A hinged-vane rotary pump is disclosed. The pump includes a rotor eccentrically disposed within a chamber and having attached thereto at least two vanes movable between a retracted position and an extended position. At least one friction reducer is attached to each vane, wherein the friction reducer contacts the wall of the chamber when its corresponding vane is in the extended position, and also prevents the second end of its corresponding vane from contacting the peripheral wall when the corresponding vane is in the extended position.