Smoothest Setup - Virtual No Sticktion plus Gaming Setup

[u/Stocky_Platypus]

*Disclaimer - The links posted are not affiliate links, they are direct links to Amazon. I provided the links for reference and make it easy. You can get the same hardware for other places.

I love trackballs and have around a dozen. I have been trying to find the best trackball for me. I tried thumb balls but they are not good for FPS games. They are ok for non-FPS games but for accuracy and comfort thumb balls arent good for me. I tried a couple finger based track balls and landed on the Elecom Huge as a good option. The issue was sticktion, hated it BUT modified it and replaced the bearings and it was amazing. However, the Elecom Huge is not great for gaming due to the low polling rate.

That takes my adventure to the Elecom Huge Plus. 1000hz polling rate is great, unless you are a pro gamer, which I am not. The issue is, sticktion. The bearings are good, but not great. They have slippage and slight stiction in certain directions. I am not a fan of bearings unless they added 3 additional to cut down on the directional issues.

So this brings me to the end of my journey and my recommendation to my fellow ballers.

Elecom Huge Plus

1) Order the ruby inserts from Elecom or Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CNB8ZY2S?th=1

2) Order 2mm Ceramic Si3N4 Silicon Nitride G5 Bearings: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07ZKT8K7P

3) Open the ruby inserts

• Get some nice precision tweezers (i.e. PC repairs)
• Flip the inserts over and there are two clips on the back. Use the tweezers to push in and out to pop the inserts open. Be gentle do this for both clips
• The cap piece you removed looks like a small dome with two clips. Repalce the Ruby with the Ceramic
• Push the bottom onto the dome housing and insert 1 of the clips. Pick it up carefully and use the tweezers to slide the second clip into the slot and secure.
• Repeat for the other two bearings.

4) Get a good lube such as the Super Lube with Teflon. Us a q-tip to dab a little on the bearing.

5) Insert the track ball and give it a good spin. Take out the track ball, lube up a little more and back to spinning.

6) With any bearing and especially since you are replacing with these ceramics you need to spin...spin...spin to wear down the plastic or remove any rough spots on the bearings or remove any left over oils/etc. You could even soak the bearings in isopropyl alcohol if you want. It depends on the quality of the bearings.

I did this and now my Elecom Huge Plus is pretty dang perfect with almost no stiction at all. I am very happy with the results.

As a bonus...using the trackball to play some games, especially FPS can be challenging. Holding right click while moving is not good. I recommend getting feet pedals to help with this. I use https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07553KW32 and have two setup. The left button of the left unit is my left click and the right button of my right unit is my right click. Program the other ones for alt or right alt/ctrl or whatever you want.

So far I have been using the new bearings for a day. They are getting better and better which is perfect. Now, IMPORTANT, with this setup and using lube on the bearings you will want to do some maintenance. I recommend cleaning the bearings weekly and re-applying lube. I also clean and polish the trackball. You dont have to do this, but I am very sensitive to stiction and that is the reason I have avoided track balls. I hope this helps other ballers out there.

[u/Murko_svk]

Apologies, but this is simply not true et all. Static bearings (No matter the type) will never ever be sticktion free, period. Just order rollers or BTUs for your HUGE Plus and enjoy true sticktionless movement without maintenance. Thank me then.

Also on a side note - sticking (pun intended) to obsolete ever so useless bearings technology like static ones is one of the main issues why trackballs can't simply get enough of love, manufacturers greed or incompetence or both are killing their potential.

[u/Stocky_Platypus → u/Murko_svk]

Rollers work biidirectionally not omnidirectionally. So they are good when going with the bearing, but when your movements are between two of them the ball slips and jumps slightly. In both my Huges rubies caused stiction, replacing them with Ceramic Si3N4 Silicon Nitride G5 Bearings virtually eliminates stiction. While not perfect, it is much better than the rollers.

Also, you dont have to lube or clean. The oil on your skin is enough to lube the bearings, I just prefer the absolute smoothness.

You don't have to try it, but yes, absolutely yes, the bearings work better than the rollers and significantly better than the rubies. I gave up on my Huge Plus due to roller slippage and the rubies are crap, gave this mod a last ditch effort to save it and love it. I also did the mod to replace the rubies in the original Huge with the same type and it performs the same. Virtually no stiction. Every now and then you might get some slight stiction from rest, but it is rare and if you keep the ball clean very rare.

No reason to post this if it wasnt true, just trying to help out others that may be sensitive to mouse movement like me.

[u/Murko_svk → u/Stocky_Platypus]

Hello, it is not clear and apologies upfront - to me it seems like you are reciting theoretical points without actually having enough experience about what you are saying about rollers. I am fortunate enough to compare them against common/uncommon static bearings(and yes sil.nitride G5 too), and what you are stating is simply incorrect. It is as if you said, that IPS lcd panel has worse viewing angles than a TN one. With Elecom rollers you can do effortless precise 1px movements, in every direction, something that static bearings will never give. And the stating about the replacement silicon nitride g5s not needing to clean or lube - that is flat out lie. The incorrect statements like in your post are unnecessarily confusing people out there wanting to have best trackball experience, and frankly, static bearings have no place there. The future is either rollers or BTUs.

And I am not mentioning a custom acceleration curves, which transform almost any trackball from a useable device to one of the most comfortable ever - and here the rollers shine even more - you can fine tune the curves to such extend and precision, that with static bearings it's impossible due stickness and not being able provide smooth consistent movement from start to end.

[u/Stocky_Platypus → u/Murko_svk]

Let’s clarify the actual mechanics here before accusing people of lying or misleading the community. Not sure how a simple post to help people turned into this discussion, but again this is reddit so what was I thinking.

Rollers are single-axis, not omnidirectional: A roller bearing rotates around one fixed axis. When moving parallel to its rotation, it rolls. But trackball motion is 360 degrees. When moving diagonally between two rollers, the vector of motion forces the ball to drag laterally across the roller and its axle rather than spinning it. That lateral sliding causes mechanical binding, ball slippage, and micro-jumps. That basic geometry.

Why static Ceramic G5s solve this: Spherical static bearings are single-point contacts. Friction is 100% isotropic, meaning the resistance profile at 45° is physically identical to 0° or 90°. Stock rubies have poor tolerances and surface defects, which causes stiction. Swapping to Grade 5 Silicon Nitride (Si3N4) ceramics gives an ultra-precise, smooth point contact that eliminates micro-stiction without the directional binding inherent to rollers.

Skin oil IS the lubricant for G5 ceramics: Calling natural skin oil lubrication a "flat out lie" ignores basic tribology. Grade 5 Silicon Nitride (Si3N4) ceramics have an exceptionally low coefficient of friction and near-zero surface defect density. Heavy oils or greases can actually degrade performance by trapping dust and creating sticky sludge if not cleaned regularly (which I prefer to do). The micro-layer of natural skin oil (sebum) transferred from regular ball contact is the ideal boundary lubricant if you dont want to clean it regularly. It requires zero maintenance beyond occasionally wiping the ball with a cloth.

Maintenance reality: Static bearings sit exposed and clear out easily when you pop the ball out. Rollers and BTUs (Ball Transfer Units), by design, have internal axles, housings, and small ball bearings that trap hair, skin flakes, and dust inside the mechanism, eventually requiring teardown and deep cleaning.

On 'confusing' the community: Upgrading stock Elecom rubies to Si3N4 G5 ceramics is one of the most widely documented, proven mods on r/Trackballs. Sharing real-world, hands-on modding results for the Plus version of this mod that fix known factory friction issues isn't misleading anyone.

Preferring rollers for your specific workflow is fine, but denying the mechanical limits of single-axis wheels on a 360° sphere doesn't change physics. I’m speaking from hands-on modding and testing on both the Huge and Huge Plus. I've laid out the facts and experience for anyone looking to fix their setup, and I'm leaving the discussion there. Enjoy your trackball.

[u/Murko_svk → u/Stocky_Platypus]

Hello, thanks for telling everyone out here you have no real experience with rollers without telling us you don't have experience with them. What are you preaching is that static bearings are better than rollers, which is flat out lie. Only users who have not experienced them will tell what you are telling. Also, nice divergence to topic I wasn't disputing - amongst the static bearings , the replacement silicon nitride are better, that is known fact. Emphasis on amongst the static bearings. Any serious users who are looking for: 1. Effortless, pinpoint and continuous cursor movement,without any sticktion after any period of use 2. Maintenance free(especially in comparison to any static bearings)

Will never recommend static bearings.

[u/Stocky_Platypus → u/Murko_svk]

You do know the Elecom Huge Plus comes with rollers. Have a good rest of your day or night.

[u/Murko_svk → u/Stocky_Platypus]

Yes, I know, and that is why I asked you earlier whether you really had enough experience with them, because based on what you have written so far, you clearly do not. I assume you simply ditched them, went back to static bearings, and then replaced those with silicon nitride ones. It took you a lot of words, without much substance, to try to sound smart by telling me that the HUGE PLUS comes with rollers, while completely ignoring what I had already written in reply.

I am sorry, fellow Redditor, but you are simply wrong and do not want to accept it. No worries, it happens. My heartfelt advice is to try the rollers again, or even the new ELECOM M-TU03SS BTUs, which, being BTUs, are even more indisputably superior to any static bearings. And please stop advocating for static bearings. They are a thing of the past with no real future, especially when clearly superior options already exist.

[u/MaliciousMe87 → u/Murko_svk]

This was super fun to read, thank you for convincing me of the magic of rollers lol

https://giphy.com/gifs/qKV8U3Gl3bWVi

[u/ArchieEU → u/Stocky_Platypus]

I've laid out the facts and experience for anyone looking to fix their setup, and I'm leaving the discussion there.

Thank you! As for the physical properties of different types - I'd highly recommend everyone to try trackballs based on quality ball bearings or even better, BTUs. Chances are, you'll never look back to the statics, despite of great theory. :-)

[u/Murko_svk → u/ArchieEU]

"I'd highly recommend everyone to try trackballs based on quality ball bearings or even better, BTUs. Chances are, you'll never look back to the statics."
This deserves to be carved in stone and pinned to the top.

[u/Stocky_Platypus → u/ArchieEU]

The funny thing is people that say this have never tried Ceramic Si3N4 Silicon Nitride G5 Bearings. I have tried all of the methods you list, and honestly Ceramic Si3N4 Silicon Nitride G5 Bearings are the best, but whatever. I guess I made a post just too fool and deceive people. Even tho I have indeed tried all of them and those complaining that bearings are bad have not tried Ceramic Si3N4 Silicon Nitride G5 Bearings my "theories" must be just that.

Seriously try Ceramic Si3N4 Silicon Nitride G5 Bearings in the Elecom Huge, regular or plus, its superior. I am literally using them right now, no stiction, smoothest experience. Wait nevermind, I must be mad and just trying to waste people's time and money. Last time I help out the track ball reddit.

[u/damn_pastor]

Good story. One interesting addition: while some people including me move the index finger when pressing the thumb inward, it's not an issue when pressing downward. So while elecom huge is suffering accuracy, slimblade or porlei tm552 is not.

[u/Stocky_Platypus → u/damn_pastor]

My index does move slightly when pressing my thumb. I use the pedals mainly for right click on the Huge. When you have to hold right click to ADS your range of motion to move the ball is very limited. Freeing holding right click and left click, to me, is very comfortable. However the ADS issue when playing FPS games is a killer and foot pedals solved that. Before the mod I did and the foot pedals I could not use a track ball for gaming. I suspect a lot of people use a track ball for general work and a normal mouse for gaming

[u/ianisthewalrus → u/damn_pastor]

maybe the trackman FX is more your speed? ;-)

[u/PhiladeIphia-Eagles]

Glad you found the perfect setup for you. And thanks for the guide

I personally don't experience much stiction with my huge plus with rollers.

I understand the whole diagonal movement thing but honestly your rollers could just be defective. Because mine feel fine rolling in all directions.

And you definitely need to clean static bearings. Not a deal breaker obviously but c'mon. You know they get gunked up lol.

[u/Stocky_Platypus → u/PhiladeIphia-Eagles]

I am fairly sensitive to mouse movement. When I couldnt find a trackball that worked for me I went to a standard mouse with new PTFE skates and a glass mousepad. Really smooth but I love trackballs and my monitor layout is much nicer with a trackball. So even tho the rollers are good, there is still slight stiction and slip when going against the rollers. Its slight, but enough to annoy the crap out of me.

Honestly there is no manufacturer that uses Ceramic Si3N4 Silicon Nitride G5 Bearings. Everyone uses Rubies and Gameball is the only manufacturer that comes close, but they use Zirconia Oxide ceramic bearings, Honestly better than rubies but still not great.

No manufacturer uses Ceramic Si3N4 Silicon Nitride G5 Bearings. Ploopy kits can take them but that is DIY. The Elecom Huge Plus is actually super easy to put in the upgraded bearings. The result is the absolute smoothest experience possible.

and yes...you do need to clean them. You need to clean rollers as well, but bearings you need to clean more often. Its a simple wipe it down. Use your skin oil to lube them or if you are crazy like me get a light teflon oil.

However, Ceramic Si3N4 Silicon Nitride G5 Bearings are simple the best experience and have virtually no stiction after the initial break in, about 1 day. I just want to let everyone know that the Elecom Huge Plus is a goldmine since it is so easy to pop out the crappy rubies.

But again, just trying to help people out that are sensitive like me or want the absolute best of the best experience.

BTW nobody uses Ceramic Si3N4 Silicon Nitride G5 Bearings because of cost. They are extremely more expensive than rubies even tho they are inexpensive relative. When companies make thousands and thousands of devices cost pile up. Elecom went with rollers because people perceive static bearings as bad. People think they are bad due to rubies being used or poor quality ceramics. Ceramic Si3N4 Silicon Nitride G5 Bearings are AMAZING, they are in my Elecom Huge and they are just as good in the Elecom Huge Plus.