that your adjustable power supply never goes above Vcenter or you'll fry the motherboard. next, get a power supply that can output Vpp (that you wrote down earlier). take a new joystick. remove the 3 nubs. take 3 pin headers from an IC socket (with the machined flat spring clips) and solder 3 wires to 3 adjacent pins. plug the joystick's potentiometer into those 3 pins. set your power supply to output vpp and connect its ground to where ground would be on the potentiometer if it were in the controller, and Vpp where it would be on the potentiometer if it were in the controller. finally, clip the multimeter between 0V and the wiper. with the joystick in the center position, turn the potentiometer around until you get the same voltage you wrote down earlier (Vcenter). fixate it using hot glue or super glue or tape or whatever. The joystick will now be perfectly centered when you put it in the controller, and it's way easier and faster to do that than the trial and error method you show. You can remove the hot glue / tape after soldering the joystick in place, it's going to stay calibrated now, because it's rigid through the solder joints. But bear in mind that I've never done something like this, so I can't really know if it will work. One advantage of this is that you can just set up your IC socket and power supply and multimeter, and plug in different joystick potentiometers until you find one that is the right voltage without needing to have its nubs cut off. Which saves a lot of time and fiddling as well. you also save a lot of soldering, and every time you heat up those tiny plated through-holes the glue holding the copper to the fibre glass heats up and degrades and eventually you get a lifted pad or trace or a stripped through-hole. bear in mind that your multimeter and your power supply might display slightly different voltages, so when you figure out the calibration voltage Vcenter and later calibrate the pot by moving it around so that it outputs Vcenter, you need to be using the same measurement device.
Not going to lie I'm a little lost but I think I get it. I think I would have to see what you are talking about in action though to grasp the idea completely haha. I'm actually able to whip through joysticks now with this method, so for me personally it's not an issue but still if it's an easier way I would definitely enjoy seeing it. Thanks for sharing!
@@SOSSGAMING alright, what are you lost on? you can talk to me on twitter my user name is plt_cheater that should be easier - i don't check youtube comments too much
Should definitely pin this comment as it explains a much more analytical approach to solving the problem, makes sense -- though would be benefitted for sure with its own video
This is one of the best videos I have seen in a long time
Hi what is the stuff you apply where the rumble wires are before using the chizzle heat tip?? I'm new to tech soldering & eager to learn. Do you have a video on how to de-solder?
That was just some flux paste. Now I just add a little flux-core solder to help it melt. I don't have a video on de-soldering unfortunately, as I am still not a professional in that regards. These days I cheat with a Hakko de-soldering gun which is a game-changer lol
I'm just a newb, and can not afford that kind of kit, OMG. I'll go for something cheaper I think, hahahahaa
Can I ask what the difference is between a de-soldering tool and a soldering tool? Aren't they the same?
@@swwolf3640 A de-soldering tool has tips with a hole in them to suck the solder up. Technically you could solder with a desoldering iron in some cases, but it's not ideal as an actual soldering iron will be easier to work with as the certain tips you can use work better at heating up whatever you're working on.
Thank you for the great video! Am I correct in thinking that if Microsoft would provide the proper calibration software for the controllers we wouldn't have to do all of the manual potentiometer adjustments to correct for centering? If we had access to the proper calibration software we would just have to check the new control stick for proper operation/operating resistance before installation to ensure you are not installing a faulty part, then the software can compensate for the inherent manufacturing differences in the potentiometers? I really like your videos and I have learned a lot from them. I hope in the future that right to repair laws get better so the manufacturers have to provide all the information necessary to repair their products.
Yes, you are correct! Thank you for the support. Let's cross our fingers that the laws get better.
yah i wish there was calibration software, I found there is a setting in windows for calibrating for different controllers but it changes the pc not the controller. Also, it's not just the potentiometer differences there are differences in the actual joystick centering. I've been soldering on the potentiometer only then swapping out tons of joysticks untill i find one that is decent enough center.
@@adamneff1600 Have anyone actually managed to get the windows 10 calibrating tool to recenter the stick? I see everywhere people talk there is that solution as long as you play on the PC, but personally the calibration does nothing to me. It still behaves as per default settings aka drifts to the right 6-11% after releasing it.
Incredibly well-made video. Thank you so much for sharing! It was a flawless guide (for me anyway).
Thank you so much for this video. I didn't understand the values needed to have the potenciometers calibrated correctly. I never knew this had so much trouble and error, to tell you the truth I don't solder I'm a total noob. I hope to see more of this videos on ps4 dualshock 4 controllers. Great video.
Saved my day today after replacing the pots in my controller and the centering was off. Thanks i really appreciate it!!
you really out here saving people man.
Hahahaha this guy is a mad man , that’s way tooooo much of a headache but thanks tho 🙏🙏 ! I’m surely buying a new controller lol
Lmaooo
@@ghostsallday he definitely is a soldering god
If you don't have the tools or the desire to learn the skill that's cool but I personally always upgrade other shell parts and buttons while I have it apart. Maybe find someone who does want to fix it and either have it fixed or give it to someone who can fix it. I've been paying more attention to wasteful products and trying to fix things or find someone who can rather than toss it.
i got lucky and didn't even have to calibrate anything!
add t12 solder stations, those are really nice with accurate temp control, 300c for leaded solder, and a small tube of leaded flux (or high lead solder) is really handy to mix with the oem non leaded solder
Thanks for the video. 12:00 The pointed and sturdy nipper you use looks good. What nipper do you use?
It's just the standard one that comes in the kit. Called a micro cutter. If purchasing one by itself, I'd recommend the Hakko brand micro cutter. Really good build quality.
I really am impressed by the quality of ur videos, u should have a minimum of 10k subs.
I have several questions,
1. I want to change the potentiometers instead of the whole stick, should I go for the white ones or the old oems?
Are the cheap quality sticks the actual analogs or the sensors itself,
Thanks,
Thanks! Go for the oems. There are white ones that are oems (from the ps4's) that are the same, but 99% of the white ones on the market are the bad potentiometers with the deadzone. There are subtle visual differences. The cheap sticks are mainly an issue because of the sensors, but also the R3/L3 push button commonly has issues as well.
@@SOSSGAMING thanks for the help, you helped many people fix their controllers
@@SOSSGAMING you know about the yellow stick or black stick for ps4 on aliexpress? i wanna know about it
@@dedoss94 I do not, sorry.
Great, real world tutorial. Thank you for your help boss!
It's criminal that MS doesn't release the software that can reprogram the calibration
13:50 I have found that using a small jewelers drill cleans out the thru hole easily. You just drill the solder out of the hole.
That's very adventurous 😅
@@SOSSGAMING I make a lot of mistakes building circuits so I have gotten good at desoldering. I almost always put at least one diode in backwards. Haha.
Thanh you for this, I borrowed the kit from my dad and followed your method, I was able to easily switch the potentiometer and get rid of the old one
I can't believe nobody has hacked or made some sort of calibration software that actually changes the controllers firmware or whatever on the controller. Its such a shame putting in a brand new joystick and having to manipulate so many things because you can't calibrate it.
good point, capitalism at its finest
@@csmanul also, the joystick design has not changed since the PlayStation 1 maybe even older then that. They know it's bad and don't care. They want you to replace the controller because of a part worth a few pennies.
If you are a PC gamer calibrating the pots doesn't matter because Windows game controller setup has a calibration setup anyway. So in that case even if the sticks are out Windows will know by how much and compensate.
Full-time MT student here returning with a bit of an update under my own perspective regarding this issue.
There is a lot I would LOVE to talk about this BS but I'll try to keep it short and simple as I can, if you find yourself reading over three sentences then I have failed you but hope I provided enough substantial information regarding this tiresome and troublesome topic.
First I will start with a quote from a comment I left on a teardown video for the Xbox Series controller.
"As for countering the joystick drift issue? Replacing it with a new component may not help at all, what you might have to end up doing is taking out the wiper/s before clipping off the tabs and nubs (possibly sand down the clipped nubs if it's not flat enough with a file tool) from the potentiometer/s themselves, clear it of any debri/dirt before putting the wiper back in and soldering it back onto the board/PCB.
One way I went about fixing this issue is getting all three points of contact hot at once before trying to tilt the potentiometer ever so slightly into the direction it keeps drifting towards.
What still baffles me to THIS DAY is how Microsoft has a program that allows you to calibrate/center the joysticks more effectively, but refuse to do so under the intentions that we would be stupid enough to keep buying new controllers over and over instead of having some electronic technological expertise."
Now the reason why I also clipped the hook tabs from my end of the story was due to how the tabs themselves were preventing me from tilting the potentiometer itself, you MAY not have to do this at all especially if you want to keep a tight/locked connection between the joystick component and the potentiometer itself, personally I had to make do by pressing my thumb against it to the component while soddering it in place while having it angle towards/biased to the direction it kept "Drifting" itself off to.
With all this effort figuring out how to solve the issue it didn't come without losing one board for the controller itself, where I was being risky by constantly desoldering the meter, taking it out, and putting it back in, over and over until I fixed the drift, which ended up having my own solder wick "rip off" one of the metal plates that's supposed to stay on the board and was then I realized I could just keep it soldering and make the three points hot before tiling the darn thing.
I wish you all a much more favorable luck in a similar manner that I HOPE to find a replacement board for one of my controllers soon, modding it in my own way such as having all the vibration motors removed including the trigger buttons since it messes with my "stability" for gameplay anyway and weighs down the controller QUITE a bit, which makes me wonder if a later design would try to use some haptic feedback instead.
I should've probably made a video about this instead but I'm still much too busy with my studies and video games, that being said I still haven't tested keeping the controller connected while soddering the stuff in, but I am still super thankful for this guide going DIRECTLY to the main issue of the drift itself since most of the other videos I found were to be either confusing and/or "doesn't make sense".
"I don't think electricity and heat go very well together"
Electricity in a way is still utilizing heat to make a sort of transmitted signal, what you should only really be concerned if it's pulling too much current/amp since it can get hot enough to cause a fire or even damage the component since it would be going well past it's tolerance.
One of the many ways you can try to rectify these issues though is using a heat clamp or heatsink clamp so the heat would divert most of it's temperature to a source where it's not heated and would give more breathing time for the component itself as you sodder it in place.
But my god depending on how you can sodder this kind of stuff it can be an absolute bitch to do.
Strange that these analog stick aren't just easy to swap in and out like the switch joy cons. I need to get all new soldering equipment but I will say, good job on your controller surgery. This was in-depth.
Just replaced a broken one on an almost $200 modded controller of mine and it worked great!!! Followed your steps exactly and only actually needed to adjust one of the pots. Your joysticks and video just saved me a butt load of money! Thanks again!!!
Well done! Always great to hear. Thanks for sharing.
That's amazing. I'm glad I know how, but dang, there has to be an easier way lol
thank you this help a lot
I am surprised that the calibration is not done by xbox console as a piece of software adjustment. Maybe M$ wants to sell you a brand new controller to make extra $$
This is the single best video I've seen on this topic, incredible stuff!
Thanks for watching and the kind words! Happy repairs
thanks for the helpful video! do these potentiometers work for the new xbox series x controller, i messed up my first go at it and im going to try again. you make it look easy
Yes, they use the same joysticks/potentiometers. Remember to not use too high of temperature and/or for too long on the pads. I probably should have emphasized that more. Anyway, good luck this next go around!
@@SOSSGAMING I just went for it off memory your instructions were fine, that's my bad, break a controller every 3 to 6 months so I have a graveyard of practice ones(no I don't miss treat or throw them I squeeze to hard)
Same souldering iron I got xD
8:31 when I got here... imma just a buy a new one
Can see you don’t have much soldering experience, that being said, soldering flux is your friend. Flux makes your solder flow much better, should help with those bubble joints.
Man i had no idea about the Disassembly method, this damn controller gave me so much trouble with the de-soldering pump, i think that the main problem is that they use lead free solder. For example i was able to fix 360, PS2 and PS3 controllers without any problems whatsoever with the same tools. Amazing video!
What kind of solder can i Buy lead free?
I straight up threw my controller in the wall now am here.😑
Me too
You should pad your walls and floors with pillows 😂
I dropped my series 2 elite o my tile floor cuz i feel asleep while playing and because it is such a heavy controller the L3 button on the left joystick doesn't work anymore. The plastic that presses it broke inside I tried to to glue the plastic back together with super glue but it didn't work. I will never buy another one of these controllers unless I move or get carpet. I have dropped the normal xbox controllers countless times onto the tile floor and they have never broken. It's the weight of the thing. Not worth 180 bucks.
@@Andronicus87 And I've dropped mine many times without issue. Just bad luck.
Suddenly 60 bucks doesn't sound too bad... walmart, I'll have one in white please.
Dude thank you! I replaced the sticks on my controller a few months ago and couldn't get them to work right...I don't know why I didn't think to calibrate them! Sometimes when you are frustrated your brain just stops working! I'm going to be trying this tonight
Best of luck!
Thank you for the great tutorial! One question I have, if the pots are what go bad what’s the rationale for replacing the whole stick rather than just the individual pots?
I would replace the whole thing if the joystick is becoming loose, the shaft was broken, or the button wasn't working. If it's still pretty stiff and moving around just fine, returning to center just fine, the button works, I'd just replace the pot(s)!
as a sh. holder in Microsoft and the owner of the company, Im so glad and proud that we made it such a blast to repair wear-heavy items like controllers.
please remember that, its us Xbox that are making fixing your controller easy peasy so even a kid can do it..
That is because for us, our users are the most important thing to us, and you can see how important you are, from all the steps we have taken to make it so easy.
those security torx screws just give it all a little flair andf the lack of chip-overriding calibration-tool is just for giggles.. Your welcome guys & gals, Microsoft cares for our users, where most others simply dont..
Haha actually Microsoft did surprise me with their new Elite 2 and S/X model controllers. Self-calibrating :)
Awesome video! Since Xbox released an offical calibrater, do you still have to do the potentiometer demos? Thanks!
Thanks! Unfortunately on the older controllers, yes. The calibration does work on the new series X/S controllers which is nice!