How to make skateboard wheels faster: everything you need to know

How To Make Skateboard Wheels Faster: 8 Helpful Tips Wheels

Did you know that the skateboard’s wheels can significantly affect how quickly and smoothly it can be ridden? So what can you do now?

Experimenting with different skateboard wheels will help you to make skateboard wheels spin longer. I looked into a few options and found a couple of ways to accomplish this! The same method enabled me to lengthen and speed up the process.

This article will explain how to increase the speed, smoothness, and length of your skate wheels. These instructions include hints on how to begin going as well.

how to make skateboard wheels faster

Here’s how to make your skateboard wheels faster

Clean skateboarding dirty wheels

Typically, soaking the wheel is where you want to start. The cleaning solution should then be applied directly to the wheel and worked into a lather with your hands or an old toothbrush. Until there are no longer any suds, rinse the cleanser with water.

For wheels that are especially unclean, you might need to repeat this procedure several times. Before using the wheels again, let them thoroughly dry by air. The best method for cleaning skating wheels without removing them is this one.

Maintaining the condition of your skateboard requires cleaning your skateboarding wheels.

You can help maintain your wheels clean and clear of dirt, dust, and other debris by following these instructions.

wheels

Change wheel size

The performance and feel of your board may vary depending on the size of your wheels; a 1mm change in wheel size will result in a modest variation in skateboard wheel diameter (which may or may not affect speed).

Beginner skaters should start with 10″ or smaller wheels before progressing to larger ones because they are closer to balancing with flippable decks.

Get bigger wheels

Investing in a larger wheel is the best course of action if you want to get more speed. Greater grip and speed are offered by larger wheels than by smaller ones.

They also tend to be heavier, though. Larger wheels are therefore preferable for skateboarding. Big wheels like the Powell-Peralta G-Bones 97A Skateboard Wheels are an example.

New skateboard wheels

New skateboard wheels can have trouble spinning. Even though the bearings are new, your new skateboarding wheels won’t spin if they have a lot of friction or rub against your deck as you try to turn.

Before using your new skating wheels and bearings, make sure to have them inspected to make sure they’re in good shape.

Use smoother and steeper roads for riding

Your skateboard’s slowdown could be caused by a bumpy road surface. Finding a smoother surface to skate on is not difficult and will speed up your ride, especially if you have harder wheels.

Try to choose a steep road when riding downhill to increase your speed.

However, because your harder wheels don’t absorb as much vibration from road imperfections, you can experience harsher roads that felt smoother on the softer wheels.

Lubricating the bearings

Lubricating the bearings is another approach to make your skateboard bearings spin longer, which will increase the speed of your skateboard. Performance can be increased by reducing friction using a thin film of oil or lubricant. You can lubricant them with Bones Speed Cream, you can find them at any local skate shop.

How frequently you use your skateboard will determine how frequently you need to grease the bearings. But it’s typically advised that you do it every few months.

bearingslube 1500x

Use high-quality bearings

Using high-quality bearings is one of the easiest methods to make your skateboard wheels spin faster. Cheap bearings tend to wear out quickly and might be detrimental to your skating ability.

Loosen your axle nuts

Losing the axle nuts is one of the quickest methods to increase the speed of your wheel.

Depending on your preferences and skating technique, determine how tight you should go. There are two ways to determine whether your axle nuts should be tight or loose.

The first technique for determining how tight your axle nuts should be is a visual and tactile examination.

First, carefully inspect your wheel’s sidewalls to look for any minor cracks. That indicates that the wheel needs to be tightened because it is no longer safe to ride on.

Second, after determining whether or not it requires tightening, feel the wheel by hand (if there are no cracks in the sidewall).

It has to be tightened if it seems very loose. You’re okay to go if it feels a little bit tight but not too tight.

Depending on your preferences and skating style, determine how tight you should go.

To loosen the axle nut grab a skate tool or a 1/2′′ socket, and turn the axle nut slightly counterclockwise until the wheel starts to wiggle. Gradually loosen the axle nuts until the wheel spins without abruptly stopping.

A sound test is the second way to determine how tight your axle nuts should be. You can do it by rapping your knuckles against the edge of the wheel or striking the side of the wheel with your hand.

A high-pitched sound indicates that the wheel is too loose and has to be tightened. A low-pitched sound indicates that the wheel has to be loosened if it is excessively tight.

wheels1

Recommendation: Don’t fully tighten your axle nut. If you do that, you run the chance of shattering the wheel in two, which is quite terrible when using a longboard or skateboard with wheels.

  • Remove the spacer. 

The other piece of advice is to take out the spacer, which is the ring that holds your bearings in place. Doing so will make skateboard wheels spin faster. If you want to slow them down once more, turn the spacer back on.

  • Checking for damage.

Checking for damage is the final factor to take into account if you want to make your skateboard faster.

If your wheel is producing noises, swaying, or not spinning freely, this may be a sign that there is a problem with the wheel.

In general, issues like these call for professional assistance, and it’s recommended to steer clear of utilizing damaged wheels because doing so could worsen the bearing damage and impair performance.

How to сhange skateboard wheels?

  1. Take the skateboard deck. It can take the skateboard decks by removing the fasteners and holding them in place.
  2. Remove the old wheels from the skateboard trucks by unscrewing them.
  3. Depending on how thick your axle nuts are, mount the new wheels on the truck’s studs with the wheels facing inward (so they don’t contact) or outward (to avoid touching).
  4. Replace the nuts with thinner ones or use glue to fasten the new wheels to the studs.
  5. Making use of the same bolts that you initially removed, reattach your trucks to your deck. Push down on the deck surrounding each truck to make sure they are firmly fastened.
  6. Ride on your new wheels to test them out!
railsdrill1189x673

How to lubricate skateboard bearings & what to use?

How effectively the bearings are greased is one of the primary factors that influence how your skateboard rides. If they are not properly lubricated, you may find that your board is slow.

How do you determine how much lube to use, then? And maybe more significantly, how do you go about lubricating the skateboard bearings?

Generally speaking, you should only apply a thin layer of lubrication to the bearings. Be careful when applying lubricant because too much of it can result in issues like wheel spin.

On the market, lubricants come in a wide variety of forms. WD-40 is the most often used lubricant for skateboard bearings.

Other lubes that are readily available are Tri-Flow, Speed Cream, and Bones Speed Cream because they are made specifically for skateboard wheels and bearings.

It also affects how you apply the lubricant.

Before applying the lubrication, you should remove the bearing shields using a cotton bud or something comparable, then rotate the bearings to ensure that the lubricant spreads uniformly.

After that, reinstall the shields and give them another spin to let the lubricant disperse even further.

All is ready! With freshly oiled bearings, your skateboard is now ready for use.

How to make your skateboard wheels spin longer?

It’s a concern shared by lots of skateboarders. You can help your skateboard wheels spin longer by doing a few things.

You can help make your skateboard wheels spin longer by doing a few things.

Make sure your bearings are in good shape as one action you may take. Your wheels may not spin as well as they should if your bearings are not in good condition.

The final action you can take is to check to see if the wheels are clean.

Due to the high amount of friction created by being unclean, your wheels won’t spin very far if they are covered in mud and grime.

should skateboard wheels spin freely

FAQ

1. Do bigger skateboard wheels go faster?

Larger wheels are an option for skaters seeking greater speed. Taller skaters can move more quickly on boards with bigger wheels.

Larger wheels spin to greater speeds, which makes it more difficult to slide on terrain.

2. Is it good to rotate skateboard wheels?

A smart strategy to extend the lifespan of your skateboard and ensure even wear over time is to rotate your wheels occasionally.

Rotate the wheels in an X pattern after you have taken them off. The right rear wheel changes to the left front wheel, and the left rear wheel to the right front wheel.

3. Should skateboard wheels be tight or loose?

The nuts should be tightened as much as possible without preventing the wheel from spinning. If you try to move the wheel from side to side, you should typically feel only a very small amount of play.

4. What bearings are good for speed?

The best bearings for downhill and speed skating, namely, are ABEC 9 skateboard bearings. Although it operates at a slower rate than others, ABEC 7-wheel bearings are smooth enough to produce good rides.

5. How do you fix a slow skateboard wheel?

Just use a paper clip to wiggle them out. In the following step, soak your bearings in acetone, nail paint remover, or rubbing alcohol. Make sure all the dirt and dust are removed before spinning them to dry.

6. Why are my skateboard wheels so slow?

Most skateboard wheels slow because there may also be dust or debris on them. A toothbrush and some water will clean your wheels.

Conclusion

There are many ways to make skateboard wheels spin faster. You can get your skates moving like new and speed up your skating experience by using the advice in this article.

To keep your board in great condition, keep an eye out for damage frequently and replace any worn-out components. Enjoy driving quickly on your new fast wheels!

I hope the information in this article helped you learn how to make the skateboard wheel spin longer.

Read More About How To Make Your Skateboard Faster

Hi all. My name is George Lanham and I am 21 years old. Skateboarding has been my passion since I was 10 years old. I studied this for many years, so I have something to share with you!

Rate author
Skateboard Aesthetic
Add a comment