Know Everything about Skateboard Bearings

Bearings are something that allows roller skates to turn, spin, and rotate on the axle of the wheel. Roller skateboard bearings protect against metal grinding on metal within the wheel and are very much essential.

Don’t be fooled even though bearings are small as they play a huge part in how fast and how smooth you skate. For competitive skating sports like speed skating or roller derby choosing the best bearings is very important. You are going to roll super slow and loud if you have old or dirty bearings!

The friction between the wheel and axle is increased by heavy use and fast skating, as far as bearings are concerned. To expand and even ruin the bearings this friction can make bearings enough to heat up. It is important to maintain them by cleaning, lubricating, and drying after each use if you want to maintain your bearings and make them last longer.

A bearing is made of 6 elements:

• rolling bodies: the balls from skateboard bearing manufacturer
• an inner race
• sealing
• lubrication
• an outer race
• a cage

The cage

the rolling bodies (balls)are spaced out by the cage. It is made of carbon steel, nylon (plastic), or bronze.

Sealing

The seal enables to limit the effects of pollution and avoids the lubricant to go out.

Lubrication

Lubrication meets lots of aims:

Preventing or delaying the pollution of the bearing

Better cooling of the bearing

Increasing its life expectancy

Reducing friction and wearing

The balls

There are a few products that have 8 or 9 balls. It may be interesting to reduce the number of balls down to 6 for a skating application, which thus reduces the resistance and friction. With the help of a cage, the balls are supported, which provides regular spacing and prevents them from rubbing together. With the help of grease or oil, the bearings are lubricated.

You will find bearings with ceramic skateboard bearings too (just one or all balls). The balls are very hard, thus far less sensitive to pollution, dust, sand, lubricant (a little oil or grease is enough)and it gives a very good gliding.