Hardware Help: Disassembly/Reassembly of 3DS XL

[drfsupercenter]

Hey guys,

I figured you're the experts at this, since I know lots of you are making NAND dumps and restoring them.

I have a limited-edition Pikachu 3DS XL (Seriously, have you seen how much those are going for?), USA region. I got some liquid damage on the top screen, and Nintendo wouldn't repair it, they'd just replace it with a plain one.

So I sent it to a friend to replace the top screen for me. He got it all apart, but can't figure out how to properly reassemble it, due to Nintendo's daft decision to shove 3 ribbon cables through a tiny hole - he actually broke one of the replacement screens' cables when trying to do it.

At this point the only thing he can think of would be to crack the plastic a bit to shove the cables in, but that would be a really risky way of doing it, especially because if we manage to fix the system, I can sell it for quite a bit of money (at this point I'm going to just buy the Zelda gold limited edition XL and console-transfer my ambassador Pikachu one over)

Also, is there a way to replace the hinges? He thinks that might tell him how to take it apart.

So specifically we need to know how to replace a 3DS XL's top screen, but a proper disassembly and reassembly guide would be nice. I've found them for regular 3DS, but not the XL.

Thanks

 

[ground]

just roll the 3 ribbons and it should shove through the hole.

 

[sharkie545]

http://techon.nikkeibp.co.jp/english/NEWS_EN/20120730/231194/ hope this will help you.

 

[drfsupercenter]

just roll the 3 ribbons and it should shove through the hole.

That's exactly what my friend tried, and rolling the 3 cables caused the screen's ribbon cable to break. The parts are made in China, they're not exactly the most durable thing in the world.

http://techon.nikkeibp.co.jp/english/NEWS_EN/20120730/231194/ hope this will help you.

Sadly that only shows how to take it apart, not how to put it back together.

It's in like 400 pieces right now, we really just need a RE-assembly guide.

Thanks...

 

[blaisedinsd]

Sadly that only shows how to take it apart, not how to put it back together.

It's in like 400 pieces right now, we really just need a RE-assembly guide.

Thanks...

That is usually all you will find. The RE-assembly guide is just following the tear down guide backwards.

 

[drfsupercenter]

Has anyone here successfully taken a 3DS XL apart and put it back together without breaking the ribbon cable on the screen? Just rolling it up doesn't work.

 

[drfsupercenter]

My friend wants to see a video if anyone has... of taking it apart and removing both screens, then putting it all back together in working condition. Because right now I have a potentially valuable 3DS XL in lots of little pieces that we can't get back together.

 

[Vengenceonu]

My friend wants to see a video if anyone has... of taking it apart and removing both screens, then putting it all back together in working condition. Because right now I have a potentially valuable 3DS XL in lots of little pieces that we can't get back together.

http://www.ign.com/wikis/nintendo-3ds/3DS_XL_Shell_Swapping

 

[drfsupercenter]

First two don't apply as those are for the regular 3DS, not the XL, which is much easier to reassemble.

He said he's already seen the last video, and that it doesn't help since they don't actually remove the top screen.

Any others?

 

[drfsupercenter]

OK, so my friend is going to just send me the disassembled parts so I can do a system transfer to my new 3DS XL. Is there someone here who is confident they can reassemble a 3DS XL without breaking anything? I'd be happy to pay for postage both ways if someone is willing to do it for me.

 

[Vengenceonu]

First two don't apply as those are for the regular 3DS, not the XL, which is much easier to reassemble.

He said he's already seen the last video, and that it doesn't help since they don't actually remove the top screen.

Any others?

Ifixit 3ds guide: http://www.ifixit.com/Teardown/Nintendo+3DS+Teardown/5029

I know this is the original but go to ifixit, they help you with your repairs. they search 3ds xl and they have a bunch of fixes.


did he see this one?




Also here's an article split into 4 parts for the XL
http://techon.nikkeibp.co.jp/english/NEWS_EN/20120730/231194/

 

[Kane49]

I used the video and successfully dis/reassembled two 3ds XL yesterday and exchanged screens between both, i had to simply roll the 2/3 cables and push them through (simply meaning with tweezers, patience and rage)
Pushing the Hinge Pin in/out was way harder ^^ (One ds was defective but had healthy screens and the other ds had yellowed screen but was perfect otherwise, i ebayed the defective one as defective)

Would happily do this for you but postage to germany is not worth it