How To Clean Skateboard Bearings
Whether you are an avid skater or a newbie to the skate park, it is important to carry out skateboard maintenance regularly to ensure you can have fun safely. As you skate over different terrains, your wheels will inevitably pick up foreign materials and debris, which can cause damage to the ball bearings in the long term. So, it is super important to know how to clean skateboard bearings and wheels, to be able to keep on skating!
So, how can you avoid this damage? Continue reading this super easy guide to find out how exactly to carry out this vital skateboard maintenance with a little help from WD-40®!
Things you will need
Fork wrench
Bowl of water
Compressed air (optional)
High grit sandpaper
Step 1
Begin skateboard maintenance
The first step to begin cleaning skateboard bearings is disassembling the wheels. In order to reach all of the small tricky areas, you will need to completely remove the wheels from the deck. To do this, you will need to loosen the locking system with a fork wrench until they are removed. You can then remove the bearings from the wheels, too. Once the wheels and bearings have been removed, you need to remove the wheel shield. This will give you access to all of the small nooks and crannies of the wheels and bearings.
Step 2
Degrease your wheels and bearings
Once you have disassembled all parts of the wheel, you should degrease them thoroughly. Using some WD-40 Specialist® Degreaser , spray the entire surface of the wheel and ball bearing, and leave it to work for a few minutes.
Next, submerge the parts into a bowl of clean water, and leave them to soak for an additional few minutes. Your wheels and bearings should now be grime free.
Allow the parts to dry thoroughly and use a few puffs of compressed air to remove any remaining dust.
Step 3
Lubricate the ball bearings
Before refitting the wheels, you should pay some extra attention to lubricating the ball bearings. This will give your skateboard the smooth glide that you dream of.
Using WD-40® Specialist High Performance PFTE Lubricant, massage a spritz of product into the bearing component. This will reduce friction on the bearing, elongating its lifespan. Leave the product to dry, and it’s ready to go!
Step 4
Reassemble your skateboard
Now that your wheels and bearings are clean and lubricated, you can re fit them to your deck. Remember, if your bearings only have one side shield, make sure you place this on the correct side.
Step 5
The finishing touches
Once your skateboard is clean and maintenance complete, you should give your deck the once over. Check for any chips, splinters, or peeling grip tape. If you notice any small chips or splinters, you can sand them down using a high grit sandpaper and protect the wood using a spritz of WD-40® Multi-Use Product. If your grip tape is peeling, you should replace it to avoid further damage.
Now you know how to clean skateboard bearings
Now that’s what you call a clean, well-maintained skateboard, ready to hit the ramps! If you found this guide useful, why not check out our blog page to find out other ways WD-40® can help you around the home? You’ll discover so many other uses for WD-40® from motorcycle maintenance tips to suitcase repair!
The uses shown and described for WD-40 Multi-Use Product were provided to WD-40 Company by the users themselves. These uses haven’t been tested by WD-40 Company and do not constitute a recommendation of suggestion for use by WD-40 Company. Common sense should be exercised whenever using WD-40 Company products. Always follow the instructions and take heed of any warnings printed on the packaging.
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