How to Clean Ball Bearings
Take the wheels off of your skates or skateboard., Take the bearings off of your wheels., Remove the rubber or metal seals.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Take the wheels off of your skates or skateboard.
To remove wheels from a skateboard, loosen the nut using a socket wrench or skate tool.
Use an Allen wrench to remove the wheels from a rollerblade casing.Be sure to store all nuts and washers in a safe place, such as a plastic bag or small container. -
Step 2: Take the bearings off of your wheels.
In addition to a socket that tightens and loosens nuts, most skate tools also have an attachment that pokes the bearing from the center of the wheel.While using a skate tool is the preferred method, you can also use a screwdriver to poke out the bearing casing.If you have a skateboard, you can use the axle to poke out the bearing casing.
Hold the wheel against the axle so the side that would normally face outward faces in and touches the axle.
Apply gentle pressure to pop out the bearing casing. , Once you’ve popped the bearing casings out from the wheels’ centers, you’ll need to remove the seal to expose the ball bearings.
If your bearings have a rubber seal, use a paperclip to carefully pry off the seal.Alternatively, you might have a metal seal secured by a C-clip.
Use a utility knife to pry out the C-clip, then tap the metal seal out.You’ll be able to see the outline of the C-clip if your metal seal is removable.
If the seal is pressed with no visible seam or outline, the seal is not removable and you will not be able to access the ball bearings. -
Step 3: Remove the rubber or metal seals.
Detailed Guide
To remove wheels from a skateboard, loosen the nut using a socket wrench or skate tool.
Use an Allen wrench to remove the wheels from a rollerblade casing.Be sure to store all nuts and washers in a safe place, such as a plastic bag or small container.
In addition to a socket that tightens and loosens nuts, most skate tools also have an attachment that pokes the bearing from the center of the wheel.While using a skate tool is the preferred method, you can also use a screwdriver to poke out the bearing casing.If you have a skateboard, you can use the axle to poke out the bearing casing.
Hold the wheel against the axle so the side that would normally face outward faces in and touches the axle.
Apply gentle pressure to pop out the bearing casing. , Once you’ve popped the bearing casings out from the wheels’ centers, you’ll need to remove the seal to expose the ball bearings.
If your bearings have a rubber seal, use a paperclip to carefully pry off the seal.Alternatively, you might have a metal seal secured by a C-clip.
Use a utility knife to pry out the C-clip, then tap the metal seal out.You’ll be able to see the outline of the C-clip if your metal seal is removable.
If the seal is pressed with no visible seam or outline, the seal is not removable and you will not be able to access the ball bearings.
About the Author
Richard Alvarez
Enthusiastic about teaching practical skills techniques through clear, step-by-step guides.
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