Every time I buy a new yoyo the bearings start becoming semi-resposive in less than a month. If i clean them in alcohol then they will last for a week again at best. Is it this bad for yall too? It doesnt seem to matter if I lube them or not either. I have a cat but she doesnt get near the yoyos and I dont find hairs in the bearings. I dont smoke or anything, I keep the yoyos in boxes where there isnt any dust that can build up. The air quality here is good too, not horrible humidity, my room is clean etc. I dont use my strings so long they become super frayed. I got no clue… Dealing with the bearings constantly made me quit years ago but ive been feeling it lately and wanted to know what else i can do to maybe avoid this (Just only play fixed axle lol)
I use an acetone bath for a day, and I’ve also read on here (and tried) that desheilding and using soap and water is great for the most stubborn of bearings.
I lube ‘em up when they get loud.
Easy. I do not.
I manage them.
First rule: never trust a tiny metal donut that decides the fate of your entire throw. Bearings are fickle little creatures. One minute they are whisper-smooth, the next they are screaming like a goblin caught in a leaf blower. So I keep them in line.
I run them dry when I want speed. I lube them when I want control. I clean them when they start acting like they are full of regret and pocket lint. And if a bearing betrays me; if it locks up mid-combo, if it decides to seize during a power throw, then I perform the ancient ritual known as Yeet It Into The Drawer of Shame.
Some bearings earn their place in the Asora. Some get exiled. That is the natural order of things.
So how do I deal with bearings?
With vigilance. With judgment. With the glowing orange eyes of someone who has been burned before.
And with backups. Always with backups.
yikes. I feel like all the bearings on my shelf just shuddered a little…
I soak mine in lacquer thinner for a bit, grab it out with tweezers, spin it and light it on fire. Once the thinner burns off its usually good to go. Sometimes I’ll have to do it twice or put a drop of lube in if they still want to be noisy.
After trying acetone and a couple other ones, I now use dawn dish soap with hot water. I put the bearing on the end of a paintbrush handle, scrub the soap in, spin it in the water until it feels like nothing is stuck in there, then dry. I use a Datavac to blow dry them but you could use compressed air, and I used to put them in a towel and spin them around to dry them with centrifugal force. Air dry works too, just don’t put them away or in a yoyo until they’re fully dry.
You can put a little bit of lube in but cleaning them this way usually leaves them fairly quiet. I mostly run dry bearings now.
i second this method Nathan describes. in addition, i use a qtip and rubbing alcohol to clean the bearing seat on each half to reset it and not let too much gunk build up there that will instantly transfer to the bearing. if you’re cleaning the bearing and it returns responsive pretty fast id make sure to clean the bearing seat really well. you’ll be surprised how much stuff can interfere without being visible after a quick inspection. im also a very recent convert to using lube to make them quiet. i dont try to do the only drop a tiny amount on though. i flood it with 4-6 fat drops, spin it, wipe the excess, and pop it in and just play it out. usually takes a couple hours of play and it’s unresponsive and dead silent
bearings are a pain in the rear though, no getting around that. maintenance sucks but such is the price for modern play. i loathe bearing maintenance
Cleaning the bearing seats is a good move too, I’m always surprised how much dirt is in there with a brand new yoyo. I think it’s just manufacturing debris/oils. Maybe I’m just gonna start washing new yoyos entirely. In for a penny, in for a pound, may as well clean the entire thing!