Golden Tee Trackball Durability

[Javinator]

Hello all.

I'm right at the beginning of getting into this little hobby and I'm just getting a parts/price list together for my first build. I'll definitely be having a 3" trackball on a modular CP (another post for another time once I get my act together ) which will likely be used for a lot of Golden Tee play.

Obviously I will need to make sure it is well mounted and supported, but I'm more concerned with the trackball itself. I've been looking at a few different model trackballs and was just wondering if anyone has had any durability issues during regular Golden Tee/similar use. If I break the frame of my CP while playing, well that's a construction issue and my fault. If I break the trackball itself though, well that's a whole other issue.

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks

-Javin

[DarthMarino]

I've played Golden Tee pretty religiously with friends for the the past 6 years on an X-arcade trackball and never had any issues. Still works like a charm. A few other games like World Class Bowling and Shuuz often get thrown in as well.

[ABACABB]

+1 for the X-Arcade trackball.  Mine gets a ton of Golden Tee play with no issues so far at all, but I've only had mine for about 2 years.

[Dervacumen]

If you get a Happ 3" trackball and manage to damage it without the use of fire or acetone, let us know.  In other words, you'll never wear it out.  The housing is tank-like.  The rollers will wear down from friction in about, say 30 years or so.  Wait.  If you use this in a home make that 80 years.

[Javinator]

Sounds like I'm pretty safe.

Thanks for the heads up guys. 

-Javin

[paigeoliver]

You will never wear out a new trackball in home use. The one I installed about 8 or 9 years ago still has yet to make a visible wear marks on the rollers. Over time the ball wears down the steel rollers, however this is over lots of time and tens of thousands of games.

[mamenewb100]

You will never wear out a new trackball in home use. The one I installed about 8 or 9 years ago still has yet to make a visible wear marks on the rollers. Over time the ball wears down the steel rollers, however this is over lots of time and tens of thousands of games.

I guess "home use" means not abusing your trackball like allot of idiots on Golden Tee arcade games. Over half of the people in the arcades I've seen use it, SLAM the hell out of the trackball. They don't understand that you can only roll it so fast and hitting it with all your might is not going to hit the ball any further.

I've seen allot of trackballs that were heavily worn and unusable, even on New Golden Tee machines, due to this.

[lilshawn]

3 areas of wear (in order of most likely to least) I've found on all trackballs is:

#1 bearings- the bearings lose their lubrication and start running dry after a while. they then start to get a little play in them as they wear out. I'd estimate 80-90% of the trackballs (both happ and imperial) I rebuild need ALL the bearings replaced.

#2 The ball - chips/dings/dents from peoples rings is the biggest culprit. Dirt is next. Sometimes the chips and dents can be smoothed out. Dirt is easily cleaned. I'll sometimes run the ball through the billiard ball buffer machine (very short cycle - the plastic is soft.) smooth and shiny means it will glide easily. a little wipe with a cloth with some silicone spray lube helps too.

#3 the rollers - The rollers come in a few different varieties. Some work better than others. the best ive found are the smooth flat rollers. others ive seen have a matt section sandblasted where the ball touches to help with traction...all i've seen this do is grind the ball down and leave it with a scratched/flat finish. imperial especially has an actual grove ground into the roller. blegh. Ive seen similar in happs trackball but only really old ones. If the rollers have the sandblasted sections on them the steel seems to wear off to the point where the ball grips the rollers and doesn't roll. I can't tell if it's the rollers or the ball loosing diameter. I usually toss these rollers and replace them with new ones.


 

pro tip for extending ball life....don't slam it. place your hands on either side of the ball towards the front of the ball with your thumbs on the bottom of the ball - push against the ball then using the tension flick your thumbs up over the ball to the front. the ball will spin as fast or faster than you power slamming your hand into the ball.

[ed12]

hi
dido

Posted by: lilshawn
« on: Today at 03:13:02 pm » Insert Quote

3 areas of wear (in order of most likely to least) I've found on all trackballs is:

#1 bearings- the bearings lose their lubrication and start running dry after a while. they then start to get a little play in them as they wear out. I'd estimate 80-90% of the trackballs (both happ and imperial) I rebuild need ALL the bearings replaced.

#2 The ball - chips/dings/dents from peoples rings is the biggest culprit. Dirt is next. Sometimes the chips and dents can be smoothed out. Dirt is easily cleaned. I'll sometimes run the ball through the billiard ball buffer machine (very short cycle - the plastic is soft.) smooth and shiny means it will glide easily. a little wipe with a cloth with some silicone spray lube helps too.

#3 the rollers - The rollers come in a few different varieties. Some work better than others. the best ive found are the smooth flat rollers. others ive seen have a matt section sandblasted where the ball touches to help with traction...all i've seen this do is grind the ball down and leave it with a scratched/flat finish. imperial especially has an actual grove ground into the roller. blegh. Ive seen similar in happs trackball but only really old ones. If the rollers have the sandblasted sections on them the steel seems to wear off to the point where the ball grips the rollers and doesn't roll. I can't tell if it's the rollers or the ball loosing diameter. I usually toss these rollers and replace them with new ones.


 

pro tip for extending ball life....don't slam it. place your hands on either side of the ball towards the front of the ball with your thumbs on the bottom of the ball - push against the ball then using the tension flick your thumbs up over the ball to the front. the ball will spin as fast or faster than you power slamming your hand into the ball.

most roller's and bearing's suck

ed

[mamenewb100]

No.  It means that in a busy arcade, the game will might be played almost non-stop for up to 12hrs at a time.  Then you multiply that by 7 days a week,
and several year spans...  and you get an Hourly figure that no Home user could ever match.

I agree with you on the ball being used allot more at the arcades. However even with the high use and abuse, it should last at LEAST a year or two. I've witnessed almost brand new Golden Tees ruined from people acting like the trackball was used to measure your punching power. The issue is I've seen many people actually slam DOWN on the ball, as opposed to just grasing the top of it. Hitting straight down on the ball is actually going to if anything, weaken your shot because your energy is just being absorbed by the ball and not being used to roll forward.

You cant really abuse a trackball with hand spin force.   The rollers are high-carbon steel !  And the bearings...  just think about the fact that people rollerblade on similar bearings.   

I agree on the rolling but hitting straight down on the ball can actually damage the housing around the ball.

If you are not putting in your maximum effort into the controller... you may just not be using it as it was intended.   Especially in Trackball games, and most especially in a game like Golden Tee.

We'll have to agree to disagree on this. Trackballs have a limit on how far it can travel. Anything excessive is unnecessary. I'm not saying you have to baby it but you don't need to kill it.

Another prime example, is Spy Hunter.  The wheel has huge 1" diameter rubber bumpers on the assembly.  Its made to be Slammed hard, and not do any damages at all.   In order to knock the other cars off the road... you need to slam into them.   If your bump is not fast / strong enough... it will not be enough to move them much... and possibly, their bump will overpower yours... making you fly off instead.    The best way is to slam the wheel as fast and hard as possible, which guarantees success.  That was its intended, and designed use.

This is a game that is designed for the trackball to be used roughly. As you even stated that it has rubber bumpers to prevent damage. Golden Tee trackball is only made for a casual sweep of the hand.

I apologize for calling people idiots for slamming trackballs. It just pissed me off when there were local bars that had Golden Tee and by a year of use, I couldn't use the machine. I'm sure the owners of the place, probably wouldn't be too happy about it either. It's expected that not everyone is going to daisy it but no need to be wreckless.

[paigeoliver]

It can be really hard to tell a 6 month old Golden Tee machine from a 6 year old one with the most recent kit on them. I have seen the identical white side cabs lined up at auction with everything from 03 to Fore Complete in them.

People can be a jerk and break the trackball, but it is hard to do and doesn't happen that often. I have seen many dozens of worn out trackballs, but I have never seen one that was physically broken.

The Golden Tee/Happ/Atari 3" trackball is designed to take plenty of abuse. They have way stronger casing than the competing Wico trackballs.

If the trackball is busted on a machine out on location, get the number of the place operating it (game will usually have a sticker on it somewhere, and the games usually aren't owned by the bar that they are in). Call the operator, tell him you used to play his Golden Tee machine all the time, but now the trackball is busted.

[lilshawn]

yeah it's called planned obsolescence.

take a look at the documentary "the light bulb conspiracy" AKA "pyramids of waste"



I apologize in advance for stealing the next 60 minutes of your time.

[Javinator]

Thanks for the tips and info guys. My main concern is for physical damage to the trackball and its components. Sounds like I'll be safe with regular use and as long as people aren't being too drunk and ridiculous too regularly I should be fine  .

Right now I'm planning on using a UTrak just for ease of installation (and because I went through the trouble of modelling one in SketchUp  ). If anyone knows of any specific issues there, please feel free to let me know.

Thanks,

-Javin

[paigeoliver]

So after all your concern about wear on the trackballs you pick a model that is less heavy duty than the ones used in late model Golden Tee machines.

I haven't personally used that model, but the base appears to tie it to the less durable Wico family of trackballs and not the more durable Happ/Atari family.

[Javinator]

So after all your concern about wear on the trackballs you pick a model that is less heavy duty than the ones used in late model Golden Tee machines.

I haven't personally used that model, but the base appears to tie it to the less durable Wico family of trackballs and not the more durable Happ/Atari family.

My lack of knowledge about trackballs is the whole reason for the topic... While I saw what you said above:

The Golden Tee/Happ/Atari 3" trackball is designed to take plenty of abuse. They have way stronger casing than the competing Wico trackballs.

I also read what you wrote previous to that:

You will never wear out a new trackball in home use. The one I installed about 8 or 9 years ago still has yet to make a visible wear marks on the rollers. Over time the ball wears down the steel rollers, however this is over lots of time and tens of thousands of games.

So what I'm hearing is that, while Happ/GT/Atari trackballs are capable of taking the most abuse, I would have a tough time breaking a commercially available trackball from casual home use. I figured, based on this, I would be safe with a UTrak.

My own fault for not being clear I guess. Thanks for the information.

[paigeoliver]

Oh, I totally don't think you are ever going to wear out ANY commercial trackball, just thought it was funny you went with a lighter duty one when wear was your initial concern.

[Javinator]

I guess I just like living on the edge  .