N64 Controller Cleanup

My Problem

I took a trip to my local Goodwill and found this rather sad-looking N64 controller. It was covered in dust and grime from some previous extreme gaming sessions. The joystick was also a little crusty and scratchy.

My Fix

To start, I fully disassembled the controller to see what I was working with. The case was covered in a layer of gamer gunk but other than some minor dust the insides were pretty clean. Continuing, I removed all the components from the shell so I could clean them. I also disassembled the joystick module to fix the scratchyness.

All the parts got a bath in my ultrasonic cleaner with dish soap and warm water. This tool is awesome and works wonders at grime removal. After their bath, I blasted all the parts with my air compressor to dry them.

Reassembly was a breeze, especially the buttons because they are keyed and can't be mixed up. The joystick module needed more attention because there was some crust stuck to the bottom. I cleaned up the crust, applied some fresh grease, and then put it back together.

Now I have an almost pristine N64 controller to enjoy.

My Advice

Use a magnetic mat and parts tray together to keep track of screws and pieces. Staying organized makes disassembly, reassembly, and troubleshooting so much easier.