Can you lube a full ceramic bearing?

I need help. My bearing runs great, I just want to know how I can keep it running this smooth in the long run. I have thin yoyo lube for my steel bearings and I have read that ceramic bearings are meant to last longer and require little to no lube. Some say a tiny drop and some say no lube. I’m confused. I need professional answer. No spam. Thank you.

Q: Do full ceramic bearings need lubrication?
A: No, full ceramic bearings can be run completely dry. They do not need lubrication to run. Ceramic is non-porous, unlike steel, as a result it is virtually frictionless. Ceramic also dissipates heat very quickly, which is the same reason they use it on the underside of the space shuttle. Because there is no heat buildup and virtually no friction, full ceramic bearings can be run completely dry. They can be cleaned out with regular tap water or any cleaner, they are impervious to corrosion and can operate in a vacuum environment.

I’m not a professional bearing cleaner, but I believe there is no reason you can’t lube it if you want to play responsive. For unresponsive play, just keep it clean.

Frank Difeyo sez (no spam)…

http://dif-e-yo.com/Tech%20Tips.htm

So I went for it. I I put 2 tiny drops of thin lube with a needle on each side and OMG! it’s insane quiet and runs the same. So to all you out there who retrying to figure it out. Yes apply very little thin lube to full ceramic bearings. Then spin it with some air duster to get rid of excess lube. Spins like a dream! I want to post a video but some how on my iPhone it won’t let me.

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just a heads up no putting that bearing in any kind of solvent.

Ummm, sorry, but that’s just B.S. Ceramic is not affected by any solvent you can easily get your hands on. It’s highly resistant to very high heat and most chemical processes.

  1. Black, J. T. & Kohser, R. A. (2012). DeGarmo’s materials and processes in manufacturing. Wiley. p. 226. ISBN 978-0-470-92467-9.

+1 for jhb. Just recently cleaned a ceramic with acetone. Spins wonderfully!