Have you ever noticed when a skateboarder has only two or three wheels left in their set? The worst condition I’ve seen was from someone who came up to me at the local park and said that it didn’t matter because he never got good enough with these boards.
There are actually some pretty clear signs if your ride needs new traction rubber on its deck, it might be time for an upgrade.
Wheels wear down and require replacement over time. Harder, smaller diameter wheels will be more resistant to wear than softer ones with a larger footprint that allow for quicker acceleration in rideshare vehicles or bicycles used by delivery drivers who must quickly deliver their packages without stopping at every red light along the way.
Why do we need wheels for skateboards?
Wheels allow the skater to go much faster. Without wheels, skateboards are just too slow.
Skateboards need wheels to really get anything accomplished, let alone have any fun! With no wheels, there is no transfer of kinetic energy from the ground into the board in order to help you propel forward – which leaves your only option as pushing with your feet on the ground for friction (which ends up wearing down shoes and transferring heat).
The lack of friction also means that you’ll be taking several steps every time you need to make a quick turn or change direction; something that would typically take one step if there were some kind of wheel involved.
Lasting of skateboard wheels
Skateboard wheels last for about a month, but the age and condition of the wheels will determine how long it lasts. The older and rougher the wheels are, then they may wear out much sooner than if they were new. If you just bought some fresh new skateboard wheels, they can last you anywhere from 30-60 days before it needs to be replaced with a new set of wheels.
This is due to how many times your skateboard wheel spins per minute on pavement or cement – so typically figure on them lasting about half as long as expected during rainy weather or if you’re skating anything other than smooth terrain like asphalt. This means that on average it should take about twice as long for your board.
How to maintain skateboard wheels?
One of the most important aspects of skateboarding is taking care of your board. Periodically use a board wax or petroleum jelly to lubricate all moving parts. Don’t let the wheels spin too fast, which does more harm than good.
To maintain wheels, you can try wiping them down with rubbing alcohol. Another option is to sprinkle talcum powder on the wheel to clean it off and then buff it before riding again. You should also avoid skating in parks filled with lots of dirt and other contaminants because they will wear away at your bearings quickly.
To put this another way, you should not use water or oil-based lubricants for your bushings, as these substances are bad for rubber parts.
Skateboarders wanting to maintain their wheels must:
1- Store your skateboard in a dry location and be sure not to overlap the boards on another board.
2- Make sure that the wheels are cleaned after every use with soap and water or alcohol. For best results, clean them even before they start accumulating dirt.
3- The wheel guards should be removed as soon as they start rubbing against the wheel because it will result in damage to both parts as well as fast wearing of bearings; this applies if you have noticed any unusual noise coming from your bearing.
4- You can also use pieces of cardboard or pieces of transparent plastic film (clear tape) between shoe and wheel when sliding on asphalt surfaces like roads.
How to replace your wheels?
Replacing wheels is a complex process that usually needs to be done with the wheel on the car, so it can’t be replaced quickly or easily.
After you remove your current wheel, purchase two new ones of the same size. Fit one onto your car with no problem and install the second one with spacers for now.
Drive home avoiding sharp turns at all costs as you want to try and keep both wheels balanced until they are fixed into position under pressure – otherwise you could deal more damage than necessary.
Make sure you have four jack stands or ramps available to make changing them any time easier in future if needed.
Conclusion:
The bearing should be spinning freely when you move the skateboard. If it’s not, there could be dirt or grime caught between them which would cause a lack of power and slow response time in your glide across surfaces such as concrete sidewalks during rush hour traffic.
The solution to this problem is simple: remove any foreign particles from inside each roller using either acetone (for metal parts) nail polish remover, whatever works best suited for what needs cleaning.
Once everything looks clear again put some silicon-based lubricant on anything that might contact against raw wood before reinserting back into the housing unit.
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