CZroe wrote:
This thread is at the top of Google search results and appears to be full of damaging misinformation so I must bump it with my two-cents.
Way back when Nintendo still had replacement stands in stock, I broke my original clamp by trying to put it on backwards. I thought I was trying to put it on correctly, since the manual and every marketing shot showed it installed backwards.
If you look carefully you will see that it is keyed by having one nub slightly larger than the other. This was done deliberately to prevent you from putting it on backwards. It’s extremely unfortunate that all the official product shots and diagrams show it mounted backwards already but when someone searches to determine the correct orientation they will find this thread assuring them that it can go in both orientations. They are very likely to believe they can force it, like I did so many years ago. My mistake would be much more costly today, so please be careful!
The correct and only way it will mount is with the medallion logo and elbows of the legs facing away from the user (open side of legs facing the user). Do not force it on!
Totally wrong.
The Nintendo medallion should be facing you.
Are you basing this on what you see in the manual and in official Nintendo pictures, because that is what I am saying is backwards. It simply will not fit the other way around and I know from experience that it will break if you try to force it. While it’s very odd that even the instructions are backwards, that’s exactly why it is important to set the record straight.
This thread is at the top of Google search results and appears to be full of damaging misinformation so I must bump it with my two-cents.
Way back when Nintendo still had replacement stands in stock, I broke my original clamp by trying to put it on backwards. I thought I was trying to put it on correctly, since the manual and every marketing shot showed it installed backwards.
If you look carefully you will see that it is keyed by having one nub slightly larger than the other. This was done deliberately to prevent you from putting it on backwards. It’s extremely unfortunate that all the official product shots and diagrams show it mounted backwards already but when someone searches to determine the correct orientation they will find this thread assuring them that it can go in both orientations. They are very likely to believe they can force it, like I did so many years ago. My mistake would be much more costly today, so please be careful!
The correct and only way it will mount is with the medallion logo and elbows of the legs facing away from the user (open side of legs facing the user). Do not force it on!
I think I was the one who brought them to the OP’s attention at NintendoAge. 🙂 Does anyone know if “RepairBox” is a Hyperkin brand? I think some of my replacement N64 thumbsticks were Repair Box” brand too.
Anyway, I ordered the whole trifecta (Replacement Stand assembly, Eyeshade, and Eyeshade Holder) and received them yesterday, so I should share my experience here as well. Here is my unboxing and comparison video:
It’s clear that these are not 3D-printed parts like some other replacement parts. They seem to be so close to the originals that they share injection molding artifacts and fit parts from each other and everything.
Because of the packaging condition I was looking to document anything damaged in the video so it sounds like I’m less satisfied than I was. This does what I want, so I’m happy. I used parts from it to refurbish my completely broken original stand (not shown) and freed up my second original stand for preservation.
I was disappointed that the stand doesn’t sit flat without settling (unlike the original) but that improved when I swapped the legs with an original stand. The bigger issue is that the medallion looks identical, minus the logo. this means that the medallion is probably not much stronger than the original, though the material may be better suited. I won’t know that until I see if it cracks under normal use like the original ones. 🙂
More on the refurbishment: I was able to swap key parts with the remnants of my original broken VB stand assembly to get a working mostly-original stand. Specifically, I swapped medallion with screws and the articulating half of the clamp assembly and kept everything else original. Swapping the clamp part is difficult and can’t easily be demonstrated. It involves removing a strangely-shaped spring that most will not be able to get out without special tools.
If anyone wants to try:
I used a flat metal spudger and some precision picks to get the spring out (typical cellphone repair tools). It’s folded so both sides are under tension and stuck under lips in the plastic. You can lift both sides over the lips and pull it out, which almost requires three arms and your tools will be in the way! Once the spring is out you can slide the freely-swinging clamp piece out. I didn’t even have to take off the adjustment knob. I wish they sold just the medallion and other plastic parts but too many people would probably break their stands doing this.
The eyeshade and eyeshade holder appear perfectly serviceable but even my original eyeshade split into layers and peeled apart. Though they don’t look improved, hopefully this medallion and eyeshade are better than the originals. Time will tell.
