replacing ps3 analogue stick POTS. user L33 any advice?

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Hi,
I'm new to the forum. I have the issue with both my sixaxis pads that the return springs in the multicontroller pot of my left analogue stick has worn out.. the pads are now next to useless for accurate gaming....

From lookin inside the pad, soldering in a new pot would be pretty easy, and looking at the company ALPS who make very very similar controllers the part would cost peanuts... The problem is WHERE CAN I BUY SOME!!!!! the exact part is not identifiable on the ALPS website.. only a unit which is identical but 2mm wider (so contact pins would not line up-this is incidently the exact part used in a Dual Shock 2 pad). ALSO Alps will not converse with or sell direct to customers and sony nor Alps will give the part specs.. unsurprisingly...

Before people say so, I will just buy a new pad.. BUT, if anyone knows where to get a brandspanking new part, it would be a very cheap alternative to a £35 new DS3 pad...... I will also do a HOW 2.. and post on here if I can get the part, so eveyone else can enjoy a basically new bad for a few pounds :-)

I saw user 'L33' had made a custom PS360 pad which looks like awesome work and has also dissected the PS3 analogue stick set up.. I thought he may know of a source of these parts, but PM is disabled on this forum...

Any help from anyone would be great :-) thanks

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MeAnBoY said:
Maybe a cheapish alternative would be to pick up a DS2 and butcher it?
Click to expand...

The DS2 uses different sized pots/mechanisms. There are also 2 types of DS3 pots, 3 pin and 4 pin. Unfortunately I don't know of a source for spares, but as you say I believe they are manufactured by alps.
The closest I could find with a quick search are these: http://uk.rs-online.com/web/search/searchBrowseAction.html?method=getProduct&R=0516300#header but without looking at the sizes/part numbers of the DS3 components I'm not sure how useful they'll be.
Maybe the best bet is to buy a 'dead' DS3 or two from ebay? Getting the right pot for your pad (3/4pin) will be blind luck though unfortunately!
 
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cheers for the replys. MeanBoy, a good idea and was my first step, but the DS2 pots, as i said in my post are marginally bigger than those in the sixaxis so won't swap out :-(.

L33, that is the 'sister' part to the pot that is found in the DS2. Alps do one with a plastic 'stick' and one with a metal stick.. this is the one with the metal stick.. But it is the same size as the one in the DS2 so slightly too big for the sixaxis pad :-(. since the pots on the ds2 are more reliable... sony clearly just changed for the hell of it.. I'm beginning to think that the part in the sixaxis and ds3 is custom for sony so I'll not be able to get one.. :-(..

If i could get a knackered ds3/sixaxis... am i right in thinking i could use the POT from the right stick and just invert it to change out my knackered left stick? they look the same part but i wasn't 100% sure?
 
BE WARNED !!! The PS3 analogue triggers are pretty complicated.. I took one apart to have a look inside and unfortunately the spring loaded triggers came apart.. The triggers were never right again. .After spending a couple of hrs of frustration trying to fix, I ended up selling it as parts on ebay... I'm fairly competent with these kind of things too.. So be warned, if they come apart, you stand very little chance of being able to put them together again.
 
thedoc46 said:
BE WARNED !!! The PS3 analogue triggers are pretty complicated.. I took one apart to have a look inside and unfortunately the spring loaded triggers came apart.. The triggers were never right again. .After spending a couple of hrs of frustration trying to fix, I ended up selling it as parts on ebay... I'm fairly competent with these kind of things too.. So be warned, if they come apart, you stand very little chance of being able to put them together again.
Click to expand...

Cheers for the heads, up, I've already had these pads apart many times.. and the old DS2s.... It can be fidly but there is a knack to it :-) once you have the knack its no problem with the triggers.. as long as you dont lose the little bits :-)
Good point tho to raise for anyone else thinking of taking their pad apart, pay a lot of attention to how it is put together and be patient when reassembling..
 
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