How to Loosen Skateboard Wheels Without Tools?
Last Updated on September 7, 2022 by BoardsRiding
The grinding sounds from your skateboard indicate some issues with the board’s wheels that need to be resolved by tightening or loosening them. Mostly this kind of work is done with the help of roller skate tools,
but there is also a possibility that you might be in a place where there is no availability of such tools, or you might not know how to use them. For such circumstances, it becomes necessary to learn How to loosen skateboard wheels without tools.
This article includes the complete guide, which will be helpful for you to understand the easiest and reliable way to get your skateboard wheels straight.
Before going deeper into the query, it is essential to know some basic info about the structure of the wheels.
Parts of Skateboard Wheels:
The area of skateboard wheels is divided into five following parts:
Wheels:
Skateboard includes the four wheels in its structure in which 2 are attached on its front whereas 2 of them are attached on the board’s back.
Axel:
The axel (a T-shaped component) connects the wheel with the skateboard.
Bearings:
The bearings are present right after the wheel and are responsible for the spinning of wheels. It is easy for professionals to know whether the bearing is working well or not just by seeing the way of the wheel’s spins.
Washers:
On each side of the bearing, there are washers attached with it and helps it to increase its speed. It reduces friction by acting as the barrier between axel nut and bearing.
Additionally, it increases the durability of both the bearing and the wheel. It also helps you get a smooth and swift ride.
Bearing Spacer:
To increase the longevity of the bearing, they used bearing spacers which are also great in keeping the alignments of bearing.
How to Loosen Wheels on a Skateboard
When you are a beginner, even if you are loosening skateboard wheels without skate tools, it can still be a bit tricky for you. But you can do it well just with a bit of practice. All you need is to follow the below-mentioned steps carefully.
1. Observation:
The very first step is observation. Observe the wheel and check if its tightness is causing stiffness. It is essential to examine it properly because if there were no need to loosen the wheels and you still had done it, it would affect your board’s performance.
2. Check the Spin:
Check if your skateboard is making jerky or rough spins. If it does, then it is time to loosen the wheels.
As we mentioned above, the bearings ensure the proper spin, so check if the bearing is perfectly aligned to the wheel or not. Then, make it spin, and if it runs too slow, you might have to loosen them. But if it runs extremely fast, you need to tighten it.
3. Loosen the Nuts:
After the confirmation that your wheel needs to be loosened, it is time to begin the procedure by loosening the nuts of the wheels. Roller Skate Tool is a luxury wrench specially designed to loosen or tighten the skateboard wheels. It doesn’t mean that you can’t use any other tools for this.
Many readily available household tools can also be used for loosening the skateboard wheels, including:
Wrench:
Also named “open-end wrenches,” basically manufactured for tightening bolts and nuts and can be found in several sizes. You can choose the one according to the size of your wheel, which needs to be loosened.
Pliers:
You can also go for pliers are they are also an excellent alternative to skate tools. You have to get the one with the capabilities to loosen the wheel’s nuts present on both sides.
Socket Wrench:
There is also a Socket wrench, known as “ratchet,” which works great to spin the nuts and bolts. You don’t have to refit the wrench with every turn because of its ratcheting feature.
You can choose any of the above tools as the replacement for the roller skate tool.
By Your Hand:
If you are in a place where you cannot find any of these tools, you can also do it with your hands. It wouldn’t be an easy task as you might hurt, get your hands scratched, or you might not be able to get it done correctly. However, it will still be helpful for you but a short period.
Honestly, there is always a risk attached to loosening it up with your hand because if you do it too much, there is a risk of the wheels falling off. Plus, you will always be unsure. But in an emergency, this is the best solution.
4. Find the Balance:
Once you’re done loosening the nuts, you have to watch the rotation of your wheels closely. Start loosening it gradually, and after every slight change, check if it is rotating properly or getting stuck somewhere in between.
You have to loosen the nuts as much as is required. You can’t loosen it more than that. If you’ve done it by mistake, you have to tighten it back as it will affect the balance of your board, and the wheels will not be able to rotate freely.
5. Last Adjustments:
When you loosen the wheels and have adjusted them as mentioned above, check if they have been appropriately positioned on your board. Also, check the position of the bearings.
Skateboarding is one such sport that gives you thrills at every turn and corner. There are so many tricks to learn and perfect that you can almost lose their count. Whether you are a beginner or an expert, the only thing that can give you a good experience is the perfect fitting of trucks and bearings.
What will happen if you haven’t Loosen the Wheels?
These are some significant reasons which also explain what will happen if you haven’t Loosen the Wheels.
Prevent the Flow:
Tight wheels affect the speed of your skateboard ride by slowing it down, and it also breaks the flow of your skateboarding tricks.
Your ride will become rough and harsher, just like a forced ride, and it will be no fun in it as people like it just because it is fun to do skateboarding.
Risks Involved:
There is a high-risk involvement in skateboarding with tight wheels as they can cause accidents easily. Generally, while riding a skateboard, when you make a stop,
it happens smoothly, but if the wheels are tight, it will stop with a rough break. Such off-guard finishes can make you fall on your face.
Not Durable:
One of the essential elements to make your skateboard durable is to loosen your skateboard wheels, as it will make it last for a longer time and make your ride more fun.
Things to remember:
One must remember some essential tips and tricks while loosening the wheel.
Protect Your Hands:
When using your hands instead of tools for loosening the nuts, you have to be careful, especially when they are tightly closed. It is also recommended to use hand gloves. But your gloves must be capable of providing you the grip to rotate nuts.
Check the bolts:
If your wheels are still not working well even after loosening them, then there may be some issues in the truck’s bolt as if they are tight, you can’t rotate the wheels freely. You have to check it carefully and adjust it according to the same requirements as you do with the wheels.
These parts are carefully removed when you need to clean them or loosen the tires a little bit, not loosen the wheel too much to avoid any unwanted problems and accidents while riding the skateboard.
Shake the wheels with your hands to see if they are way too loose. You will hear some rattling sounds produced by very loose wheels while skating.
Test it Before Using it After Repairing:
Don’t mistake using it without testing it right after it repairing or loosening or tightening of wheels. It can cause major accidents if you haven’t checked it thoroughly. When you are completely satisfied with the wheels that are running smoothly, your board is good to go.
FAQs Section:
u003cstrongu003eWhat Are the Basic Tools Required to Loosen the Skateboard Wheel?u003c/strongu003e
The specific tool required to loosen the wheel is a roller skate tool, but you can also use other household tools such as Wrench, Pliers, Socket Wrench, or you can also do it by your hand.
u003cstrongu003eHow to make Skateboard Bearings clean?u003c/strongu003e
You can clean the bearing after removing all parts of the wheels by lubricating them with the help of acetone. After leaving it to rest for a while, you have to re-lubricate it eventually.u003cbru003eThe double coating of lubrication will ensure that it is adequately oiled, which will also help make your wheel durable.
Final Words:
The above article is a perfect answer to how to loosen skateboard trucks without tools. It proves that you don’t need any specific tools to loosen your wheels. You can do it with any household tools, or you can also do it with your hands. You have to be a bit careful, as mentioned above.