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Old 06-27-2009, 05:03 PM   #75
T. B. Player
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Join Date: Jun 2009
Model: Pearl
PIN: N/A
Carrier: Verizon
Posts: 1
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Good stuff!! Excellent additional comments too! Glad I didn't get rid of the alcohol and Qtips after getting rid of all the cassette players (!)

My wife has a Pearl (which is what this applied to) and I have a Curve. My battery overheated in the Curve and took out the trackball circuit, so sometimes you do have to replace the phone.

Thanks so much!

Z

Quote:
Originally Posted by dmcman73 View Post
Great tutorial but I would like to add a few comments to it if I may.

- Before attempting to clean your trackball shut the phone off and remove the battery so you donxxx8217;t risk shorting out anything on the exposed sensors located under the trackball when you remove it.

EDIT: Just realized that there is indeed a metal clip on the older style Pearls but not on the newer ones.- After removing the plastic chrome ring from around the trackball, you do not need to remove the metal retaining ring located around the trackball. The whole assembly should just pop out by turning the phone around. The metal ring only holds the trackball in the white xxx8220;cagexxx8221; that also holds the rollers in place. If you need to remove the retaining ring to clean the rollers and ball, take out the assembly first and then remove the metal clip from the sides of the cage assembly. Youxxx8217;ll see the clips that hold the ring on, just gently pry them away front the plastic cage.

- Yes, the little black rollers are magnets which interact with the small magnetic proximity sensors inside the phone. Unfortunately after cleaning them with Alcohol you remove the very small amount of lubrication that is on them. Since the magnets come into close contact with the sensors, it will sometimes prevent the magnets from rotating hence the reason why some people have to keep repeating this cleaning procedure almost on a weekly basis or the cleaning just doesnxxx8217;t work for them.

After cleaning the track ball by using this guide, before popping the track ball back into your phone, get a clean Q-Tip and a can of Dry Silicone lubricating spray. Do not use WD-40 or any other type of spray lube, use only dry Silicone spray as this stuff will dry (so it wonxxx8217;t drip) and leaving a lubricated surface. Spray some of it onto the Q-Tip, shake the Q-Tip out to remove any excess then gently and lightly apply the lubricant directly to the 4 magnetic rollers ONLY. Do not apply it to the actual trackball, only the black magnets. Also, don't use to much of it just enough to "dampen" the black magnets.

Once done re-assemble and rotate the track ball around to dispers the lubricant, you may find that you will have to apply another coating of lubricant after this step, just repeat (don't clean it) the lubrication step.

I've done this to my blackberry and afterwards, it works better then new.

Last edited by T. B. Player; 06-27-2009 at 05:05 PM..
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