# How to clean a Dif-e-yo KonKave bearing **URL:** \ **Category:** Yo-Yo Mods and Maintenance\ **Created:** [December 20, 2018, 1:12am UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/how-to-clean-a-dif-e-yo-konkave-bearing/296440 "2018-12-20T01:12:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![zslane](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/zslane/32/19816_2.png) [@zslane](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/zslane)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2018, 1:12am UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/how-to-clean-a-dif-e-yo-konkave-bearing/296440/1 "2018-12-20T01:12:57Z")
So the KK bearing in my brand new Surveillance has suddenly seized up and won’t spin freely anymore (I was in the middle of a trick when it started making this horrible noise, and upon removal it just doesn’t spin freely). I can’t see anyway to get the shield rings off; I don’t see a break in the rings where I can stick a pin in and pull it out or anything like that. Is there a special way to get the rings off a Dif-e-yo KK bearing? ---
**Author:** ![anon19434144](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ccd318/32.png) [@anon19434144](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/anon19434144)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2018, 1:22am UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/how-to-clean-a-dif-e-yo-konkave-bearing/296440/2 "2018-12-20T01:22:13Z")
I may get punched for this but I do not take shields off. Lube will works it’s way in with drips on the shield. I just dry off the excess with a cloth. It worked for me! ---
**Author:** ![zslane](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/zslane/32/19816_2.png) [@zslane](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/zslane)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2018, 1:25am UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/how-to-clean-a-dif-e-yo-konkave-bearing/296440/3 "2018-12-20T01:25:37Z")
But if there’s some kind of dirt or other particulate trapped inside, it might not get out with the shield rings on, even after soaking in mineral spirits and getting lubed, right? ---
**Author:** ![anon19434144](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ccd318/32.png) [@anon19434144](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/anon19434144)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2018, 1:28am UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/how-to-clean-a-dif-e-yo-konkave-bearing/296440/4 "2018-12-20T01:28:04Z")
You are correct in wanting to be thorough. I saw tutorials on youtube about shields but your type of bearing. @codinghorror @smileypants707 ---
**Author:** ![anon19434144](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ccd318/32.png) [@anon19434144](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/anon19434144)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2018, 1:31am UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/how-to-clean-a-dif-e-yo-konkave-bearing/296440/5 "2018-12-20T01:31:07Z")
> [@Cleaning advice for exotic bearings?](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/cleaning-advice-for-exotic-bearings/65211): > > I have spent way too much money on bearings and am continuously amazed by their performance right when I get them or after maybe one cleaning, but many of them severely degrade in spin time after relatively short periods, something like 1 - 15 hours of continuous play, depending. The longest spinning bearings I’ve had are the YYF Gold Centertrac and the NSK Platinum bearings. Both arrive dead quiet and dry spin on a yoyo hub for 20+ seconds. Now I’m lucky to get 10 seconds after cleaning. My Di… Maybe this helps? ---
**Author:** ![zslane](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/zslane/32/19816_2.png) [@zslane](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/zslane)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2018, 1:45am UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/how-to-clean-a-dif-e-yo-konkave-bearing/296440/6 "2018-12-20T01:45:24Z")
Unfortunately nothing in that thread discusses how to remove the shield rings of a Dif-e-o KK bearing. While the debate over what solution to use when cleaning a bearing (or whether to ever clean it at all) is interesting, my plan is to clean the bearing with mineral spirits, and I want to maximize the chances that whatever particulate is trapped inside the bloody thing will get out. ---
**Author:** ![anon19434144](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ccd318/32.png) [@anon19434144](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/anon19434144)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2018, 1:50am UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/how-to-clean-a-dif-e-yo-konkave-bearing/296440/7 "2018-12-20T01:50:30Z")
Aaargh. I know you will figure it out. Perhaps you can post a new topic about your solution since others will probably encounter the same problem. Have a good night. You WILL figure it out and be like “YESSSSS!” ---
**Author:** ![Z\_Car](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/z_car/32/72879_2.png) [@Z\_Car](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/Z_Car)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2018, 1:52am UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/how-to-clean-a-dif-e-yo-konkave-bearing/296440/8 "2018-12-20T01:52:22Z")
Have you tried finding the gap in the ring with a needle or safety pin? I have come across bearings that I couldn’t find the spot with my eyes but located it by feels. ---
**Author:** ![zslane](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/zslane/32/19816_2.png) [@zslane](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/zslane)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2018, 2:19am UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/how-to-clean-a-dif-e-yo-konkave-bearing/296440/9 "2018-12-20T02:19:53Z")
As mentioned at the top, I see no gap in which to stick a pin, and my fingertips are not sensitive enough to feel a gap either. ---
**Author:** ![codinghorror](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/codinghorror/32/8052_2.png) [@codinghorror](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/codinghorror)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2018, 2:27am UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/how-to-clean-a-dif-e-yo-konkave-bearing/296440/10 "2018-12-20T02:27:42Z")
I’d try soaking it + shaking it in a cleaning solution with the shields on first. If that doesn’t work, _then_ move towards taking the shields off. I find taking the shields off super annoying and fiddly such that I avoid doing it at all costs, but others swear it’s a piece of cake (it isn’t). Also there’s nothing special about this bearing that would require unique cleaning approaches… ---
**Author:** ![Z\_Car](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/z_car/32/72879_2.png) [@Z\_Car](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/Z_Car)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2018, 2:48am UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/how-to-clean-a-dif-e-yo-konkave-bearing/296440/11 "2018-12-20T02:48:21Z")
I understand you can’t see it. What I did was take my safety pin and slowly run it along the ring. Using light pressure, trying both directions. It kind of just stops once you get to the right spot. ---
**Author:** ![vegabomb](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/vegabomb/32/199_2.png) [@vegabomb](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/vegabomb)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2018, 2:52am UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/how-to-clean-a-dif-e-yo-konkave-bearing/296440/12 "2018-12-20T02:52:34Z")
Can you take a close up pic of the bearing from the side? Odd that there isn’t a c-clip. ---
**Author:** ![zslane](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/zslane/32/19816_2.png) [@zslane](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/zslane)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2018, 6:47am UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/how-to-clean-a-dif-e-yo-konkave-bearing/296440/13 "2018-12-20T06:47:04Z")
Using a pin I could find no gap with which to open up a C-clip style shield ring. ![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/uploads/yoyoexpert1/original/4X/4/0/3/4036a2d7ab8b99e9a77658e72f98aff19a1aa165.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![codinghorror](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/codinghorror/32/8052_2.png) [@codinghorror](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/codinghorror)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2018, 6:53am UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/how-to-clean-a-dif-e-yo-konkave-bearing/296440/14 "2018-12-20T06:53:59Z")
Isn’t that the c-clip gap, there? ![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/uploads/yoyoexpert1/original/4X/5/0/b/50b5ca57fac0d5e9460e5153017450fdb89d2f68.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![zslane](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/zslane/32/19816_2.png) [@zslane](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/zslane)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2018, 7:03am UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/how-to-clean-a-dif-e-yo-konkave-bearing/296440/15 "2018-12-20T07:03:56Z")
No, that’s just a reflection. I’m calling this bearing a lost cause. It sounds and feels like something is broken inside. The bearing was spinning fine for a week and then, boom, it seized up and now it hardly moves. I’ve got a different bearing in the Surveillance now. ---
**Author:** ![vegabomb](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/vegabomb/32/199_2.png) [@vegabomb](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/vegabomb)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2018, 7:03am UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/how-to-clean-a-dif-e-yo-konkave-bearing/296440/16 "2018-12-20T07:03:57Z")
> [@codinghorror](#): > > Isn’t that the c-clip gap, there? That is the gap in the c-clip. @zslane try using the pin on the other side of the opening. Whichever handed you are, right or left, there is a tendency to try the side that is easier to push the pin into. Each end of the clip is angled opposite. It’s very hard one way and much easier the other to remove. Looking at the pic try using the pin on the bottom part of the opening. (Which would be the not “normal feel” if you are right handed) ---
**Author:** ![zslane](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/zslane/32/19816_2.png) [@zslane](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/zslane)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2018, 7:15am UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/how-to-clean-a-dif-e-yo-konkave-bearing/296440/17 "2018-12-20T07:15:04Z")
I managed to pry out the shield rings. This is what the bearing looks like without them: ![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/uploads/yoyoexpert1/original/4X/9/2/2/9229c55aed185b0dae6c5d41c16869c04c513596.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![Theolodger](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/theolodger/32/65462_2.png) [@Theolodger](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/Theolodger)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2018, 7:24am UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/how-to-clean-a-dif-e-yo-konkave-bearing/296440/18 "2018-12-20T07:24:13Z")
Uh… looks fine… ---
**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:** [December 20, 2018, 7:26am UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/how-to-clean-a-dif-e-yo-konkave-bearing/296440/19 "2018-12-20T07:26:24Z")
Then just clean it and lightly lube… ---
**Author:** ![AndreBoulay](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/andreboulay/32/69662_2.png) [@AndreBoulay](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/AndreBoulay)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2018, 10:55am UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/how-to-clean-a-dif-e-yo-konkave-bearing/296440/20 "2018-12-20T10:55:11Z")
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