Nintendo Wii Remote & Wii Nunchuk Accessory Disassembly/Reassembly

Written By: Linda Bowers

Comments: 9

Nintendo Wii Remote & Wii Nunchuk Accessory Disassembly/Reassembly

Difficulty

Moderate

Steps

Time Required

10 - 20 minutes

Introduction

The Wii was first released on November 19, 2006.

The model number of the original Wii remote I will be tearing apart is RVL-003.

My partner is also going to be showing how to tear down a Wii nunchuk.

The model number of the Wii nunchuk is RVL-004.

Tools

Step 1

Remove the battery cover from the remote and batteries inside.
Unscrew the four visible screws on the remote. These are Y1 tri-point screws.

Step 2

Use a tool to gently pry apart the white tabs near the top of the controller.
Once you open up the remote, there should now be two separate pieces.
The tabs may break off, but the remote will still be able to function without them.

Step 3

Use a tool or your fingers to remove the speaker piece from the remote.
Be careful not to puncture the speaker! This won't render it unuseable BUT will slowly start to sound worse.

Step 4

Simply remove the rest of the buttons and the flexible plastic covering.
These buttons are very small and easily lost so be sure to keep them organized and close for easy access.

Step 5

Go back to the side of the remote with the motherboard.
Gently lift and remove it from the base.
Be gentle while pulling out, being sure not to rip off the wires from the rumble motor.

Step 7

Find the white tabs facing where the sensor screen was.
Place a tool under one tab and push up until both tabs pop out of place, and remove the B trigger.

If you’re trying to clean the Wiimote, stop here. The next step details how to extract the rumble motor and it’s housing. You only need to disassemble the casing to clean the Wiimote.

Chef Anthony - 18/05/20

Step 8

Use a tool and place it under the rumble motor. Gently lift and remove it from the plastic housing.
Be careful while removing. Do not remove any of the wires from the rumble motor.

Step 9

To remove the plastic housing, you have to locate the two white tabs. Use your thumbs to gently pull them apart and remove the plastic housing.
Remove the rubber button from the plastic housing.

Step 10

You should now have all the pieces detached from the Wii remote.
You should have all the piece shown in the photos to the left.

Step 11

My partner will now be putting back together the remote while only following the previous instructions I have made.
Return the the buttons back to their original spot along with the flexible plastic covering on top.

Step 12

Place the rubber button under the plastic housing.
Align the two white tabs with the two indents on the sides and slide the plastic housing into place.
Put back the rumble motor back to its original spot.
Make sure your are putting the white plastic housing on the correct side of the motherboard as it was at the start.

Step 13

Return the sensor screen to its spot and slide it back into place.
Make sure the sensor screen is facing the right way.

Step 14

Place the B trigger back into its spot and click the two white tabs into place.

Step 15

Lay the motherboard on top of the back side of the remote and push down gently til in place.
Be sure that the rumble motor is facing down while putting it back in place.

Step 16

Lay the side of the remote with the motherboard on top of the side with the buttons.
Align the sides and press together until firmly in place.
Screw back in the screws.

Step 17

there are two small screws that need to be unscrewed on the bottom of the remote.

Hi, what kind of screws are they?

What kind of screwdriver do you recommend to use?

Thank you

luca -

Step 18

Once the screws are removed, you can pop the top off.
Next take the thumb stick and very gently take it off.

There is this little tab on either side of the accessory that can break if force the top off, the nunchuck will still function if you break it.

Maverick -

Step 19

The wire that plugs into the actual remote needs to be pulled apart from the whole nunchuk.
The wires can be by its self without the plastic controller housing.

Step 20

Flip the wires over and remove the shoulder buttons (white plastic).
It'll be easier to slide the other piece out to so make sure to gently slide it out.

Step 21

Then remove the plastic that connects the sensor and the shoulder buttons.

Step 22

Now start to attach all of the pieces back starting with the hard plastic first.
Make sure not to force the sensor in the spot and slide it upwards.
The shoulder buttons are easy to put in but don't push it.
Example of my partner.

Step 23

Be careful when putting the wires back in because they are easy to fall out.

Step 24

She then attaches the analog stick to get it going again.

Step 25

Lastly she easily popped the top back on and screwed the bottom to back on and got it to work as it used to.

Conclusion

To reassemble your device, follow these instructions in reverse order.

6 comments

Great guide! I took one of my remotes apart some years ago. Now, with fresh tri-wing driver in hand, I am ready to reassemble the thing. Problem: where to solder the green ground? It currently is fused to the nunchuk connector housing, but where does the other end go??? Wish I'd noted that, back then

K. Lehnert - 19/10/17

Very accurate guide! I was able to clear debris between the buttons with ease.

Aiden - 15/02/19

Hello do you have tutorials for unassembly nunchuck's connector please?

Patrick WAI KHAI SONE - 19/06/20

Thank you ! My A button registered the click half the time : turns out it had corrosion, now it works like a charm !

CreaZyp! - 29/01/21

I want to take the springs off the wii Remotes Back. The ones that are still in the back during Step 10.

Emmanuel Ladejobi - 26/03/21

It was nice and easy. I had the Wii Remote RVL-003 to repair, but it is very similar. Thanks a lot!

Bartosz Hasnik -