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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 30 ก.ค. 2024
- How I replaced the thumbsticks to fix drift issues on the Valve Index Controllers. You follow this at your own risk. There is a chance you can damage your controllers trying this procedure. You can overheat the board soldering, you can snap the cover, you can break a ribbon cable, you can loose a screw or a spring, you can get chip-quick on the wrong components, you can use too much flux. Understand you can break your controllers if you do this wrong.
Thumbstick is available on AliExpress, part # FJ06K-S
After 400 odd hours of being repeatedly flicked upwards to avoid fast travelling in Skyrim, mine finally succumbed.
Managed to follow this guide. I was nowhere near as well equipped to unsolder the old thumbstick and resorted to ripping it off in pieces and unsoldering the leg stumps that were left with the iron and a manual thumb spring solder removal pump. Was adamant I'd ham fistedly broken it by the time I'd finished but she's working perfectly! 😁
Oh my god I just did the same thing today lolll
That's the same way I removed the old thumbstick
Luckily it worked out perfectly fine
I think its highway robbery when a company designs a part that will break over time from use. That's ridiculous and a terrible design. Thank you for posting this
Just to play devil's advocate, all analog sticks will drift eventually. It's just a matter of when, and companies need to do a better job making that 'when" a lot farther away.
and they are still selling it like there`s no problem with the stick
@@JewelsVR I think Valve designed most of the original HTC Vive's hardware to begin with. The headset, base stations, and controllers.
every product ever designed ever breaks overtime from use.
A controller this expensive and technologically advanced *really* could've included a hall sensor stick. I get it that they were strapped for space so they had to use the tiniest analog stick mechanism they could buy, but that's hardly an excuse to buy the cheapest one too.
Im one month away from 2 years with my index. I've been through 3-4 controller replacements. I'm tired of it, Valve could have done much better imo. I've been watching this video on repeat the past couple of days getting ready to purchase equipment and parts. So far still cheaper than a new pair. Plus if I get good at it I can take in people's controllers from the league for repair.
Does it work ?
same lol
Thanks for taking the time to make the video, not something I need now but definitely something I'd turn to once my warranty runs out!
I was having the worst time trying to put the hand-strap spring back in after repairing my trigger. This video helped so much in figuring out how to actually put it back together. Thanks!
I fixed my drifting left hand controller today with the help of this video. Now, it works perfectly! Thank you big time!!!
Thanks mate, managed to swap them out and keep everything in working order!
For people looking to do this, I strongly recommend the chipquik or something similar, it's possible without but took way longer than it should have. Try your best not to snap the legs off the original joystick, removing them after the fact is incredibly painful. The way I ended up getting the joystick off was using a very small flat head screwdriver bit and slip it between the joystick and the board, applying a little prying pressure as I applied heat to the legs. This allowed the joystick to move very slightly each time I changed what leg I was heating. Would have worked great but if you apply too much force, you risk snapping the legs off like I did for 3 of them and it was a pain to get those out.
I was able to fix my controller with the help of this video, but I wasn't able to get the chipquick to work. I bridged all the soldering points on the thumbstick with chipquick and had a fat tip on my soldering iron running at 675F, but the thumbstick just wouldn't let go. After a lot of heating and pulling, molten chipquick ended up running onto some tiny capacitors nearby. I was able to clean them off by wicking it away, but it was a big mess. What worked for me was to use ESD tape to cover nearby components, then to heat the individual thumbstick soldering points with my hot air rework gun and to suck away the molten solder with a desoldering pump. I'm sure chipquick is an easier way to remove the thumbstick, but it seems like it involves more risk than desoldering each point individually.
Had some trouble desoldering the thumbstick but no problems other than that, great guide!
Great tutorial!! Works perfect now! Greatly appreciate you putting this video together! Thank you
Thanks a lot! Drift has started and I now have a couple of weeks to learn to solder..
Amazing guide, learning how to solder right now so wish me luck.
Masterful job and great soldering skills.
Great vid. my left hand had pretty much the same issue, though the sensor couldn't even detect that I was pushing forward on my controller. I was hoping the controller would be simpler to do myself but I don't have any kind of sodder experience or the tool to do it. I'm glad that there is a fix and that I wasn't the only one with that issue.
Yup, I feel you. I wish it were simpler. This is why I said do so at your own risk. You have to be careful if you try this, you can break your controllers if you are not careful. You can also overheat the board. There is some risk. I would recommend grabbing a PCB prototype kit and practice soldering and desoldering components before trying, plenty of youtube videos on soldering also.
Thanks for the super detailed video - I really appreciate it. I'm going to go down this road sooner than later. Might as well try to fix it for under $20 (controllers ~$8, solder wick and pump, maybe some quickchip) before buying a new controller (not that their in stock right now anyways.) I've soldered bigger stuff before, but not too confident in soldering something this small. I think I'm going to find some old electronics to practice on first. Just thought I'd mention that for anyone else hesitating to to try fixing their Index controller.
This worked for me. Lemme say though, its hard, and a struggle bus if its your first time soldering electronics. My soldering was a bit of a butcher job. But miraculously the new joystick works great! Thanks for the video man
You're welcome, glad it worked out. You now have a new life skill, congrats.
Thank you for taking the time to make this ☺☺☺
Busted my joystick and had a spare right controller on standby this video is godsend because I had no idea there was a screw under the touchpad
Thanks so much for the info. It's so motivating knowing that this is something I can fix myself. Also 👌 on the music
Update: I did it! I accidently broke two of the plastic clips for the top cover and the led doesn't work anymore (don't know how that happened, mightve mistaken a random plastic tab for solder or something) but the drift is gone! Just have to get used to the new activation force of the stick click
thanks, this helped out a lot when my analog stick's touch sensor broke.
Thank you very much, this video helped me open my controller to fix the stick
Was curious if repair was possible and stumbled upon the video. Didn't pay attention to who made it, and a couple seconds in I thought to myself, "His voice is SOOO familiar!" Great video. Hope I run into you in Pop1/Onward soon, Noh-Low-Mee-Tay!
Hahaha!, what’s up Nevaste. Thanks.
Hi, what is the use of the little sheet of metal link to the thumbstixk, mine broke and I don't know if I can change it
where can i purchase a replacement ribbon for the joystick - the ribbon broke, the button came out with the ribbon. Controller is only a few months old
Thanks a ton for this. Just finished the repair using this as a guide and the new one works great. I broke the little ribbon cable for the capacitive touch but that was my own fault for gorilla-ing the thumbstick off.
Awesome, glad it worked out for you. Sucks that the capacitive touch broke, but on the plus side it's no big deal. Most games don't use it and when they do it's not crucial.
@@nolomite3921 Problem is, when you want to use such yourself, when you can set up your own configurations :D
Playing a lot of NeosVR, where you can set everything up through ingame logix to controll stuff and needed to replace both after around 5 months already. Right had stickdrift, left had a broken ribbon cable for the thumbstick.
Thank you for that detailed view, will keep that guide saved, whenever my warrenty runs out.
The replacement starting to sometimes having drift already again (But.... not consistent), after around 4 months...
What happens when thumbstick ribbon breaks?
@@sablesasquatchproductions6395 The capacitive touch stops working when you touch the thumbstick, but the thumbstick will still work for everything else.
I might open the top off just to Epoxy resin the joystick so the thumbpad doesn't fall out again. Still under warrantee but RMA replacements won't last forever.
the fact that you had a desk pad to put that screw atall of it deserves a like love an subscribe please we need continue jeffg
✌I may be having a panick attack now pleasegod let me have gen 2 controllers jeffg well I'm going into the matrix since valve controllers seem to ...
I wanna fix my controllers so i need help
Is there like a kit i need to buy to have all the needed screws and stuff ? Pls help
anyone know the part number for the thumb pad pressure sensor? managed to replace my stick thanks the this vid but i think i fried my pressure sensor in the process.
Great video!
I hope I won't need to do this but I'm guessing that it's inevitable.
Based on my experience I would say yes it's inevitable. Seems to affect us who play competitive shooters more since we are always jamming on the thumbstick.
@NYGHTEMXRE It's been about 5 months for me and they are still going strong. I've played with it a lot, so yeah so far so good.
BTW, what kind of device do I need to hold the chip up? Rather, what's it called so I can search it on amazon or something?
Really need to learn that skill tbh. Can be so useful
excellent video
Damn, man. Good job!
would it be possible to leave the thumbstick un-soldered and have the thumbstick be hot-swappable?
hey. fixing my gfs controller. Do you know any resellers of the whole joystick assembly? Talking about the joystick itself not the sensor. She had her joystick pop out and ended up ripping it out breaking the ribbon cable :(
Okay... So what do I do If I found my Thumbstick torn off from the controller? Is there any way to assemble it?
your switch says 19 26 on it, the FJ06K-S switches I got say 18 29 on them... well I put 2 on the board and neither will track correctly and they have alot of play. The sticks wiggle around. after closer inspection of your video I see the oem one says 19 26, yours says the same as mine 18 29... My sticks have alot of play/deadzone before they kick in. None of mine installed tracked a complete circle and didnt work normal.
Thank you very much for the video. If you ever consider repairing controllers for money, let me know.
What did you do to melt the lead? That part looks stresful
what bits are they torx size ?
I just did this to mine, my switches I got feel a little loose, like a small amount of play in the stick as I hold the switch in my hand. I proceeded to do the fix and removing the original switch was a pain, I ended up breaking the switch into small pieces undoing each leg. It came off pretty clean. I soldered in the new one. I put the controller back together and went into controller testing. The thumbstick went all the way around but at the top it wasnt all the way to the edges. Then it just stopped completely and now only works like its glitched out. Doesnt read right. The touch pad worked and then stopped. Then the grip worked and then stopped. Maybe I need to recheck all the ribbon cables but im not confident in these switches I got off ebay that took a month to get here.
My controller trigger is sticking... I wish you would of showed how it works. I tried tearing it apart but was stuck until I saw your video with the screw under the trackpad sensor thank you for sharing
Did valve fix the issue in the 2022 version?
Is there somewhere I can take my left controller to get this done for me I'm like not qualified to solder shit,.
Hello, my friend's controller has broken down and needs help in repairing it. How can I contact you for a consultation?
great video! could you make a video of how to repair the power souce?
I took the cover off based on another (text only) guide and ripped the thumbstick ribbon cable like you said. I think that's just the capacitive sensor for the stick which shouldn't really matter? No reasonably priced replacements to be found on Ebay.
Great video! I did this repair just today and had a quesiton. Does the thumbstick ever feel kinda weird when you hold forward then move a little left to right? mine i can feel like it rubbing over the axis corners but only on the forward. Wondered if that was maybe just a defective piece or maybe the piece wasn't seated all the way? it works fine but that feel might bother me
Not for me, mine feels fine. Maybe just bad luck with the thumbstick you replaced, I noticed they are not all built the same. As an example some of the thumbsticks click better then others, so I always test the thumbstick click before replacing them. So far the one I replaced on my own controller is going strong for 5 months, but I can imagine some thumbsticks from AliExpress could work better than others.
@@nolomite3921 aight good to know. I got the 5 pack so I might try swapping it out again
where can i get your tools? and the screw board i love that
Nice work my controllers are drifting but can't solder I'd probably do more harm then good trying to fix
I got issues, I've not contacted Valve yet to see if they will sort it for me, I had replacement some time ago but now it seems I've having the dreaded issue. Certainly don't fancy buying new controllers. I'm doing some research into this, in which I found this awesome video. I think if I do decide to attempt to replace the part, I best study on soldering etc too. I were just wondering if also, it were possible to get a better quality part which would fit it or to modify it so it doesn't break so easy. Surely Valve should be liable selling poor quality components if they just fall apart like that. Could you fix the original part even. Thanks for sharing the information. What do you think on modifying it so it doesn't break any more, it's just so sad that other controllers can have thousands of hours without no problem. These controllers are great apart from the quality standards being used. Design flaw even.
It is unfortunate. Like most manufacturers of electronics, most companies don't manufacture their own components, they source them from other manufactures. PS5 just had a class action lawsuit against them for the same thing, drift. They should be testing for a number of cycles before failure. I'm not saying it's impossible to modify them, but probably impractical and difficult. They are very small parts, built to a tight tolerance. They are actually impressively engineered even though they fail. I haven't seen any better quality parts that can replace them, the one part I mentioned is the only part I know of. There are better thumbsticks out there but they have to be the same exact size and tolerance to fit the circuit board. Valve either needs to work with their source of supply to redesign the thumb thumbstick, or find another source of supply and they should be performing better QA testing for cycles before failure. It's not easy because these are mass produced at some factory, meaning they would have to retool their machines which is very very expensive.
Hey. Thanks for the through video.. I did this two weeks ago.. The thumbstick works perfectly, but now the tracking doesn't.
It's playable but I definitively experience the hand wandering around and throwing isn't the same.
Any idea of what I might have done wrong? Maybe an indication of where the tracking component is?
My best guess is that you could have possibly overheated the board soldering or unsoldering and may have fried something else in the process. That's my best guess, other than that check that all ribbon cables and connectors are properly seated. Yeah sorry to hear it didn't go well for you. I've so far fixed about 6 controllers without issue and haven't experienced your problem myself. I can imagine if the soldering iron was too hot or left on the board too long it could be possible to overheat other components. That's just a guess, there are a number of things that can go wrong, which is why I was explicit in my description and the video of the risk. It's a pretty invasive procedure. They do sell used controllers on ebay, might want to check those out.
@@nolomite3921 I didn't see your message back then. I actually just bought another controller (used).
But then it also began having the same issue.
Today i rewatched the video, did the repair again and this time it's working.
Thanks a lot for the guide. I can finally play again:)
mine wont let me move forward idk if thats what a drift is called or what but deff want to pay to fix them or fix them my self but idk where to go
well only issue I have is the capacitive touch on the tumbstick dosn't work any more, wonder if hair is still causing an issue, or if i damaged the cable to the thumbstick but that is my only issue so far
All the buttons on the controller are attached to that one ribbon cable for capacitive touch. If all your other buttons work, then it's likely a break in the ribbon cable going to the thumbstick in which case there isn't much you can do about it. Valve doesn't sell replacement parts and that ribbon cable is made specifically for the index controllers. Replacing the thumbstick component in this instance will not fix it. Good thing is that capacitive touch on the thumbstick is rarely used in games for anything other than hand presence, and you can still close your thumb to make a fist using the trackpad. Not worth the headache in my opinion.
Thanks for translating the Russian one and adding to it. My only input is i think the ribbon cable connectors have flip up latches so you don't need any force to remove and reinsert the ribbon. I could be wrong, I'll be doing mine soon, but i think it's the same as a phone or laptop. Good call on the chip quick, that's pro knowledge lol
Thanks, I'll take a look. I'm fixing another one tomorrow. I don't recall seeing any latches, but I'll take a closer look on the next one. If you fix yours and find them, let me know, I'll post an update.
You are right, there are small latches. I will post an update. thanks.
You are heaven sent my friend. Was able to replace the stick perfectly and even lube up the trigger springs while I was in there. Only caveat being that I'm fairly certain did just that you said to avoid at the opening with removing the force sensor on the trackpad when it just flexed ever so slightly. After some double checking, fairly certain that's what happened anyway. Got any advice for a component reseller lead?
Probably not what you want to hear but your best bet might be buying a new controller from eBay if you want to fix the trackpad. Unfortunately Valve doesn’t sell any components so we are left with very little options as far as repair goes. I’ve removed several of the trackpad force sensors without issue, maybe yours was glued on there harder? I can’t think of many better ways to get that off of there since it’s glued on.
@@nolomite3921 A little bit of heat with a heat gun or hair dryer might help, not too much to avoid warping the plastic, just enough to make everything warm to the touch, this generally softens the glue that is commonly used in electronics and can help make it sticky again for when you put it back together.
Hey bro, I've found that the touch pad pressure sensor ain't working on my controller after the fix. I think the first time it wasn't plugged in, and that might be the case for the second time (need to confirm). You said that you accidently broke yours the first time you did it - do you know if any replacement parts or the parts code for it? Also in what way did you break it? Mine flew off due to the glue strength but I think it's just the connection being butt
The part I broke was ribbon cable for the capacitive touch on the thumbstick, not the pressure sensor on the touch pad. Later I learned you can use a heat gun to loosen up the glue for that touchpad sensor. I’ve repaired 6 controllers so far, and have had good luck removing them, even without the heat gun. Unfortunately Valve does not offer any replacement parts for these controllers, and I do not know if any sources of supply for the pressure sensor. I don’t know if this is a proprietary part or if they sourced it from a 3rd party.
what soldering iron do you have? ive bought 4-5 different irons in my time and none of them ever get hot enough quick enough to do anything, i sit their for minutes with the tip on the solder and nothing happens.
Buy a Hakko FX-888D or even one of the chinese Hakko clones (Yihua brand) and use original Hakko tips with it. Having the right tools for the job makes all the difference, it will make your life easier.
Man I did this and soldered the potentiometer on upside down causing me to have to unsolder and re-solder it again, I basically Overheated the board or something because now there’s a short and it just flickers and vibrates. Great video though, I was able to do everything else without breaking anything haha.
ty so much
What temperature did you set your soldering iron to? Also, how highly do you recommend using the chip quick stuff and the flux? I am not familiar with that or flux.
It’s been a while so I don’t remember. I think I the melting temp for chip quick is around 281 degrees Fahrenheit. I’m sure I went a little over. Don’t go too hot or you’ll risk overheating something else. I don’t know how much heat some of these chips on the board are rated too but you don’t want to go too hot. I tried removing a joystick without the chip quick first and it was a huge pain. I couldn’t get all of the solder off each pin on the thumbstick and if you have just a little solder in any one pin you can’t pull the thumbstick out. I ended up breaking up the thumbstick with pliers, trying to cut each leg, using precision pliers to grab on a single leg while heating and pulling with the soldering iron. Huge pain in the butt, I almost wanted to give up. So yes, I would absolutely recommend the chip quick. People have had issues breaking something while trying this, I’ve so far fixed 6 controllers but some people have reported their controllers not working. It could be that they are overheating the board.
@@nolomite3921 thank you
@@slypenguin1468 250-280deg Celcius for plumbum-free lead.
can you do somethiing for fixing the USB-C port of index controller?
and a safe way to tear the outer knuckle down and how to restore it
im using magnetic usb c cables to prevent that they broke
Is there a set of tools that you are using that we can purchase? looking especially for the scraper for the pressure pad. If you mentioned it I missed it
I didn't mention it, they are just standard phone repair tools but here's a link www.amazon.com/dp/B08PSSHGCW/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_JYMVPSBS0WGY1G4W83X8?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1
Here's the other tool: www.amazon.com/dp/B00NCFIVH4/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_BVXRJ89JH9G2SFX0T6C9?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1
Hey Im trying to source the actual plastic thumbstick itself, the hole that slots onto the stick is widened and causing issues even on the new stick.
I don't think you can source that part. Valve doesn't sell it. Best bet might be to 3D print one or glue the old one on. You would lose capacitive touch if you 3D print one but it's better than nothing.
I've had 6 broken thumbsticks so far and I'm currently trying to get another replacement but valve is trying to blame it this time on software issues and giving me a hard time with the support. They know damn well what's wrong with the controller design. How much E-waste are they producing with this cheap out plastic thumbstick solution ? I doubt they refurbish the broken controllers. I would pay more for a model that doesn't brake every few months but it must be cheaper for valve to use the plastic ones and then replace the whole controller for every x customer instead using a more expensive metal one for every controller. I wish valve would be called out for this, if it was a xbox or playstation controller that would fail every few months there would be a huge outrage but I guess VR is not mainstream enough to put enough public pressure on valve to finally fix the problem.
I'm right there with you, it's frustrating. It's annoying playing Ping Pong with their customer support over a series of days and following their terrible troubleshooting tips. I agree, they know what the issue is but their customer support techs are really just a bunch of script readers who probably have some boss holding a coffee mug breathing down their necks. I just played Ping Pong with support to get a new cable which you can't purchase by the way. Luckily they are sending me a new one even though my headset is out of warranty.
Great video thank you for that. Question is there a replacement joystick itself available ?
Not that I know of. I think a lot of these parts are proprietary to Valve and they don’t sell any parts. I’d probably 3D print one but I know that’s not a solution for everyone.
I am thinking about selling my Index and my left controller has some issue where it's loose and drifts sometimes. Does that part number for both sides or just the right side? What would the number before the left controller?
Hey Paul, it’s the same part number for both controllers. I’ve swapped them out on both left and right, no issues.
I am terrified to do it myself because could break stuff, so don't really know what to do except for messing with the dead zone. I put it at 60% and it doesn't move backward anymore but it does drift backward and when pressing trigger it will go, otherwise it is still barable. Want to fix though.
Yup, if it’s still under warranty you could try going that route. Also try contacting Steam anyway, someone else said they were still able to get an RMA after their warranty expired. I wasn’t so lucky. But yeah you can break your controller, so this is a last resort before you buy a new one. I think a lot of people are overheating the board while soldering, don’t put the temp up higher than you need. I hear more success stories, but it does happen.
it's worth noting that Valve is very forthcoming regarding RMA for this issue. in my case an RMA after 3 years was no problem. so you might want to try that road first before potentially breaking your controller.
After nearly 5 years they refused to RMA it for me :)
But I won't buy another one for the price they still have without breaking them in the repair first. And if it works I only paid like 10 bucks for all the tools I didn't already have
Hey I was able to follow your guide and fix my left controller. There is only one issue I was hoping you might be able to help with...my stick works, but it stops working after about 15 minutes of gameplay. I can run a test and the controller picks up the stick click, but no movement. I have to restart the controller and it starts working again for about another 15...same thing. Any idea?
No idea, the thumbstick is a passive component, so likely not the thumbstick itself. My best guess is that you may have damaged something else in the process, whichever component processes the input from the thumbstick, you may have overheated something while soldering. I would start simple, check your connections, make sure your cables are fastened, check your thumbstick's resistance values maybe, to make sure it works, it's a 10K pot. Besides that I don't think there is much you can do if you accidentally fried something else on the board. I would need a manual from Valve with schematics, theory of operation and replacement parts, and I don't think Valve will give me any of that.
@@nolomite3921 I ended up buying a used left controller with the drift issue off eBay. I followed your guide but this time my dude, I didn't screw up! It works 100%! No issues! Thanks for your video.
@@andrewpugs1967 I'm glad to hear that it worked out. I've been using my replacement for 5 months now, so far so good, no drift. It has lasted longer than any of the 5 controllers I've RMAed with Valves OEM part.
so i got to do this but now thumbstick is registering stuck in down position
does the new metal thumbstick last longer than the original ones in the controller or do you find yourself needing to replace these regularly still?
So far, yes, by a lot. I have yet to have to change mine again since repairing them. I’ve slowed my pace of playing but even when I was playing they still lasted much longer. Night and day difference.
i'm confused cuz they be comin to aus this month and I wanna get a pair and have valve fixed the joystick yet?
Not that I'm aware of. I've heard they've put some R&D into the Steam Deck thumbsticks to make sure they don't drift as fast. Hopefully when they release a new headset they fix the issue, but I don't have a lot of hope from what I've seen on the Index controllers.
Just post grip and touchpad functionality doing this. Has anyone run into this problem that can help? Thanks.
I completed the fix and lost grip and touchpad functionality. Did you figure out what was wrong? Checking my ribbon cables now, but I think everything is fine
How do you repair a capacitive touch ribbon? By some miracle, while I was play beat saber, on an upswing my pant pocket caught the thumbstick. It took me a second to notice it was gone, and when I found the piece I noticed the ribbon and found this video. Is there a way to fix it?
I don't think it can be repaired, at least not easily. Unfortunately that ribbon cable isn't a single detachable cable. It's part of a larger ribbon cable that goes to many other components. That entire ribbon assembly is a proprietary valve part, and valve doesn't sell parts. Not saying it's impossible to repair but I don't think it's worth the effort, you are probably fine without it.
Hi Nolomite! Sorry my discord account was hacked for a while, but thanks for letting me know! Thanks again for repairing my valve index controllers - they still seem to be working great! Unfortunately last night I noticed one of my base stations blinking red. Any chance you know how to repair those as well? I've tried all the basic steps, and I've also tried recovering from corrupt firmware, and copying the firmware from my working one but no luck.
Hey, good to hear the controllers are still ticking. I’ve fixed some for a couple friends and so far they seem to hold up better than the original valve sticks. Unfortunately I don’t know much about base station repair.
Two years too late in responding to this, but for anyone who ends up having the same issue, red blinking lights are *usually* deemed a total loss on the base station. This was a back and forth conversation with Steam Support. They will usually send you one for free out of courtesy, in which you can send the broken one afterwards. That was from my experience. Though if we're on the subject for a -fix- on a red blinking base station, I don't know of any other than the basic firmware recovery steps.
is this problem more prevalent in older indexes rather than newer ones, or will this eventually be a problem for all indexes?
Unfortunately I don’t know. I had to RMA my controllers a lot till my warranty expired and the last set I got from Valve started drifting. That was almost a year ago. Before then I watched some video sources here on TH-cam claiming it was fixed, but that was not the case at all, the problem was still very much prevalent. It’s hard to say because Valve is completely silent about the problem, and I only know what I know from first hand experience.
So apparently my left thumbstick only does left and right (forward and backwards seems broken) , i opend the controller and the ribbon of that thumbstick was just hanging around so its probably ripped off. Any ideas where i can get a new thumbstick with such a ribbon ? i cant seem to find any
The good news is that the ribbon cable is not essential. That ribbon cable only functions for the capacitive touch on the thumbstick, not the movement itself. If your thumbstick only does left/right but up down are working crappy then it's more than likely one of the potentiometers has gone bad and you need to replace the whole thumbstick. The ribbon cable is done for but I wouldn't sweat it, most games don't use it.
@@nolomite3921 Ah nice! well yes it was a used Index anyways and i ordered a replacement part so ima just swap that :) Good to know its just for capacitive touch tho
How long has your repairs lasted compared to the standard stick? ty for the great video.
Much longer, so far had to replace them only once, and they've by far surpassed the OEM sticks.
Battery replacement tutorial?
Hmm, so the only way to fix the thumbstick resting "sensor" is to actually replace that very same part(no drifting)? Im way over warranty, and that seems like a loooooooooooot of work for someone who hasnt soldered in 5ever.
my charging cable melted and fuzed into the charging port on the right controller, i took out the cable and the charging port came with it. the controller still has power but i cant charge it ever again.
Wow, I’ve never heard of that issue. RMA it if you can or toss it. I wouldn’t recommend ever connecting that back up unless you 100% know what the problem is and can fix it. That’s a fire hazard and you should throw that controller away. I also wouldn’t trust that charger.
Is there any place else to order the part from other than aliexpress? It will take 2 months to arrive :(. If you have an extra one you could list on eBay, I’d be glad to buy it from you. Or better yet, how much would you charge if I send you my controller for repair? :)
Not that I know of. They usually ship a lot sooner than the expected shipping date, my first order took about a month and my second order took about 2 weeks.
@@nolomite3921 I just sent you a friend request, thanks! Hoping to chat with you more about a possible fix, thanks!
Could you provide a link to the part you bought i an not able to locate it anywhere
www.aliexpress.com/ Search for FJ06K-S
This one is good www.aliexpress.com/item/10000083113978.html?spm=a2g0s.9042311.0.0.24924c4dnlYPmZ
Does the ribbon cable matter because my joystick completely popped out and it broke the ribbon cable.
In my opinion, no it doesn't really matter. You'll be fine. That ribbon cable on the thumbstick is just for capacitive touch. The only thing that capacitive touch is used for (that I'm aware of) is hand presence. So if you are playing lets say VR Chat and you want to make a fist, your thumb will be popping up, but you can still use your thumb on the track-pad to make a fist. It's not a big deal, not worth worrying about.
@@nolomite3921 Honestly might just take it apart and fix it my warrantys already expired
@@vx9o29 Yeah, really that's your only option. Valve doesn't offer repair service. Might as well try before buying a new pair.
Is there a way to get a replacement joystick with ribbon cable? Soon as I popped off the cover the joystick came with it and tore the ribbon cable. Great video BTW.
Nope
@@neburo69 are there any other parts we can get. I was able to solder the switch in, but now it can't be tracked. Thinking some solder spilled over to another connection for the sensors.
@@PearlJamFanLV no they dont sell them
So I thought I fixed the controller. It fixed the drift but gave me brand new problems. The stick, sometimes the buttons, would freeze input, or just stop working. I’ll be walking in Pavlov, and then it just stops. Now, it is different if I just stop moving the stick, because in the new update on Pavlov, there is like an inertia effect where it slows down before stopping. With this, it just stops. Please help I don’t want to buy a new controller.
Sorry to hear that. I’m not an expert on every possible problem you might have with your controllers. It’s possible you may have overheated the board soldering. That’s why I say you try at your own risk, and put a disclaimer on the description. Valve doesn’t sell parts. Your best bet might be a used controller on eBay.
@@nolomite3921 It ended up working fine the following days, however, a new problem has occurred. My touchpad isn't sensitive. The button function works fine, but touch is weird. I am not sure what the diagnosis could be. One, it could be that I damaged a ribbon cable, or maybe two, I screwed up the plate that is touched. Let me know if you have any ideas on what to do.
@@Queen_Zaza I’m not sure if you mean the pressure sensor underneath the touchpad, the touchpad itself, or the top plate where the touchpad is mounted? Either way if you did break something else I have no idea where to get parts at besides buying a used controller on eBay.
@@nolomite3921 the touchpad has this sticky feeling to it. I’ll rest my thumb on it and it won’t track. If I press on the upper part of the touchpad it will receive an input, and then the white dot will get stuck at the top right of the pad. I don’t know what could be causing it.
FJ06K-S with switch?
Is this kind of potentiometer more durable than the original one?
Yes, much more durable. I haven’t had to replace mine, but I’ve been playing a lot less. Still it’s lasted so much longer when I was playing. The OEM sticks didn’t last long at all.
@@nolomite3921 FJ06K-S Is with Switch??
I see new products is FJR06K-S also can use?
FJ06K-S. Not sure what you mean “with switch”? It does have a push button switch when you push down on it.
@@nolomite3921 Because the seller told me that there are potentiometers with and without switches. He said that FJ06K-S has a switch and FJ06K-N does not have a switch. The seller also said that Xbox or ps controller dont have a switch, so I don’t know how to buy one.
@@ozaki112233 Gotcha, yes he must mean the push button switch, yes it’s the FJ06K-S, get that one, with switch.
there is a no soldering required solution out there that seems to work okay, although I had to repeat the same repair about a month later so maybe not so much
Thanks, if you have a solution let me know. The only temporary solution I know of is adjusting the dead zone in the controller and as the controller drift gets worse that doesn't seem to hold up.
@@nolomite3921 this reddit thread sort of describes how www.reddit.com/r/ValveIndex/comments/kf7mb4/guide_how_to_repair_your_valve_index_controller/
basically i just kinda pried that potentiometer compartment back and swapped out the butterfly wing looking thing for a new one. It worked but I got drift a month later so I did the same repair again. We shall see how long it lasts this time. If it doesn't last I'll have to try to swap the whole component.
I'd say your solution is probably better provided one is competent with soldering microelectronics.
@@iliketurtles7947 Ah, I see, thanks. Yes that makes sense now, they are swapping the armature in the potentiometer. That could work, and if I didn't have a soldering iron or soldering skills I could see myself trying that method. It's more of a jerry-rig approach, but worst case scenario you'll break a thumbstick that's already broken. Soldering would be the proper approach but whatever works. One issue with swapping the armature is that there could also be wear on the shaft that connects to it. Also realigning everything and making sure you have the proper tension could be difficult, but whatever works, thanks for sharing.
@@nolomite3921 yeah this is what I thought I would end up doing when this happened to mine eventually. This may keep the "stock" stick feel as well since the Ali express stick doesn't exactly match in terms of actuating force and so on. Any possibility on making a video just replacing this little piece ?
For future readers, I have done the fix mentioned in that reddit post 4 times now. Never lasted longer than a couple months; because as he mentioned in the video at about 3:43 the plastic erodes and you're only replacing that metal springy bit.
This method is my last hope to save these controllers. *Buys a soldering iron and crosses fingers*
where did you get the joystick from
if i may ask
AliExpress
I can't seem to find it either
welp i done goofed, i accidentally ripped off the thumbstick while i was removing the cover and a wire snapped so now cant move at all in game so i gotta rma it. i know this wouldve worked tho bc its the exact problem i had and ripping it was my fault, so ima still leave a like for actually giving a fix
If it's the small wire going to the thumbstick it should be fine. That's just for capacitive touch, and most games don't use it. If you can't move at all you may have broke something else. I would always recommend RMAing your controller before trying this repair. There is a probability you can break your controller trying this. I was pretty explicit about that in the video and in the description. It should be used as a last resort.
great video, unfortunately there was user error... resetting the spring i dropped it in the controller upon reassembly 🙃
edit: i disassembled it and the spring perfectly unfolded under the hole for the trigger
Thank you. Good job!
where did you get that mat
Amazon www.amazon.com/Kaisiking-Silicone-Electronics-Soldering-Anti-Static/dp/B08PVCZ41C/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?crid=1OF1KTKP7KG5Q&dchild=1&keywords=small%2Belectronics%2Bmat&qid=1633381374&sprefix=Small%2Belectronics%2Bmat%2Caps%2C194&sr=8-1-spons&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUEyUEIzMU9IRTk5UE9FJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwOTAzMjgwMlJZWTU0WVo1MFlRTiZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUEwNTM1NDg1Mlc1T0hJTUdDRUdPViZ3aWRnZXROYW1lPXNwX2F0ZiZhY3Rpb249Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU&th=1
My thumb stick my some physics defying way just popped out and I just wanted to put it back in lol
Nolo - if someone doesn't want to do themselves, you would do it for a fee right? If so, how much? Great video brudda ... - GT4U2VIEW
What's up GT, I'll message you on discord.
Hey Monsieur, unfortunately I can't fix any controllers at the moment. I'm in the process of moving and all my stuff is going into storage. If you are still under warranty I would recommend using steam support. Sometimes you have to be patient with them. I understand they are a PIA been there many times. There is always a chance of breaking your controllers trying to repair them yourself. I would only recommend fixing them yourself if you have to. If your warranty is up Steam is not going to do anything for you. I've also been there. If I find someone that can repair them I'll shoot them your way.
@@user-kc8of9xt1x Also check out eBay, you can find some refurbished controllers for $90
Idk why I'm watching this vídeo, I don't even have an index controller
I think their solder is doped with tungsten or something. My regular soldering iron could barely touch it. I bought a gun style with broader tip, using flux. Sometimes it melts, but mostly I feel like I'm just roasting the board
What seems to work is to put a dot of flux, then touch directly. If/when it melts, then put the wick in there, heat the wick and hope it sucks up the solder
Maddening
Correction: dot of flux, wick over that, solder on wick. In theory, running some flux up the wick helps, but in practice it just make a bigger pool of melted flux
All day, still not finished. I just can't melt it fully from any one side
Incredibly maddening
My dumbass would find some way to break the controller if i tried this, is there a less invasive way to fix the drifting without giving value more money?
I had to use this cuz I somehow threw my joystick out of the controller by it hitting my hand
i ripped off the thumstick capacitive touch sensor ribbon cord just but openeing the controller, when i popped it open it pull the stick up and off, ripping the cable, fucking hell