How to Desolder & Replace PS5 DualSense Joystick Modules: Complete Guide

By Epoch Ctrllrs published: April 16, 2026

Replacing a PS5 DualSense joystick module is the only permanent fix for stick drift. Whether you’re fitting a like-for-like OEM ALPS potentiometer or upgrading to a contactless TMR (Tunnel Magnetoresistance) module from suppliers like GuliKit or Ginfull, the desoldering and soldering process is identical - the module footprint hasn’t changed across any DualSense revision.

If you haven’t decided which replacement module to use, our stick drift repair guide covers the differences between ALPS, TMR, and Hall Effect modules in detail - including a full comparison table, supplier recommendations, and why TMR is the preferred upgrade for a permanent, drift-free fix.

This guide focuses purely on the hands-on work: how to get the old module off the board and the new one on. It covers three desoldering methods - hot air reflow, desoldering gun, and soldering iron. Our recommended approach is a dedicated desoldering gun like the Yihua 948 - it’s a genuine time saver, precise enough for beginners, and well worth the investment if you’re doing this regularly. Hot air reflow is faster for batch work but has a steeper learning curve and more risk of board damage. The iron-only method works in a pinch but is slow and tedious.

Before You Start: Understanding the Challenge

The DualSense joystick module is a 14-pin through-hole component with additional grounding tabs. It sounds straightforward to desolder, but there are two factors that make it harder than most through-hole work.

First, Sony uses lead-free solder on the DualSense motherboard. This is required by the EU’s RoHS directive (Restriction of Hazardous Substances), which banned lead-based solder in consumer electronics from 2006 onwards. Lead-free solder - typically Sn96.5/Ag3/Cu0.5 - has a melting point of around 217°C, compared to 183°C for traditional 63/37 leaded solder. That higher melting point means more heat, longer dwell times, and a greater risk of damaging the board.

Second, several of the joystick module pins connect directly to the ground plane - a large continuous copper layer inside the PCB. The ground plane acts as a massive heat sink, absorbing thermal energy faster than your iron or hot air can deliver it. This is why beginners often find that some pins reflow easily while others stubbornly refuse to release, even at high temperatures. The temptation is to crank the heat up. Don’t. That’s how boards get cooked.

The solution to both problems is the same: low-melt bismuth solder paste.

The Low-Melt Bismuth Paste Technique

Low-melt solder paste - typically Sn42/Bi58 with a melting point of 138°C - is the single most important consumable in your desoldering toolkit. Understanding how it works will save you from destroyed boards and hours of frustration.

When you apply bismuth paste to the existing lead-free joints and heat the area, the paste melts first at 138°C and becomes liquid. That liquid bismuth-tin alloy then begins to dissolve the solid lead-free solder through a metallurgical process called dissolution. The liquid phase gradually absorbs tin and silver atoms from the solid solder at the interface - the same way water dissolves salt without needing to reach the melting point of salt.

As more of the factory solder dissolves into the liquid, the joint transitions from solid to liquid without ever needing to reach the original 217°C melting point. In practice, you’re working at around 160-180°C. This is transformative for the ground plane pins that would otherwise act as impossible heat sinks - sustaining 170°C through the ground plane is far easier than trying to push 220°C+ through it.

Apply the bismuth paste generously. More liquid phase means faster dissolution of the solid solder. Don’t be stingy with it.

Consumables You’ll Need

Before starting any of the three methods below, make sure you have the following on your workbench:

Preparation (All Methods)

These steps apply regardless of which desoldering method you use.

Remove the DualSense motherboard from the shell completely. Don’t attempt to desolder with the board still in the housing - you’ll melt plastic, block access to pins, and make the job far harder than it needs to be.

Identify the joystick module pins on the underside of the board. There are 14 through-hole pins plus grounding tabs.

Shield nearby components. Use kapton tape or a small piece of aluminium foil to protect any plastic connectors, ribbon cable sockets, or sensitive components adjacent to the joystick module. The battery connector and flex cable sockets near the joystick are the main ones to watch.

Secure the board in a PCB holder or helping hands. You need both hands free throughout this process.

Have your replacement module, flux, solder, and wick all within reach before you start heating anything.

Method 1: Hot Air Reflow

Hot air is the fastest method when done correctly. All pins reflow simultaneously and the module lifts off in one piece. This is the preferred method for batch repairs once you’ve developed the technique.

Stage 1 - Apply Low-Melt Bismuth Paste

Apply a small amount of 138°C bismuth solder paste to every pin on the underside of the board. Cover all 14 pins and the grounding tabs. Don’t be stingy - generous application means faster dissolution of the factory solder.

Stage 2 - Apply Flux Paste

Apply a generous line of tacky flux paste over all the pins, on top of the bismuth paste. The flux removes oxidation, improves heat transfer, and helps the bismuth paste wet into the existing joints properly. Without flux, the bismuth paste tends to ball up instead of mixing with the factory solder.

Stage 3 - Preheat the Board

Set the hot air station to approximately 200°C with low airflow - around 3 out of 8 on most stations.

Hold the nozzle about 4-5cm above the module area. Move in slow, wide circles covering the general area around the module for 60-90 seconds.

This brings the entire board and ground plane up to a warm baseline temperature gradually, reducing thermal shock and meaning you’ll need less concentrated heat to finish the job. You should be able to feel warmth on the topside of the board with the back of your hand held a couple of centimetres above it.

Stage 4 - Reflow and Remove

Increase the temperature to 300-340°C. With bismuth paste applied, you should not need to go above 340°C. If you find yourself reaching for 380°C+, something else is wrong - stop, let the board cool, and check whether you’ve applied enough bismuth paste and flux.

Increase airflow slightly to around 4-5 out of 8. Use a nozzle that roughly matches the footprint of the joystick module if you have one - this concentrates heat where it’s needed and reduces the risk of disturbing nearby SMD components. If you only have the standard nozzle, keep the airflow focused on the module area.

Hold the nozzle 2-3cm above the module. Move in a tight, slow circular pattern directly over the pins. Don’t hold still in one spot - that’s how boards get cooked.

After about 20-40 seconds, use tweezers or a spudger to gently test whether the module is free. Apply very light upward pressure. If it moves slightly, you’re nearly there. If it doesn’t move at all, keep heating and give it more time.

Once all pins have reflowed, the module will lift cleanly. Remove it with tweezers. Total heating time at full temperature should be 30-60 seconds maximum. If the module isn’t free after 60 seconds, stop, let the board cool, and reassess. You may need more bismuth paste on specific pins.

Common Hot Air Mistakes

Nozzle too close to the board. Causes localised overheating and board discolouration or delamination. Keep it 2-3cm away.

Too much airflow. Blows nearby small SMD components clean off the board. Medium airflow is plenty.

Skipping the preheat. Creates a huge temperature differential across the board, increasing the chance of thermal shock damage and making ground pins even harder to reflow.

Skipping the bismuth paste. Without it, you’re fighting factory lead-free solder at 217°C+ through a ground plane heat sink. This is the mistake that leads beginners to crank the temperature to 400°C+ and cook the board.

Forcing the module off. If it resists, a pin hasn’t reflowed. Forcing it will rip a pad or trace off the PCB - a much harder repair than the joystick swap itself.

Method 2: Desoldering Gun (Recommended)

The desoldering gun is our recommended approach for joystick module removal. A dedicated desoldering station like the Yihua 948 heats each pin individually and vacuums the molten solder out of the through-hole. It’s slightly slower than hot air but highly controlled - there’s much less risk of overheating the board because you’re only applying heat to one pin at a time. For anyone building a controller repair workflow, the investment pays for itself quickly in time saved and boards not destroyed.

Stage 1 - Apply Low-Melt Bismuth Paste

Same as the hot air method - apply bismuth paste to all 14 pins on the underside. This step is optional with a desolder gun since you’re attacking one pin at a time and can overpower even ground pins with sustained direct contact, but it still makes every pin faster and easier.

Stage 2 - Apply Flux Paste

Apply flux to all the pins. This helps the solder flow freely into the vacuum rather than clinging to the sides of the through-hole.

Stage 3 - Set Temperature

Set the desoldering gun to approximately 350-380°C without bismuth paste, or 280-320°C if you’ve applied it. Allow the gun to reach temperature fully before starting.

Stage 4 - Desolder Each Pin

Place the desoldering gun tip directly over one pin, ensuring a good seal between the tip opening and the board surface. Wait 2-3 seconds for the solder to melt - you’ll see it go liquid - then trigger the vacuum. The molten solder gets sucked up into the gun’s collection chamber.

Move to the next pin and repeat. Work your way around all 14 pins systematically.

For ground plane pins that are stubborn, hold the tip in contact for a few seconds longer. The direct contact heat transfer is more efficient than hot air for individual pins - the heat goes straight into the joint rather than being spread across the board.

Stage 5 - Check and Clear

After doing all pins, gently test whether the module is free. If it’s still held, one or more pins still have solder in them.

Re-flux any stubborn pins and hit them again with the desolder gun. For really stubborn through-holes, add a small amount of fresh leaded solder to the pin, re-flux, and desolder again. The fresh solder helps the old solder flow by lowering the melting point and increasing the total volume of liquid - giving the vacuum more to grab.

Once all pins are clear, the module should lift out freely.

Common Desoldering Gun Mistakes

Bad seal between tip and board. If the tip doesn’t sit flush around the pad, the vacuum won’t pull solder effectively. Use a tip size that matches or is slightly larger than the pad diameter.

Triggering the vacuum too early. If the solder hasn’t fully melted, the vacuum pulls air and achieves nothing. Wait until you see the solder go liquid.

Not cleaning the gun. Empty the solder collection chamber regularly. A clogged chamber reduces vacuum power. Clean the inside of the tip frequently too - solder builds up and restricts the opening.

Skipping flux. Dry, oxidised solder doesn’t flow cleanly into the vacuum. Flux keeps everything mobile.

Bonus: Using the Desolder Gun to Reflow Joints

The desoldering gun isn’t just for removing solder - it’s also excellent for correcting bad solder joints after you’ve installed the new module. If you’ve got a joint that looks dull, blobby, or poorly formed, place the desolder gun tip over it briefly to reflow the solder. The heat from the tip melts the existing solder and the vacuum action draws it into a clean, well-formed joint around the pin. It’s a quick way to tidy up your work without needing to add or remove any solder, and it produces consistently neat results.

Method 3: Soldering Iron and Solder Wick

This is the slowest and most tedious method, but it works when you don’t have a hot air station or desoldering gun. You’re removing solder pin-by-pin using solder wick or a manual spring-loaded solder sucker.

Stage 1 - Apply Low-Melt Bismuth Paste

This is even more important for the iron-only method. Without bismuth paste, trying to remove lead-free solder from ground plane pins with just an iron is an exercise in frustration. Apply it to all 14 pins.

Stage 2 - Add Fresh Leaded Solder

Using 63/37 leaded solder at 0.6mm, add a small amount of fresh solder to each pin on the underside of the board. This further lowers the melting point of the joint and - counterintuitively - increases the total volume of solder, making it easier to wick away. More solder gives the wick more to absorb.

Stage 3 - Apply Flux Paste

Generous flux on all pins after adding the fresh solder. Flux is the difference between solder wick working and solder wick doing nothing.

Stage 4 - Remove Solder with Wick

Use a chisel tip on your iron for maximum heat transfer area. Set the temperature to 320-350°C.

Place a section of solder wick over a pin. Press your iron onto the wick directly above the pin and hold for 2-4 seconds. You’ll see the solder wick up into the braid - it turns silver as it absorbs molten solder. Move to a fresh section of wick and repeat on the next pin.

Work methodically around all 14 pins. For ground pins, you may need to hold the iron longer. Add more flux if the wick isn’t absorbing - this almost always means oxidation is preventing flow.

As an alternative to wick, you can use a manual spring-loaded solder sucker. Heat each pin with the iron and quickly trigger the solder sucker to vacuum the molten solder. This requires some dexterity - you need to remove the iron and position the sucker within about one second before the solder re-solidifies.

Stage 5 - Free the Module

After wicking all pins, gently test whether the module is free. If it’s still held, re-flux the stubborn pins, add more leaded solder, and wick again. Repeat until every pin is clear.

Common Iron-Only Mistakes

Using a pointed or conical tip. These have poor heat transfer surface area. A chisel or screwdriver tip makes a massive difference when wicking solder.

Using old, oxidised solder wick. If the wick has gone dull and dark, it won’t absorb effectively. Use fresh wick and store the roll in a sealed bag between sessions.

Not enough flux. Apply it generously and reapply every few pins. Flux is cheap. Boards are not.

Rushing. This method is slow by nature. Accept that and work methodically. Rushing leads to excessive heat application and board damage.

Cleaning the Through-Holes

Whichever method you’ve used to remove the module, you’ll likely have some residual solder in the through-holes. The new module needs clean, open holes to drop into - if pins won’t pass through, there’s still solder in the way.

Apply fresh flux to all through-holes. Use solder wick pressed onto each hole with your iron to draw out any remaining solder. Work from both sides of the board if needed.

If a hole is stubbornly blocked, add a tiny amount of fresh leaded solder to the hole, re-flux, and wick again. The fresh solder often mobilises whatever residue is stuck in the via.

Check that all 14 holes are clear by holding the board up to a light - you should be able to see light through each hole.

Installing the New Module

With the old module out and all through-holes clean, installation is straightforward.

Apply a thin line of flux paste across the through-holes on the topside of the board.

Drop the new module - whether it’s an OEM ALPS replacement or a Ginfull TMR upgrade - into position from the topside. All 14 pins should pass through the holes cleanly and the module body should sit flush against the board with no gaps. If any pin doesn’t pass through, that hole still has solder in it. Go back and clean it.

Flip the board over or work from the underside if your PCB holder allows it.

Using your soldering iron with a fine or chisel tip at 320-350°C and 63/37 leaded solder wire at 0.6mm, solder each pin individually. Touch the iron to the junction where the pin meets the pad, then feed a small amount of solder wire into the joint from the opposite side. The solder should flow around the pin and fill the pad. Hold for about 1-2 seconds, then remove the iron.

A good joint looks shiny and slightly concave - a smooth volcano shape tapering from the pad up to the pin. A dull, blobby joint is a cold joint - reheat it and add a touch of flux.

Solder all 14 pins one at a time. Inspect each joint visually as you go. Look for solder bridges - solder inadvertently connecting two adjacent pins. If you spot a bridge, add flux to the bridged area and run your iron between the pins to separate them, or use solder wick to remove the excess.

Clean flux residue with isopropyl alcohol and a small brush if desired. This isn’t strictly necessary with no-clean flux, but it makes visual inspection of the joints much easier and gives a more professional finish.

Method Comparison

Tips for Your First Repair

If this is your first time desoldering a joystick module, start with a controller that’s already written off - a dead board, a parts unit, something you don’t mind destroying. Practice the full workflow on a board with no consequences before touching a controller you intend to sell.

Use the desoldering gun method for your first successful repair - and probably every repair after that too. It’s the most forgiving approach, you can take your time on each pin without worrying about heat soaking the entire board, and it doubles as a tool for tidying up solder joints on the install side. A Yihua 948 or similar dedicated desoldering station is one of the best investments you can make for controller repair work.

Don’t skip the bismuth paste. It genuinely transforms the difficulty of this repair from “wrestling with stubborn lead-free solder through a ground plane” to “everything just flows.” A syringe costs a few pounds and lasts dozens of repairs.

Flux liberally and often. If something isn’t flowing, add more flux before adding more heat. Heat is expensive - it costs you board health. Flux is cheap.

Finally, remember that the joystick module footprint is identical across every DualSense revision from BDM-010 through BDM-060. Unlike shells and triggers, you don’t need to worry about compatibility. One technique works on every controller Sony has shipped.

Related Guides

• PS5 DualSense Stick Drift: Causes, Fixes, and the TMR Upgrade - Why drift happens, ALPS vs TMR vs Hall Effect module comparison, supplier recommendations, and post-repair calibration
• PS5 DualSense Controller BDM Revisions: The Complete Guide - Identifying your controller version and understanding internal differences
• PS5 DualSense Mods and Upgrades - Custom shells, clicky buttons, LED kits, and performance modifications

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