I’m fairly sure this is the right section for this, sorry if it isn’t. I’ve been throwing my YYF Northstar for about almost a month now, and I absolutely love it, except the bearing keeps going responsive every week or so. I clean it up with mineral spirits (10 min submersion) then put a drop of valve oil in and the problem’s solved until a week later and the same thing happens. Is this normal for a Center-Trac? I don’t really have a problem cleaning it regularly but if it’s messed up I’ll buy a new one (possibly a KonKave).
I should probably clarify this a bit. It doesn’t get completely responsive, but sometimes it will snap back with very large amounts of slack (a ninja vanish for example).
Sounds normal, might be part of the break in process. But is the bearing feeling crunchy or getting loud at time? Center Tracs aren’t the best of quality.
You probably need more than to submerge it. If there is grit in there, you will need to shake vigorously in the mineral spirits and ideally blow the whole thing out with an air compressor.
If there is gentle galling in there somewhere, the fresh lube might be getting you “through” it until the lube is fully broken down, at which time it goes responsive again.
Try the vigorous, thorough clean (not just a soak), make sure it’s dry of mineral spirits and spun out before re-lubing.
Also important: are you sure it’s the bearing? Try a different known good bearing. If the same thing happens, it wasn’t your bearing. 
If it’s not, could be other factors:
Check and clean the bearing seat. Check that your response isn’t disintegrating (which will eventually leave particles in the bearing that need to be cleaned out… like… once a week!). Do you use particularly soft and fuzzy strings? Maybe some fibres are making their way into the bearing?
The bearing itself isn’t making any weird noises to suggest that there’s a lot of grit in it. I actually think it’s probably the response pads. They’re definitely not disintegrating but I have noticed some fibres getting on them but didn’t really pay much notice. Could that cause the problem? I’ll try just blowing the whole bearing seat area with an air compressor.
Could be the response.
For cleaning the bearing seat, just get a Que-Tip dip it in rubbing alcohol and rub the bearing seat. If you grt any on the response it will fall out during the next few minutes-hours of play.
Wait, the NS has spacers, are they in all the way? You can clean them in mineral spirits like a bearing if you want.
Blow the bearing with compressed air. Not the bearing seat. (Will not hurt it)
Change the pads. Try the red ones for example.
Dude. Are you going to turn out to be Sauron? Because you’re performing some serious necromancy.
I never use Center Tracs. I don’t like them.
I’ve never been bothered by a bearing. Flat, Center Trac, KonKave, Grooved, it’s really all the same to me to be honest. This problem was just a matter of cleaning the bearing right for me.
I stay away from CBC as much as possible, but I liked the Spec X 10 ball.
The first 10 ball bearing that doesn’t need broken in?