# Duncan DragonFly "shorting out"? **URL:** \ **Category:** Yo-Yo Reviews\ **Created:** [June 17, 2012, 11:27pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/duncan-dragonfly-shorting-out/38938 "2012-06-17T23:27:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Will-B](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/will-b/32/605766_2.png) [@Will-B](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/Will-B)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2012, 11:27pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/duncan-dragonfly-shorting-out/38938/1 "2012-06-17T23:27:00Z")
I’ve had my Duncan DragonFly for several months now. Occasionally, the normally very noisy yo-yo will “short out” - it will stop making its standard hissing noise, become completely silent, and greatly slow down. This is usually fixed by a change of the string, or sometimes by just yo-yoing until it goes away; however, it’s becoming more common. I have never lubricated my bearing - is this the reason? Thanks. EDIT: I haven’t cleaned my bearing either. I need to start taking care of my yo-yo. The answer to my question is starting to feel kind of obvious. Still, input would be appreciated. ---
**Author:** ![AngryGumball](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/angrygumball/32/683872_2.png) [@AngryGumball](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/AngryGumball)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2012, 12:44am UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/duncan-dragonfly-shorting-out/38938/2 "2012-06-18T00:44:10Z")
Clean the bearing then lube it. Does the bearing feel like it spins freely if you hand turn it? ---
**Author:** ![mls5stokes](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/mls5stokes/32/681_2.png) [@mls5stokes](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/mls5stokes)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2012, 12:57am UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/duncan-dragonfly-shorting-out/38938/3 "2012-06-18T00:57:34Z")
Just make sure when you do lubricate it that you use a thicker lube. If you use a thin lube it will become unresponsive and hard to play with. ---
**Author:** ![Will-B](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/will-b/32/605766_2.png) [@Will-B](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/Will-B)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2012, 3:36am UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/duncan-dragonfly-shorting-out/38938/4 "2012-06-18T03:36:46Z")
> [@AngryGumball](#): > > Clean the bearing then lube it. Does the bearing feel like it spins freely if you hand turn it? If I’m holding it parallel to the ground and spinning it? Nope, stays put. ---
**Author:** ![rdeleon975](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/aeb1de/32.png) [@rdeleon975](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/rdeleon975)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2012, 3:43am UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/duncan-dragonfly-shorting-out/38938/5 "2012-06-18T03:43:53Z")
> [@Will-B](#): > > > [@AngryGumball](#): > > > > Clean the bearing then lube it. Does the bearing feel like it spins freely if you hand turn it? > > If I’m holding it parallel to the ground and spinning it? Nope, stays put. He’s reffering to flicking the bearing in the seat to check and feel for gunk of any kind. If you havent cleaned your bearing you probably should, then lube it with some lube and change pads if you have to ---
**Author:** ![AngryGumball](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/angrygumball/32/683872_2.png) [@AngryGumball](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/AngryGumball)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2012, 4:54am UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/duncan-dragonfly-shorting-out/38938/6 "2012-06-18T04:54:21Z")
What ^ said. Or you can take the bearing and stick it on a tip of a pencil and try flicking/turning it and see if it feels smooth, very resisting, rough, or clean. I’ve had bearings get gunk in them where it felt ‘gritty’ as well as feel like there’s no spin in it. A quick soak in a chemical (caution) then some thick lube (if you want it back to responsive) or thin lube (if you want unresponsive…Dragonflies are meant to be responsive IMO). ---
**Author:** ![Big\_cat](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/big_cat/32/877_2.png) [@Big\_cat](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/Big_cat)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2012, 4:46pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/duncan-dragonfly-shorting-out/38938/7 "2012-06-18T16:46:54Z")
> [@mls5stokes](#): > > Just make sure when you do lubricate it that you use a thicker lube. If you use a thin lube it will become unresponsive and hard to play with. Actually ANY lube will make a yoyo more responsive. Even thin lube will make a yoyo more responsive, just not as drastically as thick lube. ---
**Author:** ![Will-B](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/will-b/32/605766_2.png) [@Will-B](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/Will-B)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2012, 1:01pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/duncan-dragonfly-shorting-out/38938/8 "2012-06-19T13:01:08Z")
> [@rdeleon975](#): > > > [@Will-B](#): > > > > > [@AngryGumball](#): > > > > > > Clean the bearing then lube it. Does the bearing feel like it spins freely if you hand turn it? > > > > If I’m holding it parallel to the ground and spinning it? Nope, stays put. > > He’s reffering to flicking the bearing in the seat to check and feel for gunk of any kind. If you havent cleaned your bearing you probably should, then lube it with some lube and change pads if you have to Alright, thanks guys. Yeah, the bearing barely spins at all. I’ll get to work cleaning it. The brass bracers have a bit of gunk on them as well; should I do anything about those? ---
**Author:** ![rdeleon975](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/aeb1de/32.png) [@rdeleon975](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/rdeleon975)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2012, 2:53pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/duncan-dragonfly-shorting-out/38938/9 "2012-06-19T14:53:50Z")
I would clean em too, no harm done. ---
**Author:** ![Will-B](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/will-b/32/605766_2.png) [@Will-B](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/Will-B)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2012, 5:29pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/duncan-dragonfly-shorting-out/38938/10 "2012-06-19T17:29:44Z")
All right, I’ll get on this. One more thing - I’ve found that when compared to a DragonFly fresh out of the box, my much-used DragonFly not only sleeps for a shorter amount of time, but is also a LOT noisier. I take it this is a cleaning/lubing issue as well? ---
**Author:** ![yoyoavenger](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/yoyoavenger/32/884_2.png) [@yoyoavenger](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/yoyoavenger)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2012, 12:28pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/duncan-dragonfly-shorting-out/38938/11 "2012-06-26T12:28:24Z")
Yeah. The noise could be dirt or sand or something in the bearing, which also slows it down.