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Nintendo GameCube Controller (Official) Teardown

Device	Nintendo GameCube Controller
Difficulty	Moderate
Time	No estimate
Steps	5

This guide is by Skeletwing on iFixit and is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0. ByteRot mirrors it for non-commercial preservation: formatting changed and photos resized for old browsers; full-size photos and the text are on the FTP in /DOCS/REPAIR. Original guide >>

This controller (and its brother, not featured here) were bought at a thrift shop and were filthy. I disassembled this to clean it, but this would also work for modification/painting, trigger/button/stick repair, or power cord replacement.

Tools: Phillips #0 Screwdriver; iFixit Opening Tool; Flathead 3/32" or 2.5 mm Screwdriver; Y1 Tri-point Screwdriver

Step 1 :: Removing the back

• Locate and remove six (6) tri-point screws.
• CAUTION: If you are unable to get a tri-point screwdriver into the hole (specifically the two in the bottom of the grips), a very small tip flathead may be used. Be very slow and cautious not to strip out the screws.
• Gently pry the two halves of the controller apart using plastic cards (https://www.ifixit.com/products/plastic-cards) or tools.

Step 2 :: Disassembling the triggers

• Remove four (4) phillips head screws from the interior trigger guards. Pull the trigger guards straight out to access the interior triggers.
    • NOTE: The screws are interchangeable, but the guards are not.
• Push up on the trigger base and pull it up and out of the slot it's sitting in. Pull the trigger assembly down and out of the case back. Left side shown, right side similar.
    • CAUTION: The trigger is pushed up by a spring which will send your pieces flying if not restrained.
• Separate the trigger base from the trigger itself by popping the retention bar out of the bottom of the trigger (purple circle)
    • NOTE: A flathead screwdriver may be used to gently pry the bar down. Do not bend the bar or break the plastic.

Step 3 :: Removing the Circuit Board

• CAUTION: Buttons and button pads will fall out in the next steps.
• Gently pull the circuit board up and out of the front case and set aside.
• There's nothing holding either the pads to your board or the buttons into your front case, so take a moment to make sure you didn't drop any.
• Remove any buttons you need from the front case. The Z button is the only one of note; there is a metal lever that sits in a groove and a post on the back side of it that sits in a hole to align the trigger.

Step 4 :: Circuit Board Disassembly

• Gently pull the analog stick, C-Pad stick, and the pads for the D-Pad and face buttons.
• CAUTION: Most everything else in here can get a nice soak in mild detergent and water, but the board doesn't want soap or water. A soft toothbrush, Q-tips, and alcohol got her looking much better.
• Reassemble is opposite of disassembly. Most pieces only fit one way.

Step 5

• Full IC Identification:
• NOTE: You may need to enlarge it to view the text.

Credit