Stuck Spacer Help

Anyone have any ideas on how to dislodge this spacer? I just got this yoyo in the mail and wanted to swap out the spacers for it, but it appears someone tried this before. Also the axle cannot be removed from the yoyo. Any advice would be appreciated!


Edit- misread. Thought you said axle, but now I see spacer. Don’t do the below unless the axle is a set screw type. If it has a bolt head, don’t read further…. lol

Double nut it like a jam nut and pull it out with a crescent wrench.
If you don’t care about the axle, a number 10 vice grip
Chuck the axle in an unplugged drill press and spin the yo-yo half off by hand. The drill Chuck can hold it harder than anything.

Yeah it’s a bolt so no axle removal

Is there a cap that can be popped off and bolt removed?

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That’s what I was thinking

No, the bolt is press fit into the throw. The throw is an og underdog for reference.

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That’s not a spacer, that’s the bearing seat.



This is an old school design that uses Duncan spacers. I took a picture of the half that isn’t messed up.

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OK, but isn’t that basically the bearing seat then? Not contradicting because I know you’ve been around awhile.

For any shaft or difficult spacer removal, I use a set of pliers for RC helis. I have a really old set from Hirobo but these are about the same. I prefer straight ones, so maybe search around. But the round part in the center is made for gripping hardened round shaft or threads

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Thanks, I just ordered a set. @DaneMartin

@jhb8426 I’m not positive if they’re actually called Duncan spacers. That’s just what I’ve called them. They are a bearing seat as well.

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To remove the spacer/bearing seat - Have you tried to use the back end of a drill bit the same size as the hole and rock it out similar to using a bearing tool to remove a bearing?

Silly me, just realized you have to get the axle out first…

Way back when…
You could increase the gap of a Duncan FH by placing a thin washer behind the bearing seat. That was my only experience with them

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No luck with the custom pliers. Any other ideas would be welcomed.

@kyo and @yoyospirit maybe you have some ideas.

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Sick it in the freezer for a few hours. The cold should shrink the metal

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Already tried the freezer with no luck. @Fun_Dad69

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Please update if you find a solution.

So…… without actually holding it it’s hard to say. However, being that stuck I would make a small turning tool and put the yo-yo half in the lathe and make a relief cut around the OD of the spacer. It’ll either cut and allow it to come right out, or the tool pressure will grab it and unthread it off the axle anyway.

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Yikes that’s a delicate job. I’ve had this problem with other yoyos… I think in most cases I’ve had to just put it on the lathe and cut it free very carefully. With that particular yoyo it’s extra tricky because of how the axle system works.

The only other option is good pliers and a strong grip. The problem is that those spacers are made of bubblegum and they deform pretty easily (thus the problem you’re having).

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