Xbox:Controller Repair

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Both versions of the original Xbox controller are relatively simple to disassemble, clean, and perform basic maintenance. The thumbsticks' rubber grips will wear away with time and use, and are easily replaced with just a screwdriver and a pair of commonly available Xbox 360 replacement thumbsticks. If the controller cord is damaged or causing disconnects, it can be replaced, though this requires soldering.

Xbox Game Controller "The Duke"

The plastic used in original Duke controllers has become very brittle with age. Extra care should be taken when handling and especially when disassembling them. See the Shell section below for more info.

The original controller included with early Xbox consoles. Most consider it too large to use comfortably, but some people prefer its size, or the position of the black and white buttons similar to a classic 6-button controller. Far fewer of these were produced compared to the later Xbox Controller S, but their much lower demand have kept them relatively affordable. The price for good condition Dukes could increase as the controller shells break and its unique thumbstick grips wear away.

Disassembly

Carefully remove the 7 screws on the back. With the controller still face down, lift away the main part of the body, which includes the memory unit sockets. The buttons, membranes, and D-pad should be resting loosely in the top shell section.

To remove the board and separate the bottom shell, first disconnect the two rumble motors and remove the 4 screws that are marked on the PCB. Lift away the board including the memory unit housing. Watch for a small piece of plastic that is normally sandwiched between the memory unit housing and the rear shell, right behind the strain relief section of the cord. It will likely become loose. Once this piece is removed, the memory unit housing will freely slide away from the board.

To remove the rumble motors from the bottom shell, simply remove the four screws and plastic covers on each, then slide the motor out.

[Is soldering required to remove trigger assemblies?]

During reassembly, take extra care to not over-tighten any screws!

Shell

All retail Duke controllers have a solid black shell with a standard jewel.

The plastic used in the Duke controller shells have become very brittle over time. They are prone to easily breaking on impact, especially near the grips. The internal screw posts are likely to shatter during controller assembly or disassembly, especially if the screws are over-tightened. Broken screw posts can be rebuilt out of epoxy or hot glue, but the quality and strength of the result can vary.

There are no known aftermarket shells available.

Thumbsticks

Once the top shell is removed and the board is exposed, the thumbsticks (plastic and rubber section) can be removed by simply pulling on them.

The Duke's thumbsticks are larger and taller than other Xbox sticks. The shape and designs on the grips are also different between the left and right stick (concave on the left, convex on the right). These sticks are unique to the Duke and there are no similar aftermarket replacements available. However, the Duke is compatible with Controller S thumbsticks, or aftermarket Xbox 360 thumbsticks which are readily available.

Cord

[Slightly different design from Controller S cord, but compatible?]
[Genuine Duke controller cords are all slightly translucent green.]
[Aftermarket parts available?]

Capacitors

• 2x 25V 4.7uf (C2 & C21)
• 1x 16v 10uf (C13)
• 2x 6.3v 100uf (C30 & C32)

According to zedlabz.com

Xbox Controller S

The smaller, revised controller design, released within a year of the console's launch. The preferred choice of most Xbox users. Genuine S Controllers remain affordable and fairly reliable.
[Images of both board versions.]

Disassembly

One of the screws is covered by the product label with the barcode on it. The simple solution is to feel for the indentation and punch a hole through the label with your screwdriver. Even in this compromised state, the label can survive a light scrubbing with soap and water without further damage or loss of adhesion. However, if you want to clean the shell more thoroughly or preserve the label fully intact, then it must first be removed with heat.

Using a heat gun, thoroughly heat one side of the label to 125°C. If using a hair dryer, start with it set to medium heat and very slowly increase as needed. Using a sharp blade, carefully peel away a corner of the label, until you can grip it with tweezers or similar. Continue to apply heat and very light pressure to lift the label off. If sufficiently heated, the label should almost fall off with no residue left behind. Once removed, attach it to wax paper for storage.

Excessive heat can cause the label to shrink and the plastic shell to become brittle and develop cracks, especially for translucent controllers. Be patient and allow plenty of time for the surface to heat up before attempting to increase heat output.

Once the label is dealt with, remove the 7 screws from the back of the controller. Lift off the bottom shell, not including the cord or memory unit housing. Disconnect the two rumble motors from the board, then lift them out of the shell. The board and memory unit housing can now be lifted off the top shell. The buttons and membranes should be resting loosely in the top shell section. To separate the memory unit housing from the board, carefully lift the 4 tabs that hook around the sockets, then slide the housing away.

To detach the D-pad from the front shell for cleaning or replacement, first remove the 2 small screws accessible from the inside of the shell. Then, using two small screwdrivers, put a flathead into the top left quadrant (looking from the inside), and the other in the gap behind the little tab at the top. The first screwdriver should push the tab toward the middle to allow the second to lift the plastic disc away from the shell.

If it is necessary to separate the trigger assemblies (including surrounding plastic) from the board, you must first fully desolder the potentiometers.

Shell

Many combinations of shell color and jewel design were produced. The most common are solid black, translucent green, or translucent blue shells with the standard Xbox jewel. An incomplete list of official combinations can be found in this reddit post. ^(Archived)

There are no known aftermarket shells available. However, unlike The Duke, the Controller S shells remain one of its stronger components, and replacements can be sourced from controllers with other defects.

Thumbsticks

Once the board is removed from the top shell, the thumbsticks (plastic and rubber section) can be removed by simply pulling on them.

The Controller S thumbsticks were later reused in the Xbox 360 controller and are thus cross-compatible. Aftermarket Xbox 360 thumbsticks are readily available.

Cord

[Warning about connector orientation when resoldering.]

[Slightly different from Duke controller cord, but compatible?]
[Black cord if made in China, or slightly translucent green if made in Malaysia.]
[Genuine S Controller cords have Microsoft logo on ferrite bead. (Duke controllers do not.)]
[Aftermarket parts available, including breakaway adapters.]

Common

Breakaway dongle

Genuine breakaway dongles are solid black or translucent green to match their cord, and have XBOX name embossed near the top of the connector.

Aftermarket breakaway dongles are readily available.

Cleaning

Once the controller is fully disassembled, the plastic shell and buttons can be scrubbed with dish soap and warm water. The silicone button and D-pad membranes can also be cleaned this way, but are more delicate.

Other internal components should be cleaned with isopropyl alcohol. Q-tips and a toothbrush are helpful for this.

Pressure sensitive buttons

The Xbox controller's 6 face buttons (A/B/X/Y/B/W) are pressure sensitive. This is accomplished using a pad of tape and graphite over the PCB. However, with age and use, the graphite can degrade, causing the buttons to require excessive pressure to register or achieve a full press reading. There are two main fixes:

Graphite restoration

The best solution is to restore the graphite layer on the bottom of the pad using a pencil. The process is described in this Reddit post.^(Archived)

Contact buttons

If pressure sensitivity is not required, a simple solution is to remove the graphite pad entirely and replace it with conductive 7mm button contacts, such as these from ButtonWorx. The process is described in this Reddit post.^(Archived)

Be sure to keep the graphite pad somewhere safe in case you want to attempt restoration later.

Testing

After reparing a controller, the best way to test it is with the Xbox Gamepad Tester utility. If possible, also test both onboard sockets with a memory unit, especially if any board components were replaced or repaired.