Lately I’ve been trying out different bearing types, and really have been enjoying throwing with a Twisted Trifecta installed. Like previous posts, I find these work really well in slightly smaller yoyos and for quite some time made me really happy. Recently however I’ve been trying out different and perhaps more advanced tricks including things like Grandma Kimmitt Sandwich, in which the beginning section involves maneuvering the yoyo around a little with multiple string wraps. Attempting this with the Trifecta bearing seems difficult because the multiple string wrap slides against the response and greatly reduces the yoyo spin. However, going back to a ten ball makes this trick far easier to achieve, with more elongated spin times. This shift in bearings seems to make sense to me because in the Trifecta the first loop cannot move away from the center and so the other wrap must lie to one side close to the response, whereas using a flat bearing both string loops can move and the gap can more easily accommodate the larger amount of string side by side. I’m interested in whether this is really true, and how much my most certainly poor technique is having on my results. Is there anything that anyone can suggest that I try to work out how best to have multiple string wraps with the Trifecta? Does anyone else share this experience?
Thanks in advance…
This is EXACTLY why we developed Center Trac bearings. Strings NEED to slide for many tricks. Fixing it in place shows a lack of understanding on how tricks are performed. The flat in a Center Trac allows the slide, the taper on the edge, gives you the benefit of keeping the string OFF the response when you don’t want it there.
Thanks very much - perhaps this was obvious to everyone but me, (I wouldn’t be suprised). I will still definitely throw with the Trifecta bearing, because I do think they’re great, but I’ll also make sure I have have some throws with flatter bearings, and I will definitely try the centre trac. Has anyone happened to have found a convenient way of getting around this with a TT bearing? Can I perhaps greatly reduce the string tension or something to try and force the string to slide out of the centre groove - or maybe just try harder to make the multiple loops more neat somehow?
I would think issues like this would vary based on the yoyo used. An extensive gap width may not have as many problems like this with a Trifecta I would think.
If only the center tracs weren’t so loud…
or vibey…
Yours is vibey? Mine isn’t.
If only they all weren’t pieces of crap.
I have had 3 and all induced vibe on throws.
All of my center-tracs have burned-out rather quickly (1-2 months) compared to 10-bals I have that are over a year old.
The induced vibe statement is interesting to me. I have seen it, but it usually reflects on the yoyo, not the bearing. Ive seen the opposite too where a Center Trac has taken a yoyo with Vibe, and made it smooth. But as always, I have seen half a dozen definitions of VIBE. None of them wrong but all talking about something different.
Interesting that many manufacturers CHOOSE to use CenterTracs, many players CHOOSE to use them. So blanket statements like ‘they are pieces of crap’ not shared by a number of respected manufacturers and players.
I agree. I’ve seen so much gear in so many industries. I’ve seen a whole run of DSU/CSU’s get recalled due to a defective series of components, and not to defend this product, but it’s my favorite DSU/CSU product(it also retails over $5K) and I’ve sold and installed THOUSANDS of them, many of which have been in place for over 20 years and still chugging. I’ve seen bad speakers, bad consoles, bad console elements, bad mics, bad transmitters… whatever, you name it, even if it’s something I swear by, I’ve seen bad ones.
Quality control issues happen. Bearings are cheap. I’ve also received bad bearings, either In the yoyo pre-installed at the factory, to stuff received via BST, and even bearings sold to be via BST. Anyone can end up with a dud bearing. And not to slam YYF, but I’ve gotten quite a few bad YYF SPEC bearings. But, you know what I did? I popped a different bearing in it and kept going. Are the YYF Spec bearings crap? Nope, I have way more good ones than bad ones, I just think I got unlucky too many times.
I’ve also heard of people having issues with One Drop 10 Ball bearings. Again, stuff happens. I have plenty of OD 10 Ball bearings ready to be used, and they’ve all checked out fine.
I think nearly all the major bearing offerings are good or else they wouldn’t be offered via placed like YYE. I also don’t think companies like Turning Point(CenterTrac came stock in my Positron) would use them either. YYF popped one in several of my YYF yoyos and they are all working great. I think this is the stock bearing in CLYW now as well.
I’m also planning to get more CBC Centertrac bearings soon, in both A and C sizes.
Anyone can get a bad bearing. It happens.
I like the center trac shape, i just might have gotten a few bad ones. not bashing YYf because I like your products, just like your spec bearings better.
I have had like 8 or so centertracks, they all worked just like any other bearing I have ever had, they all came bone dry from what I could tell, and needed me to lube them not long after I got them, but that was it. I think if you look around people who run dry or almost totaly dry bearings have to maintain them much more offten then those who lube, and play them out too unreponsive.
Also to get back on topic for the first poster, yes you will likly grow out of the giving a crap about your bearings phase. Sounds like you are starting to reach that point. Nearly everyone in the yoyo comunity does at some point, or they quit before it happens.
Terrapin X Wing Cut bearings bearings come in all popular sizes in steel and S/C ceramic.
They center the string layer that carries the most weight and do not restrict the gap size.
All TX bearings are ABEC rated so there is no variation in quality.
A 3 time world champ has 5 of them and they last for years or they will be replaced.
DryPlay is standard, no liquid lube no drag. The S/C’s never need further lube.
Yeah for me, there’s no doubt or dispute–Terrapin X bearings are the best, period. Especially if you can spend a bit more and get the ceramic version, you’re in for a win. Other bearings are good, these are great.
I really like dif-e-yo Koncaves super consistent and last forever, i have had the same kk in my genesis since i got it back in '09 still plays like a charm
I just wanted to say thank you at this stage for all the responses. Honestly didn’t think things would be so contentious, but I’ve learned an awful lot, but also that as with all things yoyo, personal preference holds the key. I hadn’t considered the Terrapin bearing, and I’ll definitely go check them out. I’d tried a few dif-e-yo konkave bearings a while back, and I did enjoy them, but then got caught up in other shapes and so on, so I’ll also go back and try those out again. I might also try some of the Terrapin Dry-spin lube or whatever, and I have a few other substances I want to try as bearing lube. Still waiting on the center track and i’ll give that a punt too. One thing I will do is update this thread with a ‘newbie’s’ view after having tried a few more of these out. One thing I do know, (I work in a lab in which I use an extraordinary amount of pretty high tech kit), is that there are always batches of things that don’t turn out correctly. If only I had the funds I guess I’d try and buy ten of each of these things to give them a fair trial… ah well one at a time will have to do 
Just as a slight aside, I tried some pretty expensive electronics lubricant the other day in a regular bearing and it worked like an absolute dream. It doesn’t last too long because it has a reasonable vapor pressure and a really low viscosity, but boy did it make the bearing quiet and seemed to allow it to spin forever. Once I remember the brand name I’ll post it…