Get the Bearings out of Skateboard Wheels

When your skateboard wheels make grinding noises and aren’t spinning as smoothly as they used to, it may be time to change your wheel bearings. Removing and changing your skateboard bearings might be annoying, but luckily, it only takes a few minutes, and normally the only tools it requires are your skateboard and your new bearings. 24:00

Steps

Removing Skateboard Bearings With The Axle Rod

1. Unscrew the axle nut. Use your skateboard tool or a wrench to remove the bolt on the end of your axle. Once the axle bolt is off, remove the wheel and the washer. This end edge of the axle is the part that you’re going to use to pry off, and remove the bearings from the four wheels.
   • You can remove the skateboard wheels all at once, and proceed to remove the bearings four in a row, or you can remove each wheel one at a time, and remove the bearings one by one.
   • Be careful not to lose any washers as you remove the wheel from the axle. Consider putting the washers in a small container or a designated area to keep them together.
2. Catch the bearing on the axle rod. There will be two bearings for each wheel. Between the two bearings in the center of the wheel, there is an open space. Insert the wheel back onto the axle rod, just enough so that the tip of the axle rod is inserted to the depth of the first bearing. The tip of the axle rod should be in the open space between the two bearings.
   • It doesn’t matter which bearing you remove first; they will both be removed the same way.
3. Pry the bearing from the wheel. When the axle rod tip is between the two bearings, use leverage to pull and pry the wheel away from the skateboard truck. This prying, leverage motion is very similar to the prying, leverage motion used when opening a can of soda. In the same way that you push down on one end of the can tab while pulling up on the other can tab end to open the soda, push down on wheel as you pry back the other side of the wheel to release the bearing from the wheel. Try to pull the wheel away at a 45° degree angle. This is the most convenient and easiest way to remove skateboard bearings.
   • This may be a little more difficult for smaller wheels, but you just need to apply a bit more pressure when pulling the wheel away from the axle rod.
4. Remove the other bearing from the same wheel. Flip the wheel to the other side, and repeat the prying process so you can remove the second bearing. Again, insert the wheel back on the axle rod just until the axle rod tip can catch on the inside edge of the bearing. Push the outside edge of the wheel down while pulling away the inside edge of the wheel at a 45° angle.
   • Continue to remove the rest of the bearings from the other four wheels.
   • Once the bearings are removed from your wheels, you can clean your skateboard bearings.

Removing Skateboard Bearings With a Bearing Tool

1. Unscrew the axle bolt. Again, use your skateboard tool or a wrench to remove the bolt on the end of your axle. When the axle bolt is completely removed, take off the wheel from the axle rod. You can remove all four wheels at once and then remove all of the bearings, or remove the bearings from each wheel one at a time.
   • You don’t need to remove the washers from the axle rod, but if you do, keep them together and contained in a safe place.
2. Insert the bearing puller tool into the wheel. A typical skate tool will have all the necessary implements to adjust and maintain the parts of your skateboard, including a bearing puller tool. The bearing puller looks like a circle, with a raised, cylindrical peg that fits inside the bearing hole. The peg of the bearing puller will be just long enough so that it can fit inside the width of the bearing, and catch on the edge of the bearing as you pry the bearing from the wheel.
   • When you don’t have a bearing tool handy, you can also use a screwdriver to remove your wheel bearings as a last ditch effort.
3. Pry the bearing from the wheel. Once the puller tool is inserted into the bearing opening, hold the wheel in one hand, and the puller tool in your other hand. Pull the wheel away from the tool at about a 45° degree angle, again, using the same leverage motion you would to open a can of soda.
4. Remove the second bearing from the same wheel. Flip you wheel over, and again insert the puller tool inside the bearing opening. Use the same prying motion to pull the wheel away from the bearing tool at about a 45° degree angle, and remove the bearing from the wheel.
   • Continue to remove the rest of the bearings from the other four wheels.

Tips

• Consider first using your truck axle rod to remove the wheel bearings since it’s the most convenient method.

Related Articles

• Skate and Take Care of a Skateboard
• Choose a Good Skateboard
• Wax a Curb or Rail to Grind on a Skateboard
• Assemble a Skateboard

Sources and Citations

See also

• Choose a Good Skateboard
• Remove Grip Tape from a Skateboard
• Make a Skateboard
• Tighten Skateboard Trucks
• Clean Skateboard Bearings
• Build a Longboard
• Assemble a Skateboard
• Clean Skateboard Wheels
• Put Griptape on a Skateboard
• Spring Clean Your Skateboard