how to clean skateboard bearings

The Bones Bearing Cleaner is my fave choice. How to maintain and clean bearings. Not to mention, as the quintessential hardware of every set up, skateboard bearings keep us moving forward, so it’s about time someone showed bearings a little love with a How To – quick and easy guide fit for both the novice and the seasoned skate vet. Put the wheels together with the bearings on a dry paper towel or rag. Isopropyl Based Alcohol such as nail polish remover or rubbing alcohol, A towel for keeping the area clean (optional), Separate container for bearings (optional). Our founder, Skip Clinton, a three-time world champion artistic skater says, “Cleaning skate bearings is not a difficult task, but giving your skates a little love goes a long way toward a lifetime of great skating. This I only recommend for, I would say, the more expensive bearings, or the ceramics, or some of the Swiss. Bearings are metal pieces that are round in shape. Skateboarding Instructor. It can also affect the life of your skateboard in general. To clean your bearings, you obviously have to take them out of the wheels. Will this process work as well if I have previously used WD40 to lubricate my bearings? Cleaning the bearings will decrease normal wear-and-tear on your board, increase its speed, and prevent the wheels from seizing up. Maybe your local skatepark parking lot or wherever you have a flat concrete surface to get the job done. Do not use water, but in the event that the bearings get wet, dry thoroughly before replacing. There are many articles about skateboard bearing care, you can read them and do the bearing care yourself. Take the bearing in your fingers and spin each one to get the oil evenly distributed to each of the ball-bearings inside. You should remove this after freeing the first bearing. If you break it you'll have to buy a new one. Remove the noise. You should never use WD40 to clean skateboard bearings . Often, it's the little things that make the biggest difference. Swirl the bearings around for 5 minutes, then let them soak for 10 minutes before taking them out and letting them dry. Step 2: Remove wheels and bearings. Following this step, you’ll be able to make the bearings 40% dirt free. Details of removing wheels and … After spraying, pat the wheels with a clean towel. First things first, we need to pick out a space for you to take your wheels and ultimately your bearings off. There are many articles about skateboard bearing care, you can read them and do the bearing care yourself. Cleaning Skateboard Bearings. How to Clean Bearings. However, doing this may damage the bearings, so you must be very careful. Generally, skateboard bearings need little maintenance to last longer. Cleaning the skateboard bearings is just the first step in getting it back into shape. If the amount of dirt is normal, take a paper in hand and clean the bearings with papers. This prevents friction that may damage the bearing. When using solvents, wear gloves and avoid contact with your skin. Will this process work as well if I have previously used WD-40 to lubricate my bearings? Then, in order to remove any excess oil, spin the skateboard bearings five to ten times. Your wheels will come to a halt rather quickly and generally make more noise the worse the bearings are. However, learning how to clean skateboard bearings only takes few minutes. How to Clean Skateboard Bearings. The aim of wheel spinning is to let the oil to be in all parts of the bearings… It’s very easy and will make your skate feel more natural to your moves. Ryan Sheckler's raw run from the Red Bull Solus digital skate contest. This is necessary regardless of which axis first bursts. when it is used in a wet, environment, bearings in skate wheels get moist and dust and grit settle down in wheel bearings, which cause rust and wear and tear inside the bearing, now how to clean the roller skate bearings? Take a plate and clean … Fill a clean bucket or a container with the bearing cleaning solution or solvent. Instead, use a Teflon-based rather than silicone-based lubricant. If you ride them in the rain or through some puddles then it might be a good idea afterwards to give them a strip and regrease just to stop them rusting too fast. Now that you’ve learned when to replace your bearings and exactly what you need, here is a quick and easy step by step guide of “How to Clean Skateboard Bearings.”. This is a straightforward demo of how to disassemble, clean, grease, and re-assemble a skateboard bearing. Skate bearings generally last a long time and require little maintenance. Jon Depoian. Lastly, hit up some friends to skate and enjoy your clean bearings. A complete skateboard has eight bearings - two per wheel. If you don't have a tool available, put the wheel on the truck like you're attaching it, but make sure only one bearing (out of the two for that wheel) goes on the truck. If the amount of dirt is normal, take a paper in hand and clean the bearings with papers. Apply a skateboard bearings lubricant and evenly distribute. This is not something you can do in a couple of minutes. Want to manage the cleaning process using your household items? Now, you’re all set. How to make your own skateboarding grind rail. Just in case you wanted to see it done. Last Updated: June 15, 2020 Do not use: Cooking oil, motor oil, or anything that might gunk up the bearings or create stickiness. Work with the deck on the side and the axle pointing upward. The cleaning process of your longboard vs. skateboard bearings doesn’t differ. Be prepared to get your fingers dirty and take some precautions in the work space you chose to clean them in. You should hear it squeaking as it is coming out if the bearing is very tight in the wheel. What can you use to clean skateboard bearings? The rings that sit between the wheels and the axles have changed a lot since the early days. If you want to skateboard anywhere that has a bit of moisture or dirt, which is pretty much everywhere on the planet, and you don’t wish to buy bearings on a weekly basis it is worth knowing how to look after your bearings. Clean the bearing one by one by using the towel, remember to do this step carefully to ensure all grime to be got rid of. Maybe now you are strolling in your house and thinking what can you use to clean skateboard bearings with.. Let me help your search by letting you know that it is possible to clean using some simple household things. Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 182,303 times. Once your wheels are off you need to take the actual bearings out of them. Then pop out the bearings from the wheels. You need to unscrew the wheels and bearings together first. If you are cleaning your bearings indoors or want to reduce the mess, lay a towel down and have plenty of paper towels at hand. A quick and easy guide fit for both the novice and the seasoned skate vet. Over time, dust and grit can collect in your skateboard's bearings and hurt your ability to shred some sick moves. Hi, great instructable! Start Cleaning Your Skateboard Bearings . This is where the most damaging debris will be and ultimately where our cleaning will produce the most benefit. Alternately tap them on the bottom of the bowl and spin the bearings in your hand until they feel grit-free. And can you clean skateboard bearings with rubbing alcohol? Skateboard bearings are relatively low-maintenance. Whether you’re new to skating or a seasoned skater, let this article be your reminder to check and clean your bearings regularly. Dry it using a clean cloth. Roll the bearings and shake off what's excess. A skateboard wheel has two bearings. Acetone, alcohol or isopropyl alcohols are among the best organic solvents used to clean the bearings. To remove the grease or the oil during cleaning, you will need something that dissolves the substances. Jon has over 21 years of skateboarding experience, has over 10 years of skateboard instruction experience, and has focused mostly on producing street skateboarding videos and skating competitions. Next step is smoothing the bearings by dropping some oil or speed cream to each bearing. The bearing is located at … Use a … For this step you will need cleaner in a spray bottle. To clean the bearings, first, you should disassemble the wheels from the skateboard. If you want to clean the skateboard bearings in the quickest way, you have better leave the board together. I would highly discourage it. Some skaters have been known to use a hairdryer to dry their bearings and or achieve this effect. You should repeat this process at every wheel. The object of cleaning your bearings is to remove all the grease, clean the bearings, then add grase back in. If you want your skate bearings to last, regular maintenance is key. We use cookies to make wikiHow great. Clean bearings: soak the bearings in a solvent cleaner or spray with dry grease. Prepare the Tools and Materials. The best way to keep your long board’s bearings clean is to keep them well maintained in the first place. Cleaning skateboard bearings can seem a little more complicated than cleaning the wheels, but it’s simple once you know how. To clean skateboard bearings, start by removing the wheels from your skateboard and using a screwdriver to pry the bearings from the wheels. There are 6.5 million skateboarders in the United States as of 2018, according to Statista.. Some boards have an additional spacer between bearings called a speed ring. If there is still dirt in the visible bearing, use an old toothbrush to scrub the bearing. Skateboard bearings are relatively low-maintenance. With all the amazing skate content in the world, we've done you a favor and rounded up the best 11 skate films to watch now on Red Bull TV for free. WD40 doesn't last as long as a proper bearing lubricant. Spraying WD40 will remove the old grease, but it won't clean your bearings, and it won't regrase them afterwards. Also it is a good idea to wear old clothes that you don't mind getting dirty. Skate bearings, how to remove the shield. Here are five simple steps to follow for proper skateboard bearings cleaning: Remove the wheels: take off the axle nuts from your wheels and slide the wheels off. Whether you’re dusting off a board that’s been sitting for a while or you just spent the day skating by the beach, cleaning your skateboard bearings means cleaning the dirtiest part of your board. Also, lubrication does not mean water, which will rust your bearings and destroy them. Cleaning Wheels Cleaning the wheels of a skateboard is just as easy (if not easier) than cleaning the bearings. Dirt and gunk will inevitably build up on the inside of your bearings and cause the ball bearings to slow down or seize up altogether. Expert Interview. Acetone, isopropyl alcohol and mineral spirits are all good options. If the grease solvent has considerably darkened, you may need to carefully drain the solvent and add some more to the bucket. Applying speed cream or a form of lubrication is listed as optional here due to the fact speed cream is an extra expense and while it does increase the longevity of your bearings, it technically doesn’t clean them. The streets are full of water, sand, and a lot of dirt. A clean and lubricated bearing will always spin better than a di rty one. It should be noted, spinning the bearing before proceeding to step 4 will help you gauge afterwards how much the cleaning actually helped. Use 99% isopropyl alcohol. Avoid sand and dirt at all costs, especially near an ocean or in downtowns. The safest and most certain way to clean skateboard bearings is to use lubricants and cleaners designed for cleaning skate bearings. Soak Bearings in Cleaner With your bearings out of your wheels, you'll now need some kind of cleaner or solvent that is not water-based. Then, gently rub them with a dry rag or a paper towel to remove any visible dirt and grime. Next, use a pin or paperclip to pry the rubber shields from the bearings. Get the lubricant and spray it a few times on the bearings. It's actually terribly easy if you've done it once. % of people told us that this article helped them. Use grease. If this happens to your bearings, the skateboard will stop abruptly, causing you to fall and be injured. The Deathwish Skateboards rider put in a trick-heavy run to claim a big cash prize and help out his chosen shop when he won the all-new contest at Ryan Sheckler's private park. A complete skateboard has eight bearings - two per wheel. Cleaning skateboard bearings can seem a little more complicated than cleaning the wheels, but it’s simple once you know how. I remember cleaning my skateboard bearings . To remove the grease or the oil during cleaning, you will need something that dissolves the substances. How to cleaning skateboard bearings? If you don't have a bearing puller, you can use a thick metal rod (thin enough to fit through the opening of the bearing where the axle usually goes through), touch the bearing on the opposite side when inserted the metal rod, and gently tap the rod with a hammer. Use a paper towel to clean off the gunk on the outside of your bearing shields, so when we remove them, we get a much deeper cleaning. To get the bearings out, you need to slide off the wheels from the truck carefully. It works wonders at first, but you’ll find yourself reapplying more and more as it dries out bearings. Luckily, the process is easy enough to do at home. After you have removed the bearings, you have to clean the initial dirt and grime on the bearings’ outer surface. in general, what we put in is what we get out. Want to manage the cleaning process using your household items? To clean the bearings, first, wipe dirt and other materials. A happy medium and long time skate-trick is to only put the speed cream on the sides of the bearings facing inward to the wheel, so as not to be exposed to the debris outside. 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