How to Remove and Clean a Blackberry Trackball
This is a how to guide on removing and cleaning the trackball on all models of Blackberries with them.
Sometimes the trackballs get stuck from pressing too hard and putting it slightly out of alignment, or grime. The first thing to try is to put slight pressure on the silver ring around the trackball and make sure it is seated properly as they sometimes pop out of the joint. You can put pressure on it with your fingernail or use a small screwdriver, and apply gentle pressure on the North, South, East, and West area of the silver ring. Then try rolling the ball around back and forth to get it centered. If that doesn't fix the problem then you might try cleaning. It sounds difficult but it isn't.
To Clean:
1. Using either your fingernail or tiny glasses repair screwdriver pry off the trackball faux chrome plastic cover. Do this gently and very carefully, it's lightweight plastic so you don't want to break it.
2. Under the silver cover you will see the white plastic housing the ball sits in, this is the trackball assembly. Look for lint and other grime around the outer edge of your trackball assembly. Also write down how everything looks to help you remember when you put it back together.
3. Carefully pry up the small metallic retaining clip that sits over, and holds the trackball assembly in place. Be very careful with this ring, it's very small and you wouldn't want to lose it. Also, this clip bends pretty easily, make sure you don't bend or distort the piece.
4. Remove the trackball assembly. If you use a magnetic tip screwdriver you can place the tip on the assembly and it will attract the magnetic rollers.
5. Put the trackball assembly in a safe place while you work. Note the metal tab appears to be pointing down, this is the side that should be towards the keypad, or lower half of the blackberry when putting it back together.
6. Get some alcohol and a Q-tip. You can also use canned air if you have it. Use the air on the phone and then swab the internals with your Q-tip. You should have a small amount of alcohol on the Q-tip, do not soak it! Then hit the internals with the canned air one more time to get rid anything that was dislodged by the swabbing, and dry any residual alcohol. Also swab the trackball assembly itself, and hit it with the air to dry.
7. Reassemble the trackball unit. Place the assembly in with the two side tabs on the left and right, put the bottom of the assembly with the tab pointing down. Then place the small metal retaining clip into place with the tabs to the top and bottom. Gently press this into place with your screwdriver tip and you will feel it click.
8. Final step. Place the faux chrome plastic trackball housing over the assembly with the tabs facing left, right, and down. Gently press this into place with your thumbnail. It is best to put the bottom tab into place first and then press. On trial and error I do not recommend using the screwdriver to push this into place as you may scratch the plastic.
If you need a new trackball check out the selection below from ebay. I hope this guide was able to help you.
 Purple Trackball Replacement for Blackberry Pearl 8130  US $7.49 |  Purple Trackball Replacement for Blackberry Pearl 8120 US $7.49 |  Trackball Replacement Part for Blackberry Pearl 8130 US $7.49 |
 Purple Trackball Replacement for Blackberry Curve 8300 US $7.49 |  Trackball Replacement Part for Blackberry Curve 8330 US $7.49 |  Trackball Replacement Part for Blackberry Curve 8310 US $7.49 |
Clean or Replace Trackball on Blackberry Flip 8220 or 8230
Is the trackball on Blackberry flip damaged? Your 8220 trackball not working right and you have done the q-tip and alcohol clean with no results? This how to guide will show you how to take apart the blackberry flip to access the trackball. It is not as simple as the other blackberries with trackballs but it is still fairly easy to do.
If you need to buy a new trackball, check out the ones available on eBay. They have the lowest prices around. Check out some of the ones available below and then scroll down to see the trackball replacement guide.
 Trackball Replacement Part for Blackberry Flip 8220 US $7.49 |  Pink Trackball Replacement for Blackberry Flip 8220 US $7.49 |  Purple Trackball Replacement for Blackberry Flip 8220 US $7.49 |
Tools needed:
T5 Torx Driver and plastic pry tool. I prefer plastic guitar pics but even a credit card will work.
- Power down The Blackberry Flip
- Remove battery door and battery
- Remove 4 visible screws using T5 torx driver. 2 of these screws may be covered in white paper. I assume this is for tampering verification.
- Pry out two plugs near top of phone to reveal two more T5 screws
- Remove two T5 torx screws
- Gently pry along the antenna cover to loosen
- Remove antenna Cover
- Gently pry along the top cover to loosen.
- Remove top cover and keypad by lifting from the bottom towards the track ball
- Gently pry lock key near bottom of main board loose and gently lift bottom of board up
- Gently pry lock key near headphone jack back and lift up main board
- pry case near data jack and head phone jack out to give clearance to the jacks to slide out
- Lift main board up from bottom of phone towards the LCD screen. Be careful as the flex cable connector for the LCD screen is connected on the bottom.
- Pry the flex cable up and off the main board
- Lift the main board up and out and set to the side
- If the trackball retaining clip is connected to main board, release lock key to remove.
- Pry up the trackball connector and remove from main board
- Pry up the two lock keys holding down the track ball retaining clip
- Remove track ball assembly.
- Before putting the trackball assembly back together, clean the track ball pad with q-tip and alcohol. See the before and after pictures below. Yes, I did remove the trackball incorrectly in these pics.
- Install the trackball back into the retaining clip and install and clip down to trackball assembly board.
- Install the trackball connector back on to the main board
- engage locking clip on trackball board to main board
- Install Flex cable connector back onto main board by lining up and pressing down
- Gently lay main board back down into lower housing
- pry housing out near head phone jack to slide jacks into place
- push down main board near head phone jack to make sure locking key is engaged
- push down the main board near the lower part of the phone where the microphone is connected to engage lock pin
- Make sure all of the side button pads are installed properly.
- Slide the outer buttons down over the side button pads
- Install top cover and keypad back into the phone. Tilt up towards the trackball to properly engage the housing
- Gently push down around the outer edge of the top cover to engage locking clips
- Make sure of the outer buttons are still in place.
- Flip phone over and install antenna cover back on.
- Install the two T5 torx screws with right caps back into the antenna cover
- Check to make the case is snapped down
- Install the four other T5 torx screws back into the phone
- Install the two screw hole plugs back into place. Notch should face top of phone to make sure a proper fit.
- Install battery and back cover
- Power up phone and make sure it works.
- If you replaced your trackball, it is a good idea to clean it now with Q-tip and alcohol.
If you have any questions or comments, please contact us or leave a comment below.
Disclaimer: Disassembling your Blackberry may void the warranty. Proceed with the following instructions at you own risk. www.blackberry-repair.net is not liable for any damage that may occur. This website is in no way related to or associated with RIM or Blackberry, Inc.
