A Solutions to Xbox 360 Screws! (Open up for Rapid Fire Mod)

While trying to rapid fire mod a controller,
you've come across the annoying T8 screws with a pin in them.
That makes them a T8H screw.
Here is the tutorial about dealing with them.

Step 1: Pin Pin Pin!

So, look at the back of your xbox 360's controller.
Check out those pesky T8H screws!
The easiest thing would be getting a T8H screwdriver, but they are hard to come by.
Here's the next best thing and it's pretty simple.

Things you'll need:

Electric Drill

Small Flat Head Eyeglass screwdriver,
also known as watch screwdrivers or watchmaker screwdrivers(dollar store)

T8 Screwdriver (auto store, computer parts store, or radioshack) -
(I personally think the T9 fits better, but w/e is easier to find will work)

xbox 360 controller that you want to open

Comments

[double_g]

great idea, I recently opened up a microwave that had those on it and I had to drill through the screws. This would have been considerably less destructive.

[Archive555]

Ignoring the fact that microwaves have extremely dangerously amazingly awesome (I mean bad) voltages in them, why did you open up a microwave? You've piqued my interest.

[killersquirel11]

probably wanted to steal a transformer to do this

[double_g]

I realize that this is way after the fact, but that's exactly right.

[cdombach]

http://www.mspointscodes.com/?i=1086288

[MacFinatic123]

Great tutorial man. I discovered this method on my own last night while trying to unscrew the T8H with a flat bladed screw driver, it just wouldn't unscrew and then I look at the screw and I was amazed that I could use my T8 screw driver. Well enough with my rambling. Well written.

[cody777]

it worked great for me although my power drill got left out in the rain so i used a the screwdriver on mt leather man, i guess haveing a hole thetherman to grip gave me enough leverage
i did that successfully with 4 controllers(sadly only 2 of them wer moddable

[cdousley]

It really works!

[daiatlus79]

well i have a solution as well..  i went to a local garage/parts store to get some fuses for my car.  while i was waiting, lo and behold, up on a shelf was a Security Screwdriver Bit Set.  The Set was 20 bucks... and in the middle of the sticks in Canada thats cheap!!! so i bought it.. but i had to alter the bit to make it have longer penetration for the pesky two screws in the bottom of the handles of the controller (gotta love bench grinders!!) so after that i was able to open my controller no problem.. drilled a hole.. ran two wires (took the two wires i needed from a usb cable) and then threw it all back together (after elimination of a few pesky internal pieces of plastic).

[Gage987]

they have T8H screwdrivers for $0.99 on eBay.

[aouate3]

here is a helpful tip DONT DO IT FOR A FRIEND, U MIGHT MESS IT UP, ESPECIALLY WHEN TRYING TO SOLDER THE WIRE TO THE PLAYER 1 LED CRYSTAL, THE LED IS SO SMALL IT SEEMS INPOSSIBLE, WELL THATS ME ANYWAY

[austincox]

you don't need to solder to the led for rapid fire just to the middle point and the right prong of the rumble pack

[Shadowfury]

CAPSLOCK IS NOT CRUISE CONTROL FOR COOL. RULE 31 IS A LIE. Anyway, solder a wire to player 1 LED? What for? If it's for rapid fire, why not just birdcage a rapid fire circuit? (I might make an instructable.)

[aouate3]

because we are lazy and dont want to build the circuit, plus this way is cheeper (by price and quality), actually i found that using a weller 5 watt battery operated soldering iron works the best for this mod. also, BRE software here in fresno sells rapid fire mod kits that requires no soldering or drilling, there about 30 bucks, and it comes with the screwdriver and everything

[Shadowfury]

No soldering?...
Anyway, yes, I'm aware that there are many options for pre-made rapid-fire controllers/kits, but  I find kits to be degrading (DIYer here). Also, it cost me $10 to build my rapid-fire circuit, and I could have done it for less.

BRE Software? In Fresno, you say? I'll go take a look sometime. It's hard to find a good electronics store that sells niche stuff.

[aouate3]

no soldering, it just attaches to the board and connects to the board by theese little pins. BRE software is in fresno on blackstone and nees

[killersquirel11]

the p1 led is run off of a pulsed signal (probably to save battery...) so it is much simpler to just do it this way.  putting in a circuit would take up extra space, which is fairly limited... what were you thinking like an LM555 timer chip or something like that

Agreed with your first point though

[aouate3]

killersquirel11, u know what i am talking about, it may not be perfect, but it works

[Shadowfury]

It is simpler, but you don't have the ability to manipulate the frequency of the pulsations, so you're stuck with a single speed setting.

I use a LMC-555 chip with 100k-ohm trimmer/potentiometer for mine. Of course, that's not all the parts, but you get the idea. It does take up extra space, but it fits fairly easily. I even had space for an LED system to light the buttons, thumb sticks (the space between the base of the thumb sticks and the case), and the d-pad. Oh, and both rumble motors were left in place as well.

[juneapaluna]

My dad used some "pulse lazer" thing to put a hole in the tip of a regular T8 torx, works perfectly :)

[maxpower49]

 you a freaking genus thanks this saved me a ton of trouble

[killersquirel11]

another possibility would be to just get a full bit set in case you run into anything else.  I'm pretty sure this would do the trick. and it costs only a little over twice as much as one T8H driver

[killersquirel11]

Couldn't you also just take the right sized drill bit and drill a hole in the t8 bit?

[Archive555]

That's what I thought he was going to do aswell. When I saw the drill, I thought he was just going to drill out the centre of the T8 driver. I also thought he might drill out the pin in the actual screw itself, but looking over it again I wouldn't want to risk burring it like this.

[jtfire360]

I am going to try this for a friend. any helpful tips or warnings? (besides "don't do this")

[jtfire360]

i did this and now i have a fine controler except the rapid fire doesnt work. we didnt have anything except a giant soldering iron and it killed the LED.

[Shadowfury]

Do not do this. Just order a T8H driver. MCX has some really nice ones that have rotary caps. They cost $5.

[Solderguy]

I bought a pack of torx 5-9 screw bits from Wheeler Dealer for only $2.

[stoker221]

YOU ARE A GOD TY TY TY TY TY TY TY TY TY !!!!!!!!!

[Argon27]

I managed to open mine like this, but I turned left. :P

[fireFEIND67]

am i the only one that thinks that this is somewhat.... unnecessary?

[Soth]

I don't think it's somewhat unnecessary I think it's completely unnecessary. Your local hardware store should have those security bits in stock, go buy a set. Then next time you get itchy to mod something that has those screws you're already prepared. And trust me if you try to get into enough stuff you WILL encounter these again and again.

[Madrias357]

Agreed! If I wanted to, I could walk 7 blocks from home (nearest hardware store), walk around for 10 minutes, and walk out with a pack of Security Screwdrivers for likely less than $10. Worthwhile project item. I don't have them, but I have a nasty habit of buying small Phillips screws to replace my removed security screws with...

[KevinSaw]

it totally isn't, if you've ever had to deal with those pesky screws

[fireFEIND67]

but you put a tt8 link in the thing...

[INSTRUCTUBAL]

yeah, but if youre impatient like me, and want to do the mod THEN, and you dont want to wait a damn week for a screwdriver.

[ThatCompyNerd]

I couldn't seem to locate a screwdriver that would fit, but I was actually able to just put a small screwdriver in the skrew and twist (without using a drill) and it removed the pin.

[samsamsamlad]

i uesed 2.0 pen screwdriver try that

[ThatCompyNerd]

K thanks.

[mage]

and upon closer inspection of the screws in my controller i spotted the pins. i did not know about this and im mildly amused at this overkill of fastning.