Question on Cleaning Contacts

[TokyoBatman]

Maybe this is a question for Rik or Blanka. If you know, please feel free to answer.

I've opened a few games to clean the contacts on the board and the rubber that presses against the contacts. Some are easy, but others have a piece of plastic locked into the board over the rubber.

For example, Crazy Climber.

So I'm wondering how you get that plastic off to get to the contact.

Do you pop it off with a flat head screwdriver? Any tricks? And do you need something special to lock it back into place when you put it back on?

[blanka]

I think they melted the plastic to keep it in place. It will break on removal. I never had these enclosed buttons fail. The plain ones with rubber only I clean with an earbud and isopropyl.

You can try contact spray.
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[TokyoBatman]

Thanks blanka. So it's not failing, but it takes a harder press to the right. The others are smooth. I'm sure if the contact and rubber were cleaned, it'd be fine.

So yeah, I don't want to break the melted plastic.

Contact spray is a good idea. I didn't think of that. Thanks!

[Rik]

Check the other side of the board to be sure. A lot of times it's little screws holding it on.
If it's melted, you will be able to see that too- it'll be obvious where the melted plastic is. You can also sometimes break them free, and then re-melt them with a soldering iron. Doesn't take much, just enough to hold it in place.

Which Crazy Climber? I'd have to open it to see what it looks like to be sure...

[TokyoBatman]

Hello Rik,

That clears things up well. It's Bandai's Crazy Climber. I have a few others like Changeman, that work but require a little extra push. I think cleaning the contacts and rubber would make it smoother.