Having trouble removing ball top

^^ basically i took apart my Eightarc Fusion to familiarize myself with the setup when my ordered stuff comes in any day. i tried taking the top panel off, but the ball top got in the way as it would. i tried removing the ball top by holding a screwdriver into the screw on the bottom of the shaft and turning the ball top until it loosened. it didn't loosen; instead, the screwdriver kept popping off the screw and it's getting stripped little by little. i put the panels back on and put the stick away because i don't want to strip the screw.

are there any other ways to remove the ball top or am i SOL? i really don't wanna strip the screw on the bottom.

 

Try using a vise grip with the rubber teeth to hold the shaft, and twist the ball off, otherwise use a flathead screwdriver with a bigger head.

 

This is what I had to do the 1st time too.

 

would that necessarily work with the shaft cover in the way?

 

no you have to take it off. Unless you're using the flat head screw driver method. You can't get a grip of the metal shaft unless you get the plastic shaft cover anyway.

 

do i have to cut the shaft cover off? i don't know of any other way to remove it

 

no you have to open the stick. Under your stick you'll see a slot for a screwdriver on your shaft. Just stick something in that slot and twist your ball off.

 

all i have right now is a flathead screwdriver but the ball is on so tight that the screw is slowly being stripped. i might just have to find a bigger flathead screwdriver and try to loosen it. i don't know why the ball was put on so tightly.

 

find a bigger screwdriver

 

On my Madcatz one there's I think a metal horse shoe type thing that's behind the screw which you have to take off at the same time.

You could maybe use a knife instead of a screw driver. *Takes no responsibility for severed fingers* Use a butterknife preferably.

 

the stick has an e-clip underneath the screw, but i don't know how i'm going to take that off without a better flathead screwdriver.

 

What's your one made out of? Rubber?

 

Just buy a flathead screwdriver with a larger blade. I forgot that the only way to release the whole stick, is to take the ball off first, so you can't actually grip the shaft... LOL. If worse comes to worse, just use a vise-grip to hold the bottom of the shaft near the e-clip. Again, I would get the ones with the rubberized teeth, otherwise, use the all metal ones- no body's gonna see that part anyway... if it gets chewed up. Good luck.

 

Just a tip for that strippy screw. You can cut a very tiny piece of green kitchen sponge off, set the sponge in the threw between the blade and the screw. The sponge will bite into the screw and give you the friction you need. I had to use it on my car batter posts lol.

 

even though i still can't get the ball top off with the limited tools i have in my dorm, i bought the Link quick release stick shaft with a new ball top. my only option is removing the entire shaft with the ball top still attached and install the Link when i get it. it's weird how i can almost easily remove the e-clip and thus the entire shaft from the stick instead of loosening the ball top from the shaft.

thanks for all the help.

 

After all these trials, just make sure to post photos of your decked out VF Anime Fusion!

It'll be worth all the trouble and I'm looking forward to seeing it!

 

Just looked it up and an Eightarc Fusion has a sanwa JLF stick, so this vid may help you with taking it apart.

 

thanks but for some reason i was able to easily remove the shaft with the ball still on it rather than just the ball from the shaft.

UPDATE: placed my order for a Link quick release shaft and a Seimitsu 35mm gray bubble ball top. including shipping, that's about $35 at focusattack. yikes, arcade parts are expensive.