Hello everyone.
A couple of years back I made a post on Reddit measuring all of the screws inside of the Base Model 3DS. Today, I wanted to make a more formal post providing reference images to exactly where those screws go.
This post will be somewhat similar to the ones I did with the DSi and DSi XL, but I will not cover any differences. I only have one 3DS to work with.
The intention is to make a post like this for every DS/3DS console from the Original DS to the New 3DS XL. Links to those posts will be updated when I do them.
Other posts can be found here:
- DSi
- DSi XL
- 3DS XL
- 2DS
- New 3DS
- New 2DS XL
How I measured these screws.
I measured the screws on a ruler with markings down to a single millimeter and a digital microscope. Measurements were taken similar to this image of measuring Thread Pitch below
Since I do not have specialty equipment to measure screws this small, I am forced to estimate. Take the measurements with the knowledge that it was done by someone who is a novice in screw measuring.
Base 3DS
IFixit Guides uses Phillips #00, but I found that the #000 worked better in some cases. The IFixIt guide as a whole seems to stick to #00 in their guides, but references #000 a couple of times; like a supposed link to a #000 driver on their store page which links to a #00. May be a typo, but I digress.
The 3DS has JIS screw heads similar to the DSi and DSi XL. A Phillips driver works fine, so you don't have to order specialty tools. I will mark which screws were easier to extract with either #00 or #000.
I'll add links to an IFixIt Guide to match my terms to pictures (i.e. Motherboard Black Screw would point to the Motherboard removal step of an IFixIt guide). The screw names themselves will have a link to the picture of the screw removal with another link next to it just in case that link dies.
Screws
Screw Length x Thread Width x Head Width
2.5mm x 1.5mm x 2.5mm
(11X) Rear Shell Silver Screw (Step 4), Motherboard Screws (Step 18), Volume Slider Screw (Step 18), 3D Slider Screw (Setp 32), and Stylus Housing (Step 7)
M1.4 - 0.6 x 2mm
3.5mm x 1.5mm x 2.5mm
(15x) SD Card Back Plate Screws (Step 18), Upper Shell Screws (Step 26), Shoulder Button Covers Right and Left (Right: Step 6 and 7. Left: Step 6), Battery Back Plate (Setp 6)
M1.4 -0.6 x 3mm
4mm x 1.5mm x 3.5mm
(4x) Battery Door/Back Cover Screws (Step 1)
M1.4 - 0.4 X 3.5mm
4.5mm x 1.5mm x 2.5mm
(2x) SD Card Board Screws (Step 10)
M1.4 - 0.6 x 4mm
6mm x 1.5mm x 2.5mm
(9x) Rear Shell Long Screws (Step 4)
M1.4 - 0.6 x 5.5mm
8mm x 1.5mm x 2.5mm
(2x) Circle Pad Screws (Step 6)
M1.4 - 0.6 x ~7mm
Other:
6.5mm L x 2mm Diameter
(2x) Shoulder Button Springs
5.5mm L x 1mm Diameter
(2x) Shoulder Button Posts
4mm Width
(4x) Battery Door/Back Plate Screw E-Clip
3mm Square x 1mm thick
(4x) Battery Door/Back Plate Nuts
Battery Door/Back Plate
The Battery Door/Back Plate consists of two parts: the screw and an E-Clip
Four Battery Door/Back Cover Screws:
M1.4 - 0.4 X 3.5mm
4mm x 1.5mm x 3.5mm
Four E-clips:
4mm Width
Rear Shell
Nine Rear Shell Long Screws:
(A Phillips #000 works better for these screws)
M1.4 - 0.6 x 5.5mm
6mm x 1.5mm x 2.5mm
One Rear Shell Silver Screw:
M1.4 - 0.6 x 2mm
2.5mm x 1.5mm x 2.5mm
Circle Pad
Two Circle Pad Screws:
M1.4 - 0.6 x ~7mm
~7.5mm x 1.5mm x 2.5mm
SD Card Board
Two SD Card Board Screws:
M1.4 - 0.6 x 4mm
4.5mm x 1.5mm x 2.5mm
Motherboard
Four Motherboard Screws and One Volume Slider Srew:
M1.4 - 0.6 x 2mm
2.5mm x 1.5mm x 2.5mm
Two SD Card Backplate Screws:
M1.4 -0.6 x 3mm
3.5mm x 1.5mm x 2.5mm
Upper Shell
Six Upper Shell Screws:
M1.4 -0.6 x 3mm
3.5mm x 1.5mm x 2.5mm
3D Slider
One 3D Sldier Screw:
M1.4 - 0.6 x 2mm
2.5mm x 1.5mm x 2.5mm
Right Shoulder Button and Battery Back Plate
Four Shoulder Button Cover/Battery Backplate Screws
M1.4 -0.6 x 3mm
3.5mm x 1.5mm x 2.5mm
Left Shoulder Button
Four Shoulder Button Cover/Battery Backplate Screws:
M1.4 -0.6 x 3mm
3.5mm x 1.5mm x 2.5mm
Stylus Housing
Four Stylus Housing Screws:
M1.4 - 0.6 x 2mm
2.5mm x 1.5mm x 2.5mm
Battery Door/Backplate Nuts, Shoulder Button Springs, and Shoulder Button Posts.
Four Battery Door/Backplate Nuts:
3mm Square x 1mm thick
Two Shoulder Button Springs:
6.5mm L x 2mm Diameter
Two Shoulder Button Posts:
5.5mm L x 1mm Diameter
A couple of years back I made a post on Reddit measuring all of the screws inside of the Base Model 3DS. Today, I wanted to make a more formal post providing reference images to exactly where those screws go.
This post will be somewhat similar to the ones I did with the DSi and DSi XL, but I will not cover any differences. I only have one 3DS to work with.
The intention is to make a post like this for every DS/3DS console from the Original DS to the New 3DS XL. Links to those posts will be updated when I do them.
Other posts can be found here:
- DSi
- DSi XL
- 3DS XL
- 2DS
- New 3DS
- New 2DS XL
How I measured these screws.
I measured the screws on a ruler with markings down to a single millimeter and a digital microscope. Measurements were taken similar to this image of measuring Thread Pitch below
Since I do not have specialty equipment to measure screws this small, I am forced to estimate. Take the measurements with the knowledge that it was done by someone who is a novice in screw measuring.
Base 3DS
IFixit Guides uses Phillips #00, but I found that the #000 worked better in some cases. The IFixIt guide as a whole seems to stick to #00 in their guides, but references #000 a couple of times; like a supposed link to a #000 driver on their store page which links to a #00. May be a typo, but I digress.
The 3DS has JIS screw heads similar to the DSi and DSi XL. A Phillips driver works fine, so you don't have to order specialty tools. I will mark which screws were easier to extract with either #00 or #000.
I'll add links to an IFixIt Guide to match my terms to pictures (i.e. Motherboard Black Screw would point to the Motherboard removal step of an IFixIt guide). The screw names themselves will have a link to the picture of the screw removal with another link next to it just in case that link dies.
Screws
Screw Length x Thread Width x Head Width
2.5mm x 1.5mm x 2.5mm
(11X) Rear Shell Silver Screw (Step 4), Motherboard Screws (Step 18), Volume Slider Screw (Step 18), 3D Slider Screw (Setp 32), and Stylus Housing (Step 7)
M1.4 - 0.6 x 2mm
3.5mm x 1.5mm x 2.5mm
(15x) SD Card Back Plate Screws (Step 18), Upper Shell Screws (Step 26), Shoulder Button Covers Right and Left (Right: Step 6 and 7. Left: Step 6), Battery Back Plate (Setp 6)
M1.4 -0.6 x 3mm
4mm x 1.5mm x 3.5mm
(4x) Battery Door/Back Cover Screws (Step 1)
M1.4 - 0.4 X 3.5mm
4.5mm x 1.5mm x 2.5mm
(2x) SD Card Board Screws (Step 10)
M1.4 - 0.6 x 4mm
6mm x 1.5mm x 2.5mm
(9x) Rear Shell Long Screws (Step 4)
M1.4 - 0.6 x 5.5mm
8mm x 1.5mm x 2.5mm
(2x) Circle Pad Screws (Step 6)
M1.4 - 0.6 x ~7mm
Other:
6.5mm L x 2mm Diameter
(2x) Shoulder Button Springs
5.5mm L x 1mm Diameter
(2x) Shoulder Button Posts
4mm Width
(4x) Battery Door/Back Plate Screw E-Clip
3mm Square x 1mm thick
(4x) Battery Door/Back Plate Nuts
Battery Door/Back Plate
The Battery Door/Back Plate consists of two parts: the screw and an E-Clip
Four Battery Door/Back Cover Screws:
M1.4 - 0.4 X 3.5mm
4mm x 1.5mm x 3.5mm
Four E-clips:
4mm Width
Rear Shell
Nine Rear Shell Long Screws:
(A Phillips #000 works better for these screws)
M1.4 - 0.6 x 5.5mm
6mm x 1.5mm x 2.5mm
One Rear Shell Silver Screw:
M1.4 - 0.6 x 2mm
2.5mm x 1.5mm x 2.5mm
Circle Pad
Two Circle Pad Screws:
M1.4 - 0.6 x ~7mm
~7.5mm x 1.5mm x 2.5mm
SD Card Board
Two SD Card Board Screws:
M1.4 - 0.6 x 4mm
4.5mm x 1.5mm x 2.5mm
Motherboard
Four Motherboard Screws and One Volume Slider Srew:
M1.4 - 0.6 x 2mm
2.5mm x 1.5mm x 2.5mm
Two SD Card Backplate Screws:
M1.4 -0.6 x 3mm
3.5mm x 1.5mm x 2.5mm
Upper Shell
Six Upper Shell Screws:
M1.4 -0.6 x 3mm
3.5mm x 1.5mm x 2.5mm
3D Slider
One 3D Sldier Screw:
M1.4 - 0.6 x 2mm
2.5mm x 1.5mm x 2.5mm
Right Shoulder Button and Battery Back Plate
Four Shoulder Button Cover/Battery Backplate Screws
M1.4 -0.6 x 3mm
3.5mm x 1.5mm x 2.5mm
Left Shoulder Button
Four Shoulder Button Cover/Battery Backplate Screws:
M1.4 -0.6 x 3mm
3.5mm x 1.5mm x 2.5mm
Stylus Housing
Four Stylus Housing Screws:
M1.4 - 0.6 x 2mm
2.5mm x 1.5mm x 2.5mm
Battery Door/Backplate Nuts, Shoulder Button Springs, and Shoulder Button Posts.
Four Battery Door/Backplate Nuts:
3mm Square x 1mm thick
Two Shoulder Button Springs:
6.5mm L x 2mm Diameter
Two Shoulder Button Posts:
5.5mm L x 1mm Diameter
