Use the flat end of a spudger or your fingernail to flip up the retaining flap on the speaker assembly ribbon cable ZIF socket.
Be sure you are prying up on the hinged retaining flap, NOT the socket itself. Damaging the socket or cable will result in a 3DS that will blink its power LED when you press the power button - and do nothing else.
Disconnect the speaker assembly ribbon cable with a pair of tweezers.
Continue lifting the motherboard assembly and rotate it until it is resting next to the rest of the device.
Use the flat end of a spudger or your fingernail to flip up the retaining flap on the LCD ribbon cable ZIF socket.
Be sure you are prying up on the hinged retaining flap, not the socket itself. Damaging the socket or cable will result in a 3DS that won't have a functional top screen.
There is a black plastic ring that sits between the bottom of the circle pad and the underside of the upper case. The ring has a slit in it that allows you to remove and reinstall it.
Use a spudger to orient the Circle Pad and plastic ring so that the slit in the ring is 180o from the opening in the bottom of the Circle Pad.
Great guide, just upgraded my joystick. Bought my replacement from shapeways. The replacement is metal so it won't break like the last one. Also it's a lot more comfortable.
yeah where can I buy a new circle pad? mine broke in half the lower half is still inside my 3ds XL and I refuse to pay $135 nintendo non-warranty fee just for this problem.