I wore out my PS2 controller!

[smegforbrain]

So, I've got a Logitech wireless PS2 controller, and the thing is absolutely wonderful.

So wonderful, that I've worn out the square button in under 2 years.

Well, when I say the button, it's actually the rubber that sits beneath the button. When you press it for that little click feeling you get when the button is fully pressed down, the rubber goes in to touch the board, then it's supposed to bounce back out, but the rubber was sticking.

So, I took out that rubber piece, and replaced it with the one inside my old PSX controller (which I then tossed the remainder of). Not a perfect fit, but I think it will suffice for now: the Triangle button doesn't really press down fully properly, but it's probably the least used button of the games I've been playing lately.

I think this is the first time I've ever worn out a button on a controller. I blame it on the fact that I've been playing many more action/button masher games, especially the Dynasty Warrior games, compared to mostly playing rpg's in the past.

I would just consider replacing the controller, but the odds are that down the road, I'd just end up needing to replace the same rubber piece again, rather than another part, so we'll see.

[Deleted]

If you end up buying a new Logitech wireless PS2 pad, keep the old one for spare parts. ;D

Me, my brother and a bunch of friends have worn out all of our NES pads completely. Track Field II is the main culprit. We also did a big number on a bunch of SNES pads, but I don't remember what game we played so much. Most likely another sports game. All of the pads had the same thing as you said, the rubber below the button was torn so that it wouldn't bounce back anymore.

What we did is we put the pad on the floor, took one of those round marble balls, and moved the marble sideways on and off the button (kind of like scratching motion I guess) as fast as we could. So in addition to breaking the pads we also broke quite a few world records on those games. Good times.

[Truth Unknown]

Smash Bros Melee is an "A" button killer, Oddly I replaced the A button with a cut out of old PS controller pad.
Also the PS controller always had the X button dieing too, kinda why I had a PS pad for my gamecube controller.

[patrickp]

One thing that can sometimes help is to make a small hole in the flexible dome that holds the contact pad. If there's no other way of allowing the air (or lack of) to vent, this may help, and even make the pad more responsive. Certainly the lack of venting can be a cause of the contact 'sticking' to the PCB.

Have a good look at the flexible surrounds, first, though - they may already be vented in some way. A common method is to have grooves in the underside that allow the air to vent. These are not always adequate, though. Obviously, if the surround is adequately vented, you probably don't want to go chopping your contact surrounds up, but if you're not happy with the venting - go for it.

[smegforbrain]

Actually, after playing with it a bit this evening, it isn't working as well as I thought with the 'replacement' contact pad. It's far too touchy, and at times, goes a little berserk.

So, it looks like I'll probably need to get a new one after all.

[kinghanco]

Take it apart and clean the board inside of the controller. This is how I got my Playstation controller button to work again. Wipe it with alcohol on cloth. Let it dry and then put it back together. It should work again.

[Deleted]

No amount of cleaning will help if the rubber is torn though.

[Heihachi_73]

If the rubber is wrecked, it's time to find a couple of old controllers. I can't find any use for the huge Master System button rubbers though.

I also wrecked the square button on my PSX arcade stick. The worst part though is I also wrecked the right switch on the stick itself, and nothing really fits since it was a metal plate instead of rubber.

So far I've swapped the square button with R2, which isn't really used (buttons are 4+4 so it's good for the Street Fighter 3+3 pattern using L1/L2 for the 'weak' buttons and the Neo Fighter ABCD pattern, not that I play either though - this thing got killed by a silent Tekken 2 in ZiNc 0.9! I temporarily sticky-taped a switch from an old Atari 2600 stick, but it doesn't work for more than about half an hour of virtual fighting. The original switch has pins which sit in the controller board. The whole thing has been sitting around since 2005 and has been replaced with a Logitech Dual Action (although this is "only" a PSX-style gamepad, not an arcade stick).

[patrickp]

I suppose if you really wanted, you could make your own controller device - with microswitches and good quality analog sticks if you want - wire it up to the board(s) and lead from a Playstation or PC controller (putting the board(s) inside or outside your device) and use that.

I think some people who make their own home arcade machines using emulators actually do this - obviously, the controller doesn't have to be handheld; the controls can be set out on a flat (or other shape) surface as arcade controllers are.