All Centipede owners, please answer this question.

Eternaliquid

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When you move your Bug Blaster all the way to the far left or far right of the screen and give the track ball a good roll in the opposite direction, how far across the screen does your bug blaster travel before it stops?
 
Take it apart, clean it really well, replace the rollers if necessary (if they have divots worn in them), i dont think the ball itself makes much difference (unless its not smooth)

Try to reuse the bearings if possible, if not get replacements (unsealed), either way clean all the grease out of them with degreaser, clean with alcohol, and if possible run them as fast as you can with a power tool for as long as you can... Basically break them in, you want themto be as free spinning as possible... When they run well add a little light lube, or just leave them dry
 
Mine goes all the way from one side to the other as well.
I rebuilt my original trackball with the BR stainless steel roller /bearing kit a couple years ago.
 
Yup, all the way.

BTW, you can purchase a $5.00 (shipped!) white 2.25" billiard cue ball off of eBay and save money for that element of the rebuild. ;)

Just make sure it's completely white, and doesn't have the little red circle on it. :D
 
Mine is pretty yellow, but my missile command mini is too white it doesnt look right... Did centipede originally come pure white or off white?
 

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Same problem here...goes all the way to left with a good spin...half way to the right with a good spin...and i did get a new ball and rollers/bearings...ive cleaned the opti's more than once...I dont know what the problem is or how to correct it.
 
I ask because mine really only goes half way. When I got my Centipede the rollers were absolutely destroyed. I ordered new rollers and sealed bearings. It was much improved but not great. Played with those for a couple of years and wanted to oil them. Not an easy task. I took the old bearings and sprayed them with break cleaner and spun them on a drill, several times. I added some 3in1 and still not making it across the screen. I just ordered a new ball and my rollers still look good, so I just need to solve my bearing problem. I want to roll freely across the screen whilst I casually sip a cool beverage.
 
I ask because mine really only goes half way. When I got my Centipede the rollers were absolutely destroyed. I ordered new rollers and sealed bearings. It was much improved but not great. Played with those for a couple of years and wanted to oil them. Not an easy task. I took the old bearings and sprayed them with break cleaner and spun them on a drill, several times. I added some 3in1 and still not making it across the screen. I just ordered a new ball and my rollers still look good, so I just need to solve my bearing problem. I want to roll freely across the screen whilst I casually sip a cool beverage.

Did you pop the seals off the bearings? Or try new bearings? Or try the same treatment on the original bearings if you kept them?

I doubt the encoder rings make any difference unless there is physical contact causing drag
 
Those sealed bearings suck shit, and there's nothing you can do about it. I got some from a few sellers, but they're all the same and all junk. The metal cover doesn't come off, no amount of soaking/spinning/lubricating does a damn thing.

Better off trying to clean up the originals, I think. Get all the gunk out and relube with 3-in-1.

The original ball in Centipede and MC mini is off-white, guessing since pure white would get grubby on location. I don't like the look at all, I put a red translucent one on Missile Command and a solid lime green one on Centipede. Snow white also looks good on a 'pede.
 
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