# Ceramic Bearing Problem

**URL:** <https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/ceramic-bearing-problem/34124>\
**Category:** Yo-Yo Mods and Maintenance\
**Created:** [January 22, 2012, 7:06pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/ceramic-bearing-problem/34124 "2012-01-22T19:06:15Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 14\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![YoYoFactoryFreak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/a88e4f/32.png) [@YoYoFactoryFreak](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/YoYoFactoryFreak)\
**Post date:** [February 4, 2012, 11:20pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/ceramic-bearing-problem/34124/21 "2012-02-04T23:20:58Z")

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After I cleaned it its acts like theres a bunch of grease in it. Darn.

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**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:** [February 5, 2012, 3:41am UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/ceramic-bearing-problem/34124/22 "2012-02-05T03:41:03Z")

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> [@YoYoFactoryFreak](#):
>
> After I cleaned it its acts like theres a bunch of grease in it. Darn.

Perhaps there is. They come with oil in them.  
As I told you, I’ll fix it or…

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**Author:** ![sniffy](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/sniffy/32/729_2.png) [@sniffy](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/sniffy)\
**Post date:** [February 5, 2012, 7:47am UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/ceramic-bearing-problem/34124/23 "2012-02-05T07:47:07Z")

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> [@fjh123](#):
>
> > [@YoYoFactoryFreak](#):
> >
> > After I cleaned it its acts like theres a bunch of grease in it. Darn.
> 
> Perhaps there is. They come with oil in them.  
> As I told you, I’ll fix it or…

Hey. A while back you sent me some powders but no instructions. I wanted to do a segment on it. Tried to email you a few times. Can you tell me how to use the materials you sent?

Thanks.  
p

[Sniffy-Yo.com](http://Sniffy-Yo.com)  
@Sniffyo on twitter

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**Author:** ![YoYoFactoryFreak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/a88e4f/32.png) [@YoYoFactoryFreak](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/YoYoFactoryFreak)\
**Post date:** [February 6, 2012, 2:35am UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/ceramic-bearing-problem/34124/24 "2012-02-06T02:35:37Z")

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> [@YoYoFactoryFreak](#):
>
> After I cleaned it its acts like theres a bunch of grease in it. Darn.

any help?

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**Author:** ![anonyo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8baadc/32.png) [@anonyo](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/anonyo)\
**Post date:** [February 6, 2012, 4:27am UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/ceramic-bearing-problem/34124/25 "2012-02-06T04:27:44Z")

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> [@YoYoFactoryFreak](#):
>
> > [@YoYoFactoryFreak](#):
> >
> > After I cleaned it its acts like theres a bunch of grease in it. Darn.
> 
> any help?

You got an offer from one of the best bearing guys out there to either inspect or maybe even fix your bearing problem. I’d take him up on his generous offer and send him a PM. John’s a way cool guy and I really like his bearings.

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**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:** [February 7, 2012, 4:15pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/ceramic-bearing-problem/34124/26 "2012-02-07T16:15:39Z")

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OK he is sending me the KK to check out.  
Very curious…

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**Author:** ![anonyo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8baadc/32.png) [@anonyo](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/anonyo)\
**Post date:** [February 7, 2012, 4:35pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/ceramic-bearing-problem/34124/27 "2012-02-07T16:35:16Z")

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> [@fjh123](#):
>
> OK he is sending me the KK to check out.  
> Very curious…

I think we all are curious about this. I can’t wait for updates!

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**Author:** ![ratfacedudeguy](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/ratfacedudeguy/32/273_2.png) [@ratfacedudeguy](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/ratfacedudeguy)\
**Post date:** [February 7, 2012, 4:38pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/ceramic-bearing-problem/34124/28 "2012-02-07T16:38:54Z")

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> [@Studio42](#):
>
> > [@fjh123](#):
> >
> > OK he is sending me the KK to check out.  
> > Very curious…
> 
> I think we all are curious about this. I can’t wait for updates!

Yup. You got my attention.

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**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:** [February 10, 2012, 4:06pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/ceramic-bearing-problem/34124/29 "2012-02-10T16:06:49Z")

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Got the KK bearing today from YYFFreak along with one of my FHZipp bearings that he mistakenly cleaned in tap water.  
The KK seems unusually rough and the FHZipp slightly discolored.  
I will get into them later in the day.

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**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:** [February 11, 2012, 3:04pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/ceramic-bearing-problem/34124/30 "2012-02-11T15:04:45Z")

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OK so it was a late Friday…

Got the KK ceramic to my shop popped the shields off and put it on a spin stick.  
It did not feel like it had grease in it but grit, very rough and only spun a few times when flicked.  
Went through my standard cleaning process for new ceramics and it was fine, flicked over 20 seconds. That’s long for a ceramic bearing as the balls are lite and have less momentum  
but the KK has a thick outer race.  
Knowing what was going to happen I put some lube on it, a speck on a few balls and flicked it,  
10 seconds or so. Spun it around in some fresh acetone and it was back as before.  
Though the ceramic KK comes with oil I’m going to send it back dry to YYFfreak and let him do whatever.  
He is away for a week and will not be responding to this topic until then.

It has been a long time since I played with a KK ceramic. It was one of my first purchases after I got my first large bearing metal, along with some poly strings. I must say it is a very fine high quality bearing.

To sum it up  
With a little care and proper cleaning hybrid/ceramic bearings should last a lifetime of yoyo play. They are used in very high speed and stress situations for thousands of hours unattended.

Oh and I cleaned, polished and retreated the FHZipp, it’s fine too.

Any questions feel free to ask…

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<div class="post-metadata">

**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:** [February 18, 2012, 3:13am UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/ceramic-bearing-problem/34124/31 "2012-02-18T03:13:27Z")

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Fixed it, treated it, at YYFFreaks request, and sent it back.  
We shall see how he likes it now

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**Author:** ![jhb8426](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/jhb8426/32/631_2.png) [@jhb8426](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/jhb8426)\
**Post date:** [February 18, 2012, 5:26am UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/ceramic-bearing-problem/34124/32 "2012-02-18T05:26:09Z")

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> [@fjh123](#):
>
> Fixed it, treated it, at YYFFreaks request, and sent it back.  
> We shall see how he likes it now

Frankly I’m totally amazed at the number of people who can screw up a perfectly good bearing. It seems to be endemic lately. My guess is it didn’t take much effort to fix.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![YoYoFactoryFreak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/a88e4f/32.png) [@YoYoFactoryFreak](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/YoYoFactoryFreak)\
**Post date:** [February 22, 2012, 2:37pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/ceramic-bearing-problem/34124/33 "2012-02-22T14:37:55Z")

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Works as good as ever (if not better), thanks John :wink:

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![anonyo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8baadc/32.png) [@anonyo](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/anonyo)\
**Post date:** [February 22, 2012, 5:17pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/ceramic-bearing-problem/34124/34 "2012-02-22T17:17:50Z")

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> [@jhb8426](#):
>
> > [@fjh123](#):
> >
> > Fixed it, treated it, at YYFFreaks request, and sent it back.  
> > We shall see how he likes it now
> 
> Frankly I’m totally amazed at the number of people who can screw up a perfectly good bearing. It seems to be endemic lately. My guess is it didn’t take much effort to fix.

The problem is we’re all in a rush to get stuff done so we don’t properly clean the bearing or dry the bearing, and then blow out the grit that the solvents didn’t take out in the first place.

Recently, when I’ve been cleaning bearings, I actually clean them twice. A good shaking in mineral spirits, then at least a 15 minute soak. Remove, dry on a paper towel for 5-10 minutes, with a flip about halfway through. Then blowing, spinning, blowing and spinning until it goes silent. Add a tiny bit of lube, spin for a few minutes and then play for 5 minutes. Then check to see how it sounds and feels when spun outside the yoyo. Any noise or grit and I go clean it again and repeat the entire process. Sometimes adding the lube will lift anything up that didn’t get cleaned out or blown out the first time.

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