How to Replace the Bearings of a Skateboard

Jeremy Ethridge

Is your skateboard moving slower than it used to? Do you find that your wheels will sometimes stop for virtually no reason while riding your skateboard? Do your wheels look like they just came out of the sewer? Then it may be time to replace your bearings. The following instructions are intended for anyone who rides any version of a skateboard (including longboards and penny boards) and covers removal of the wheels, replacement of the bearings, and return of the wheels back onto the skateboard. These instruction s are designed to be easy to follow, so simply follow along and examine all pictures associated with the instructions. Attempting to replace the bearings on your own may cause may cause damage to the new bearings.

Supplies:

  • ½ inch socket wrench
  • 8 skateboard ball bearings
  • Trash bin
  • Plastic bowl

Instructions:

Part 1: Remove Wheel

  1. Lay skateboard flat on the ground with the wheels side facing up.
  2. Select a wheel.
  3. Place all 8 ball bearings next to the wheel
  4. Place bowl next to wheel.
  5. Pick up socket wrench with writing hand.
  6. Grab the wheel with other hand.
  7. Angle the wheel so you can see the nut holding the wheel in place.
  8. Place the socket wrench on the nut so that the nut is inside the socket.
  9. Rotate the wrench counter-clockwise.
  10. Repeat step 9 until nut is removed from the wheel
  11. Place nut into bowl.
  12. Grab washer that is on the wheel
  13. Remove washer from the wheel
  14. Place washer into bowl
  15. Grab wheel with non-writing hand
  16. Remove wheel from skateboard

Part 2: Replace Bearings

  1. Angle the wheel so you can see through the center of the wheel
  2. Insert handle of socket wrench into opening in the wheel
  3. Tap on the ball bearing on the opposite side of the wheel with the socket wrench
  4. Repeat step 19 until ball bearing is removed
  5. Turn the wheel around until you can see through the wheel from the opposite side
  6. Repeat steps 18-20
  7. Place socket wrench next to you
  8. Pick up one of the 8 new ball bearings
  9. Place the bearing flat into the hole of the wheel
  10. Push on the sides of the bearing until it clicks into place
  11. Flip wheel over
  12. Repeat steps 24-26

Part 3: Return Wheel to Board

  1. Pick up wheel
  2. Insert the truck of the skateboard into the hole of the wheel
  3. Pick up washer
  4. Place washer onto the truck of the skateboard
  5. Pick up nut
  6. Place nut onto the truck of the skateboard
  7. Pick up socket wrench
  8. Twist the switch on the back of the head of the socket wrench counter clockwise

*Twisting the switch on the socket wrench reverses the direction that the socket wrench can rotate.

  1. Place the socket wrench on the nut so that the nut is inside the socket.
  2. Rotate the socket wrench clockwise until you feel some resistance while turning
  3. Twist the switch on the head of the socket wrench clockwise
  4. Rotate the socket wrench counter clockwise for half a turn

*When the nut is tightened too far,

it prevents the wheel from turning properly, which is why the nut is loosened after you reach resistance during tightening. For perfect wheel rotation, you need to find a good balance between holding the wheel in

place and allowing it to rotate freely.

You will get better at this step with practice.

  1. Repeat steps 2-40 for the other 3 wheels.