In today’s world of mass production and ‘throw-away’ products it’s pretty easy to buy a $15 set of bearings, burn through them, and toss what’s left in the garbage. Now that might work for standard skateboards (aka trick decks) where speed and distance don’t factor in as much or for someone who only casually uses their longboard for transport, but for the performance minded ‘hill freaks’ out there it just won’t do. Let’s face it, you can’t just toss that $100+ pair of Bones Ceramics in the trash a month after you get them!
Reasons for Maintenance
Clean and adequately lubricated longboard bearings are an essential piece of equipment for any skater. After all, they allow you to go right? Well there are several reasons why you should take care of them (besides $$). Properly maintained bearings can:
Extend the life of your expensive equipment. By cleaning out all the old ‘burned-out’ bearing oil, metal shavings, rust, grit, and various other gunk that can build up in your bearing’s casing; you will prevent damage to the ball-bearings that would otherwise slow down their rotation speeds. Less rotation speed = less overall speed. So it can cost you that extra few m.p.h. you’ve been chasing all session.
Keep you safe! Bearing lock-up is a dangerous possibility for any skater, but it can be deadly for longboarders. This condition occurs for two reasons: there is no lubricant to decrease friction in the bearing (which leads to a meltdown from heat buildup) or debris gets lodged in the ball-bearing track and prevents them from rotating (which results in a seizure). For the person riding the board either reason will cause their session to end badly. Even going at slow speeds a bearing lock-up will send the rider flying off the board. However imagine the result of that when bombing a hill…
Extend the length of your sessions. For every action there is an opposite and equal reaction… It’s all physics right? By keeping your bearings clean you can save your energy for what really matters: riding. A gunky bearing does not rotate as easily or as quickly as it should. This means that you are expending more of your precious energy to keep the board at a constant speed than is necessary. This tires you out quicker and ends your session sooner!
All in all these are just a couple of the more immediate reasons for proper bearing maintenace that I could think of (at least for now). Additionally, these themes are important to understand in the initial bearing selection; which is a topic I will have to save for another day. In the following section I’ll guide you through the process of cleaning your bearings.
One Step at a Time: Cleaning Your Bearings
Warning!: Due to the nature of the materials involved, I recommend that this be done by adults only.
There are a few essential tools that you will need before we begin:
A container: I use and recommend the Bones Skateboard Bearing Cleaning Unit available on our webstore. This handy little unit can save you time and energy by eleminating the need to scrub, rinse, rotate, and repeat until clean. However, any sealable (non-food!) container will work in a pinch.
A cleaning solution: I only use 90%+ Isopropyl Alcohol to clean my bearings. There are many other solutions that you can use to achieve the desired effect, but I find that Isopropyl Alcohol is the easiest to find (at the local store) and the safest to use (the fumes aren’t as bad). Important Note!: If you do choose to use Isopropyl Alcohol, only use a 90% or higher concentrated solution to clean your bearings! Anything lower than 90% will contain too much water that can oxidize the metal and lead to corrosion issues down the road (applies too).
A skatetool: Time to break out your favorite skatetool! An adjustable wrench will do if you don’t have one. We carry an excellent All-in-One T-Tool in our store that provides all the function you’ll need if you don’t already own one.
A sharp pointy object: For this any sharp, pointy object (knife) should work. However, if you use a bladed object you do run the risk of slicing into the rubber coating on the bearing cover. Damaging this cover will allow dirt and debris to enter the bearing more easily, thereby decreasing the bearings lifespan. I have found that sewing needles work best for prying off the bearing cover without damaging it too badly.
A bearing lubricant: To provide adequate lubrication it is necessary to use the right kind: custom made for bearings. I use Bones Speed Cream. It’s all I’ve ever used anything else so I couldn’t recommend anything else. Don’t just use any old lubricant though.
Cleanable bearings: Cheaper bearings are often permanently sealed inside metal or plastic housings that are not designed to be opened. To allow bearings to be maintained, more expensive sets usually have removeable rubber cover shields on one side (the side that faces out of the wheel) and an open inner side that shows the bearings.
Cool! Now that we have all of the tools necessary, lets get down to the fun stuff. When cleaning your bearings make sure to do it in a well ventilated area to prevent fumes from making you sick. It also helps to have a clean, flat work surface that will not allow any parts to roll off onto the floor (I’ve lost enough hardware to know). Here are the steps you need to follow:
1. Use your skatetool to remove the wheels (with the bearings still in them) from the truck axle. Be careful not to lose the two washers on each wheel, these are important!
2. Use the axle of your skate-truck to pop the bearings out of the wheel’s core. This shouldn’t damage the axle threads on the truck, but if you really bear down on it you could. So be careful. Also if you have bearing spacers in the wheel (a small tube like object between the two bearings, in the core, that reduces lateral tensions) don’t lose them either.
3. Now that you have the wheel disassembled, take your needle and pry the rubber cover shield off each bearing. The best way to do this is to stick the pointy edge of your needle between the lip of the outer bearing casing and the outer edge of the rubber cover shield and use the needle to pry the cover out then off. Try not to damage the edge of the rubber cover shield. After disassembling the bearings you are ready to actually clean them.
4. If you are lucky enough to already have the Bones Bearing Cleaning Unit, alternately slide bearings and spacers onto the main bolt on the lid (there should be 7 spacers for 8 bearings) and tighten the wing-nut. Throw all the other hardware (rubber cover shields, washers, spacers, nuts, etc.) that you want to clean into the Cleaning Unit and fill about half-way with Isopropyl Alcohol. Screw on the lid and shake the Cleaning Unit vigorously! easy huh?
5. Pour out the dirty Isopropyl Alcohol from the previous wash. While the lid is still unscrewed rotate each of the bearings on the main bolt a few turns to loosen more gunk and help clean the bearings.
6. Repeat steps 4-6 until the Isopropyl Alcohol in the Cleaning Unit remains clear and you feel that the bearings are clean.
7. Remove the bearings and other hardware from the Cleaning Unit and dry them quickly (alcohol evaporates quickly so this will not take long). Make sure to spin the bearings several times to completely dry the insides.
8. Add one to two drops of Bones Speed Cream to one or two of the balls in each bearing. I always add two drops as an insurance policy, the excess will be slung out by centrifugal force anyways.
9. Replace the rubber cover shields on each bearing by pressing them in (rubber side out) until it is fully sealed against the lip of the outer bearing casing.
10. To better protect the bearing from grime and dirt, place one drop of Bones Speed Cream on the outside of the rubber cover shield and smear it around with your finger until the oil fills in any gaps in the seal.
11. Reassemble your wheel by placing two bearings at a time on each side of one of your skate-trucks with the rubber cover shield sides facing the kingpin of the truck. Take one wheel in each hand and use the skate-truck to line up the bearings with the wheel cores. Now press the wheels together while on the truck to seat the bearings. Take off the wheels, flip them over, and repeat for the other two bearings (if you use internal bearing spacers do not forget to replace them in the cores!). You eventually should have two bearings in each wheel that both have the rubber cover shield sides facing out and away from the inner core.
12. When you mount the wheels back on the trucks, make sure to replace the two washers for each wheel. These prevent friction from loosening the wheel nut and any damage to the bearings from the trucks. The correct order is: Washer, Wheel, Washer, Nut. Use your skatetool to tighten the wheel nut but make sure not to over-tighten. The wheel should ideally turn freely but not jiggle more than a little bit on the axle.
Congratulations! You’ve cleaned your bearings. You should do this again whenever they look really dirty, see heavy use, or get wet to protect them from damage and ensure that you have a great ride while using them. Now go out, have fun, and skate! I promise you will feel the difference.
Skate to live, live to skate!
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