TQS cursor ministick clean procedure

[lgbomber]

While awaiting for a new ministick and PCB I decided to take my chances on cleaning my existing one.
Well this is how i did it and it works perfectly like a new one but… to be honest I dont know for how long…
Remove back and lower screws and open carefully the handle. Pull out the grey cursor knob.

As you can see there is a black plastic stabilizer piece behind the pcb securing it in place.
Pull this out carefully.

At the back side of the pcb there is a white connector with all the wires on it. Pull this thing out carefully.

Now the ministick is free so pull it out. Using a sharp tool or knife try to detach the pot cover from the body of the ministick as seen in pictures

Do it with small movements and don’t push it too hard or you may brake it. As you can see there is a white part inside the pot. Try to remove it using a sharp forceps or with your wife’s eybrows tool as i did but very very carefully to avoid any damage to it. You can help it go out easier if you press the two little pins that are seen at the back of the pot and keep that part in place.

Do the same with the other pot.

Spray the inner of the pot and the white part with a contact cleaning spray suitable for potentiometers (preferably not wd 40), and leave it for a few moments to penetrate into debris. Then you can spray it with compressed air or re-spray with the same liquid for pots and try to dry it by sweeping it with a cotton stick or anything with soft tip.

Put back the inner part of the pot in place carefully so that the raised metal pole is in the upper position and the white little pins at the back of the pot have an up down position when seen from behind. Press the outer part of the pot towards the body of the ministick until click is heard. If resistance is encountered don’t push and recheck positions.
Reconnect, reassemble and check.
It worked for me I hope it does for you…;)

[malpaso]

You have to be very careful with these pieces !!!

[Zed8]

Looks very intimidating

[DaveB]

Good write up. I used the same procedure on mine a couple of times before reaching the point of diminishing returns. Then on the third go I stopped in the middle and thought what if. I ended up replacing the pots with a pair I harvested from an old PS2 controller thumb stick. Soldering was a bit tricky because one pot connects to traces on both sides of the board. I works like new.
Dave

[lgbomber]

@Zed8:

Looks very intimidating

Not that much m8. Gentle movements will do the trick…;)

[lgbomber]

ended up replacing the pots with a pair I harvested from an old PS2 controller thumb stick. Soldering was a bit tricky because one pot connects to traces on both sides of the board

I’ll keep that in mind …good idea !;)

[buzzkill]

(preferably not wd 40)

Definitely not WD-40!

Good write-up and nice pics. I didn’t know the ministick pots came apart like that. In the past I’ve cleaned the joystick pots with DeOxit, and the results weren’t so great, just a temporary improvement if any at all.

[malpaso]

WD40 should not be used for potentiometers, and the use of petroleum products, vaseline type and others in plastic parts, petroleum substrates, and plastic materials.
There is a special grease for plastics.

[starfuryth]

WD-40 shouldn’t be used for anything except what it was designed for: dispersing water. Terrible product with an excellent marketing campaign.

[NIL]

@lgbomber:

Not that much m8. Gentle movements will do the trick…;)

Just like a mid-air refueling procedure.