Trackball Cleaning and Disassembly w/ PICTURES

**reddog187** · #46 08-25-2007 -

what browser are you using?

corkyvera · #47 08-25-2007 -

I just cleaned mine out... disgusting...

Kaie · #48 08-26-2007 -

tell you what .... this isnt working out for me very well....

not sure why the assembly wont go together... it keeps just falling back apart.

**reddog187** · #49 08-26-2007 -

are you sure the bottom part is right side up? Also the retaing clip is correctly alined?

Kaie · #50 08-26-2007 -

it seems as so when i look at the pictures...

little tabs should be pointing away from the assembly right...

Kaie · #51 08-26-2007 -

my trackball wouldnt scroll down anymore .. and tmobile wont ship any pearls for another week apparently....

only reason i started this whole deal.....

great info... it just doesnt seem to fit together... with my luck i ****ed it up.

**reddog187** · #52 08-26-2007 -

well the bottom assembly should have 2 little round nubs on only 2 of the sides. Those should align with the top assembly with the tabs that fit into the left and right side of the case itself.

Kaie · #53 08-26-2007 -

so i got it!

i took it all apart... and was able to get it my first try by installing the metal ring deal last...

maybe im just a backwards dude....

haha never mind... i set it down to write this and picked it back up and it fell apart in my hands..

**reddog187** · #54 08-26-2007 -

cool man, glad you got it all back together

Kaie · #55 08-26-2007 -

ok so all in all it was easy ... thanks now i dont have to fight with tmobile about the phone having water damage ....

cause this totally fixed the track ball scrolling issue i was having....

you potentially saved me 110 dollars for the insurance deductable... which im going to quit paying by the way .... asurian is a GD rip off...

FernandoCepeda · #56 08-26-2007 -

I've been following this post for a while now, haven't tried it myself yet. I'm still wondering where should I place the screwdriver for the first pull. Is it just one pull or should I go around the thing doing various soft pulls?

~via BB (wap.pinstack.com)~

Kaie · #57 08-26-2007 -

are you talking about the first step? i actually just pulled up once with the edge of a pairing knife... it was smaller than any screwdriver i have. plus using the edge covered more space then the head of a screw driver.

regor99 · #58 08-31-2007 -

Got a pearl from ebay for $30 that was going for spares and got the trackball. Nice to be back!

**reddog187** · #59 08-31-2007 -

Good to have you back regor99...thought we lost you

astroboy · #60 09-01-2007 -

This removal and dissasmbly process has been a godsend for me. I keep my phone in my pocket and the trackball used to have issues every couple weeks. Now I just pop it out periodically and blast a little canned air into the assembly to ward off the lint. I've only had to take apart the little assembly 2 or 3 times, but with practice I'm now able to do it very quickly.

Recently, I took it apart using only a large size safety pin while on vacation. There was a nasty scratching sound when I moved the trackball in a certain direction. I took it apart and found there was a little tiny metal shaving on one of the rollers. The rollers are magnetic, so it was a bit of a challenge to get the thing off, but I got it and my pearl was back to 100% after only about 20 minutes of work.

I can't recommend periodic trackball disassembly highly enough for people who keep their phones in their pockets. As ameilius mentioned above, you do have to be careful, but if you have any experience taking stuff apart and putting it back together, you should be all set.