Thread: Yoyojam bearing problems

None of my Yoyojam bearings last long at all, definately not a year like they should (I read that somewhere). For example, I gave one the flick test and it barely spun for a second, I had had this bearing for only a month. I took off both c-clips, both shields, and let it soak in mineral spirits for an hour, shaking every fifteen minutes. I let it dry for about ten minutes, spun it on a pencil for a few minutes and it only spun for about 2 seconds which is a lot less from what I remember a new one is suppose to spin for. I then thin lubed it and threw a ton of sleepers to see if that did anything but I didn't notice any more spin. I have cleaned a few other bearings similarly with the same results, low spin. Except for one I put it in a bottle of mineral spirits and shook it for five minutes straight, let it dry on a paper towel for ten minutes, spun it for a few minutes, no improvement.

I have had several other bearings that never lasted more than a few months. I run them dry, and flick test them every now and then.

Is it possible to salvage my bearings or are they rusted or something unrepairable? If I order a new bearing or two, what can I do to ensure they spin at maximum spinniness for a long time (I would thin lube them but that would slow them down right?).

Lastly to give you an idea of how much I yo, it is about an hour or two a day with up to advanced level tricks.

Thanks to anyone who can help!

Strange, I have never had problems with yyj bearings. I would say to try not soaking them as
long. Try a 10-15min soak them give just a drop thin lube. If your bearings are rusted use wd-40 to work it loose. I know everyone is going to bash me for this but, I would say to gasoline instead of mineral spirits. Works great for me.

Originally Posted by melikeyyoyo

None of my Yoyojam bearings last long...

I have had several other bearings that never lasted more than a few months. I run them dry, and flick test them every now and then.

Don't run them dry. That's the problem. Bearings are mechanical devices with metal on metal sliding contact. They need lube or they wear.

You can try to recover them by soaking in WD40 as noted above. Then clean and lube.

If that doesn't work then maybe this: shield's Ultimate Bearing Mod


Iknowiknowiknow - 10 people are going to come on here and say they run theirs dry and they last forever...

I say good for you.

I think I'll try that WD40 tip (assuming I can find some in my house, lol). I also will definately thin lube my next bearing from now on. I'll post again when I try WD40 so people can know if that worked for me so they won't have this problem.

is there any actual discoloration on the bearing or are they just locking up?

I tend to avoid these threads these days.. but I haven't posted in one for a while..

'flick tests' don't mean anything.. at all. They make you feel better I guess, but they are no indication of bearing performance. How a bearing spins under no load and how a bearing spins in your yoyo are two completely different things. There are bearings that are super free-spinning (they flick well), but when a load is applied (the throw or the weight of the yoyo) they -suck-. There are also bearings that may not flick well, but they'll spin just fine under load.

That said, if the bearing normally spins great a particular way and it suddenly stops doing so.. could be an indication of a problem.

Clearing bearings, in all honesty, is a fairly dumb thing to do in most cases. The solvents people use like mineral spirits, acetone, lighter fluid, etc. are all fairly harsh chemicals that can damage the surface of the metal. They also leave behind a residue.. this is why when you 'clean' a bearing you have to do it again and again.. that residue eventually builds up and starts decreasing performance, so you have to clean it again to break down the residue.. it's an endless cycle. Well, almost endless.. eventually the metal breaks down too much and your bearing is dead.

Cleaning and applying a lube is better, but not perfect.. especially if you do it often.

This isn't to say cleaning shouldn't ever be done.. sometimes the grease/lube/etc they come with is poor quality and gums up, sometimes you might get something stuck in the bearing (even with the shields on), the bearing may suddenly sieze, etc.. these are reasons to clean ONCE then reapply lubrication.

I have plenty of dirt cheap, bargain bin type bearings from the late 90s that all work perfectly fine having NEVER been cleaned. Many are solid black with tarnished metal on the surface.. spin great.

Anyway, to your specific problem.. just play with them. All I'm hearing is that they don't 'flick' very well.. as stated that doesn't mean anything, so just play. Your bearing is most certainly not keeping you from doing anything, so just practice more and fuss over bearings way, way less.

Kyle

I flick bearings all the time, through just about every step. I can tell the ones that aren't going to make it right from the first flick. Even with ABEC rated bearings you get a few losers.