What the thread found

• The lubricant operators name for a gimbal bearing after cleaning is a PTFE-based one, most commonly Tri-Flow.
• The quantity is very small: reports range from a quarter of a drop to one drop, applied so lightly that it is described as whispering it onto the bearing. Over-lubrication is the failure mode operators guard against, not under-lubrication.
• As of 2026 the usual supply channels report a backorder of around two months for that lubricant, so operators source it from bicycle shops instead, where the same product is stocked for chains and bearings.
• The question comes up because the bearing has to be re-lubricated after every cleaning, and the amount matters more than the brand: a bearing that carries too much lubricant collects dust and drags.

Depends on

• From operator practice as discussed among professionals in 2026, not from a manufacturer service manual. No manufacturer specification for quantity or product is quoted here.
• The supply situation is a snapshot of 2026 and will change.
• The advice concerns the gimbal bearing after a cleaning procedure. It says nothing about intervals or about other bearings in a rig.

Parts

Gimbal Bearing

Same gear or parts

1. 2026PRO-Pan bearing sourcing change and specification differences between PRO and Tiffen gimbal bearingsFacebookThe Steadicam Group
2. 2026Pan bearing replacement for Steadicam® PRO gimbal: manufacturer change from Kaydon to SSB and supply implicationsFacebookSteadicam operators group
3. 2026Gimbal bearing lubrication: oil quantity, product selection, and the performance versus protection trade-off.DisputedFacebookThe Steadicam Group
4. 2026Pan-bearing friction and image oscillation in Tiffen gimbals with Volt power cable: root cause and acceptance criteria.DisputedFacebookThe Steadicam Group