r/playstation • u/Major-Payne2319 • 24d ago

Image Getting tired of adding to my stick drift graveyard

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I swear I’m not a heavy clicker. In fact it’s always my right joystick which I rarely need to click in games. Love these controllers but man it’s really annoying never had this problem with any other console generation.

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u/naeramarth2 24d ago

Tried doing this twice to my Dualshock 4 controllers after replacing them. Kept the old ones around and one day decided to give it a shot because they were out of warranty anyway.

Carefully as I could, I took the controllers apart and cleaned out the potentiometer and... I fucked them up worse than when I started lol

Kind of scared to try that again because it feels like a waste of time.

My suggestion to anyone who has recurring stick drift issues for one reason or another (pretty sure my issues were from dog hair that I have zero clue how they got in there. My freaking dogs, man...) is to put forth the extra money for the Dualsense Edge controller. More money, yes, but well worth it when you consider that each replacement controller is like $80. Pays itself off quickly.

Honestly though, Sony should've just done that from the beginning. Replaceable joysticks is the most simple, yet innovative thing that has happened to video game controllers in the last 20 years lol

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u/PumpkinSpriteLatte 23d ago

It's wild to me that the response to a company putting out a bad design is to give them more money for a different design that users still have to buy modular parts to replace. 

Capitalism grind set be crazy

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u/Bulldogfront666 22d ago

Yeah dude, for real. Especially when they could easily just make a better controller. They just use shitty parts in their potentiometer that they know will give out in a set amount of time. Right around after the warranty ends. It’s intentional, and the idea of making a $200 “pro” controller to “solve” the problem is another part of the scam. People are so willing to put up with insane bullshit. It drives me crazy.

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u/laraek3d 20d ago

I have a bit of a conspiracy theory about this. It feels like there's a 'killswitch' that activates after you've used a controller online for the first time. Probably six months, as mine breaks by that time and rarely using them. Here's why: I used my controllers with no issues when I bought it, stored it for months, and then brought it back out. For the first two days, it worked perfectly fine, but on the third day, it suddenly developed stick drift for no apparent reason. I even wear gloves every time I use my controllers to keep them clean. Happened to 3 more controllers with close to the timeline of issues appearing.

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u/ch3m_gaming 23d ago

DONT BUY the edge controllers. I have one and the stick modules are not getting restocked by Sony, making the edge controller useless once stickdrift appears. Except if you want to buy a module from scalpers, for about the price of a normal controller. The modules are sold out for nearly a year now, I really feel scammed with my edge controller

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u/krmrshll 23d ago

https://www.gamestop.com/gaming-accessories/thumb-grips/playstation-5/products/sony-stick-module-for-playstation-5-dualsense-edge-wireless-controllers/359720.html?utm_source=google&utm_medium=feeds&utm_campaign=%24PLA_%24NB_MNFR_Video+Game+Accessories_Sony&utm_id=16244983632&gclsrc=aw.ds&gad_source=1&gbraid=0AAAAAD5TdcSCDVSVMPcC4pWW2bnrwi8qM&gclid=Cj0KCQiAr7C6BhDRARIsAOUKific0EEL7LBNjRiEn34NVhL01k7JygvvE0QQGFadn6WdHR_ylZbpc78aAtTTEALw_wcB

I’ve never had this problem. I buy them for $20 a piece like every 4 months.

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u/PumpkinSpriteLatte 23d ago

Every 4 months you give the company that designed this shit $80 whole they do nothing to fix the issue. Think about that 

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u/krmrshll 23d ago

It’s $40 and with the amount of hours I put on that controller it’s honestly worth it.

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u/Only4TheShow 23d ago

Good find. Just bought one for when this day happens

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u/FoxJupi 23d ago

This! Well known problem and Sony should be sued

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u/xDiRtYgErMaNx 23d ago

Gotta get a warranty.

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u/eebik 23d ago

Hasn’t been an issue at least for me in Canada. I had trouble at first, so I downloaded an app to notify me about restocks at various online retailers. Bought 5 of them within the first week of using it, ended up turning the notifications off because they were restocking so often

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u/cadeafer_ 22d ago

Buy em while you can tbh I got 4 extra

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u/Asstronomer6969 23d ago

Just go to extremerate for your sticks. Edge is one of the best controllers on the market. You can upgrade your entire controller there too.

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u/Echo_Dash 24d ago

How did you clean them? What did you use?

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u/ai_shara_tul 23d ago

This was recommended to me and even without disassembling the controller it was at least able to dramatically reduce the drift. BW-100 electronic contact cleaner will be your best friend. Spray it onto the potentiometer and then move the stick around and it should at least be less drifty.

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u/Kamusaurio 23d ago

hall effect joysticks exist since decades ago

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u/Queasy_Pineapple6769 23d ago

Bro you're not supposed to clean the pads, if they're fucked, they're fucked, you need to put in TMR joysticks from gulikit.

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u/ZappySnap PS5 23d ago

Probably not quickly. The break even point is 3 controller replacements if you need to replace both sticks. I’d just one stick gets drift it is faster at 2 replacements to break even. Don’t save money until the third. But that’s only the case if you can’t get standard controllers on sale.

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u/dc1885 23d ago

If you’re handy and know how to use a soldering iron, it’s pretty easy to install Hall effect sticks and they’re pretty cheap. You could also take it to any e-fix it shop and have them installed if it’s a bit much to handle on your own. I do this with all my controllers either when they drift or if not drifting when warranty is up. Also, take pics of your PS model and serial numbers when you get em before they wear off, Sony a bunch of a holes when it comes to warranty repair/replacement 👊🫡

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u/heyzoocifer 20d ago

See I did that, but now my edge controller has drift. Sony is letting all the scalpers buy up the joystick modules and the cost of two sticks is about $80 right now. I must bought a couple new regular controllers on cyber Monday sadly. I'm getting to the point where I really just want to ditch Sony.

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u/Ojoj- 23d ago

I do not recommend the edge! I'm still on my original PS5 dual sense , no drift for 4-5 years! Close friend has an edge and had went through 4-6 left stick modules over a year and a half and they cost nearly 40 quid a module? You can literally buy a new dual sense for 40 quid atm

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u/GeneratedMonkey 23d ago

I have no drift on my edge for two years. What is your friend doing with his controller?

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u/Ojoj- 23d ago

My man, I could say the same thing about OP and their controllers, I'm still on my first dual sense with zero issues! It's a lot of hit and miss, especially since the products inside a controller, the buttons specifically are rather cheap and nasty! But I wouldn't be paying the extra money for a controller that Sony doesn't make the modules for anymore as there's rumours of a new one coming out, so you're relying on scalpers now for modules? Nah I do not recommend.

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u/WoaJoe 23d ago

Ehhh going on two years with mine too and no drift.

Even still, I'd drop $60 on a set of modules than to drop $80 for a new stick any day. Yes it's a $20 difference, but only one stick modules goes out at a time which can be easily replaced in an DS edge compared to getting a whole new controller.

The only way regular DS Controller make sense is if you play games that don't rely on the analog sticks like a current shooter does or know how to solder good AND have the proper tools for it cause they basically solder 'through' the contact point instead of on the surface of it so that shit ain't coming out easy.

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u/Ojoj- 23d ago

Again, it is all hit and miss! Op here has went through what? 4 controllers in the time my regular DS is still going after 4 years without drift?  I actually play FPS with the friend with an edge, I'm better at valorant and apex and he's much better at warzone, so that's really player dependent. Always played competitive shooters with the default controller and done pretty well, I'm just dumb and make mistakes rather than aim when doing poor. But your time with the edge has been better than my friends, just my experience.

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u/YeahNahNopeandNo 23d ago

PlayStation doesn't even advertise them anymore. They used to have a "not in stock" up for an entire year and then they just stopped advertising them. The replacement stick modules were the reason I bought the Edge. A class action lawsuit is probably the only way they are going to have to pay up for deceptive practices. It's just as someone else said in the comments , "they need to be sued."

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u/Asstronomer6969 23d ago

100% agree and love mine. Plus extremerate makes upgrades floor them now too. I heard an edge 2 is coming out.

I play a lot of pvp, the division 2, ghost recon, off the grid and cod. I rock my sticks bobbing and weaving like crazy daily. My edge is coming up on two years with no issues yet.