centipede trackball rollers?????????

pacalman

New member
Joined
Dec 12, 2009
Messages
352
Reaction score
0
Location
Michigan
should they look like this with a big groove in them or are they just worn out? they are out of a centipede table. i know it's dirty as hell.........
 

Attachments

  • Picture 1172.jpg
    Picture 1172.jpg
    45.2 KB · Views: 48
  • Picture 1171.jpg
    Picture 1171.jpg
    94.8 KB · Views: 43
How does it feel when you play the game?

I'd get Bob Robert's rebuild kit - it will make the game play like new. Amazing difference. Get a new trackball while you are at it.
 
Those grooves aren't horrible, but if you get a new re-build get with bearings, and a new ball it will be big change. I just re-built the one on my liberator with groves a bit deeper than yours. It's got a nice spin to it now. Very smooth.
 
Ive been wondering that myself. Were they made with those grooves in them or have they seriously been played that much?
 
As mentioned, the rollers leave the factory with no grooves.

When on location in an arcade, these machines were played by thousands of sweaty palmed teenagers. Sweat is essentially a combination of warm water and salts, which can contribute to rusting/softening of metal. I figure the combination of the mechanical action of the ball (which isn't that soft) and the fresh supply of sweat breaks down the roller over time.

It's still quite amazing to see how much of a groove the rollers get though.. I'm betting the ball itself gets worn down too, but you can't see it so much because the wear is uniform.
 
I think the Atari manuals suggest replacing the rollers when the width of the 'wear groove' reaches a certain point.

I just looked at the Centipede, Missile Command and Crystal Castles manuals and did not see the note I mentioned, so maybe I am just imagining it...

k
 
Atari reckons 3/4" wear (width) is acceptable before needing a replacement set of rollers. It is mentioned in a few manuals, but by no means all - was looking into roller wear last week - found a reference in the Shuuz manual.

My Missile Command rollers are in a terrible state - I'll post some before / after pics if the replacement rollers ever arrive - I've been waiting some time on them ...
 
From who did you get your new rollers from, and how much? The last time I emailed Bob Roberts, he said he has discontinued the 2 1/4" rollers (except Atari). I have 3-4 games w/2 1/4" track balls that could use new rollers. I found a guy on Feebay that sells the bearing for about $2 each(last ordered 6 months ago).
Aaron
 
Back
Top Bottom