Ophid Official for sure. I’m fairly experienced with electronic surgery but I’m positive your video saved me some major aggravation so thanks. Always good to SEE what it looks like before you yank on something.
Important note from 2020-I just did this tutorial and it's fantastic. Great job explaining most things. One important note-take care to make sure your "low/mid/high" switch is lined up and working before screwing everything together. I put the trackball back together after the swap and the action of the ball was much better. But I noticed the sensitivity switch was hitched up; I figured it was out of alignment. I tried to move it and snapped the underlying tab which connected it to the part of the board which toggles the sensitivity. Not a huge deal because I have two of these trackballs and I know better for next time. But it's still annoying because I screwed up. Don't do what I did. Make sure the action on the sensitivity switch is in a good spot. Mine is stuck on "high" now, but that's fine since I can always set it lower and tweak the settings beyond what I'd need in either direction. But I imagine other people use this feature and won't be okay with it being broken. Still-best tutorial on the net for this. Thanks a million for posting it. And I decided to be drunk when I did it too. Which should be a tradition I guess. Just check that damn switch before you go yanking on it like I did.
@@ericreeves-hashicorp Sorry buddy. If it's any consolation, you can set the switch manually and then change the sensitivity in software from there. I hope you didn't use the toggle day-to-day.
@@Wondershock I actually never touched the switch, so it's not a big deal at all. Still glad I did the bearing swap! It felt like there was a bit of a "break-in" period for the first few hours, but it feels much smoother now!
For anyone watching, I can verify this process is correct If you have the wired version though, the main back plate(where his batteries are) screw is actually under a sticker that appears initially as a matt plate Pop a hole in the word "made" in made in China before you pry it open to remove final screw. Side note, you will not transfer from the Logitech m to this easily
I saw this video at least 6 months ago, and kept putting the changeout off. Just finished it tonight. Your video made the project as simple as it will get. I can't believe the difference the ceramic bearings make! When you say it feels like a Kensington, you aren't kidding! Thanks for all the pointers (especially the tape)!
Thanks for this. Got my Elecom HUGE today and had to make two holes on the bottom plate to fit it to my chair armrest. You help people even after 5 years. Take pride in that!
This video was...perfect. Precise instructions, clear images, plus humor. I haven't operated on my HUGE yet...but the principles shown here allowed me to upgrade my Deft Pro. Note for the Deft Pro - the primary difference/challenge is once the top cover is removed the "cup" assembly needs to be separated from the base. There are three locking tabs - a large one on the right and two small ones on the left. The forward left tab is a royal PITA - you need a very stiff small flat screwdriver to press it inwards (after releasing the other two first). One more gotcha - having removed all the screws from under the rubber feet (none under the top or the ring, one each on left & right, but THREE on the bottom) there is also one screw hiding under the label. Trying to peel the label would probably tear it - so I just pierced straight through with the screwdriver (it's under the letters SN). It's then a little finicky lifting up and separating the top half - even more so when putting back together - but still doable with patience. I finally have a usable trackball - why the F$#! does Elecom use such garbage bearings when they're using quality components elsewhere (I actually saw the Omron and Kailh switches inside!)?
3 years later, and this video is still useful. That's outstanding. I just got my huge yesterday, and pre-emptively ordered the bearings with it knowing I'd be doing this. Since they get here tomorrow I figured I'd get an idea on how to disassemble the device before needing the info. I'm glad I did because I didn't realize it's as involved as it it. I have some minor experience doing teardowns, and had to do so with the Kensington Expert pro wired quite a few times, but it didn't have any ribbon cables. A ton of people sing the expert pro's praises, but mine was defective. The scroll ring would often fail for no reason so I eventually ended up scrapping it. After a while I just went back to gaming mice, but nothing compares to a good trackball when working in photoshop, or a 3D package. Thank you for the video. The angles were spot on, and easy to see everything needed to, and I love the fact that this was done with more practical tricks for certain things like holding the bearings in place with tape. I made an extra large mouse mat out of tool shelf liner material so it should hold the bearings in place on my desk well. It has a very similar texture pattern to a screen.
7x T6 screws on the bottom; 1 in the battery compartment, 6 under the foot pads 2x PH1 screws inside the ball cup 2x PH0 screws holding the sensor board 3x PH0 screws holding the ball cup together just in case you want to make sure you have the proper drivers before starting.
Brilliant tutorial, not my comfort zone doing stuff like this, but thought I'd give it a go, so bought the Huge and some ceramic bearings. Luckily were on Prime next day. Followed it step by step and worked brilliantly. I now have an even better trackball. Silky smooth and no screws left over. BONUS :) Great job! Thank you :)
I appreciate the walkthrough! The rubber pads will adhere back fairly well on their own but you can coax a little more life out of the adhesive with a bit of isopropyl alcohol.
thanks a TON man. I'm one of the guys missing the MS TB Explorer for the last 18 years until I tested another (way too small) Elecom Trackball. this one is perfect for me and my 20cm hands. this is heaven - and i love FPSing with it. But just like you said: It's skipping on minute moves - so before getting it YOUR video actually encouraged me to get it and already check for availability of ZrO2 bearings - which are easy to come by on amazon these days. The Trackball arrived today and I instantly fell in love again and ordered the bearings right away. Thanks so very much for all this work sharing this!
just ordered the elecom huge and the replacement bearings thanks to this video! really looking forward to this project! Update: It works beautifully, took several tries to get the bearings lined up when popping the cup back on but it was relatively painless. next time I will be sure to not drink coffee beforehand and use magnetic tipped screw drivers.
Funny, I have used 2 Elecom HUGE trackballs in the last 7 years, and never once found the problem you've addressed. I literally came here after praising my Elecom in another trackball video that was wildly impractical (The trackball had no keys with it and required you to remove your hand from the ball every time you wanted to perform an action). Suffice it to say, it's good to see other users out there who've discovered this amazing and very useful trackball. Glad TH-cam suggested your video to me.
I performed this surgery today on my wired version to install uxcell 2.5mm ceramic balls from Amazon Prime. The screws were the same but except unfortunately I had to mutilate the main sticker a bit to get the equivalent of the one under the battery door. Oh well, I'd already decided I wasn't returning it. I didn't needed to remove the ribbon cables. Post surgery, it's a lot better. Thanks!
Thanks for this video!! Just bought the Huge and what the hell it still has this problem. It's a good job I had just bought my first trackball MX Ergo which is incredibly silky smooth and was so pleased I wanted to try a finger ball. Good job the Huge didn't come first or I may have given up on trackerballs. Pity Elecom has not put this right.
Thanks so much for this! Particularly loved your clever idea to hold onto the other bearings in the baggie, and the "tape on the bearings" trick. Can attest that it's even easier than this video makes it look if you have a level table, a magnetic tray, and a T6/TR6 driver. Thanks also for popularizing this upgrade to the extent that several Prime fulfillment vendors now carry these bearings!
Just fixed mine and the only speedbump I had was finding where the top cable needed to rest while reassembling. I figured it out though and it. feels. amazing. 10/10 guide. Also works for the wired version of the device, there's just an extra cable inside that only gets a little bit in the way.
Just did it , I would say if you are careful enough you won't need to unplug the ribbons (i did not have to) neither need of any tape Just need a clean table with light. Once you are done this is indeed a good upgrade the ball spin with less friction, you should not regret the effort ! Thanks for the tutorial !
Thank you very very much ! Your video really help me ! I suffer from this problem for long time ! I nearly give up elecom huge for this problem! You are my hero ! Thank you very very much !
Many thanks! After the bearing replacement the performance of the trackball increased to the next level. Indeed it is comparable now to the Kensington Expert Mouse.
Thanks so much for this video. I've loved my HUGE, but in the last couple months, it's been very sticky. I'd wipe the bearings and they'd be less sticky for about 15 minutes. It was becoming obnoxious. I ordered balls (found some from uxcell on amazon, Prime, although they're backordered for a couple days), but took the risk to open it up and spin the stock synthetic bearings around to a "fresh" side. Taped them up like you suggested to avoid losing any bearings and not having a backup. Just put it back together and it's smoother than I've ever remembered. I don't know if my environment is especially harsh since I do file metal things at my desk occasionally, but I purchased the mouse 11/21/2018, so I'd estimate that it was noticeably "worn" out in about 16 months.
I did this "downgrade" to fix the jerkiness when attempting to move the trackball from rest position, since it was COMPLETELY unusable for precise movements. After the bearing replacement, there was SOME improvement, but it was still unusable for me. Lubricating did not improve the situation very much, so I left the device alone for a few days. I finally decided to have another go at it, and I found that "breaking it in" by rolling the trackball in all directions for a minute before use FINALLY did the trick! I did try rolling the trackball repeatedly with my fingers, with the device facing right-side-up, but even after a few minutes the jerkiness was still noticeable. The BEST method for me was to turn it upside down and roll the trackball on a mousepad or similar surface, while applying a bit of pressure. I do this every morning for a minute and a half in the left-right, up-down and circular motions, and it the device works ALOT better for the rest of the day. I do throw in some extra breaking-in sessions randomly throughout the day, just to keep it running smoothly. I hope this helps someone!
thanks mate followed your guide and tested correct, no lost bearings and the masking tape on the desk did stop an escapee from jumping off the table to the black void of things never to be found again
For anyone out there that wants to do this mod, read this: 1) Watch out for the 2 FN buttons near the ball (FN1 and FN2), because the wire is pretty fragile. If you happen to detach them, just solder them up again (fairly easy, but tedious as the metal wires are pretty smalll_ 2) The bearings are STATIONARY, so they DON'T spin. I found that 1 out of the 3 was not tight enough and the vibration caused by it messed most of the smoothness. 3)Don't expect to have 0 friction, there will always be a small amount, regardless what bearing you mount (because they are stationary)
Thanks for the point no 2. I got a cheapo jelly comb mt50 and one of the bearings kept popping out of the shell and rattle into the body. Was super worried that I have no way of securing the bearings in the loose shell since they are only press fit. I end up hotgluing the bearing into the loose holder and glue the other 2 more and I have one solid budget trackball to run daily!
I really don’t think the level of difficulty of this mod is worth the less than perfect benefits this mod produces. My level of anxiety watching him do this was pretty high. 😂 😂
Thank you so much!! I replaced my bearing with ceramic one (black one) and applied little Krytox 105(which I used for my Keyboard switch lub) on it. Now it is so silky smooth!!
I used G10 2.5mm ZrO2 balls from aliexpress, they are INCREDIBLY smooth. I have a Kensington expert and CST as well, but these bearings make the Huge feel even smoother (though part of it is probably also that the ball is lighter). The CST has a notable grainy feeling, probably because of the metal rollers. Anyway, thanks for this video, it made this process really easy! I somehow managed to break the wires connecting the Fn1/Fn2 keys to the PCB but resoldering those wasn't so bad. As an additional mod, I added a bunch of iron weights in the free space of the housing.
great video! A super important tip: DO NOT OVERTIGHTEN THE SILVER INNER BALL CUP SCREWS. You might not even need to replace your bearings... The screws just might be too tight and are keeping the bearings from spinning.
^^~~ Just Switched to New Ceramic Balls!!! It does feel different and smooths out scrolling without sticky spots! Very helpful pinpointing in designs, too! Thanks A Lot!~♡♡♡ Without your help I would have returned the mouse for Refund.
Cheers for the guide. 2024 Wired Model M-HT1UR V03V Made in Vietnam. All Philips, Internal Silver head 1 size smaller. "battery" screw under "Made" text on bottom, *very* deep in, rub on the sticker to highlight the hole. 100% worth doing the mod. Amazon now has 2.5mm Ceramic Zirconium Ball Bearings
Very Informative. I went with new white ceramic 2.5 mm. This video will show you how to swap out those red ones for ones that you order. I ordered 2.5mm white ceramic.
@@subversed The biggest issue with it stock was that the small movements were sticky. Small adjustments were stuttered. No issues now with the new bearings!
@@alexpham095 That's rad! I'm really glad I could help ya out- I've never posted anything like this and the feedback is really good to hear my guy. were the insides were mostly the same? I've never cracked open a deft before.
@@subversed Pretty much the same. The screws were in the same places on the case. The insides were arranged differently, but its almost the same. The biggest issue was getting case clips apart. Lol fear of breaking it all.
great video. before this video was published i had actually disassembled my HUGE to see if there was anything i could do. i wanted to replace the bearings but didn't really know what to get. this helped greatly. while doing this i accidentally broke off the yellow wire off the FN1 and FN2 button board and had to solder it back together, not a big deal though. after the job was done it was a night and day difference in ball movement. it is comparable now to my wife's kensington expert wireless. my daughter has the newer M-DPT1MRXBK deft pro which has the same bearings i might do this to. from my 10 pack, i have... 6 left.
You lost one too, eh? Haha they're so hard to keep from rolling (or bouncing) away. I'm really happy it helped you out my guy! Elecom seems to have a way about them when it comes to making their products mostly serviceable and it's really, really refreshing to see. I can't tell you how many trackball forums and subreddits still believe that the only way to replace bearings is to get the drill out and start gutting holes to replace bearings because people just aren't used to something that's made to be fixable. Are there any other projects you're putting off that I can maybe make a video about? Always looking for ideas.
I don't have any ideas for more videos at this point, but I do have a question I wonder if you are able to answer. Do you know the difference between the M-HT1DRBK and the M-HT1DRXBK? The 'X' appears to be a 'new' Huge, but I can't find any information about what's different. Also, update after having new bearings for a couple weeks: The new ceramic bearings are definitely an improvement over the originals, but it is still nowhere near as smooth and easy to move as my daughter's Deft Pro and especially my wife's Kensington Expert. The Expert is so silky smooth its crazy.
@@kevinshumaker3468 my two theories on that: 1. The x indicates wired vs wireless 2. The X is for the japanese version that's compatible with their mobile app, and has native bluetooth without the need for a dongle.
Thanks very much, I appreciate your taking the time to comment :) The comments on this video always make me smile because I got to do a thing I was doing anyways, but just threw a camera on, and all these people are all so supportive. Y'all are the best part of TH-cam
Fuck yeah man! I was just barely miffed at the stiction point on this thing, and I came across this vid on a reddit trawl and I just finished the bearing surgery. This vid was a massive help, and you're a braver man than I getting this underway while drinking haha. I kept the bottle of wine as a celebration for a job well done.
Alongside bearings, try trackball polishing using an extremely fine polish. The bearing mod did help a little for my own HUGE, but when I got some Meguiar's Machine Glaze car polish and rubbed the ball down with that, it made the glide way smoother than the bearings alone - I'm tempted to put the Ruby bearings back in just to see if the polishing improvements make it good even for a stock HUGE.
Awesome video! I preemptively ordered ceramics with my huge, but it's smooth as yours at the end. Not sure if they finally sorted the issues with the rubies, or because I purchased mine inside Japan and they have better quality controls locally, but at least I now have bearings in case they become needed in the future. Thanks for a very detailed teardown and rebuild!
I replaced the bearings with the ones on Amazon but the ball seems a little stiff. Almost like there's some drag to it. It does not "spin" freely. I'm gonna take it apart again and see if something is pinched, but the ruby bearings look a little smaller next to the ceramic ones.
Any follow up or new to add after a few years now? I just got a Huge yesterday and tried it out today. It's been years since I've used a trackball and never with any regularity but I like it. Nice fit for my hand, nice button layout, the only thing I struggled with were small movements from stop. Ball moves fine once moving but seems input to get it rolly usually causes a roll to far. After searching around it seems replacing the bearings would solve that. Or returning it. I would see if it wears in with use but planned use will be very seldom. Great video!
While I appreciate the advice about tape or a magnetic tray, I'd like to just step in and advocate for the use of either a dinner tray or cookie sheet any time you're working on small parts. Doing your work on a bare table risks small parts being lost (as you've found out the hard way), and it's also a very quick way to set a project aside if something should come up. It's like a little separate tabletop with a handrail to keep all of your small, headache-inducing parts from falling into Hell.
I did the bearing change shortly after getting this trackball and it made a HUGE difference. Unfortunately after about a year of use, the scroll wheel isn't properly being tracked...
The problem is not caused by synthetic rubies, much less by their supposed asphericity. But it depends on the heaviness of the ball, the sweat of the hands, and on the fact that the rubies do not turn on themselves but are fixed, changing them with the ceramic balls does not bring about any change, on the contrary being harder than the rubies, they scratch the ball and deform it quickly.
I took a leap of faith and bought some G5 3/32"(2.381mm) Si3N4 bearings (the black ones). And it didn't fall out of my Deft pro bearing holder. So for anyone who also has a Deft Pro and wanted to change your bearings but couldn't find 2.5mm sized balls, hope you'll find this info useful. Oh and my Deft Pro model number is M-DPT1MRBK not sure if it's different for other model numbers.
Oh and just wanted to add I did the whole thing on my thick mouse pad, the balls didn't bounce much on them. but be careful they could still roll pretty far.
Make sure you don't tighten the bearing holder screws so tight that the bearings cannot spin! I suspect the real issue is that bearing's mold isn't perfectly round and the bearings get stuck under pressure. (Probably why Kensington uses arms to hold the bearings rather than a cup, like in the huge!) I replaced my bearings but they eventually got stuck and barely spun. I just took my huge a part again, but this time I left my bearing holder loose enough where the bearings could spin freely, but tight enough where they couldn't fall out. Now it works great!!! Loosing the bearing holder cup may resolve people's issues without buying new bearings! Pro-tip: Use carpet to catch the bearings when they fall out. The bearings wont roll away! To put the bearing back in just drop them in the bottom and guide them to hole. Leave enough flex where they can drop in. Then tighten just enough where they wont fallout but can still spin easily. (Will take multiple attempts!) The more easily the bearings spin the better scrolling you will have!
@@ulaulalaulaulala If that's how bearings work they would eventually rub flat. There would also be no need to replace them as shown in the above video if that was the case too. motorsportsbearings.com/how-bearings-work.html#:~:text=The%20concept%20behind%20a%20bearing,roll%20better%20than%20they%20slide.&text=Bearings%20reduce%20friction%20by%20providing,the%20device%20to%20spin%20smoothly.
@@ConsecDesign they don't spin, the ball spins and glides on top of the bearings. The bearings simply hold the ball in place while maintaining the smallest point of contact possible to keep friction low.
@@N0RD0M bearings in a trackball are not the same as bearings in a car. He is correct in that they don't spin. They don't rub flat because friction is very low, ceramic is hard and the ball itself is a much softer material. if anything the ball itself would "rub flat" before the bearing would but you wouldn't notice due to the surface area of the ball.
hi the mouse stopped working, the cursor doesn't move but the shortcuts are working fine.Which part do I need to change in order to make it work again.Any suggestion will be very welcome.Hate to loose this trackball..I think I need to replace the part at 9:44 minute in the video, is that correct? if yes where can I buy this part or can this be repaired? Thanks for your help.
If you place a terrycloth towel under your work piece, its a lot harder for tiny parts to bounce away if one should fall. Good news is that you can pick up some fluffy, bright ones on prime ;)
I can't seem to find any good grade 5 beatings in the right size currently. Watching the ones you probably found on ebay. But no luck there or at Amazon right now
I use the index finger style of logitec trackball. One of my three i use has been acting up. Cleaned and deep cleaned a few times but ball still tries to lock up. do you know size and grade these style logitec use? Great channel dude. thanks.
Hey thanks for the video, I was just wondering if you could point me to a help article if I cant get the custom buttons working with the Mouse Ass 5 software? The other parts of the software work but none of the customization buttons
I've put steel bearings, others recommended, and improvement was small, after awhile much better. Resistance is still much bigger than in my old double clicking Logitech. 9:00 I couldn't easily disconnect this cable so I left it and later I broke FN2 cable on the other end due to twisting when I was trying to assemble it. I fixed it with Scotch tape, maybe it will work to the first drop on the floor. My old earnings definitely are not rubber - it is some hard plastic similar to the Logitech although in Logitech they seem smaller. Maybe this is the cause of the difference in performance.
I don't recommend steel bearings at all. You want your bearings to wear out before the ball, and since steel doesn't give any kind of gripping surface, those bearings aren't rolling. The ball is just gliding along a stationary bearing, so you're only feeling the sum friction of 3 round steel contact points against the trackball. The reason other trackballs feel so smooth is that there is a small amount of grip between the trackball and the bearings, causing them to spin/roll. Steel offers no such grip, and will eventually damage the ball.
@@ophidslammish1368 According to Wiki page Mohs scale of mineral hardness zirconia is only slightly less harder than hardened steel so expect similar wear. If I feel drag there must be some grip otherwise trains couldn't start moving.
@@ecetih oh, it's been a minute lol. You're probably right, I'm just using my intuition and not thinking analytically, metal vs plastic = bad, but you're probably right. I just imagine the steel bearings locking in place and not spinning, but brain hasn't been treating me very well, so I am probably wrong about this
Great tutorial, ty so much! I've been using the trackman marble for years and I really need a mouse wheel. Question, can you use 2.5 mm stainless steel bearings instead?
do not change your bearings, you will ruin your mouse. the engineers at elcom used ruby for a reason, i did it 6 months ago, my mouse is ruined, this guy doesnt know what hes talking about!!
Lower grade number indicates better ball not only in diameter variance(not a factor here). But also roughness so the lower the grade number the better not a huge difference between 5 and 10 for sliding but try to stay low
@@GOTHEAT0 Technically yes. However keep in mind that there's no guarantee that the G5 bearing you ordered is 'actually' a G5 quality, especially if you buy from overseas like China.
Very good of you, and really feels like when I performed this mouse surgery... humorously so. But the "youtube magic" isn't available in r/t unfortunately. ;-) Thanks again for this.
Instant thumbs up the second you said that you were drunk :D
Lmfao. I think it was like 2pm too. I gotta make more videos :)
Ophid Official for sure. I’m fairly experienced with electronic surgery but I’m positive your video saved me some major aggravation so thanks. Always good to SEE what it looks like before you yank on something.
@@wilson113388 Agreed- I just lost 40 pounds for the same reason. Ayyyyy
Just fitted some new 2.5mm bearings and I now have the perfect trackball. thanks for this.
Amazing that the trackball STILL has the same issues 5 years later. Glad I found this video. The bearings are now on Amazon prime for less than $14.
Important note from 2020-I just did this tutorial and it's fantastic. Great job explaining most things. One important note-take care to make sure your "low/mid/high" switch is lined up and working before screwing everything together. I put the trackball back together after the swap and the action of the ball was much better. But I noticed the sensitivity switch was hitched up; I figured it was out of alignment. I tried to move it and snapped the underlying tab which connected it to the part of the board which toggles the sensitivity.
Not a huge deal because I have two of these trackballs and I know better for next time. But it's still annoying because I screwed up. Don't do what I did. Make sure the action on the sensitivity switch is in a good spot. Mine is stuck on "high" now, but that's fine since I can always set it lower and tweak the settings beyond what I'd need in either direction. But I imagine other people use this feature and won't be okay with it being broken.
Still-best tutorial on the net for this. Thanks a million for posting it. And I decided to be drunk when I did it too. Which should be a tradition I guess. Just check that damn switch before you go yanking on it like I did.
excellent information. uploader should pin this
Upvote x 100000. I just broke mine off. :(
@@ericreeves-hashicorp Sorry buddy. If it's any consolation, you can set the switch manually and then change the sensitivity in software from there. I hope you didn't use the toggle day-to-day.
@@Wondershock I actually never touched the switch, so it's not a big deal at all. Still glad I did the bearing swap! It felt like there was a bit of a "break-in" period for the first few hours, but it feels much smoother now!
@@ericreeves-hashicorp 100%, totally worth it. Glad to hear it worked out, even with the little snafu.
For anyone watching, I can verify this process is correct
If you have the wired version though, the main back plate(where his batteries are) screw is actually under a sticker that appears initially as a matt plate
Pop a hole in the word "made" in made in China before you pry it open to remove final screw.
Side note, you will not transfer from the Logitech m to this easily
I literally came to the comments for this information cause I couldn't get it apart lmao THANK YOU
This comment saved me some headache. Thanks!!!
lol. the Made hidden screw omg
what kind of torx screwdriver set do we need
figured this out the hard way - SMH. shoulda read the comments....
What luck that you published this video containing all the info I need to replace the bearings in my trackball ON THE DAY I NEEDED IT.
Thank you!
I'm glad it helped someone!
Two years later... The day has come again! Thanks sir! .... And they do have it on prime now! 2.5mm Steel!
I do not even own a trackball yet, still I am watching this
I saw this video at least 6 months ago, and kept putting the changeout off. Just finished it tonight. Your video made the project as simple as it will get. I can't believe the difference the ceramic bearings make! When you say it feels like a Kensington, you aren't kidding! Thanks for all the pointers (especially the tape)!
Thanks for this. Got my Elecom HUGE today and had to make two holes on the bottom plate to fit it to my chair armrest. You help people even after 5 years. Take pride in that!
This video was...perfect. Precise instructions, clear images, plus humor. I haven't operated on my HUGE yet...but the principles shown here allowed me to upgrade my Deft Pro. Note for the Deft Pro - the primary difference/challenge is once the top cover is removed the "cup" assembly needs to be separated from the base. There are three locking tabs - a large one on the right and two small ones on the left. The forward left tab is a royal PITA - you need a very stiff small flat screwdriver to press it inwards (after releasing the other two first). One more gotcha - having removed all the screws from under the rubber feet (none under the top or the ring, one each on left & right, but THREE on the bottom) there is also one screw hiding under the label. Trying to peel the label would probably tear it - so I just pierced straight through with the screwdriver (it's under the letters SN). It's then a little finicky lifting up and separating the top half - even more so when putting back together - but still doable with patience. I finally have a usable trackball - why the F$#! does Elecom use such garbage bearings when they're using quality components elsewhere (I actually saw the Omron and Kailh switches inside!)?
3 years later, and this video is still useful. That's outstanding. I just got my huge yesterday, and pre-emptively ordered the bearings with it knowing I'd be doing this. Since they get here tomorrow I figured I'd get an idea on how to disassemble the device before needing the info. I'm glad I did because I didn't realize it's as involved as it it.
I have some minor experience doing teardowns, and had to do so with the Kensington Expert pro wired quite a few times, but it didn't have any ribbon cables. A ton of people sing the expert pro's praises, but mine was defective. The scroll ring would often fail for no reason so I eventually ended up scrapping it. After a while I just went back to gaming mice, but nothing compares to a good trackball when working in photoshop, or a 3D package.
Thank you for the video. The angles were spot on, and easy to see everything needed to, and I love the fact that this was done with more practical tricks for certain things like holding the bearings in place with tape. I made an extra large mouse mat out of tool shelf liner material so it should hold the bearings in place on my desk well. It has a very similar texture pattern to a screen.
7x T6 screws on the bottom; 1 in the battery compartment, 6 under the foot pads
2x PH1 screws inside the ball cup
2x PH0 screws holding the sensor board
3x PH0 screws holding the ball cup together
just in case you want to make sure you have the proper drivers before starting.
Thank you :)
Why did I watch the full 20 minutes when I don't own or plan to buy this trackball? Great video, that's why.
Brilliant tutorial, not my comfort zone doing stuff like this, but thought I'd give it a go, so bought the Huge and some ceramic bearings. Luckily were on Prime next day. Followed it step by step and worked brilliantly. I now have an even better trackball. Silky smooth and no screws left over. BONUS :) Great job! Thank you :)
super helpful video! Just to add for those with the wired mouse, the last screw is under the big Fcc mark in the pretty much dead center of the mouse.
I appreciate the walkthrough! The rubber pads will adhere back fairly well on their own but you can coax a little more life out of the adhesive with a bit of isopropyl alcohol.
thanks a TON man. I'm one of the guys missing the MS TB Explorer for the last 18 years until I tested another (way too small) Elecom Trackball. this one is perfect for me and my 20cm hands. this is heaven - and i love FPSing with it. But just like you said: It's skipping on minute moves - so before getting it YOUR video actually encouraged me to get it and already check for availability of ZrO2 bearings - which are easy to come by on amazon these days. The Trackball arrived today and I instantly fell in love again and ordered the bearings right away. Thanks so very much for all this work sharing this!
It’s 2021 June 13 and I’ve done mine by watching this video. CHEERS from Japan!
just ordered the elecom huge and the replacement bearings thanks to this video! really looking forward to this project!
Update: It works beautifully, took several tries to get the bearings lined up when popping the cup back on but it was relatively painless. next time I will be sure to not drink coffee beforehand and use magnetic tipped screw drivers.
Funny, I have used 2 Elecom HUGE trackballs in the last 7 years, and never once found the problem you've addressed. I literally came here after praising my Elecom in another trackball video that was wildly impractical (The trackball had no keys with it and required you to remove your hand from the ball every time you wanted to perform an action). Suffice it to say, it's good to see other users out there who've discovered this amazing and very useful trackball. Glad TH-cam suggested your video to me.
I performed this surgery today on my wired version to install uxcell 2.5mm ceramic balls from Amazon Prime. The screws were the same but except unfortunately I had to mutilate the main sticker a bit to get the equivalent of the one under the battery door. Oh well, I'd already decided I wasn't returning it. I didn't needed to remove the ribbon cables. Post surgery, it's a lot better. Thanks!
Thanks for this video!! Just bought the Huge and what the hell it still has this problem. It's a good job I had just bought my first trackball MX Ergo which is incredibly silky smooth and was so pleased I wanted to try a finger ball. Good job the Huge didn't come first or I may have given up on trackerballs. Pity Elecom has not put this right.
Thanks for the update, I was considering checking out the newest batch but I think I'll keep waiting
Thanks so much for this! Particularly loved your clever idea to hold onto the other bearings in the baggie, and the "tape on the bearings" trick. Can attest that it's even easier than this video makes it look if you have a level table, a magnetic tray, and a T6/TR6 driver.
Thanks also for popularizing this upgrade to the extent that several Prime fulfillment vendors now carry these bearings!
Just fixed mine and the only speedbump I had was finding where the top cable needed to rest while reassembling. I figured it out though and it. feels. amazing.
10/10 guide.
Also works for the wired version of the device, there's just an extra cable inside that only gets a little bit in the way.
Just did it , I would say if you are careful enough you won't need to unplug the ribbons (i did not have to) neither need of any tape
Just need a clean table with light. Once you are done this is indeed a good upgrade the ball spin with less friction, you should not regret the effort ! Thanks for the tutorial !
Just completed the replacement of the bearings and could not have done it with out you. Thank you very much.
Just used your video to replace the bearings. Very smooth. Thanks.
Perfect video exactly what i needed when i did not even know i needed it. I loved my trackball before but now it is even better. Thank you so much!
a HUGE thanks for making this video. YOU ARE A LEGEND FOR THIS. i made the switch to zirconium oxide bearings and it made a significant difference.
I want to thank you for your time in making this video. Helped me get it right first time. Many Thanks and have an awesome new year!!!
Thank you very very much ! Your video really help me ! I suffer from this problem for long time ! I nearly give up elecom huge for this problem! You are my hero ! Thank you very very much !
Many thanks! After the bearing replacement the performance of the trackball increased to the next level. Indeed it is comparable now to the Kensington Expert Mouse.
Thanks so much for this video. I've loved my HUGE, but in the last couple months, it's been very sticky. I'd wipe the bearings and they'd be less sticky for about 15 minutes. It was becoming obnoxious. I ordered balls (found some from uxcell on amazon, Prime, although they're backordered for a couple days), but took the risk to open it up and spin the stock synthetic bearings around to a "fresh" side. Taped them up like you suggested to avoid losing any bearings and not having a backup. Just put it back together and it's smoother than I've ever remembered.
I don't know if my environment is especially harsh since I do file metal things at my desk occasionally, but I purchased the mouse 11/21/2018, so I'd estimate that it was noticeably "worn" out in about 16 months.
I did this "downgrade" to fix the jerkiness when attempting to move the trackball from rest position, since it was COMPLETELY unusable for precise movements. After the bearing replacement, there was SOME improvement, but it was still unusable for me. Lubricating did not improve the situation very much, so I left the device alone for a few days. I finally decided to have another go at it, and I found that "breaking it in" by rolling the trackball in all directions for a minute before use FINALLY did the trick! I did try rolling the trackball repeatedly with my fingers, with the device facing right-side-up, but even after a few minutes the jerkiness was still noticeable. The BEST method for me was to turn it upside down and roll the trackball on a mousepad or similar surface, while applying a bit of pressure. I do this every morning for a minute and a half in the left-right, up-down and circular motions, and it the device works ALOT better for the rest of the day. I do throw in some extra breaking-in sessions randomly throughout the day, just to keep it running smoothly. I hope this helps someone!
thanks mate followed your guide and tested correct, no lost bearings and the masking tape on the desk did stop an escapee from jumping off the table to the black void of things never to be found again
For anyone out there that wants to do this mod, read this:
1) Watch out for the 2 FN buttons near the ball (FN1 and FN2), because the wire is pretty fragile. If you happen to detach them, just solder them up again (fairly easy, but tedious as the metal wires are pretty smalll_
2) The bearings are STATIONARY, so they DON'T spin. I found that 1 out of the 3 was not tight enough and the vibration caused by it messed most of the smoothness.
3)Don't expect to have 0 friction, there will always be a small amount, regardless what bearing you mount (because they are stationary)
Thanks for the point no 2. I got a cheapo jelly comb mt50 and one of the bearings kept popping out of the shell and rattle into the body.
Was super worried that I have no way of securing the bearings in the loose shell since they are only press fit.
I end up hotgluing the bearing into the loose holder and glue the other 2 more and I have one solid budget trackball to run daily!
I really don’t think the level of difficulty of this mod is worth the less than perfect benefits this mod produces. My level of anxiety watching him do this was pretty high. 😂 😂
Thank you so much!! I replaced my bearing with ceramic one (black one) and applied little Krytox 105(which I used for my Keyboard switch lub) on it. Now it is so silky smooth!!
I used G10 2.5mm ZrO2 balls from aliexpress, they are INCREDIBLY smooth. I have a Kensington expert and CST as well, but these bearings make the Huge feel even smoother (though part of it is probably also that the ball is lighter). The CST has a notable grainy feeling, probably because of the metal rollers.
Anyway, thanks for this video, it made this process really easy! I somehow managed to break the wires connecting the Fn1/Fn2 keys to the PCB but resoldering those wasn't so bad. As an additional mod, I added a bunch of iron weights in the free space of the housing.
Are you using any additional lubricant? How broken in is your expert?
great video! A super important tip: DO NOT OVERTIGHTEN THE SILVER INNER BALL CUP SCREWS. You might not even need to replace your bearings... The screws just might be too tight and are keeping the bearings from spinning.
I now have both the trackball and the bearings and will attempt this in the next day or so... Thank you for the guide.
Done. First try thanks to this guide.
Works great as well. Thank you so much.
Mate, not sure if I said this already, but THANKS MAN! did this, replaced the bearings, and now... Sweeeeeet! Cheers mate! Thanks again!
Thank you! After fixed as you showed me, I could move the pointer to the final pixel as I want. Delicate and great change!
^^~~ Just Switched to New Ceramic Balls!!!
It does feel different and smooths out scrolling without sticky spots!
Very helpful pinpointing in designs, too!
Thanks A Lot!~♡♡♡
Without your help I would have returned the mouse for Refund.
Thank you for taking the time to comment! It really makes me smile to see this helping people.
Amazeballs! So much better after replacing the bearings! Thanks for all the tips, made the operation go so smoothly.
I just want to say I'm sorry for your loss of your bearings, hopefully the had another shipment sent out as soon as possible.
Thanks for recognizing the Trackman instead of Logitec's attempt copy attempt. Microsoft's was definitely the best.
I have 7 white bearings and 3 red ones that I'm happy to gift anyone attempting this audacious improvement.
Sean Canton I might be trying this out soon. Do you still have them?
@@Fishbolls Yes! Idk how you can get me an address in a discreet fashion. :D
Cheers for the guide. 2024 Wired Model M-HT1UR V03V Made in Vietnam. All Philips, Internal Silver head 1 size smaller. "battery" screw under "Made" text on bottom, *very* deep in, rub on the sticker to highlight the hole. 100% worth doing the mod. Amazon now has 2.5mm Ceramic Zirconium Ball Bearings
Very nice English easy for a non native like me to understand. Thumbs up!
Very Informative. I went with new white ceramic 2.5 mm. This video will show you how to swap out those red ones for ones that you order. I ordered 2.5mm white ceramic.
Just did this to my Elecom Deft m-dt2urbk. Worked perfectly. Took a day to get it SUPER smooth. no issues yet! Thanks for this!
Aw thanks man, that gave me a big ol' smile. I'm glad it worked out! What major differences were there with the Deft?
@@subversed The biggest issue with it stock was that the small movements were sticky. Small adjustments were stuttered. No issues now with the new bearings!
@@alexpham095 That's rad! I'm really glad I could help ya out- I've never posted anything like this and the feedback is really good to hear my guy.
were the insides were mostly the same? I've never cracked open a deft before.
@@subversed Pretty much the same. The screws were in the same places on the case. The insides were arranged differently, but its almost the same. The biggest issue was getting case clips apart. Lol fear of breaking it all.
So it was still a bit sticky until after a day of use?
great video. before this video was published i had actually disassembled my HUGE to see if there was anything i could do. i wanted to replace the bearings but didn't really know what to get. this helped greatly. while doing this i accidentally broke off the yellow wire off the FN1 and FN2 button board and had to solder it back together, not a big deal though. after the job was done it was a night and day difference in ball movement. it is comparable now to my wife's kensington expert wireless. my daughter has the newer M-DPT1MRXBK deft pro which has the same bearings i might do this to. from my 10 pack, i have... 6 left.
You lost one too, eh? Haha they're so hard to keep from rolling (or bouncing) away. I'm really happy it helped you out my guy! Elecom seems to have a way about them when it comes to making their products mostly serviceable and it's really, really refreshing to see. I can't tell you how many trackball forums and subreddits still believe that the only way to replace bearings is to get the drill out and start gutting holes to replace bearings because people just aren't used to something that's made to be fixable.
Are there any other projects you're putting off that I can maybe make a video about? Always looking for ideas.
I don't have any ideas for more videos at this point, but I do have a question I wonder if you are able to answer. Do you know the difference between the M-HT1DRBK and the M-HT1DRXBK? The 'X' appears to be a 'new' Huge, but I can't find any information about what's different.
Also, update after having new bearings for a couple weeks: The new ceramic bearings are definitely an improvement over the originals, but it is still nowhere near as smooth and easy to move as my daughter's Deft Pro and especially my wife's Kensington Expert. The Expert is so silky smooth its crazy.
@@kevinshumaker3468 my two theories on that: 1. The x indicates wired vs wireless
2. The X is for the japanese version that's compatible with their mobile app, and has native bluetooth without the need for a dongle.
Thanks for this, man. Such a huge improvment.
Thanks very much, I appreciate your taking the time to comment :)
The comments on this video always make me smile because I got to do a thing I was doing anyways, but just threw a camera on, and all these people are all so supportive. Y'all are the best part of TH-cam
Fuck yeah man! I was just barely miffed at the stiction point on this thing, and I came across this vid on a reddit trawl and I just finished the bearing surgery. This vid was a massive help, and you're a braver man than I getting this underway while drinking haha. I kept the bottle of wine as a celebration for a job well done.
Another successful ceramic upgrade. Thanks for the tutorial.
TY TY TY for this, it's slightly better now.
:) I'm glad it helped!
Thanks for making this video for us all!
Can steel ball bearings be used?
Great video, my bearings are fine, but needed to tear down the Huge for another reason. The post molded the third button had snapped off.
Alongside bearings, try trackball polishing using an extremely fine polish. The bearing mod did help a little for my own HUGE, but when I got some Meguiar's Machine Glaze car polish and rubbed the ball down with that, it made the glide way smoother than the bearings alone - I'm tempted to put the Ruby bearings back in just to see if the polishing improvements make it good even for a stock HUGE.
Just fixed up my Huge. Took me few hours; was an awesome experience nevertheless!
This was Amusing as hell... loved it. Thumbs up amigo
Thank you very much :)
@@subversed Mine literally arrived as I finished your video lol
Awesome video! I preemptively ordered ceramics with my huge, but it's smooth as yours at the end. Not sure if they finally sorted the issues with the rubies, or because I purchased mine inside Japan and they have better quality controls locally, but at least I now have bearings in case they become needed in the future. Thanks for a very detailed teardown and rebuild!
Thanks for the video. I recently replaced my bearings and this came in handy.
Thanks for commenting! Always makes me smile that people are still getting helped by this one.
Great tutorial. Just completed July 6th, 2020. Works great, and feels like a new mouse!
I replaced the bearings with the ones on Amazon but the ball seems a little stiff. Almost like there's some drag to it. It does not "spin" freely. I'm gonna take it apart again and see if something is pinched, but the ruby bearings look a little smaller next to the ceramic ones.
@10:35. I opened it! Fortunately, My working space caught the little buggers from falling/rolling off of the table.
I'm proud of you :)
thanks a lot for your clear video, i just purchased one and ceramic bearings if I need it.
Any follow up or new to add after a few years now?
I just got a Huge yesterday and tried it out today. It's been years since I've used a trackball and never with any regularity but I like it. Nice fit for my hand, nice button layout, the only thing I struggled with were small movements from stop. Ball moves fine once moving but seems input to get it rolly usually causes a roll to far.
After searching around it seems replacing the bearings would solve that. Or returning it. I would see if it wears in with use but planned use will be very seldom.
Great video!
your advice here was the real youtube magic
Ceramic and stainless steel ball bearings are now available from Amazon (in the UK at least!)
That's awesome
No more ebay sketch :)
@@subversed just completed this improvement - your video was a great help. 👍
@@charleswheaton glad I could help :)
Thanks for the video! It was extremely helpful.
While I appreciate the advice about tape or a magnetic tray, I'd like to just step in and advocate for the use of either a dinner tray or cookie sheet any time you're working on small parts. Doing your work on a bare table risks small parts being lost (as you've found out the hard way), and it's also a very quick way to set a project aside if something should come up. It's like a little separate tabletop with a handrail to keep all of your small, headache-inducing parts from falling into Hell.
I use an ice cube tray, way more slots and they are often rounded at the bottom so you can scoop stuff out of them.
Thank you for making this, it was very informative
You'd be very happy to know that all of these bearings are available on Prime now.
素晴らしいですね‼️ Very cool thank you‼️
Very thorough. Thank you.
I did the bearing change shortly after getting this trackball and it made a HUGE difference. Unfortunately after about a year of use, the scroll wheel isn't properly being tracked...
You sir, have a voice similar to that of the cat off from the movie "Hocus Pocus."
The problem is not caused by synthetic rubies, much less by their supposed asphericity. But it depends on the heaviness of the ball, the sweat of the hands, and on the fact that the rubies do not turn on themselves but are fixed, changing them with the ceramic balls does not bring about any change, on the contrary being harder than the rubies, they scratch the ball and deform it quickly.
Very interesting. Funny that no one else has had this experience....
Can anyone confirm this?
i wish i had read this first, this is exactly what happened to me
I took a leap of faith and bought some G5 3/32"(2.381mm) Si3N4 bearings (the black ones). And it didn't fall out of my Deft pro bearing holder. So for anyone who also has a Deft Pro and wanted to change your bearings but couldn't find 2.5mm sized balls, hope you'll find this info useful. Oh and my Deft Pro model number is M-DPT1MRBK not sure if it's different for other model numbers.
Oh and just wanted to add I did the whole thing on my thick mouse pad, the balls didn't bounce much on them. but be careful they could still roll pretty far.
Make sure you don't tighten the bearing holder screws so tight that the bearings cannot spin!
I suspect the real issue is that bearing's mold isn't perfectly round and the bearings get stuck under pressure. (Probably why Kensington uses arms to hold the bearings rather than a cup, like in the huge!) I replaced my bearings but they eventually got stuck and barely spun. I just took my huge a part again, but this time I left my bearing holder loose enough where the bearings could spin freely, but tight enough where they couldn't fall out. Now it works great!!! Loosing the bearing holder cup may resolve people's issues without buying new bearings!
Pro-tip: Use carpet to catch the bearings when they fall out. The bearings wont roll away! To put the bearing back in just drop them in the bottom and guide them to hole. Leave enough flex where they can drop in. Then tighten just enough where they wont fallout but can still spin easily. (Will take multiple attempts!) The more easily the bearings spin the better scrolling you will have!
The bearings are not supposed to spin.
@@ulaulalaulaulala
If that's how bearings work they would eventually rub flat. There would also be no need to replace them as shown in the above video if that was the case too. motorsportsbearings.com/how-bearings-work.html#:~:text=The%20concept%20behind%20a%20bearing,roll%20better%20than%20they%20slide.&text=Bearings%20reduce%20friction%20by%20providing,the%20device%20to%20spin%20smoothly.
@@ulaulalaulaulala that don't even make sense. what are they even there for if they don't spin?
@@ConsecDesign they don't spin, the ball spins and glides on top of the bearings. The bearings simply hold the ball in place while maintaining the smallest point of contact possible to keep friction low.
@@N0RD0M bearings in a trackball are not the same as bearings in a car. He is correct in that they don't spin. They don't rub flat because friction is very low, ceramic is hard and the ball itself is a much softer material. if anything the ball itself would "rub flat" before the bearing would but you wouldn't notice due to the surface area of the ball.
Thanks for this vid, i changed mine to ceramic g10 and its perfect now. Should be standard.
hi the mouse stopped working, the cursor doesn't move but the shortcuts are working fine.Which part do I need to change in order to make it work again.Any suggestion will be very welcome.Hate to loose this trackball..I think I need to replace the part at 9:44 minute in the video, is that correct? if yes where can I buy this part or can this be repaired? Thanks for your help.
Awesome. Buuuuuttery smooth.
Thank you indeed. Very helpful.
Thanks for the video, do these bearings also work for the MTE?
If you place a terrycloth towel under your work piece, its a lot harder for tiny parts to bounce away if one should fall. Good news is that you can pick up some fluffy, bright ones on prime ;)
Not a bad idea at all :) Thank you
I can't seem to find any good grade 5 beatings in the right size currently. Watching the ones you probably found on ebay. But no luck there or at Amazon right now
I use the index finger style of logitec trackball. One of my three i use has been acting up. Cleaned and deep cleaned a few times but ball still tries to lock up.
do you know size and grade these style logitec use? Great channel dude. thanks.
I’m experiencing stickiness in the scroll wheel of my Huge. Can you do a video on troubleshooting the scroll wheel?
Big thank you!
I found these bearings on Amazon, for anyone that's still looking!
Hey thanks for the video, I was just wondering if you could point me to a help article if I cant get the custom buttons working with the Mouse Ass 5 software? The other parts of the software work but none of the customization buttons
I've put steel bearings, others recommended, and improvement was small, after awhile much better. Resistance is still much bigger than in my old double clicking Logitech. 9:00 I couldn't easily disconnect this cable so I left it and later I broke FN2 cable on the other end due to twisting when I was trying to assemble it. I fixed it with Scotch tape, maybe it will work to the first drop on the floor.
My old earnings definitely are not rubber - it is some hard plastic similar to the Logitech although in Logitech they seem smaller. Maybe this is the cause of the difference in performance.
I don't recommend steel bearings at all. You want your bearings to wear out before the ball, and since steel doesn't give any kind of gripping surface, those bearings aren't rolling.
The ball is just gliding along a stationary bearing, so you're only feeling the sum friction of 3 round steel contact points against the trackball.
The reason other trackballs feel so smooth is that there is a small amount of grip between the trackball and the bearings, causing them to spin/roll. Steel offers no such grip, and will eventually damage the ball.
@@ophidslammish1368 According to Wiki page Mohs scale of mineral hardness zirconia is only slightly less harder than hardened steel so expect similar wear. If I feel drag there must be some grip otherwise trains couldn't start moving.
@@ecetih is the trackball zircon? I thought it was just acrylic
@@ophidslammish1368 Sorry I meant what you used - zirconia oxide, but googling it with Mohos it is even harder.
@@ecetih oh, it's been a minute lol.
You're probably right, I'm just using my intuition and not thinking analytically, metal vs plastic = bad, but you're probably right. I just imagine the steel bearings locking in place and not spinning, but brain hasn't been treating me very well, so I am probably wrong about this
I wonder if these bearings are the same size ball that's inside a ballpoint pen
Kind of an old video, but do you happen to know how hard, if possible at all, it would be te replace the various switches with aftermarket ones?
Great tutorial, ty so much! I've been using the trackman marble for years and I really need a mouse wheel. Question, can you use 2.5 mm stainless steel bearings instead?
do not change your bearings, you will ruin your mouse. the engineers at elcom used ruby for a reason, i did it 6 months ago, my mouse is ruined, this guy doesnt know what hes talking about!!
Lower grade number indicates better ball not only in diameter variance(not a factor here). But also roughness so the lower the grade number the better not a huge difference between 5 and 10 for sliding but try to stay low
So a g5 is better than a g10?
@@GOTHEAT0 Technically yes. However keep in mind that there's no guarantee that the G5 bearing you ordered is 'actually' a G5 quality, especially if you buy from overseas like China.
Nice teardown and mod. Might have to try this one day when I have time very cool
For sure- thanks for the comment! Let me know how it goes! :)
Very good of you, and really feels like when I performed this mouse surgery... humorously so. But the "youtube magic" isn't available in r/t unfortunately. ;-) Thanks again for this.