refurbishing controllers

[metzger130]

I have 6 total controllers and while they work, some of the side buttons work 1/2 the time and the joystick works so so. I have never taken apart a controller to "fix" it. What should you do to fix it and what do you have to be careful not to damage? I have taken 5200 controllers apart many times, I don't think this would be as bad, but just want to know before I take them apart,

[adamcon]

I have 6 total controllers and while they work, some of the side buttons work 1/2 the time and the joystick works so so. I have never taken apart a controller to "fix" it. What should you do to fix it and what do you have to be careful not to damage? I have taken 5200 controllers apart many times, I don't think this would be as bad, but just want to know before I take them apart,

ADAM controllers are undoubtedly just as easy as Atari controllers. Take out the 4 corner screws around the joystick; carefully pull apart the controller from the top to separate the 2 halves - the bottom of the controller has a small hook closure. When you have the controller in 2 halves, remove the center screw for the joystick (if memory serves) and the entire controller will be loose. CAREFUL !!! if your controller has clips on the wires at the bottom of the controller, they are flimsy and come off easily - if soldered on, no problem. Now lift out the circuit board a little so you pull off the side buttons. At this point, you can use electronic spray cleaner on the side buttons, then push in the button a LOT to clean the contacts. You can do the same for the joystick contacts, possibly even sand lightly with black wet sandpaper if needed for clean surface. Have cleaned and "refurbed" a lot of controllers this way and only found 1 controller where the joystick pad was actually worn thru. NOTE: if you have clip on wires and a plug on breaks, you can just solder it on to the pad. Good Luck !!

[Hannacek]

A pencil eraser works wonders to remove oxidation, and clean metal contacts. Sometimes a dust bunny or other piece of crud can get lodged in a button making it not work at all, or not work very well. Taking apart a controller and removing dust can solve a problem. You might have to use compressed air to get rid of all the dust.

[Nebulon]

Anyone have any tips on the Super Action controllers?

 

In my case, one of them is being a bit of a cranky beast when pressing the stick to the left. The rest of it (buttons, spinner, etc...) works fine.

[Rik]

Yes! the little metal clips in the CV controllers are super brittle. I opened a controller or 2 in the past and the damn wires slipped off the board. When i attempted to slip them back on, the clips broke like nothing, VERY brittle. So i guess i'll to put them back on the CORRECT way like they should have been from the beginning, SOLDER THEM!

[adamcon]

Yes! the little metal clips in the CV controllers are super brittle. I opened a controller or 2 in the past and the damn wires slipped off the board. When i attempted to slip them back on, the clips broke like nothing, VERY brittle. So i guess i'll to put them back on the CORRECT way like they should have been from the beginning, SOLDER THEM!

Amen to that! Lots of the controllers I have disassembled have the brittle little slide on clips, which sometimes slide off by themselves. No wonder the controller wouldn't work. I have had controllers that were factory soldered on also, as Coleco must have come to their collective senses at some point.

[thegamezmaster]

Any chance of pictures, I'm not sure what the clips are. A tutorial on how to refurbish would be nice from someone who knows how to do it correctly, please? Don't mean to offend anyone, would just like to know how to do. Thank you.

[sprazzi]

Yes! the little metal clips in the CV controllers are super brittle. I opened a controller or 2 in the past and the damn wires slipped off the board. When i attempted to slip them back on, the clips broke like nothing, VERY brittle. So i guess i'll to put them back on the CORRECT way like they should have been from the beginning, SOLDER THEM!

I got away with a small speck of tin foil under a broken clip to keep it in place...

Edited November 7, 2014 by sprazzi