How to Clean Skate Bearings

Properly-functioning bearings are important to a good skateboard; sticky or gritty bearings will disrupt a smooth ride by forcing the rider to push more frequently. It's important to maintain bearings to prevent them from getting buildup, which could eventually cause permanent damage to their moving parts. A thorough bearing cleaning, when performed every month or so, will ensure that your wheels are always rotating smoothly and that they last for a long time.

Things You'll Need

  • Skate tool
  • Plastic cup
  • Citrus-based cleaner
  • Ball-bearing lubricant
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Instructions

  1. Remove the Bearings

    • 1

      Use a skate tool to remove the hex nuts that fasten the wheels to the axles (or skate trucks).

    • 2

      Slip the wheel off the truck until only a 1/4-inch of the axle still extends through the bearing. Roll your wrist and pop out the bearing. Flip the wheel over and do the same thing to remove the second bearing.

    • 3

      Remove all eight bearings from the four wheels.

    Clean the Bearings

    • 4

      Drop the bearings into the plastic cup and fill it with the citrus-based cleaner until they are submerged.

    • 5

      Rattle the cup vigorously; then pour out the dirty cleaner, and refill the cup until the cleaner is no longer clouded by dirt particles after you shake the bearings.

    • 6

      Remove them from the cup and allow them to dry. Spray them with a lubricant specially formulated for use with bearings.

    • 7

      Re-install the clean bearings; place two bearings on one axle, then press the wheel firmly down until the first pops into place. Slide off the wheel and turn it over to install the second bearing. Repeat for all four wheels.

    • 8

      Reattach the wheels to the trucks; use the skate tool to screw on the hex nuts that fasten them.