When an Xbox controller begins to drift you may notice that there are movements during the game that do not correspond to what you execute. If we translate it literally into Spanish it is “drift” and it is called that because one stick or both have faulty directions even if you are controlling them. And although it may seem like something very inconvenient, its repair is not as difficult or expensive as you might think.
If you are suffering from these problems or you begin to see that your command is on the way to suffering from it, we will teach you how to give it a timely solution and be able to disassemble and replace the necessary parts.
What is drifting on an Xbox controller?
Certainly we have just talked about what it is, but we want you to have the necessary knowledge about this problem at the end of this article, which may arise on occasion, especially if you buy a poor quality controller, and although sometimes these may seem very attractive, We advise you to acquire controllers with an official licensesince they are usually a guarantee of success and their durability is more than proven.
The most common is that this failure occurs in the left stick, and usually appears as a punctual but progressive failure. For example, if you are playing Halo, you will see that your character is constantly looking up even without you wanting to, this is the clearest symptom that he is suffering from drifting. This failure can also occur in the right stick, it all depends on the use you give to it, the left one is usually the one that usually fails because it has a greater use.
Another symptom of this controller glitch is that your character continues to move in the same direction even after you’ve released the stick.
Main causes of drifting
- Protective rubber wear: Each stick has a box that is actually a sensor, it has a movable axis at the top, it also has a rubber or soft plastic that protects it. If this rubber wears out and is the cause of the stick failure, with a replacement you can solve the problem.
- Worn springs: Each component of this sensor has two springs that help the stick to return to the center when you release it, when one of these or both wear out, they cause the stick to stay in the direction you had it after releasing it.
- Defective lever: Each joystick consists of a sensing component that is soldered to the joystick circuit, in the event that this is the cause, the fault is internal and the only possible solution is to replace it.
How to repair the fault of the wear of the protective rubber
By now you should be sure that your controller, or better said, the controller lever is suffering from drifting. start with the simplest solution and from there repair other faults if necessary. Although this cause is the least common of the three, it is a good place to start because it is the easiest to check and repair. In order to carry out the repair you will need the following:
- Isopropyl alcohol.
- Cotton swabs.
- Tool for extraction or suction.
- Security Torx T-8 or T-9.
- Spare pad or rubber.
Once you have these materials you can proceed to repair your xbox controller.
- The first step is to moisten a cotton swab with rubbing alcohol.
- Then you must lift the lever of the control that has the fault and carefully clean it with the cotton swab.
- Rotate the joystick carefully so you can clean it properly.
- Check that you cleaned the lever well and check its operation.
- If the control lever is still stuck or moves on its own then you must disassemble the control, for this you will need the T-8 or T-9 security Torx.
- Before removing the lever, check that it is well placed in the box that we mentioned before, in fact you can try to move it if it is loose, remember that it must be soldered to the circuit.
- Also check that the protective rubber is not loose, if it is then you should remove it.
- Replace the protective rubber with a replacement that may be new or one of a used remote that you have around but that is in good condition, check that it has been well adjusted.
- Having done this, it’s time to reassemble the controller and check if the fault is fixed.
How to replace the stick springs of an Xbox controller?
If after replacing the rubber or protective pad the fault still persists then it is time to move on to the stick springs, in order to repair this fault you will need the following materials:
- Security Torx T-8 or T-9.
- Springs for the stick.
- Tweezers.
The steps you must follow to make the substitution correctly are as follows:
- First of all you must disassemble the control with the security torx.
- You must carefully remove the green plastic caps that are on the bottom and right side of the lever or stick.
- Remove the spring.
- Replace with new springs or from a used but still good drive.
- You must replace the green plastic caps.
- Mount the controller again and check if the drifting fault is fixed.
Xbox controller stick replacement
Something common and that is why it is one of the main causes is that the stick is simply already worn out, as we have told you on several occasions, all devices have a useful life, and the stick obviously comes to an end when the wear and tear is too much. This is a more complex repair, so before going ahead with it, you should only do it if you are sure you will do it right, If not, you can seek the help of a professional technician or opt for a new controller..
To make this repair you will need the following materials:
- Suction tool.
- Cautin.
- Security Torx T-8 or T-9.
- Torx T-7.
- Replacement of the control stick.
- Disassemble the remote using a prying tool, also with the help of the security torx so that you can remove the housing properly.
- Then you must use the Torx T-7 so that you remove the circuit board.
- Use the suction tool so you can remove the solder from the old stick.
- Insert the new stick, after that you must solder it so that it stays in place.
- Assemble the control again to check if the fault is already solved.
Last updated on 2022-03-31. Prices and availability may differ from those published. SomosXbox may receive a commission from your purchases. More information.
What to do if you can’t repair the controller?
If the controller does not work properly even with the repair, you only have two options: The first is not to use the stick, simply play with the crosshairs, although we know that it is somewhat difficult when you get used to the freedom that playing with the stick gives, in addition to the fact that in many games the crosshead has functions and cannot be used to move the character. The other is to buy a new command, which does not have to be expensive to be of quality, an example is the PowerA Mist knob, that will fit perfectly into your gamer setup, it is compatible with the Xbox Series X and Series S, plus Xbox One.
It has an official license, this means that it went through a test to check its quality and operation in different situations, it has a dial so you can raise and lower the volume of your headphones at will, you can also deactivate their microphone. It has a three meter long USB cable that is removable to make it easier for you to store in case you are going to travelboth sticks are traditional, the crosshead has a nice metallic design.
The controller has buttons for advanced control that will give you an advantage over your gaming rivals, also dual vibration motors for a more immersive gaming sensation, the controller has a very affordable price, It’s only 30 euros and it’s available on Amazon.
Last update on 2022-01-30. Prices and availability may differ from those published. SomosXbox may receive a commission from your purchases. More information.