How Do You Deal With Thumb Stick Drift? (lemmy.world)

submitted 9 months ago by Zahille7@lemmy.world to c/games@lemmy.world

59 comments fedilink hide all child comments

So I like to use Xbox controllers (doesn't matter if it's first- or third-party) because I like the layout, it's just comfortable to me. However I've noticed that on all my controllers in the past few years, the left thumb stick will start to "give out" over the course of a couple months. For instance I'll be pushing it forward all the way, but it won't register for some reason and my character will only move a little bit. Sometimes wiggling it a bit will fix it, sometimes it doesn't. And it's not like I'm squeezing the hell out of the controller or mashing the stick constantly; in fact it's made me try to be more delicate with my controllers, even though I'm just playing the games normally.

Is it just how controllers are, or am I just getting the shit end of the stick?

you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments

[-] seathru@lemm.ee 0 points 9 months ago

Yeah alcohol works well. WD-40. too.

[-] brisk@aussie.zone 0 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago)

WD-40 leaves residue, it is not suitable for cleaning

[-] seathru@lemm.ee 0 points 9 months ago

It's one of the messier options but it still works well. The switches in my logitech g604 have been bounce free for over a year now after hosing then down with WD-40. That's longer than any of the warranty replacement mice lasted.

Deoxit leaves a residue, too, that will stain clothes. That residue is what helps the contacts from oxidizing again in the future.