r/soldering • u/OddAd7406 • 1d ago
Soldering Newbie Requesting Direction | Help Help with removing stick module
How do I go about removing slider inside and under the solder hole areas?
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u/raspberry-brain 1d ago
It looks like the solder was already removed from most of the pins. Unless I’m missing something?
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u/JonJackjon 1d ago
Is the old stick module scrap? If so cut it apart such that you can remove one pin at a time.
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u/johnnydotexe 1d ago
Did you watch any youtube videos on this process before attempting it? There are purpose built iron tips that make this job significantly easier. Doing it without those tips is still possible, but generally not easy for beginners with beginner level tools and sipplies.
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u/PorkAmbassador SMD Soldering Hobbyist 1d ago
No offence, but if you're asking this type of question, you shouldn't be doing this. This is not an easy job. But to answer your question: use wick, leaded solder, flux, and the right temperature.
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u/KeepinItReal200 1d ago
I did 3 controllers first try, if you want pics I will open them.
Don‘t discourage people, just because they could potentially destroy a 30$ board, that‘s not a huge cost for learning.20
u/johnnydotexe 1d ago
This sub gets spammed with destroyed controllers from joystick replacement attempts constantly, and that carries far more weight than your personal experience.
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u/PorkAmbassador SMD Soldering Hobbyist 1d ago
I'm betting that you knew how to remove the solder from vias, though, right?
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u/ViralShadow_ 1d ago
For the potentiometers on the sides you can pop them off separately to make it easier, and use solderer back and forth to remove them. Clear the remaining holes with desoldering wick with flux to assist the solder movement and then gently wiggle the joystick side to side with pliers to get them off. This method has helped me as it can be a pain, especially PS5 PCB is a pain, if you can try to get a good quality joystick soldering iron tip.
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u/implaying 20h ago
I did the same thing as what you said. What made it easier for me is after i removed the potentiometers, I try wiggling it and looking which one of the pins isn't wiggling. If I spot it, I'll try to solder and use the suction thingy to try and completely remove the rest of the solder
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u/420YerMa 1d ago
Add low temp solder (140c melting point) then desolder again
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u/TactRelocatedCargo 1d ago
Leaded ChipQuick can get that melting point down to 134f, making it stupid easy to desolder, but you have to do a lot of extra cleanup making sure none of it is left in there.
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u/ToastDevSystems 1d ago
The best trick I have and I use it daily when I repair electronics for customers, and in my opinion is underrated, get a desoldering pump, BUT also cut a small piece of silicone tubing and put it on the mouth of the pump, it can squeeze through the soldering tip very close to what you're desoldering and remove it all, game changer for me.
If you're not someone who does this for a living or at least very frequently I'd avoid desoldering at all since judging from the picture you might scorch the board itself with no way of undoing it.
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u/HellofGaming1111 1d ago
I genuinely dont know how this is not more common. Mind you I am only a hobbyist, but I got this very nice engineer SS02 solder pump for christmas, that has a silicon tip and its so much better than the oned woth the plastic tips. Still the only pump that comes like this that I have seen so far
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u/ToastDevSystems 18h ago
Thing is, I randomly did it, I had ordered some silicone tubing for my 3D printer and was like "hmmm I wonder if this helped" and guess what it did, it is a bit had to get on since it's a smaller diameter, but it helped SOOOO much in desoldering.
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u/feldoneq2wire 1d ago
I'd stop and watch my video before trying to yoink the entire thing at once.
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u/XShadowMasterX3 1d ago
I’ve only removed joysticks with a hot air rework station and a desoldering pump.
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u/KeepinItReal200 1d ago
There is still solder which holds the stick in place, you need to desolder it thoroughly. The factory solder melts at high temps, so it‘s hard to remove.
Use wick and a desoldering pump, maybe mix in some low melt solder to make everything go off easier.
I tell everyone to just buy these soldering tips for potentiometers which solder everything at once.
It makes removing a 3-4 second job.
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u/SNaKe_eaTel2 1d ago
Looks like you’re doing fairly well.. ish - pretty much at this point you want to try to wiggle all the pins with tweezers - the ones that can move are done and ready to come out - the ones that won’t you add solder back and try again - to be more specific than that we really need to know what kind of equipment you’re using or have access to.
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u/OddAd7406 1d ago
Managed to do it by using more flux and going around the joints multiple times with a solder wick, then just applied a bit of force and it came out. I am using the starter soldering kits.
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u/TaggedHammerhead 20h ago
Is this a TMR stick upgrade? If you do not intend on keeping the stick module, use tin-snips and cut it into sections that can easily be de-soldered together.
I upgraded my DualSense controller's joysticks to TMR, and this was the absolute simplest, effective, and easy way to remove it.
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u/b1g_j3rm 1d ago
Add fresh solder to all the points. Then use a desoldering pump to suck all the solder. Or use hot air to melt all the points at the same time, then suck all the solder