Yo-Yo Bearings.

Hello there again! Welcome to this section, usually a section that gives a lot of headaches to all Yo-Yo players, but you'll see, with just a little knowledge, understanding how Yo-Yo bearings work will make everything much easier.

Usually we give much importance to the Yo-Yo itself and we usually leave aside other important aspects like the bearing. We do not tire of saying it, the bearing is the 'motor' of the YoYo, without a good bearing the Yo-Yo will not rotate as it should and that is why it is so important to keep it in magnificent condition.

The bearings are also extremely fragile, so it only takes a drop onto the ground to break it. If you give a very, very strong blow to your Yo-Yo while you play, it can significantly affect the performance of your Yo-Yo.

How do I remove a Yo-Yo bearing?

Surely you have tried to remove the bearing from your YoYo and you have checked for yourself that it is quite embedded in one of Yo-Yo's halves and it is difficult to extract it from there. Has it happened to you? Do not be scared, you’ll find this is the most normal thing. Realize that professional Yo-Yos are precision parts, and in their manufacture, manufacturers look for the best to eliminate any slack to avoid vibrations or strange sounds, therefore the pieces sometimes fit so tightly in each other. Well, the solution to remove the bearing in a simple way is to use the different tools that exist for it, and with only a small pull the bearing will be out of Yo-Yo.

How is bearing maintenance done?

With string wear it is normal for small 'hairs' to end up blocking the bearing and you should clean it from time to time. This is easier and faster than it seems. If your bearing comes with shields you should remove them with the help of a small pin, and if it comes without shields, the better. Get yourself some Zippo gas (From the lighter brand). The Zippo lighter fluid is the only one able to eliminate any type of residue that the bearing has, the solvent will also remove it but will oxidize it, so be careful. Well, fill a glass with a little gas, put your bearing in without shields, and shake it for a few minutes, then pull it out and dry it until there is no more gasoline. Now your bearing will be completely clean.

At this point you should also know that totally 'dry' bearings make more noise than normal, but it is logical, if you have removed the lubricant, the balls of the interior offer more friction and consequently are noisier. Most players like to play with dry bearings, as they do not have any unexpected response, but we always recommend adding a tiny drop of lubricant specific for bearings, thus consciously lengthening the life of your bearing.

Should the bearing be replaced often?

No. The bearing doesn’t work like strings, which wear out with use. Current bearings are of the highest quality and do not wear easily, except in some conditions such as the one I mentioned at the beginning, but I was talking about rupture, not wear. All you have to do is take care of your bearing a lot and it can last forever. If for some reason you have to replace it with a new one, make sure you buy a bearing of the same size. The most common are Size C, but always check the technical data of each product before making your purchase.

As usual, if you have doubts when browsing the web or about certain products or terms, write us at info@latiendadelyoyo.com