# Anybody ever repaired an Xbox controller before?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-ever-repaired-an-xbox-controller-before/283500>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [January 7, 2005, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-ever-repaired-an-xbox-controller-before/283500 "2005-01-07T02:14:13Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Chastain86](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Chastain86](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chastain86)\
**Post date:** [January 7, 2005, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-ever-repaired-an-xbox-controller-before/283500/1 "2005-01-07T02:14:13Z")

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Okay, here’s the deal. I’ve got an Xbox controller with a bum left thumbstick – it’s just stopped being very “springy” and doesn’t return back to center very well.

I hate to scrap it entirely, because it’s one of the big honkin’ Duke controllers they don’t make anymore…and I happen to like 'em.

So does anybody have any hints/tips? Anybody ever repair one of these? I’ve got it disassembled now, but I can’t find anything wrong with the thumbstick assembly.

I’m trying to avoid tossing out a boatload of money for an S-type controller, which I don’t care for as much. Anybody got any ideas?

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**Author:** ![chinbender](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c77e96/32.png) [@chinbender](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chinbender)\
**Post date:** [January 7, 2005, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-ever-repaired-an-xbox-controller-before/283500/2 "2005-01-07T02:30:37Z")

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good luck to you. I had a similar problem, I forget exactly why I took it apart, but inside it didnt work exactly as I had thought. I think the thumbstics are one assembly. I ended up using some of the parts to fix another controller.

I just wanted to chime in about my other “solution”, which was to buy old controllers on ebay. 2 out of 3 had very minor problems, one button would fire prematurely, or I would be straffing left on certain games for instance. be careful with this. and I found this site, which may have answers on their forums.  
[llama](http://www.llamma.com/xbox/Repairs/Controller_Cleaning.htm)