How to open a Slimboy.

blanka · Posted: Fri Jun 15, 2012 4:41 am Post subject: How to open a Slimboy.

Just wanted to look inside a Tomy Slimboy game, but if you unwind all the screws, nothing comes loose. Anybody an idea how to do it?

Rik · Posted: Fri Jun 15, 2012 8:51 pm Post subject:

Short version:
Don't unless you absolutely have to... Cool

Long version:
It's further held together by plastic clips on 3 of the 4 sides of the game. It's surprisingly difficult to get these to come free without breaking (I managed it once, not trying it again!)

Here's a picture of a Slimboy Racing opened, notice the two clips on each side and the top. That's what you are trying to undo, these clip into indentions on the edges of the back piece of plastic. You either need to pull the back away from these clips, or try to push the clips inward to free the back. DO NOT USE A SCREWDRIVER OR KNIFE! Any metal object will damage the plastic no matter how careful you are. If you can't free it with your fingernails, I wouldn't risk it... (It took me about 20 minutes of careful fiddling and poking at the plastic to finally get it to come free.)

And, if you are just curious, here's what the other side of the circuit board looks like:

But, again, if it's not damaged or needing internal work, I wouldn't risk opening it, it's _very_ easy to break these clips off... (Not that you would notice when you screwed it back together I suppose, just depends on how much you don't want to damage you game, even on the inside...)

blanka · Posted: Sat Jun 16, 2012 8:30 am Post subject:

Thank you very much. I was wondering if the inside was pretty, and yes it is. I got a beaten up one for 10$, so I will take the risk.
Won't touch my mint in faux leather wrap and box über-pretty one though Yessss!

blanka · Posted: Wed Jun 27, 2012 10:52 am Post subject:

So I managed to get it open. It is for a higher goal, so I can justify the little damage Wink

.
One small spring popped out. What is that? It is not the 2 little ones that contact the speaker, they are in place. This one is slightly larger. About 10x3mm.

Rik · Posted: Wed Jun 27, 2012 11:33 am Post subject:

Did it pop out from opening the back, or removing the circuit board?

Also, which game? Not sure if you have the racing one, or another one.

I've sometimes seen where they will put a spring in a game connecting the metal body of the game with the 'common ground' of the circuit board. Possibly to reduce the chance of some interference with contact or static on the game casing? That's the only thing I can think off... See if there's a round plastic 'tube' opening somewhere that the spring could be used to connect metal to metal, that's probably where it goes.

If it was under the circuit board, look directly beneath the large solid gold circles on the upper right corner (or the one about an inch below that on the right side) of the circuit board picture I have of mine (or equivalent looking spots on your board)... I bet there's an opening in the plastic beneath one of those that the spring will fit in. That's probably why those large contact points are there...

blanka · Posted: Wed Jun 27, 2012 12:14 pm Post subject:

It is a Slimboy Speedway