Wednesday, December 31, 2008

Use good quality replacement bearings.

By Todd Martin

Like any contraption with wheels, skateboards have bearings too. Although considered a professional sport, manufacturing skateboards and their parts are still largely influenced by street culture. The bearings are the metal inside the wheels that bear all the weight of the person and the skateboard combined but also provide for maximum mobility. Good bearings are crucial for a good board as they help give you a smooth ride.

There are no definite standard rating guidelines for skateboard bearings. The most ordinary types of bearings are wheel bearings. By distinct contrast, skilled skateboarders guess the precision of the bearings and recognize that the good ones fall under 3 or 5, by the ABEC system of rating bearings used in machines. These bearings can give you a soft ride but at the same time, they are tough enough to bear the impact when you jump on your board. But not all manufacturers consider the ABEC when producing skateboard bearings. You would not really know their performance until you try them out yourself.

You may ask for help in replacing the bearings on your skateboard, at the store. But the process is quite simple. You can do it yourself, using a skate key. If you dont have one, a screwdriver will be okay. Then, using the screwdriver, pry out the old bearings from the wheels. Then, take the new bearing and place it at the end of the skate key or screwdriver. Push the bearing into the wheel with even pressure. Repeat the process on other wheel as well. Now put those on the tracks and youre job is finished.

Proper maintenance of the ball bearings is the key to ensuring they dont give you any problems. Bad bearings usually are the causes of the clunking noises you hear as you turn the wheel or the gritty feel on the wheel. One issues with ball bearings is that they can rub against each other, causing additional friction, but this can be prevented by placing the balls in a cage and heavily lubricate them. The bearings tend to wear over time, and you cant really do anything about it but to replace them. It is advised that you find the same quality, as some lesser quality wheel bearings may not keep up with your original ball bearings, and you may end up ruining your skateboard.

There are various brands of skateboard bearings available in the market nowadays; these include Zoo York skateboard bearings, Flip skateboard bearings, Girl skateboard bearings, Sector 9 skateboard bearings, etc. You can find one at right price right now! Also view a wide selection of Skateboarding accessories that come with a 30-day money back guarantee. - 16955

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