This is an overview and guide on how to increase the tension in your stick alps joysticks. This is an extremely dexterous and advanced mod and we highly recommend buying at least 4 sticks to have backups. Do not attempt this on your only set of joysticks.

Materials needed

• Phillips size 100 driver
• Plastic pry tool
• Small wire snips or scissors
• tweezers
• Optionally Washers

Notes:

• We ONLY RECOMMEND THIS MOD ON SPARE JOYSTICKS! You can buy additional joysticks with 14-day shipping here. These are a direct fit
• You will need to have very dexterous hands, these have extremely tiny parts internally and are VERY hard to re-assemble by hand. This mod is NOT for anyone easily frustrated or anyone who cant thread a needle, you have been warned.
• This shouldn’t void your warranty provided you use aftermarket sticks and re-install your old ones. You can contact customer service for better clarification based on your country, laws, and what’s allowed.
• The Red “warranty void” sticker on the battery and heat pipe does not void your warranty provided you do not damage anything inside of the device and restore it to a factory original condition before the RMA
• You will have three methods, Option 1 is to add a washer to the factory spring, Option 2 is to stretch the factory spring by 1/8″ to add additional tension to it, and Option 3 you will replace the spring completely with a higher tension one.
• Be extremely careful when removing the back panel screws, and daughterboard screws as they can strip!
• BY FOLLOWING THIS GUIDE YOU TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR YOUR OWN ACTIONS

Instructions

You can follow this awesome iFixit guide on how to disassemble the device down, we only need to remove the daughter boards.

• Remove back panel
• Unplug battery
• Remove ribbon cables from each daughter board
• Remove screws from each daughter board
• Unplug the haptics wires from the main board.
• Gently remove the Left and Right stick PCB
• Unplug the joystick ribbon cable from the daughter board
• Remove the two screws that hold down the stick

From here we can tear down the stick

• Gently bend back all 4 tabs holding the stick base together.
• Use plyers or hold the joystick from the stem so its upside down
• Unclip the side tabs and lift off the metal bottom plate
• Remove the flex cable gently
• Remove the stem with spring
• Carefully set aside the joystick being careful not to dislodge anything.

The washer must sit flush with the stem bottom with zero gap!

Option 1: Adding a washer to the factory spring

• Add washer or replacement spring to stem
• The washer must not exceed the OD of the stem bottom or it will damage the flex ribbon layer
• The washer must sit flush with the stem bottom with zero gap!

Option 2: Stretching the factory spring

• Grab the first and last spring rung with your fingernails and gently pull, you’ll feel it hit its max stretch and start to give.
• Pull in small amounts until the spring is (1/8 inch) or (3-4mm) longer than it was.
• Do not over-extend the spring as it will deform and break

Option 3: Replace the factory spring with an aftermarket one.

• 100g Here
• 100g has not been tested yet.
• 150g Here
• 150g spring makes reassembly a bit difficult

Reassembly

• Align the L3/R3 pop tab onto plastic pins 
• Lay the flex ribbon down in the correct orientation
• From above push the bottom metal panel down onto the housing snapping it in place.
• Place on a flat surface and test that L3/R3 still works, if not dis assembly

• Reassemble the assembly and bend the 4 tabs back into place.
• Repeat for both sides
• Reinstall the thumbstick cap and ensure that there’s no play in it. (if there is now is a good time to apply the thumbstick wobble fix.
• Reinstall the left and right daughter boards back into the shell.
• Plug back in the haptics wires.
• Screw PCB’s back in.
• Affix ribbon cables back.

• Plug the battery back in.
• Close the shell all the way (so the light sensor isn’t tripped),
• Plug in the OEM charger, press and hold the power button, and release once the screen is on.
• Once on the Republic Of Gamers screen you must wait around 180 seconds for it to boot
• Test inputs with Gamepad tester to make sure everything is working correctly
• Screw case back together if everything is working correctly