Check each pod individually on a table top, that they still click when you push them. If one is broken, you can always swap it with one of the fire button pods (which ever fire button you don't use) to fix the problem. If two are broken, you might have a problem, because getting replacements for these pods is more or less impossible. Be careful when cleaning these, because they're very easy to bend and once they'Ve ve been bent, they don't ever work properly again.
The circuit board below beneath is a completely different story, you'll probably need to do some cleaning here using some contact cleaner and a cloth. Another problem that occurs often is that the pod has worn a hole through the PCB track. If this has happened, then placing the pod with a slightly different orientation should solve the problem. Don't try to fix the hole with solder, because you'll raise the height of the track and the button won't work properly at all afterwards. When everything has been cleaned, use some new tape to hold each pod in it's correct position. The pods have 3 contact points and three straight sides. Make sure none of the contact points is are touching the track of the centre contact. When assembled correctly, one of the straight sides should bridge the track coming from the centre contact. You can test each pod with your finger before assembling the housing again.
When everything is cleaned and tested, you can re-assemble the joystick for a real test with your favourite game, but as I mentioned above, be careful not to trap any wires when re-assembling the joystick, the JY-2 wires can easily get trapped under the screw holes while putting the housing back together.
== Open Micro-Switch Joysticks ==
Inside there's a slightly more complicated micro-switch, with a two armed actuator. Be careful, because all these small parts can easily fall out and aren't that easy to get back in (assuming you've found them again on that paterned patterned carpet where they landed). The only important bit is the two contacts on the right left hand side. Clean these with contact cleaner and re-assemble the switch.
To remove the fire button switches there are two tabs, one at each end on opposite sides of the red casing seen above, you'll need to carefully push a small screwdriver between the red outer casing and the micro-switch to lift the tab, so that the switch can then be pulled out. The fire button micro-switches are identical to the others and should be cleaned as described above.
The Competition Pro is the only joystick where the designers even slightly considered cable management of any sort. On the outer side of each directon direction micro-switch, there is a small channel where the wires can be placed to keep them away from the screws, make use of these to avoid wire damage.
Bryce.
[[Category:Hardware]] [[Category:PeripheralsInput Device]] [[Category:DIY]]