How to Remove and Clean the Trackball on Your Blackberry

Before you begin to clean your trackball, make sure to have clean hands, because any dust, dirt, or oil present on your hands may render the trackball useless.This process is the same for many different BlackBerry phone models, including the 8100, 8300 and 8800 models. If your phone is under warranty, be careful when disassembling the phone because it may void it.

Quick Solution

According to the official BlackBerry Support Page the quickest and least involved solution is to rapidly roll your trackball from left to right, right to left and up and down. This will often release any debris that is stuck on the trackball and allow your device to work properly again. While BlackBerry doesn't suggest fixing unresolved trackball issues on your own if you're adventurous and you balk at warranty issues you can also try the steps below.

Removing the Trackball

First, use a small Phillips head screw driver—not a knife or anything sharp because you risk damaging the phone; to remove the small plastic ring from around the trackball. Once you have taken the ring off, you should see three small prongs, on the left, the right, and the bottom. Put the ring in a safe place over to the side by simply pulling it off the device.

The trackball is then held in with a magnet, so it shouldn't take much force to get it out. Turn the phone over and let the trackball pop out. If you need to, give it a push, but not too hard.

With the phone off, you should be able to see the LED and clean it with a cotton swab and alcohol. Once this is done, the trackball should no longer stick.

Clean the small rollers on the trackball. If you want to clean the trackball itself, you can, but you must be careful when disassembling these parts. Take the metal ring off the top of the trackball. Two different halves should separate so you can get to the trackball. If the small rollers pop off of the trackball, they will go back on, don't worry.

Try using a little bit of denatured alcohol if you want to clean the actual trackball, simply place the ball in the solution and shake it back and forth for a few seconds (this process doesn't require more than a few shakes). Then clean the ball off using a simple cup of water or by simply running it under a faucet.

For more tips on how to clean your trackball, check out: BlackBerry Troubleshooting Tips.

Once the trackball has been cleaned with the alcohol, and then water solutions, dry it off with a light cloth. Place the rollers back on the trackball, then reattach the metal ring. Place it back into the LED and put the ring back on.

Your trackball is clean! This process can be done as needed to keep the trackball moving smoothly.

References:

http://forums.crackberry.com/f3/how-remove-clean-your-trackball-3243/