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5200 CX-53 Trak-Ball disassembly


inthe80s

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Got the awesome Trak-Ball in super nice condition w/original box and have done the maintenance on the rollers/cleaned everything. Ordered a full kit from Best just so I could have all the parts on hand and I'm trying to put in the new bearings I got in the package....

 

HOW do you disassemble the rollers/get to that bearing by the encoder wheel? Also, HOW do you get the little metal bar out of the bearing on the Idler shaft assembly? The bar is in the old bearing good and I was careful not to exert much pressure without knowing for sure what to do.

 

Just being careful here.....

 

Thanks!

Edited by inthe80s
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The encoder wheels have 3 prongs that grab the roller. They’re weak and will probably break when you remove them. That’s OK. I shear them clean off with flush cutters, then use windshield fluid tubing (from Advance Auto) on the roller to secure them tightly and cleanly. It’s flawless.

The captive bearing will need to be tapped gently out with a mallet. Try heating it for a moment with a propane torch (the bearing, not the rod) and it should tap out. If the captive bearing is running cleanly and just needs oil—don’t bother fiddling with it.

Congrats on joining the Trak-ball legion. It’s an awesome controller. There is a Facebook community dedicated to the subject:

https://m.facebook.com/groups/561626957276412

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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Thanks guys!

 

@atari-dna: you have to cut the encoders tabs off to get the bearing and encoder off of there? Dang.....Having a hard time visualizing your method there with the tubing.....The next part, are you talking about getting the little rod out of the bearing on the idler shaft assembly(wooden mallet?)? That's what I'm trying to figure out....The old one sounds a little ratty actually and needs replacement.

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One thing I did that made a suprising difference, is polishing the ball. Best recommended cleaning the ball until it was like new/could see your own reflection in it. At first I thought I cleaned the ball completely with alcohol.....but when I went back and polished the ball with Novus 2 for a LONG time lol(cleaning all the novus off with alcohol when finished of course), until the ball was like new/shiny again...the performance of the Trak-ball was greatly increased and the ball had much more traction on the rollers.

 

So cleaning it is not enough IMO, polish the ball until it looks like new and it will grip the roller a LOT better....so:

 

Polish the rollers til they shine and do the same with the ball itself....the ball's color actually shines through now like it did when new so it looks better too.

Edited by inthe80s
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  • 6 months later...

So I just picked up one of these 5200 trak-balls and it will not move from right to left. The only way it moves is up and down and right. I cleaned the optical sensors and the bearings and it made no difference. Is it time to go to Best and buy replacement parts?

 

Thanks!

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Thanks but the bearings look okay. It looks like the optical sensor is not picking up the movements.

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Thanks but the bearings look okay. It looks like the optical sensor is not picking up the movements.

It's either one of the socketed chips or the sensor itself. Just get the rebuild kit from best, it contains all the chips bearings and the sensor stuff you'd ever need. Consider it replacement parts to keep it running for years to come. Price is not bad either.

 

"CB103164 5200 CX52 Trackball Complete rebuild kit, a set of 5 complete CX53 Motherboard I.C. chips plus 2 Optocoupler modules and 5 New CX53 bearings $30.00"

Edited by inthe80s
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It's either one of the socketed chips or the sensor itself. Just get the rebuild kit from best, it contains all the chips bearings and the sensor stuff you'd ever need. Consider it replacement parts to keep it running for years to come. Price is not bad either.

 

"CB103164 5200 CX52 Trackball Complete rebuild kit, a set of 5 complete CX53 Motherboard I.C. chips plus 2 Optocoupler modules and 5 New CX53 bearings $30.00"

 

Thanks, I'll either do that one or the one that just replaces the chips and opticals for $15. I have an email sent to Bradley and just waiting to hear back from him. Hopefully that gets me going.

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  • 6 months later...
  • 2 months later...
4 hours ago, orion1052003 said:

So erase on the plastic sheet that covers over the contacts? That's not likely to rip the sheet?

Not for fire buttons; only for the Start/Pause/Reset button contacts. The fire buttons are covered with clear adhesive tape that hold the contacts in place. If the dome contacts still spring back when you depress them through the tape, the easiest way to clean them is to spray electrical contact cleaner into the little gaps in the tape and into the space between the dome switch and the PCB contacts. Deoxit, in particular, works very well as it removes corrosion like nothing else I've tried. Cycle the button a dozen or two times after spraying and let everything dry well.

 

IMG_8603.thumb.JPG.55cc4ac31d1c590a63b2622770922b2b.JPG

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  • 1 year later...

My CX53 modified with Seimitsu PS-14-GN buttons, and a brand new 8 ball. I bought new bearings but after I cleaned and greased the original bearings, they work smoothly and flawlessly, so I'll wait to replace them (If it ain't broke, don't fix it). I measured the original ball with a caliper and it was .05" smaller than a regulation 2.25" dia. pool ball. I believe that it is slightly smaller due to almost 40 years of wear and tear. IMO, The 8 ball with it's slightly larger diameter has better form, fit and function than the original due to it not being worn down.

WIN_20211009_08_01_12_Pro.jpg

Edited by XLurker
typo
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