# 4 ball **URL:** \ **Category:** Yo-Yo Mods and Maintenance\ **Created:** [July 25, 2010, 11:23pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/4-ball/17111 "2010-07-25T23:23:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![BB1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bbe5ce/32.png) [@BB1](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/BB1)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2010, 11:23pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/4-ball/17111/1 "2010-07-25T23:23:19Z")
i did it pro-feted my 4 ball bearing prototype and it works perfectly dose any one know a bearing maker in orlando ---
**Author:** ![AwEsOmEnEsS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f6c823/32.png) [@AwEsOmEnEsS](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/AwEsOmEnEsS)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2010, 11:30pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/4-ball/17111/2 "2010-07-25T23:30:11Z")
i just want to ask why a four ball? ---
**Author:** ![BB1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bbe5ce/32.png) [@BB1](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/BB1)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2010, 11:31pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/4-ball/17111/3 "2010-07-25T23:31:53Z")
the friction is reduced and it spins way longer ---
**Author:** ![AwEsOmEnEsS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f6c823/32.png) [@AwEsOmEnEsS](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/AwEsOmEnEsS)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2010, 11:42pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/4-ball/17111/4 "2010-07-25T23:42:38Z")
ok… ---
**Author:** ![EvanW](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/evanw/32/564_2.png) [@EvanW](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/EvanW)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2010, 11:51pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/4-ball/17111/5 "2010-07-25T23:51:28Z")
> [@BB1](#): > > the friction is reduced and it spins way longer When do you plan on releasing it? What price? It sounds awesome! ---
**Author:** ![BB1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bbe5ce/32.png) [@BB1](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/BB1)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2010, 12:08am UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/4-ball/17111/6 "2010-07-26T00:08:39Z")
i dont have a final yet i need some one in orlando to mak it ---
**Author:** ![Japhle](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/japhle/32/79807_2.png) [@Japhle](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/Japhle)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2010, 12:12am UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/4-ball/17111/7 "2010-07-26T00:12:52Z")
> [@BB1](#): > > the friction is reduced and it spins way longer Wouldn’t there be more friction in use with a yoyo? except for free flight situations it makes sense to me. only the bottom balls during a normal sleeper would have most of the force, and with only one ball at a time with the force on it most of the time I don’t want to know how it plays with many quick changes in direction. I don’t know much about this type of thing. But that makes sense to me. So just let us know how it goes please. ---
**Author:** ![BB1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bbe5ce/32.png) [@BB1](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/BB1)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2010, 12:17am UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/4-ball/17111/8 "2010-07-26T00:17:49Z")
i used it for 2 hours and it never gave me a problem ---
**Author:** ![Apetrunk](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/apetrunk/32/148_2.png) [@Apetrunk](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/Apetrunk)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2010, 1:35am UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/4-ball/17111/9 "2010-07-26T01:35:43Z")
> [@BB1](#): > > i used it for 2 hours and it never gave me a problem So then it’s like…every other bearing out there? I would suggest talking to some of the yoyo companies and seeing if they make their own bearings or just buy them. Also, you might try to get a few made, then talk to a few players, well known or not, to have them try this 4-ball out. Just a suggestion. ---
**Author:** ![Yummy](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/yummy/32/14065_2.png) [@Yummy](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/Yummy)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2010, 1:57am UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/4-ball/17111/10 "2010-07-26T01:57:56Z")
It isn’t terribly difficult to take a bearing apart, remove a couple of balls, and return to normal operation. With that being said, I don’t suggest doing it. Fewer balls will lower friction, but in a negligible amount. Lowering the number of balls will, however, decrease the amount of load a bearing can safely handle (possibly to a critically low number). It can also lower how concentrically the bearing will roll, possibly affecting the smoothness of the yo-yo. ---
**Author:** ![mikelz777](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3da27b/32.png) [@mikelz777](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/mikelz777)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2010, 4:42am UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/4-ball/17111/11 "2010-07-26T04:42:27Z")
I’d ask myself, “Why, in the history and engineering of bearings, don’t we see a 4-ball bearing today? Certainly there would be great interest in a bearing that had less friction so that idea had to come up at some point in time. Why don’t we see them?” Just food for thought. ---
**Author:** ![anonyo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8baadc/32.png) [@anonyo](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/anonyo)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2010, 2:05pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/4-ball/17111/12 "2010-07-26T14:05:33Z")
> [@mikelz777](#): > > I’d ask myself, “Why, in the history and engineering of bearings, don’t we see a 4-ball bearing today? Certainly there would be great interest in a bearing that had less friction so that idea had to come up at some point in time. Why don’t we see them?” Just food for thought. That is good food too. I was thinking that till I got to your post. When I read it I thought, Now I can only quote it. lol ---
**Author:** ![fjh123](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/fjh123/32/325_2.png) [@fjh123](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/fjh123)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2010, 4:07pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/4-ball/17111/13 "2010-07-26T16:07:08Z")
Most bearing manufacturing companies are in China a few in the UK. Bearing companies in Florida are retailers. No yoyo company makes there own bearings that I know of. Bearing manufacturing is a serious endeavor. The facilities are hugh and they put out up to 1,500,000 a day. Less balls do give less friction and they are generally larger for fewer turns around the bearing. Kind like a big bike vs. a little bike. I would think about 5 balls to take it out of square. Good luck on your project. Let me know when you have it figured out. Check out this: [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eGyoMuE4gDQ](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eGyoMuE4gDQ) Making the yoyo is the easy part. ---
**Author:** ![UnstoppableWalnut](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/unstoppablewalnut/32/512_2.png) [@UnstoppableWalnut](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/UnstoppableWalnut)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2010, 1:08am UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/4-ball/17111/14 "2010-07-27T01:08:37Z")
You’ll need a minimum order of at least 1000 pcs if you find a manufacturer that’ll do it. They’ll probably tell you it’ll suck though. ---
**Author:** ![BB1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bbe5ce/32.png) [@BB1](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/BB1)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2010, 1:31am UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/4-ball/17111/15 "2010-07-27T01:31:14Z")
it dosnt im ordering some limit 50 ill sell them ---
**Author:** ![Japhle](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/japhle/32/79807_2.png) [@Japhle](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/Japhle)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2010, 2:21am UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/4-ball/17111/16 "2010-07-27T02:21:44Z")
[shadow=red,left]Good luck[/shadow][shadow=red,left].[/shadow] 🙂 Though I think I’m gonna stick with my 10 ball bearings for now. ---
**Author:** ![crazyoyow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/85f322/32.png) [@crazyoyow](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/crazyoyow)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2010, 3:49am UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/4-ball/17111/17 "2010-07-28T03:49:59Z")
This sound like a pretty good idea. I was just thinking about it a month ago, but being me, I was too lazy to try it. ---
**Author:** ![kyo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/df705f/32.png) [@kyo](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/kyo)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2010, 2:30pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/4-ball/17111/18 "2010-07-28T14:30:05Z")
The idea behind this is a load of…well… stuff. 4-balls won’t reduce friction or increase performance… it’ll decrease the maximum load, that’s about it. I won’t even go into why it makes no sense… I’ll just say that until you have -scientific- proof and testing to show that you have an increase in performance, quit claiming you do. There are only a handful of bearing manufacturers in the US… you’ll need to pay a rather hefty price per bearing for a custom build, and you must order typically 3,000 bearings -minimum-. Do you have a spare $10,000 laying around? If so, go for it. Kyle ---
**Author:** ![yoyoz1](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/yoyoz1/32/388_2.png) [@yoyoz1](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/yoyoz1)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2010, 5:38pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/4-ball/17111/19 "2010-07-28T17:38:13Z")
If your saying that the number of ball doesnt matter why dont all yoyo companies use 8 ball. ---
**Author:** ![UnstoppableWalnut](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/unstoppablewalnut/32/512_2.png) [@UnstoppableWalnut](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/UnstoppableWalnut)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2010, 6:23pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/4-ball/17111/20 "2010-07-28T18:23:52Z")
4 balls will reduce running torque. Lower total centrifugal load. So it will spin more freely on a flick. Bearing rigidity is reduced, stiffness reduced. Running accuracy will be reduced, load on each rolling element increases (more stress) since the load isn’t spread amongst more balls, which increases bearing stiffness and friction… [Next page](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/4-ball/17111.md?page=2)