Here is a list of tools you’ll need, and links to some recommended options on amazon. (the amazon links are affiliate links, i may earn a small commission if you purchase these items.)
- #00 Phillips screwdriver – This will be the screwdriver size needed for the screws holding the heaphone jack and hold switch need. (link)
- Spudgers/pry tools for opening the iPod case:
- These are the spudgers Apple uses.
- A thin metal pry tool that can get in to the seam to help pop the retaining clips
- I also use guitar picks a lot of the time. they’re cheap and thin and usually leave no marks.
- My favorite version – warning, these can maim you if you aren’t careful. Hold your iPod with a towel to protect that hand, especially or 6th & 7th gen Classics. Personally, I sharpen the edge of mine so it gets into the seam easier, but this makes it very dangerous and I can’t recommend that if you’ve never had to open an iPod before. It’s better for it to take more time to open if it means you are safer.
- Precision tweezers – these can make handling and inserting the flex cables into their connectors much easier.
andrd.shop
I will elaborate on this more soon, if you have any questions message me via the platform you got them on or by my email. which is my name (chris) at this url (andrddotshop)
- Open your iPod carefully, making sure to disconnect the battery flex cable as well as the headphone jack flex cable before fully separating them. Set the front of the case aside, face down, taking extra care not to jostle the hard drive or bend the flex cable too many times. This can result in your iPod not being able to read your hard drive/flash mod
- You will need to remove the current hold switch and headphone jack assembly. This may require you to remove the battery temporarily as well. Just take care so you don’t rip the battery’s foil covering. Now would be a good time to replace your battery as well if it’s old or runtime has diminished. Don’t throw away your old headphone jack assembly! If it still works, either keep it as a spare part, or sell it on eBay. Someone will buy it.
- Plan out how you will lay out the taptic engine in your iPod. If you still use a hard drive, there isn’t much space and you may have to use a thinner battery with the taptic mod under or over that. If you’re using a flash mod you should have plenty of space and multiple options. I made the cable long enough to reach any part of the case. If you end up placing it up by the jack itself, just take care to lay the cable in a way that wont put stress on the headphone jack or the taptic engine. I glue the joints after I solder them,but they can still be broken.
- Once you have your layout set, install time! Screw in the headphone jack and hold switch before the taptic engine or battery, as the hold switch cables will likely covered up by one of those parts.
- TAKE EXTRA PRECAUTION SCREWING IN THE HEADPHONE JACK. This I know from experience. If you
over tighten it you can very easily break the screw tab off, and you’ll only have it screwed into one place on the case instead of two. Tighten it just enough so the screw doesn’t come out, and then tighten the second screw in as much as it can snugly be tightened. Then finish by gently tightening the first screw until it’s snug. These don;’t need to be super locked down, just snugly screwed in. I broke a lot of these when I started modding iPods and you can’t really fix them after that happens. So please be careful. Do this same process for the hold switch. I’ll include a few longer
screws for the top screws in case the original ones aren’t working. - Once these are screwed in peel the double sided tape protection off and place the taptic engine and battery where you decided. I’ll include a piece of tape for your battery as well.
- The hard part is over! Now inspect your back case and if you bent anything removing it, carefully try to bend it back to its original state. Don’t be too forceful or you may send it flying or hurt your hands.
- Reconnect the jack cable to the logic board, and then the battery cable to its connector.
- Turn your iPod on, and as long as the clicker is set to On, you should notice the haptic feedback immediately when
you start scrolling. - Close your iPod carefully once you confirm that it is operating as intended. Make sure no cables or anything will get
caught when it closes.
A few notes: - Please don’t drop the taptic mod. They can be broken that way due to how they operate
- Patience is important. If you break a screw tab on the headphone jack, you can still use it delicately but the stress of
inserting and removing a headphone jack will eventually break the other one too, and then it’ll float around inside the
iPod untethered and without a care. I broke a lot of headphone this way, so be careful and don’t overtighten them