Guide: How to make your NGCD pads last FOREVER!!

[Gummy Bear]

Bonjour!

As many of you know, the Neo CD pad is prone to failure due to the mechanical stick assembly wearing out because it wasn't factory lubricated.

The sliding parts inside the stick literally grind themselves down with normal use. This causes the White Dust of Death to appear, which can clog the switches and fuck things up GOOD.
This is a shame, because it's definitely the best pad ever.

I made this guide so that you can correctly lubricate all sliding parts inside the stick and make it last forever.

This guide assumes that you have a fully working pad and wish to keep it working properly.

If your pad has busted switches already then get your ass on the interwebs. There are guides to dissecting the switches on there. Fix those switches first, then do this.

Anyway, on with the show.

You'll need the following things:

2 small screwdrivers. 1 cross head and 1 flat.
1 strong teaspoon (yes, really).
Silicone grease.
Cotton buds.
Tweezers (not essential, though they make shit easier).
Small brush and/or air duster.

Flip your pad over and remove the 5 screws holding it together.

Insert your spoon between the round part inside the pad shell and the switch housing (this way you don't chew up the thumb stick).
Twist and lever the 2 apart. Take care not to chew the edge of the pad shell up with the handle of the spoon.
This requires some force, so take care not to twist the board. Grip the pad shell and not the board.
The thumb stick will pop off the other side of the shell. Rejoice!



Now remove the switch cover by gently pulling up on it while springing the 4 clips with your finger nail.
Then remove the 4 white sliders and their springs. Don't lose them, they are small.

 

[Gummy Bear]

This pad obviously hasn't been used too much, but already the wear has set in and there is some White Dust of Death in there.


They sometimes look like this...


Cleaning time!

Minimum method:
Brush/blow the White Dust of Death out of the switch housing (top and bottom) and clean up the white sliders and springs.

My (OCD) method:
Put all the plastic parts in the sink or an ultrasonic cleaner and give them a good wash (don't lose the sliders down the drain!)
I'm not a fan of other peoples hand butter...

Time for the grease.
Use silicone grease for this, for 2 reasons: 1) It's fully synthetic (petroleum based grease can attack plastic). 2) Silicone grease is really slippery, so your stick won't... stick.

I use Shin Etsu silicone grease. This is what Honda dealers use. It's also what Sanwa use in their sticks at the factory.

Get a cotton bud and get a SMALL amount of grease on the tip of it.
Really. Don't go mad with the grease here. You just want a thin sheen on the parts indicated in the pics below.
The botton (top, really) and sides of the channels where the sliders sit.
If you make a mess, wipe it off. If you get grease on your hands, wash them. Don't get grease on the board.

 

[Gummy Bear]

Now apply another thin sheen of grease to the 4, rectangular pads that the sliders sit on. Don't get it all over the switches.



Now use your tweezers (or your fingers if you're feeling dexterous) as shown to re-insert the sliders and their springs.
This can be tricky...



Now replace the top cover. Place it over the switches and gently push it down while popping the sliders back into place with your screwdriver.
Don't force it. The sliders need to be pushed back or it won't go down.

 

[Gummy Bear]

Apply grease to the TOP (TOP!!) of the ball joint of the shaft and also grease the socket in the bottom half of the shell where the shaft will sit.



Push the shaft back into place from underneath the board. See how your fingers aren't covered in grease?


Put the board down on the table (see how the table isn't covered in grease? ).
Now get a small ball of grease on the end of your little flat screwdriver. Rock the shaft in one direction to make a gap on the other side. Then poke the grease ball down into the gap.

 

[Gummy Bear]

Do this for all 4 sides.
You don't need to be shy here with the grease. You can use a bit more as this is the main point of friction, but don't go mad with it.


Now put the board into the BACK of the shell and replace the cable around it's grippers.
Put the buttons and rubber shit back on the TOP half of the case and put them back together.
Replace screws and push the thumb stick back onto the shaft with the little bump at the top (you'll kick yourself if you fucked that up )


That's it! You've now done what SNK should have done in the first place and your pad will last FOREVER! (unless you lose it, step on it, burn it, eat it etc..)

 

[Psygnosis8]

This is interesting. I'm gonna look into doing this. Thanks!

 

[Gummy Bear]

This is interesting. I'm gonna look into doing this. Thanks!

No probs sugarplum!
Those pads are worth looking after.

 

[madman]

I'll have to give this a go, I've seen this method recommended on N64 pads, but people have said it isn't very effective. Couldn't hurt to try on the NGCD pad.

 

[Gummy Bear]

I'll have to give this a go, I've seen this method recommended on N64 pads, but people have said it isn't very effective. Couldn't hurt to try on the NGCD pad.

People did it wrong then, man
I greased my N64 pads back in like 1785 and those suckers are still as smooth as a prom queen's thigh.

 

[Ray]

Thanks a ton for this guide! I have 2 of these pads in great condition but I was always afraid to use them since they wear down so quickly.

If only the same method could be used to prevent the original PCE CD's middle gear from turning into cheese...

 

[Gummy Bear]

Thanks a ton for this guide! I have 2 of these pads in great condition but I was always afraid to use them since they wear down so quickly.

If only the same method could be used to prevent the original PCE CD's middle gear from turning into cheese...

You're welcome, man.
Not sure about the PCE CD. If that gear is part of the actual CD spindle then grease would do it no favours at all. Too thick

 

[Ray]

You're welcome, man.
Not sure about the PCE CD. If that gear is part of the actual CD spindle then grease would do it no favours at all. Too thick

I'm pretty sure the problem with that part is solely oxidation, not wear by use like with the NGCD pad. The gear itself seems a little hard to come by, but thankfully some new ones are being made and aren't too expensive.

If you want to see the full extent of this problem, just look at any auction site. The vast majority of all the PCE CD units are broken.

 

[Electric Grave]

Very nice guide, I did this eons ago with some grease I bought to lube the arcade joysticks. Incidentally I also used this grease to lube the clicky pad on my GF's Neo Geo X, the thing operates silky smooth now.

 

[Yoshi]

Very nice guide. I'm going to dissect my Neo Pad 2 and see if the innards are similar. I would suspect they are.

 

[Electric Grave]

The mech is not identical but although improved the parts feel lighter and don't grind as much.

 

[Xian Xi]

I'm surprised you didn't grease the most important part that needs to be greased, the white actuators. That's what generates the dust.

 

[Gummy Bear]

Very nice guide, I did this eons ago with some grease I bought to lube the arcade joysticks. Incidentally I also used this grease to lube the clicky pad on my GF's Neo Geo X, the thing operates silky smooth now.

Thanks man.
Yeah it's the way to go. I'm the guy that used to grease megadrive pads... yes really.
Always had a thing for lube.

 

[Gummy Bear]

I'm surprised you didn't grease the most important part that needs to be greased, the white actuators. That's what generates the dust.

I'm surprised you didn't notice that everything that they touch is greased. Same thing as greasing them directly only you don't get greasy fingers when reassembling.

Didn't actually read it, did you?

 

[wyo]

Nice write up, thanks for posting.

 

[Jibbajaba]

I'm surprised you didn't notice that everything that they touch is greased. Same thing as greasing them directly only you don't get greasy fingers when reassembling.

Didn't actually read it, did you?

Show some respect.

 

[Xian Xi]

I'm surprised you didn't notice that everything that they touch is greased. Same thing as greasing them directly only you don't get greasy fingers when reassembling.

Didn't actually read it, did you?

The dust isn't created from the actuators rubbing the black plastic. It's created by the actuators rubbing against each other. You need to apply grease where they meet in the assembly.

 

[Xian Xi]

Just add a step where you apply it between them and apply it on all sides of each actuator.

 

[SmokeMonster]

Nice writeup, excellent pictures. I use a very light coating of Super Lube Silicone Grease on all of my pads and sticks and it works wonders. It's especially great for NGCD pads and N64 sticks.

 

[Gummy Bear]

The dust isn't created from the actuators rubbing the black plastic. It's created by the actuators rubbing against each other. You need to apply grease where they meet in the assembly.

Incorrect.
The only time the actuators are in contact with each other is when the stick is in the middle.
Move it in any direction and all they do is separate.

 

[Gummy Bear]

Show some respect.

Not when I'm essentially called an idiot, no.