Skateboard bearings

Ever since the first skateboard appeared in 1958, its demand has grown steadily. He won the greatest popularity among young people seeking to diversify their lives with extreme hobbies.

After purchasing a board in a store, over time, many owners begin to notice that the skate is no longer moving as briskly as immediately after the purchase, extraneous sounds have appeared. There may be several reasons. One of them may be the wear of the bearings that are in the wheels. This is due to the fact that during skiing, dust, dirt and sand get into them. As a result, the wheels begin to spin worse, the skate moves in jerks or stops altogether at the most inopportune moment. In this case bearings need to be replaced or cleaned.

To work, you do not need a set of tools, a special key for repairing the board and a new bearing or kit are enough. If no such tool is available, a wrench (size 13) or an adjustable wrench can be used. The operation to replace the defective part will take no more than ten minutes.

The whole process of restoring the skate can be conventionally divided into several stages.

• Unscrew the nut on the wheel with a special wrench. This must be done counterclockwise.

• Remove the spacer (washer) between the nut and the bearing itself. Do not throw out the spacer, it will be needed later during assembly.

• Remove the wheel with faulty bearings. There should be a washer at the bottom, you can leave it in place. The washer must not fall out of the seat.

• Remove the defective bearing.To do this, you need to insert the wheel onto the axle so that its end touches the defective part quite a bit, but does not reach the wheel. Then, very carefully, slowly, tilt the wheel to the axis of the skate at an angle. The bearing will slide out. All operations should be performed slowly and carefully so as not to damage anything. This warning is relevant if the defective element is planned to be used in the future. If not, then you don't need to be careful. There is a hub in the wheel.

• Repeat the previous steps with other wheels. Then insert new or old bearings thoroughly cleaned from dirt and dust. If painted, it is recommended to install them with the painted side out.

• The bearing must now be reinserted by gently pressing on the outer metal ring. The center of the bearing itself must not be pressed. Pressing should be where the border with the wheel passes. Carry out a similar operation with the rest of the wheels.

• Replace the gaskets.

• Tighten all wheel nuts clockwise. Please note that in the process, the axis of the board should not extend beyond the nut. This will prevent thread stripping on the axle. In addition, do not tighten the nuts too much, as the wheels will be difficult to turn.

• Check wheels for torsion. Small clicks, like crackling, should be heard, but loud noise is already abnormal.

Regular cleaning of these parts can reduce wear on the skate, greatly increase its speed and help prevent wheel wedging. If you do not clean the bearings in a timely manner, the likelihood of accidents when using the board increases significantly. The cleaning operation itself is simple, it can be done independently at home, without involving a specialist and spending money on calling him and paying for the work.

To start cleaning, you need to remove the bearing. This whole process is described in detail in stages above. To avoid losing important parts (bolts, washers, spacers), it is best to keep them all together, for example, in a box or plastic bag.

Cleaning is recommended in the following order.

1. Clean the main areas of the bearing from dust and dirt. To remove obvious areas of contamination, wipe it with a tissue or dry cloth. A solvent can be used to clean the most problematic areas.
2. Prepare cleaning solution. This will require a clean container and a cleaning agent (acetone, grease cleaner, white spirit, or rubbing alcohol). Rubber gloves are recommended for hand protection.
3. Place the bearings in a container filled with detergent.
4. Rinse the elements and wait a while for the parts to be completely cleaned (about 10 minutes). If the cleaner is darkened, it is recommended to carefully drain it and refill the container with new cleaner. The operation should be repeated until the elements are completely cleaned.
5. Remove the bushing, remove the rubber insert from the bearing itself. To do this, pry it off with something thin, such as a paper clip or a sewing needle. If this fails, the needle can be inserted between the outer race of the bearing and the bushing. Then gently lift the rubber grommet until it comes out of its seat.

It is recommended to dry the parts before lubricating them. It will take no more than 15 minutes. To speed up the process, you can use a compressed air cylinder. To do this, direct the jet to the open side of the element.

Then you need to apply a special grease to the bearing. 2-3 drops are enough for one part.For uniform lubrication, the bearing must be turned over.

The use of vegetable oil or engine oil may clog the parts. It is also not recommended to use WD-40. It can act as a cleaner in some cases, but not as a lubricant, and it also shortens the life of the parts.

Next, you need to put the bushings in their place. When doing this, make sure that there are no gaps between them and the bearing. The bearings can then be inserted.

In case the skate is equipped with a separator (synchronizer), it is necessary to put the part back. To do this, the wheels are attached to the chassis, but the nuts are not tightened very tightly. The wheels should wobble a little. If the wheel does not rotate well and locks up, loosen the nut holding it.

Experts strongly recommend the use of greases suitable for all models. To achieve ease of rotation of the wheels, you need to "roll out" the board for about a week. But at the same time, it is enough to lubricate the bearings once a year.

Grease should be applied at about 40 percent of the free space inside the bearing.

To do this, remove one boot. At the same time, it will bend and become unusable. You should not be upset, as it will not be needed in the future. After flushing and lubrication, the bearing is installed in the wheel with the open side.

The absence of one boot will not significantly affect the performance of the skate, since the bearing fits snugly against the wheel walls. That is why you should not be afraid of dust and dirt. The process of cleaning non-separable bearings is the same as described above.

If you follow all the conditions for the care and replacement of problem parts described in this article, you can expect a significant increase in the life of your skate.

You can learn how to properly clean bearings on a skateboard by watching the video below.