Help w/ Afterburner PLS

[PeterGibbons316]

So I bought two afterburner pads back in February and about a month ago one of them crapped out - left and down arrows only register about 50% of the time if that. Just this morning my other pad went out as well - right arrow NEVER registers.

It's not an issue with the copper contacts under the buttons, but I think I lost a/have some loose wire connection(s).

Anyone ever taken one apart or know how to get to the internal wires? I started peeling back the foam that is on the bottom (which was already starting to come off anyway) but it looks like there is some plywood stapled to....something covering up the internals.

Any thoughts???

TIA,
-PG316
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I suck at this game.

[supersparti]

check the control box. There's a reason why they sell replacment ones.
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I'm a silent ninja. You don't know me but I know you. I don't like you very much.

[PeterGibbons316]

Yeah, since I have two pads I tried switching control boxes and still have the same problems with both pads - so that's not it.
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I suck at this game.

[PeterGibbons316]

So I took them apart myself tonight. On the one pad, one of the wires to the right arrow had come completely detached, so I soldered it back on and it works fine now. I think the other one has a loose connection in the serial port but it's a doggy to get to. I think I am going to just get a new serial connector and some wire and just cut the one in there out and solder my own connector.

I can post pictures if anyone is interested.....
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I suck at this game.

[noctorious]

actually, yes i am interested I do not own an afterburner and dont plan to, but I'd at least like to get an idea of what I play on at school
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original owner of the XD avatar.

[Gindu]

i crushed my friends afterburner the second day he had it

he put a brick in each corner to raise it up and I went to play Max300 and killed it. It litterally snapped then bent,

[willburz]

[PeterGibbons316]

Pics as requested:

Here is the pad (my dog likes it, but he's not very good - can't even clear MAX 300 on Light!):
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v367/petergibbons316/Afterburner/100_1306.jpg

The foam backing is starting to come off, but turns out you can get to everything from the other side so no big deal:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v367/petergibbons316/Afterburner/100_1304.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v367/petergibbons316/Afterburner/100_1305.jpg

So first you just unscrew the 4 screws on the button that isn't working:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v367/petergibbons316/Afterburner/100_1308.jpg

Should look something like this underneath:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v367/petergibbons316/Afterburner/100_1311.jpg

If you have a button that is completely dead it is most likely a broken connection. You can use a screwdriver to pry up the rectangular piece with the contacts on it:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v367/petergibbons316/Afterburner/100_1320.jpg

On one of my arrows one of the contacts had no wires going to it:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v367/petergibbons316/Afterburner/100_1315.jpg

You can see just the one red wire - there should be two black wires connected to the other lead. Here you can see the black wire sticking up but not attached to anything:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v367/petergibbons316/Afterburner/100_1313.jpg

All you have to do is re-solder the wire(s) back on to the leads, tape the contacts back down, and screw it back together.

I used some double sided mounting tape that I got at Home Depot but I think it was a little too thick and you can tell when you step on the arrow that it doesn't depress quite as much. I didn't want to use any sort of glue though because I may need to take it off again. Maybe just some double sided scotch tape would work better.

If I ever screw around with the serial connector on the other pad I will make sure to take some better pictures.
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I suck at this game.

[ChilliumBromide]

Sounds like a lot of the issues I've had with my tx's. They're constructed similarly though, so no surprise really. With the wires, I find that more is better. if you can solder well, try removing the coating from about an inch of the sensor end of the wires, then soldering the entire uncovered part to it's respective contact plate, and you should get a better response, since a stronger current will be travelling through the arrows.
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I used to be active here lol

[PeterGibbons316]

[ChilliumBromide]