Skaters feel the difference at once: fresh bearings roll long and quietly, while bearings packed with dust and grit drag and crunch. The four wheels sit on the truck axles, and each wheel holds a pair of ball bearings that constantly pick up dust, dirt and moisture from the tarmac.
Bearings come with a single shield or two. The shield keeps dirt out and grease in, but over time even that is not enough, especially after puddles and wet autumn streets. Here is how to give your board a full service at home.
What you will need
Important: Wear safety glasses when blowing out bearings with compressed air, and do not spin a dry bearing to high speed with air, as this can damage the balls. Apply lubricant only inside the bearings and on the axle, never on the wheel surfaces or the grip tape.
Step 1
Remove the wheels and bearings
Loosen the axle nuts with a suitable spanner and remove the wheels. Take the bearings out with a proper bearing puller. Do not lever them out by twisting the wheel across the axle, as many people do: that easily damages the bearing seat in the wheel.
Note the order of the washers on the outside and inside of the wheel and any spacer between the bearings.
Step 2
Clean the bearings
Remove the shield from one side of each bearing. It is usually plastic and comes off if you carefully prise it with the tip of a knife without bending it.
Put the bearings in a jar, pour in WD-40 Multi-Use and leave for a few minutes, shaking occasionally. The dirt will settle at the bottom. Lift the bearings out, dry them thoroughly and blow them through with compressed air to expel remaining particles.
Step 3
Lubricate the bearings
Once the bearings are completely dry, lubricate them before reassembly: work a small amount of WD-40 Specialist White Lithium Grease into the cage and turn the bearing with your fingers. The grease reduces friction and wear and protects against moisture.
Refit the shields, pressing with your fingers until they seat in their groove.
Step 4
Fit the bearings into the wheels
A bearing press is best. Without one, put the inner bearing with its washer on the axle, push the wheel onto it and press evenly by hand until the bearing seats. Remove the wheel, put the spacer and second bearing on the axle and repeat.
Single-shield bearings go in with the shield facing outwards. Before refitting the wheels, clean and lubricate the axle threads with WD-40 Smart Straw, then tighten the nuts without pinching the wheel.
Step 5
Wash the wheels
If the bearings are fine, you may only need to clean the rolling surface of compacted tarmac grime, leaves and soil. Remove the wheel, take out the bearings and soak the wheel in warm water with washing-up liquid.
Scrub the edge with a brush and a scouring sponge, rinse, dry and reassemble as described above.
Step 6
Silence squeaky trucks
If a truck squeaks in the pivot cup, undo the kingpin nut and remove the hanger with its axle. Wipe the pivot tip and the cup seat with a rag.
Put a little WD-40 Specialist Silicone into the cup: silicone is safe on polyurethane and plastic and stops the squeak. Refit the hanger and tighten the nut to the stiffness you prefer.
Tip: After skating on wet tarmac, do not leave the board in a cold hallway or on a balcony: wipe the wheels and axles and let it dry somewhere warm. Moisture in the bearings over winter is the main cause of rusty balls.
What next
Clean and lubricate the bearings every 1-2 months with regular skating, or straight after riding through puddles. Check wheels and trucks weekly. For other small parts, a can of WD-40 Smart Straw in your backpack is enough.
These uses come from the experience of WD-40 users in many countries. Always follow the instructions and warnings on the product label.
More guides in «How to use».