How to Get Bearings Out of Skateboard Wheels

Though very small, the skateboard bearings are as vital as the skateboard wheels. They are the main reason that your skateboard wheels will get a smooth spin whenever you are out riding. The bearings are, therefore, the most integral parts of the whole skateboard setup, as, without them, you cannot have any motion.

The good thing is this. Skateboard bearings are easy to replace or to remove when performing routine service to your skateboard setup. Unfortunately, not every single rider knows how to get bearings out of skateboard wheels.

That’s why in this post, we are looking at giving you a complete guide on how you can remove the skateboard wheel bearings easily. Please take a look at what I have for you.

How do Skateboard Wheel Bearings Look Like?

Before we get down to showing you how to get the skateboard bearings out for a quick replacement or cleaning, let us first show you how they look like.

Skateboard bearings are the steel ball bearings that are encased in the retainer and again sandwiched using an inner race and, more importantly, an outer race.

A wheel bearing has a shield that covers the entire bearing assembly. They are, therefore, very important for a fun experience.

Removing Skateboard Bearings: The Step by Step Guide

Now that we have seen how they look, the next thing is to determine how to get bearings out of skateboard wheels. Here is now to remove these bearings for a quick cleaning or replacement experience.

What You Need

Before you sit down to remove your skateboard bearings, there are several things that you’ll require to aid you in the removal of these bearings. These are what you need to wrap up first to prevent constant movement when removing the bearings. These tools include the following:

  • Socket wrench
  • A solvent (acetone or paint thinner)
  • Paper towels
  • A small, sharp tool (pin)
  • Grease, oil, or bearing lubricant
  • Small containers
  • Small basin or pail
  • Dishwashing soap
  • Water (used to clean the wheels)
  • A soft brush (an old toothbrush should do)

NOTE: The solvent that you require shouldn’t be very thick. As such, it is recommended that you steer clear of the WD40.

Step I:

Remove the holding nuts that are on the skateboard wheels. Use the socket wrench. Make sure that you are very careful when taking out the nuts and washers to prevent any form of damages.

Take the nuts and bolts and set them in the small container. This should prevent them from getting lost.

Step II

Take a small amount of the solvent, in this case, acetone, and put them in a small container. Soak in the nuts and washers. Take at least five minutes. This is important and will help you to get rid of any stubborn oil and grease from the nuts.

Once five minutes have elapsed, you can then remove them from the acetone and place them on your paper towels. Keep them aside as you proceed.

Step III

Now pry your skateboard wheels out before you can remove the main bearing assembly. The assembly sits in the inner parts of the skateboard wheels.

Put a sharp tap on the case of your bearing to remove it. If the bearing doesn’t budge out, you can use a flat screwdriver to get out easily.

Step IV

Now set aside the wheels for a quick cleaning experience. This should be an easy process if you have the soap at hand.

Just place dishwashing soap in the basin that’s full of water. Then you can soak the skateboard wheels in this soapy solution for up to 20 minutes.

After that, you should take an old toothbrush and use it to remove the dirt that may have gotten stuck easily. Finally, you should rinse and leave them until they are dry. You can also use paper towels to dry them.

Step V

Finally, you can now take out the wheel bearings. You can use the sharp tool that resembles a pin to pop out the shield quickly.

If your bearings have the plastic shield, you will find out that these will be easy to remove since you can easily slide your sharp tool in them and then quickly pop them out.

However, so much care should be taken when doing this as the use of a sharp tool, or sharp pin can easily puncture the main shield, and if this happens, it might affect the stability of your skateboard bearing cover.

TIP: In case your bearing shield was forged form thin metal, you will find a C-shaped type of clip that holds it in its rightful place.

You should first remove this clip and then the shield using your pin. The pin should be inserted between these two components.

Once the shield is out, you should place it in the small bowl of acetone and leave it for up to five minutes. After that, you should take the soft brush and use it to remove the dirt that might have accumulated on the outer surface of this shield.

When this is done, you can then take your skateboard bearings shield and then place it the paper towel to allow them to dry.

Step VI

Until now, your bearings should be out. You can now take the retainer out too. This should allow you to inspect your skateboard set up for missing ball bearings.

At the same time, you will have the chance to remove some dirt using a small brush from the bearings and that you had soaked in the solvent.

You can tap your retainers once in a while, as this will help you to remove the trapped dirt. And after 5 minutes, you can take the retainers out and allow them to dry.

Conclusion

If you are looking for how to get bearings out of skateboard wheels, this is the best way. However, it would be best if you should also learn how to fix your bearings once you have cleaned them. This should involve replacing the inner race, applying grease, covering the shield, and finally placing the bearing assembly back to its original place.

Leave a Comment