Why Are My Skateboard Wheels Slow?

by | Last updated on January 24, 2024

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Why does lube slow the bearing down?

The lube has mass that has to be moved out of the way while the bearing rotates

. During a hand spin, those little balls don’t have much mass behind them to push the lube out of the way. Thus hand spins are fastest when the bearing has very little or no lubricant.

How can I make my skateboard wheels faster?

You can make your skateboard wheels spin faster and longer by

cleaning them with the proper cleaning agent such as Bones Speed Cream

. However, you can also try loosening your axle nuts if that doesn’t seem to work. When all else fails, it may mean that it’s time to upgrade your wheels and bearings.

Why does my skateboard feel slow?

One of the most frequent issues that produce a slow skateboard is

over-tightened axle nuts

. How tight should skateboard wheels be? Over-tightening axle nuts causes pressure against bearings, not allowing wheels to spin. We all make this mistake at some point, and a noticeable squeaky rubbing noise results.

How long should your skateboard wheels spin?

How Long Should Skateboard Wheels Spin For? Your wheels do not need to spin freely for more than

two seconds

. That being said, you need to stand on your board and push around for a few minutes. If it’s difficult to push or the board stops on it’s own, loosen the wheels slightly.

Should I loosen my skateboard wheels?

We recommend

loosening the nut on each truck a half or quarter turn counterclockwise at a time, then given the board a try

. Don’t over loosen to the point that you risk having the nut fall off the kingpin. A full turn should give a noticeable change.

How can I make my bearings faster?

The maximum speed can be increased by

use of a high speed lubricant and also with a high speed retainer

. Rubber contact seals will reduce the maximum bearing speed. High precision bearings will run at higher speeds thanks to the superior roundness and finish of the balls and bearing rings.

Are bigger skateboard wheels faster?


Larger wheels will give you a faster ride

while smaller wheels may slow you down. However, because they are lower to the ground and easier to control, smaller wheels are the best wheels for street skating.

Is it better to skate loose or tight?

If you’re used to skating tight trucks,

loosening them can improve the flow of your skateboarding

. Without having to tic-tac up to an obstacle or lean drastically as you roll away, your skating will take on an easier, more care-free look. If your style seems rigid, try loosening your trucks.

Do harder skateboard wheels roll faster?

It’s like the difference between a deflated vs a very hard tire.

The hard tire rolls a lot faster

, whilst deflated tires slug along and don’t keep enough momentum to take you to those higher speeds. So what are some examples of high-quality wheels for skateboarding and longboarding?

How fast is skateboarding compared to walking?

Skateboarding is clearly faster than walking: Our observations at UC Davis found that skateboarders travel

between 6 and 13 miles per hour, with an average of 9.7 miles per hour

. At two- to four-times the speed of walking, skateboards can extend the range of destinations reachable under human power.

How do I make my skateboard ride smoother?

How fast should skateboard wheels be?

Remember to aim for

10 to 30 seconds

spinning skateboard wheels. In other words, your skateboard wheels should spin freely for at least 10 seconds without stopping. If it stops spinning before 10 seconds, your wheels are tightly placed. If it exceeds the 30 seconds mark, it is a bit loose.

How do I slow down my skateboard?

Why are skateboards veering?

Over time bushings and pivot cups lose flexibility from steering, weather conditions, and impacts.

Usually, the cause is because you steer more in one direction than the other resulting in uneven squash

. Meaning one side could be more squashed than the other. Even if your bushings are new they can be a bit misaligned.

Why can’t I turn on my skateboard?


Check the tightness of your trucks

.

If your deck barely tilts, it means you have tight trucks, which will make it difficult to turn. If your board tilts easily, it means your trucks are loose; while looser trucks make turning easier, they also make your deck unstable and difficult to control.

How tight should bushings be?

That being said, they should be

tight enough that the kingpin won’t fall out and loose enough that the bushings don’t burst

. Other than that, there aren’t really a set of rules. If you are a skater that rides street or at skateparks, you’ll want to set them quite tight to provide more stability.

Can you use Vaseline on bearings?

When it comes to bearing,

only use petroleum jelly for emergency fixes

. However, if the metal temperature of the bearing will not get to the melting point of petroleum jelly, Vaseline should work fine. Unfortunately, Vaseline also dries faster, and you have to remove the old one and apply a new layer regularly.

Does WD-40 help skateboard bearings?


Never use WD-40 to clean your skateboard bearings

.

WD-40 is designed for removing rust and grime, however, it’s not a lubricant. Even though it might seem great at first, WD-40 will dry your bearings out quickly and then you need to keep reapplying it until you’re in need of new bearings. Don’t be tempted to use WD-40.

Do bearings rotate?

Bearings are “

parts that assist objects’ rotation

“. They support the shaft that rotates inside the machinery. Machines that use bearings include automobiles, airplanes, electric generators and so on.

What are 52mm wheels good for?

Small 51mm – 52mm wheels

This is a great size for starting out, particularly for younger skaters. Wheels of this size are suitable for

any type of street and transition skateboarding

. They won’t pick up too much speed when learning to ride down hills.

What size wheels should I get for a 8.0 deck?

Deck Size truck Size Wheel Size 8.0 7.75 – 8.25 Axles 50 – 54 mm 8.125 8.0 – 8.25 AXLES 50 – 54 mm 8.25 8.0 – 8.5 axles 52 – 55 mm 8.375 8.25 – 8.5 axles 52 – 55 mm

Do bearings make you go faster?

Answer 1:

Ball bearings make skateboards (and anything else with wheels)go faster

because they reduce the friction between the wheels and their axles. In general >when things slide over each other, the friction between them causes a force that tends to slow them down.

What is wheel bite?

The dreaded wheel bite

occurs when a wheel comes into contact with the deck during a turn, stopping the forward motion

. This causes a rider to loose balance and/or fall off the board.

Why are skateboards uneven?

Is it easier to Ollie with tight trucks?


Tight trucks will give you more stability and therefore make it easier to stay centered over your board

. It is not purely preference. there is a trade off in benefits. Additionally, loose trucks are not more forgiving for landing tricks except for when riding transition (eg.

Rebecca Patel
Author
Rebecca Patel
Rebecca is a beauty and style expert with over 10 years of experience in the industry. She is a licensed esthetician and has worked with top brands in the beauty industry. Rebecca is passionate about helping people feel confident and beautiful in their own skin, and she uses her expertise to create informative and helpful content that educates readers on the latest trends and techniques in the beauty world.