Steam Deck Left Trigger Replacement
Duration: 45 minutes
Steps: 12 Steps
Replacement triggers need a little tuning to perform their best!
Get ready to tackle the left trigger assembly (L2) replacement on your Steam Deck LCD! While the right trigger (R2) procedure is a similar adventure, you can find that guide right here. Just a friendly reminder: always keep those electrostatic discharge (ESD) safety practices in mind while you’re working on your device. And don’t forget, once you’ve swapped out those triggers, they’ll need a little calibration to perform at their best. Need guidance on that? Check it out here!
Step 1
Get your Steam Deck ready by ensuring the battery level is below 25%. It’s important to let it lose some juice before diving into repairs. Remember, a fully charged lithium-ion polymer battery can be a bit feisty if accidentally poked. So, give it some breathing room first!
When diving into your repair adventure, it can be super handy to place the Steam Deck face-down in its case. This little trick will keep those thumbsticks safe and sound while minimizing any wobble.
As a smart move, Valve suggests switching your Steam Deck to battery storage mode in the BIOS before jumping into any internal repairs. Curious about how to do that? Check it out here.
– First things first, power down your Steam Deck and unplug all those pesky cables. Let’s make sure we’re starting off on the right foot!
Step 2
As you dive into this repair adventure, remember to keep an eye on every screw and return it to its original home. This way, your Steam Deck will stay happy and healthy!
Phillips screwdrivers can be a bit quirky! Even if they’re marked the same size, they might not fit the same screw perfectly. So, always grab the one that snuggles into the screw head just right.
– Grab your trusty Phillips driver and let’s tackle those eight screws holding the back cover in place:
– Four coarse thread screws, each 9.5 mm long, ready to be unscrewed.
– And don’t forget the four fine thread screws, measuring in at 5.8 mm long, just waiting for their turn.
Step 3
Facing difficulty inserting your pick at the grip seam? No worries! Start at either the top or bottom long edges first, then simply slide the pick towards the grip.
– Slide an opening pick into the slim gap between the back cover and the front shell right along the edge of the right grip. You’re doing great!
– Gently pry up on the back cover to pop it free from those sneaky locking clips. You’ve got this!
Step 4
Disconnecting the clips from one edge will make the rest come apart effortlessly!
– Grab the back cover by the opening you just uncovered and gently lift it up and away from your device to release those long edges.
– Now, go ahead and completely take off the back cover.
Step 5
Got one of those sleek new Steam Decks with the black motherboard cover? Awesome! You can just breeze past this step.
When dealing with that tape, try to be gentle and avoid ripping it apart so you can use it again. If it does get torn, no worries! Just grab some aluminum foil tape and cut it to size—easy peasy.
– Grab a trusty pair of tweezers and gently peel off that sneaky piece of foil tape hiding the screw on the board shield. You’re making progress—keep it up!
Tools Used
Step 6
In the latest version of Steam Decks, you’ll find just the two 3.7 mm screws chilling along the left edge. Simple as that!
– Grab your handy Phillips driver and get ready to tackle the three screws holding down the board shield:
– One little 3.4 mm screw
– Two small 3.7 mm screws
Step 7
When it comes to your Steam Deck, this shield might be hanging on tight to the thermal pads below.
– Let’s get that board shield off! It’s time to uncover the magic inside.
– When you’re putting everything back together, make sure that the fan cable is cozy on the side of the board shield and not getting squished underneath.
Step 8
To make things easier, you can gently nudge the connector out of its socket using the flat end of a spudger or a clean fingernail. Then, disconnect it entirely by hand with care. If you need assistance, don’t hesitate to schedule a repair.
– Grab that battery cable by its handy pull tab and give it a gentle tug straight away from the motherboard to disconnect it. You’ve got this!
Tools Used
Step 9
When you’re tackling the Steam Deck, remember that the left trigger is hanging out on your right side since it’s flipped upside down. No need to get confused!
The triggers on the Steam Deck snap into place thanks to two handy pegs on the trigger bracket, which also acts as the hinge. It’s a clever little design!
Give a good look to the trigger spring and make sure it’s sitting just right. It’s a smart move to test the trigger action before you dive back into putting everything together.
– Gently position the flat end of your trusty spudger against the inside edge of the left clip on the trigger.
– Give that trigger clip a little pivot, swinging it outwards and upwards from the peg to set it free.
– When you’re putting it all back together, start by latching the outermost peg first. Once that’s snug, press down on the trigger to secure the innermost peg, and you’ll hear a satisfying ‘click’!
Tools Used
Step 10
Be careful not to misplace that little trigger spring! It snugly fits onto a peg located on the underside of the trigger.
– Go ahead and take off that left trigger!
Step 11
– Grab your trusty Phillips driver and say goodbye to those three pesky 5.2 mm screws holding down the left trigger bracket.
Step 12
– Time to say goodbye to the left trigger bracket! Give it a gentle removal.
– Once you’ve swapped in those new triggers, they’ll need a little touch of calibration magic to perform their best! Check out this calibration guide for all the details. If you need help, you can always schedule a repair.
