I bought a new CST trackball (L-TracX 2545-5XW-RC). It's a very nice device but it had one extremely annoying flaw: the scroll wheel was very stiff at a certain point. So stiff in fact that my finger would slide off the wheel. Luckily, it only needs three screws to open the track ball. There were two obvious issues:

1) The rubber wheels that transmit the rotation of the scroll wheel to the optical shutter wheel were not sitting straight on their axle. Easily fixed by pushing them into their correct positions.
2) The optical shutter wheel itself had a large sprue mark that was rubbing against some internal parts in certain positions of the rotation. This actually caused the scroll wheel's stiffness. Fixed with a carpet knife.

Now my track ball is working like it should be. While these were easy fixes it's a bit of a dent in the reputation of CST. Possibly not so clearly superior?

It seems that I'm not the only one with scroll wheel problems: http://geekhack.org/showthread.php?2835 ... roll-wheel

mine works fine, but this doesn't mean others don't.

ALPS FTW!!!

Also had this problem.

It seems that I'm not the only one with scroll wheel problems: http://geekhack.org/showthread.php?2835 ... roll-wheel

Bwahahaha - WHAT an asshole!

ripster wrote:Hmm.... mine is smooth as butter. Maybe some Finish Line PFTE Lube? You green sponge scraped the roller AND the cylinder?

And don't forget the middle finger EXTENSION exercises. Especially while driving.

Mine got better after about a month. It is now perfect.

I keep meaning to ask Robert Rolling, the CST Marketing manager, for a signed picture.

That dude OWES me for all the CST's I've sold over the years.

I mean, at LEAST I got a free signed beer coaster from The Keyboard Company.


<holds breath looking for DT Reaction to Ripster Lego Pics>

ripster wrote:I keep meaning to ask Robert Rolling, the CST Marketing manager, for a signed picture.

Best name ever for a trackball marketing manager.

Has a hard time going uphill.


<still here so goes for the Lego>

Actually I don't know of a scroll cylinder or wheel that is better despite having to clean it every so often.

And a separate middle button is GENIUS!