Hardware Permanent Fix for Loose Fitting Joycons :)

[ploggy]

I was looking through Youtube (as you do) and came across this Vid about loose fitting Joycons.
Apparently there is a problem overtime that effects the Plastic Clip that holds the Joycon to the Switch and starts to wear to the point the Joycon doesn't hold in place securely. I havent had this issue myself (still in the box) but can see how it could be a problem for kids or people that repeatedly play dropsy with their Switch

The video shows it's possible to replace the Plastic Clips with Metal ones


Metal Clips basically removes the problem. Metal = Much less wear
Plastic Clips are also available if people are worried about Metal Clips damaging the Joycon Rails

I should point out I'm not selling these things, just sharing

EDIT: If your having trouble finding these on Ebay try searching for "ALLOY BUCKLE NINTENDO" thanks @x3n0
And for Plastic Clips try Searching for "PLASTIC SWITCH JOYCON BUCKLE"

 

[Captain_N]

um metal wears out also....

 

[ploggy]

um metal wears out also....

Compared to plastic though....

 

[yardie]

um metal wears out also....

Maybe we should get the metal they use on the space shuttles....

 

[x3n0]

First of all a brilliant find OP
I want those metal thingies to.

Second, It took me a while to find your item on ebay (I was looking for "joy con latch" and "joy con clip")
I had to look for "Alloy Buckle Nintendo" (I found it afterwards in your vid )

so, if someone is stil looking try those keywords.

 

[Taffy]

let's tape them on. bam, no more loose joycons.

ever.

Recently I fell on mine and the left one is loose, maybe I should look into this.

 

[isoboy]

You can place strips of gorilla tape or any other strong tape on the inside of the console rails and it works like a charm. You don't even see it.

 

[ploggy]

First of all a brilliant find OP
I want those metal thingies to.

Second, It took me a while to find your item on ebay (I was looking for "joy con latch" and "joy con clip")
I had to look for "Alloy Buckle Nintendo" (I found it afterwards in your vid )

so, if someone is stil looking try those keywords.

Thank You I'll add it to the OP.

 

[The Real Jdbye]

I would not recommend doing this.
You may have noticed that the rails on the Switch itself are metal while the rails on the JoyCons are plastic.
There's a reason for that.
They are made of plastic to ensure that the parts that wear out are the cheaper and easier to fix JoyCons rather than the main unit.
By replacing part of it with metal parts, the rails on the Switch are going to start wearing out as well, and that will be a harder fix not to mention void your warranty.

 

[LightyKD]

Gee... I was just using tape lol.

 

[x3n0]

I would not recommend doing this.
You may have noticed that the rails on the Switch itself are metal while the rails on the JoyCons are plastic.
There's a reason for that. [...] not to mention void your warranty.

Ill keep the plastic buckles so i can put them back if the rails start to show signs of wear. I dont mind the warranty because I'm putting in Snes style buttons to, pretty much voids the warranty

 

[Deathscreton]

I'll never understand why they didn't just dish out for the metal pieces. They HAD to have known that these plastic little clips would be a major fail point for the controllers, especially with how often they're being clipped and unclipped. Unless this was done on purpose to facilitate the movement of new product.

 

[FenexFox]

I'm so gonna do this
(next problem will be people dropping the switch and instead of breaking the catch its gonna snap the whole joycon, im not being serious but i can imagine it)

 

[The Real Jdbye]

I'll never understand why they didn't just dish out for the metal pieces. They HAD to have known that these plastic little clips would be a major fail point for the controllers, especially with how often they're being clipped and unclipped. Unless this was done on purpose to facilitate the movement of new product.

Because of the reason I mentioned in my post. They're metal on the Switch and plastic on the JoyCons so that if any part wears out or breaks it's the JoyCons. For example, if the Switch is dropped, it's pretty much guaranteed that the JoyCons will be the part that fails, and those are cheap enough to replace. If both were made of metal it would be hit and miss.

 

[Deathscreton]

Because of the reason I mentioned in my post. They're metal on the Switch and plastic on the JoyCons so that if any part wears out or breaks it's the JoyCons. For example, if the Switch is dropped, it's pretty much guaranteed that the JoyCons will be the part that fails, and those are cheap enough to replace. If both were made of metal it would be hit and miss.

Yeah, I ended up realizing this after watching some more replacement videos. It's unfortunate they chose that as the point of failure especially with as much contact that the little clip makes. At least it's an easy fix.

 

[x3n0]

Do you really think those cast alloy buckles Wil wear out the stainless steel rail? I'm convinced the alloy will still wear out way more than the 10 mm of steel rail it slides by.

The problem is my left joycon. I think the plastic buckle gets broken because I turn the volume up and down while keeping my pinky finger under de left joycon. The stress on the buckle removes little pieces of plastic from it, 4 months of use and the plastic buckle is completely broken. Im hoping the cast alloy one is a more resilient against the stress while turning the volume up and down.

 

[Reploid]

another nintendo's flaw have to be fixed by consumers.

 

[x3n0]

another nintendo's flaw have to be fixed by consumers.

That was really usefull, i totaly reconsidered my intention towards those alloy buckles.... thanks

 

[Jayro]

After playing Zelda for so long (120 hours) My left joy-con kept sliding off, and it was annoying. So I traded them in to GameStop for $40 bucks, and pot another $40 cash towards a new red and blue set. Haven't used them since I have a pro controller now though. But good to know these "buckles" exist, for when I mod my controllers later with clear shells.

 

[Justeego]

If I need a replacement I would go for the plastic ones, if the switch drops the metal rail could be badly damaged and screws' holes could be destroyed