How to Clean Longboard Bearings (Cleaning with Necessary Equipment)

Cleaning the bearings of the longboard is very important to keep the longboard in good condition. Bearings are responsible for the rotation of the wheels, and they also get dirty over time, which can affect the performance of your longboard. Bearings are usually very moving things, they don’t bother us that much, but if we use them in puddles or the wrong places, they will cause problems for us, so we need to clean them.

Clean ball bearings are high-speed and valuable for our longboard. Dirt and too much dirt getting inside the paths harm our longboard, so the longboard bearings are damaged.  If the direction gets damaged, the longboard makes it very difficult to clean it, so we use lubricants. If your longboard bearings are less worn, apply a few drops of oil and swirl them around so that your longboard bearings are appropriately cleaned.

In this article, we will tell you in detail about the detailed steps for how to clean longboard bearings.

Required Equipments to Change Longboard Bearing

You will require

• A skate tool or nut wrench
• A Level Surface (table, floor, or desk)
• Cloth Pape
• Knife or a Razor
• Isopropyl-based rubbing alcohol or nail polish remover in a disposable or ceramic cup
• A distinct vessel for bearings (optional)
• A cloth to help keep the area tidy (optional)
• Your Speed Cream or Skateboard Lubricant (optional)

Cleaner/Solvent

It is usual practice to clean bearings with alcohol or a citrus cleaner; the latter is safer but more likely to leave residues. Since citrus cleaning is water-based, you must quickly dry your bearings to prevent rust. The solvents sold commercially are not as pure as you may believe. Some typical examples include acetone, isopropyl alcohol, and carburetor cleaning products. They must be dried fast as well.

Many boarders use cleaning supplies that contain alcohol, such as methyl and ethanol. There are further options as well, including petrol and engine degreasers. It’s entirely up to you what you utilize. However, we urge you to use environmentally responsible methods. Lemon juice 

It also works well.

Secure Container

Use a secure container with a lid and a cap instead of an easily broken glass or a plastic container that reacts with chemicals. Containers should be clean and chemical resistant.

Lubricant

We advise using the light grease option when it comes to lubricants. Of course, the decision is yours. Your bearings will spin quicker with thinner oil and are more prone to breaking. Your directions may turn slower with medium grease, but it will be harder to get them dirty. Although it will keep water out, thick oil will draw in more dirt. Longboard bearings should be lubricated after cleaning them to ensure smooth operation; try to select lubricants without a break-in time.

A paper clip or a knife

The shield will be removed with a paperclip, a knife blade, or a sharp object. Most of the time, all that is needed should be anything sufficient to remove the shield.

These thongs (paper clip or knife) are helpful for removing the bearings.

Dryer (optional)

Although not required, a dryer can be helpful too. You should acquire this if you want to fast-dry your damp bearings or if you want to ensure that everything is dry inside. However, using a dryer can also save time.

Longboard Bearing Cleaning Procedures

We will also provide five cleaning options if the bearings are significantly harmed. The following steps are available for continuing:

•  Take Off Wheels
• Removing the shields
• Clean the bearings
• Regreasing
•  Finishing Touches

Step 1: Take Off Wheels

In this first stage, remove the bearing from the longboard.

After removing the bearings on the longboard, release the axle bolts with a skate tool or wrench before removing the wheels from the trucks. Using the skate tool, carefully remove the bearings from the wheels. To keep the approach safe, apply gentleness. Take the path out of the revolution by opening it like a beer bottle. Repeat the procedure on the opposite side.

Step 2: Removing the shields

You must remove one of the shields to access the balls and cage. If you don’t take care when removing the shield, you’ll probably scratch or damage it. You only need one on each bearing, so it’s all right.

For metal-shielded bearings, the exterior of the race will have a “C” clip. Removing the balls and cage from the race is feasible for individual cleaning on some bearings, but you do not need to do this unless you want to.

Step 3: Clean the bearings

The third step is to clean the skateboard bearings at home.

Put the bearings in a container and add your preferred fluid before applying your homemade longboard bearing cleaning solution. After shaking the bearings for two to three minutes, rinse them with an extra-clean solvent.

Step 4: Regreasing

longboard-bearing-cleaning

Before relubricating with grease or oil, your bearings should be dried using a hair dryer. Use moderation while lubricating since you don’t need much. Faster bearing rotation is to get with thinner lubrication, but the bearings are more vulnerable to damage.

Oil lubricates your bearings more quickly, but they will soon wear out if anything touches them. Additionally, the fat tends to spin out of the direction, overheating the path and melting the wheels. Oh well! However, if you enjoy routinely cleaning bearing surfaces, you could be interested in looking into it.

Thick grease, similar to the kind found in bike shops, is on the opposite extreme of the scale. If you use this, the good news is your bearings will withstand garbage, but the bad news is that they will spin more slowly. Your best bet is light grease or a specialized longboard-bearing lube.

Step 5: Finishing Touches

It’s time to put your longboard back together after the bearings have been cleaned and greased (if required). Make sure the paths are correctly seated on the wheels using the skate tool to replace them. Axle nuts should be tightened after the spins are reattached to the trucks.

Cleaning your longboard’s bearings is an essential element of maintenance that can help it last longer and operate at its best. You can keep your bearings clean and operating efficiently using these easy precautions.

Over time, the bearings of your longboard collect filth and grit, reducing your ability to do some sick feats. Cleaning the paths is simple, but it is effective. Cleaning your board’s directions enhances its speed and longevity and reduces natural wear and tear.

The instructions indicate that the process is simple enough to execute at home. This article taught you the value of maintaining and cleaning longboard bearings. We hope you understand all this.