GameCube analogue sticky sticks

[wakka]

Hi chaps

Broke out the Wavebird for the first time in many many years today to play Sunshine on Switch. It’s been stored packed away in a drawer so it’s clean and dust free, but unfortunately the rubber on the tops of the analogue sticks has become quite sticky.

I gave them a clean with some water but it didn’t really help that much - they’re still tacky to the touch.

I assume this is some kind of rubber decay due to age. Has anyone got any tips on how to resolve it?

Cheers

[importaku]

Hi chaps

Broke out the Wavebird for the first time in many many years today to play Sunshine on Switch. It’s been stored packed away in a drawer so it’s clean and dust free, but unfortunately the rubber on the tops of the analogue sticks has become quite sticky.

I gave them a clean with some water but it didn’t really help that much - they’re still tacky to the touch.

I assume this is some kind of rubber decay due to age. Has anyone got any tips on how to resolve it?

Cheers

Yup exact same problem happened to my sticks it's impossible to repair once the rubber coating starts to melt/beak down they will always be sticky. However goto ebay they sell replacement c stick caps that look identical to the official ones, just open up your pad and pop a new one on it's dead easy.

I rennovated both my wavebirds like this but also had to replace the joysticks too as the rubber had yellowed hideously, sadly they don't make exact matched for the colour of wavebird joystics as they are a slightly lighter shade. So i put in the usual grey ones.

Here's one on ebay as a example but search around as they vary in price and quality some have the rubber top coating on the c stick and joystick some are just cheap solid plastic with no rubber feeling coating on the sticks

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/184367179810?hash=item2aed23e822:g:qzwAAOSwOrNfEYh2

these were mine

before


after

[Asura]

I assume this is some kind of rubber decay due to age. Has anyone got any tips on how to resolve it?

I second [MENTION=39]importaku[/MENTION]'s point; this is an issue for rubber pieces on a lot of tech from back then. I had to sand off the grip on an older DSLR camera a while back because it had turned into something with the consistency of tar.

You can use sandpaper and literally sand off the top layer to get rid of the sticky residue, but that has 2 problems; firstly, you're sanding off the rubber which will affect how it feels and secondly, even if you only take off the top layer, exposing more underneath to the air means you'll be doing it again in a couple of months.

The camera in question was okay, because beneath the rubber was a smooth plastic grip, but I think for a joypad you're going to have to buy replacement sticks.

[wakka]

Thanks guys, very helpful.

I’ve had a quick look at a guide on how to replace the sticks now, and fortunately it looks within even my incredibly meagre abilities when it comes to this type of thing.
[MENTION=39]importaku[/MENTION], I don’t suppose you’d be able to direct me to the EBay seller you used? Or was it the one you linked?

[importaku]

Thanks guys, very helpful.

I’ve had a quick look at a guide on how to replace the sticks now, and fortunately it looks within even my incredibly meagre abilities when it comes to this type of thing.
[MENTION=39]importaku[/MENTION], I don’t suppose you’d be able to direct me to the EBay seller you used? Or was it the one you linked?

This was the exact auction i bought from

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ANALOG-THUMB-STICK-REPLACEMENT-C-STICK-FOR-NINTENDO-GAMECUBE-CONTROLLER-GAMEPAD/282467947087?ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649

[wakka]

Perfect, thanks [MENTION=39]importaku[/MENTION] much appreciated.