How to properly clean a yo-yo bearing.

Yo-Yo Mods and Maintenance
1

Just a video

2

Nice,but several flaws:

1: Did you de-shield the bearing? Where’s the crap you’re trying to clean out going to go? This may be why stuff is seizing up.

2: OK, regarding the “ear cleaners”, especially the “Drying out”:
Better options would be to either keep the bearing on the cotton area, OR use a wooden pencil or wooden chopstick since it’s a more rigid material and should hold better, plus no fibers to fall into the bearing. You need to keep the inner ring still while you spin the outer ring otherwise you’re just moving the whole bearing around and not really effectively drying it using that method. PLUS, see #1 about not de-shielding the bearing.

Keep in mind the Q-tip items use very short strands of cotton that are too short for normal textiles, especially in the cheaper brands, so they can come apart rather easily unless you’re using expensive ones meant for industrial and sensitive cleaning applications.

I’d have to read Icthus’s input, but I think the masses will agree you’re at least missing the de-shielding step. How you clean it is a bit open to debate.

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Yes, some people de-shield the bearing, but I find that step overrated. I clean all of my bearings like this and they turn out unresponsive without de-shielding it. As far a the Q tips(ear cleaners no difference) you have a point. It’s always worked out well for me with the Q tip when using an a sized bearing, with my c sized I usually do use a pencil. Thanks for the feedback bro, I really posted this because it’s my way of cleaning a bearing, I mean, we ALL have a certain way of doing thing right? Congrats on becoming an Expert and I hope many more come.

            Peace
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What sticky material did you get in there that the fluid could melt? Just wondering because if it is just grit simply not having the shields on would take care of it. Making the inside of the bearing slick with lube would also take care of it.
Cleaning bearings in solvents came from the need too turn thick lube into a flow-able liquid so it would come out of the bearing. If it is already cleaned then need is almost not needed at all unless you got your self some silicone or something in there, or you are prepping for a dry lube application. In the late 90’s the dry lube was fairly popular, nowa days the only person I see doing is terrapin.
Typically with dry bearings with shields installed all you are getting stuck in there are string fibers.
In short a de-shilded bearing almost never needs anything but a small drop of thin lube too fix it. I find the use of solvents over rated, and useless. ;D
Small note bearing shields are almost for nothing but keeping lube in the bearing on yoyos since the bearing is shielded from large particles by the yoyo half’s them selves.
Not saying how you do it won’t work just saying the steps you take are not needed and bring a flammable volatile substance into a process that has nearly no need for it.

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huh, cool. Thanks for the feedback. ;D

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i take and leave the sheilds out for easy cleaning… and i find myself doing no more maintainence then when i would put them back in…

as for the cleaning method, not all people find it suitable to use those chemicals… so i use dish soap (to cut out anything greasy) and a toothbrush (for any solids that may have gotten in)… just make sure the bearing is dried afterward… compressed air should do the trick… even using a ball pump would work…

but it really boils down to preference… so do what works for you… these are just extra options

edit:
btw… nice vid… the last bearing tut i saw, well, it didnt see much because of poor lighting and stuff

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Thanks ;D