How sloppy is too sloppy for a DK stick

pseeds

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Trying to decide if I should rebuild//replace the joystick on my Donkey Kong. The current one seems 'sloppy/loose' but works.

Not sure how firm they used to be BITD.
 
I felt the the same way when I first got mine. I think it's just the way they're supposed to be. I think what threw me off is the nintendo joystick doesn't "self-center"

Trying to decide if I should rebuild//replace the joystick on my Donkey Kong. The current one seems 'sloppy/loose' but works.

Not sure how firm they used to be BITD.
 
Nintendo sticks should "self-center" unless I'm missing your definition of self-center.

My moto for Nintendo sticks is if you personally have never cleaned them, then clean and lube them and you probably will never have to do it again.
 
Does anyone have a good guide for repairing/rebuilding these sticks? My PC10 needs a rehab for sure.

Just take it apart and clean the pivot ball with WD-40 or brake cleaner thoroughly. Lube the pivot ball with a light lube like Tri flow or a lithium grease.
Just use it sparingly though.
If the stick is still too sloppy or doesn't center itself then replace the spring,retainer and collar like suggested in the other post.
 
Good info. Sounds like replacing some parts and cleaning will do.

Depending on condition, I haven't had to replace any parts yet so try a good cleaning first. Use the WD-40 as suggested and qtips to clean the ball and all the other parts. Keep cleaning until the qtips stop getting black. Make sure to get all the black goop off the spring, joystick, eclip, around the restrictor, etc, as well.

Also, if there is any of the original white grease left remove it as it is too thick and dried up now.
 
Right. This works wonderfully. Disassemble and clean everything with WD40. Then, lube up the bearing with 3 in 1 oil.
 
I have a NOS stick right here on my desk and they do self center.

Yeah, I'm not sure what I was smoking when I said that. I guess I was trying to get at the feeling of a Nintendo joystick is different than others. To me, it just feels like you really need to work with the thing to get DK to move, compared to other sticks. Self-centering was the wrong word, though. :)
 
If you mean sloppy by a four way stick that goes eight ways than I would examine/replace the restrictor plate on the bottom of the stick. I've seen many of them worn out.
 
Nintendo joysticks are sloppy by design when compared to something like a Happ Competition. They will never snap back to center with the zest of a Happ Competition. They do self-center (because of their spring), but there is a lot of free play in the center.

On the other hand, they are very rugged, and they will not wear to the point that it makes the joystick feel significantly different than when it was new. I've never seen a worn-out 4-way Nintendo restrictor, but I have seen plenty of missing ones. Fortunately, you can buy new reproductions of them which are far superior to the originals. The originals were cast or something, and are relatively rough. The reproductions are laser or water-jet cut, and they are smooth as greased glass. Even if I had an NOS restrictor, I'd prefer to use the reproduction.

To make the joystick feel exactly like new, replace the spring stopper and perhaps the spring. Grooves wear in the spring stopper over time, because of the way it rides against the bottom of the bearing housing, and can cause a slight hitch in the feel (barely noticeable though). In theory I suppose the spring can lose tension over time, though I've yet to see a case of it. I have several original Nintendo joysticks plus a brand new reproduction from Mike's Arcade, as well as an NOS spring, and the tension on the old springs feels the same as on the new ones. If you want it to feel better than new, add a reproduction restrictor.

The biggest issue with Nintendo joysticks is that they need to be cleaned. That is the single most important thing you can do; it will make a world of difference. As others have said, completely disassemble and clean the pivot bearing and bearing housing as if you were planning to eat off it. Use a Q-tip, pipe cleaner, tooth brush, whatever; and some degreaser, and get it clean in there. Then lubricate with something relatively light like 3-In-One oil. Grease tends to make it feel sluggish in my experience, but if the coating of grease were thin enough it would probably be fine.
 
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I prefer a dry PTFE lube made by PB Blaster (sold at auto parts stores and LOWE's). It is applied by spray with a volitile liquid that dries quickly. My experience is that oil and grease just fill with dirt and grime and lands you right back in the gumed up situation. This stuff has a million applications.
 
I prefer a dry PTFE lube made by PB Blaster (sold at auto parts stores and LOWE's). It is applied by spray with a volitile liquid that dries quickly. My experience is that oil and grease just fill with dirt and grime and lands you right back in the gumed up situation. This stuff has a million applications.

I use 3M dry silicone spray. However, with as little as I use the machine (relatively speaking; compared to a commercial-use environment), it doesn't really matter what I use, as it would take ages to get noticeably gummed up again.
 
I pulled the joystick from the Donkey Kong I bought over the weekend. The machine has 35,000 plays and the joystick appears original. Curious is you all think I need a new restricter plate. I've attached a photo of mine. I plan on buying a new spring from Mike's Arcade. I gave it a good cleaning on Tuesday and will grease it this weekend. I'm also considering replacing the spring stopper. There's a visible wear line on mine, but I can't feel a groove.
 

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That plate looks fine. The joystick on DK is supposed to be somewhat loose. It's not stiff like it is on Pac-Man or something.

35k plays is nothing. I wouldn't worry about replacing anything, just clean it and lubricate a bit.

-Ian
 
I pulled the joystick from the Donkey Kong I bought over the weekend. The machine has 35,000 plays and the joystick appears original. Curious is you all think I need a new restricter plate. I've attached a photo of mine. I plan on buying a new spring from Mike's Arcade. I gave it a good cleaning on Tuesday and will grease it this weekend. I'm also considering replacing the spring stopper. There's a visible wear line on mine, but I can't feel a groove.

I'd try it without replacing any parts first. Your restrictor looks fine to me.
 
I pulled the joystick from the Donkey Kong I bought over the weekend. The machine has 35,000 plays and the joystick appears original. Curious is you all think I need a new restricter plate. I've attached a photo of mine. I plan on buying a new spring from Mike's Arcade. I gave it a good cleaning on Tuesday and will grease it this weekend. I'm also considering replacing the spring stopper. There's a visible wear line on mine, but I can't feel a groove.

As others have said, there's nothing wrong with that restrictor. There is probably nothing wrong with your spring either, in which case, I'd use it as is simply because Mike's springs are an approximation (they are not OEM) while the one you have is likely the real thing.

The reproduction restrictors are better than the originals though in my opinion; the inside edge that the joystick shaft often slides against during gameplay is much smoother than the originals because it is laser or water jet cut, while the originals appear to simply be cast. I use a reproduction restrictor on my Super Punch-Out restrictor even though there is nothing wrong with my original one. I usually prefer original parts for various reasons, sometimes simply for the sake of being original. I originally bought it to put on a spare Nintendo joystick that was missing its restrictor, but it turned out to be such an improvement in feel over the original restrictors that I put it on the joystick in my SPO machine.

I suggest using something lighter than grease, like 3-In-One oil or dry silicone spray. Grease in my experience (I've tried several types from white lithium grease to bearing grease) is too heavy, and makes the stick move sluggishly. The most important thing is that the pivot bearing and its socket are clean enough to eat off of.
 
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