If you are a skateboard driver and your skateboard does not turn fast, the first thing you should look up to is the wheels. They are essential to keep the skateboard in motion. Without proper wheels, you would be unable to run the skateboard effectively and fast.
High-quality wheels, proper adjustment, high-quality bearings, and proper oiling of these wheels ensure a fast and long run. If your skateboard is not running fast and spinning fast, it does not mean that only the wheels are not in good shape.
There might be other problems with your skateboard. Check the axle nuts, the contact surface area of the wheels, and the bearing; it might have some dirt, etc. these might be the reason for the slow spinning of the wheels of your skateboard. You can follow some tips to ensure the proper and fast spinning of the skateboard’s wheels.
By following these methods, you can also increase the lifetime of the wheels. These are some of the most effective ways to ensure the best skateboard experience. Thoroughly read this article and follow the steps one by one.
Adjust the axle
The first thing you should do is adjust the axle because, most of the time, it is the axles responsible for the wheels’ slow spinning. Most of the time, they are either too tight or too loose, resulting in disturbance of the spinning of the wheels.
To know whether the axle nuts are okay, spin the skateboard’s wheels by hand; if they stop immediately or revert to another direction, they are probably too tight. To fix the problem, all you need to do is to lose the axle nut a bit and turn it counterclockwise.
But remember, it should not be turned too far because it would lead to another problem. And do not lose it too much. Make it moderate. After this, spin the wheels by hand again. The problem is fixed if they do not stop or revert to another direction. If not, it may have other issues.
Keep the wheels clean.
Using the wheel for an extended time catches the dirt and other dust, slowing the wheels. So if you want your wheels to go far and spin fast, you need to keep them clean. There are different ways of cleaning the wheels.
You can slide back and forth the skateboard on the pavements to remove the dirt, gum, or tar from it. Similarly, if the dirt is too much, you can use oil or grease to remove it. You can give the wheels oil and grease by removing them from the skateboard. They can be easily removed by using the skateboard wrench.
After that, remove the bearing from the wheels, but they should not be washed. Wash the skateboard with unique soaps using a toothbrush. Use the toothbrush very gently because using it harder may damage some parts of the wheels.
Please do not put it back on the wheels without drying it. Because if you do not dry it, dirt and dust will stick too easily. This is the best step you can follow to have the best wheels.
Clean the bearing
Cleaning the bearing is one of the essential things for fast and proper wheels. Just like wheels, the bearing can also catch dirt and keep them for a long time unclean, and they can become a hurdle in the process of fast spinning. It would help if you kept them clean as much as possible.
Cleaning of bearings is as simple as cleaning wheels. Remove the wheels of the skateboard by using a skate tool or wrench. After that, remove the bearing shield and bearings. Use a non-water solvent for washing the bearings. Do not use water because the bearing can get rust after some time.
You can wash the bearings with acetone, mineral spirits, or rubbing alcohol. Get a washing plate, pour washing solvent into it, and keep the bearings in it for some time. Then remove them and scrub the toothbrush to make things quick.
Later keep them in a paper towel to make them dry and remove the solvent as much as possible. This will make the bearings look new and advanced. Additionally, when you remove the bearings for cleaning, inspect whether they are acceptable or not.
If they have some damage, try to replace them with new bearings. Because without proper bearings, you would not be able to have the fast spinning of your wheels.
Swap the wheels
There are four different wheels of the skateboard, and when they are placed in one place for a more extended period, it takes the shape of that place.
By swapping them every two to three months, the wheels will be in good and proper shape and spin quickly. This is one of the effective ways through which you can preserve the speed of the wheels for a longer time.
Get quality bearings
If you clean your wheels and bearings and swap the wheels, but still it has that problem of slow spinning, or they stop in between the ride, then it is time to check which part of the skateboard needs to be changed.
First, check the wheels; if they are damaged, do change them. If they are okay, then you should probably examine the bearings. If the bearings are damaged, changing them is a better option. But washing them may get things correct if they are not damaged.
Changing them will be the right choice if that does not work because you cannot take further chances. Bearings are essential for skateboarding. Without proper bearings, you would end up nowhere. However, you should ensure to have quality bearings. You cannot change them now and then.
Conclusion
Wheels are the most important thing for a skateboard. If they are not pleasing, you might not ride properly. Sometimes, these wheels do not spin or go the way they should.
If you face such issues, follow the above tips, and your wheels will be okay and in a better position to spin fast and go for long distances.
