Skate Bearings Buying Guide 101: Knowing the Basics

Whether it is your first time with a skateboard or you have been using one for a while, one of the things you will soon find out is how important bearings are to your experience.

Your skate bearings are those round materials (with an inner hole) which connect the wheel to the axle of the skateboard. They are responsible for the precision, smoothness and safety of your ride.

That said, picking the best skateboard bearing is as important as shopping those great pairs of jeans. So, here’s what you need to know to get the right ones.

How many do you need?

A standard skateboard will need a set of eight (8) bearings – and that is what you should always go for. Each wheel will require two of these bearings for proper balance and performance.

So that you get uniform response from all the wheels, don’t buy different bearings for the different wheels. Ensure you get the complete set so that they come with the same material, production spec and grade for a uniform experience.

What makes up a skate bearing?

There are several parts coming together to constitute the single skate bearing form you see.

Those small parts are:

• Outer ring – the exterior of the ball bearing that you see. This could be made from any of steel, ceramic or titanium
• Inner ring – the inside part of the bearing which forms an enclosure of all other parts with the outer ring. It is made of the same material as the outer ring too
• C-ring – this helps lock the bearing shields into place from the outside
• Bearing shield – another ring that protects the insides of the bearing from dirt and other foreign particles that could mess with its operation
• Balls – this can be said to be the most important part of the bearing. They come in multiples, either ceramic or steel ones, ensuring the bearing casing can spin effortlessly around them
• Ball retainer – recall those steel balls from above? This is the section that holds them. Interestingly, the ball retainer holds each and every ball in a unique location, and still makes it possible for them to spin at the same time.
• Rubber seal – regardless of make material, the rubber seal is the final protective ring that also prevents dirt from getting into the bearing innards.

 

Should you care about the ABEC ratings?

Products today come with so many marketing gimmicks and language which is sure to overwhelm consumers at one point. When shopping bearings, one of the marketing languages so to speak, that you should always look out for are the ABEC ratings.

The ABEC system is only graded and graduated in odd numbers, spanning 1, 3, 5 and 7 to 9.

The higher the number, the more precise and accurate the bearing will be.

That said, there are more technical factors that could make a bearing with lower ABEC number more desirable that one with a higher value. These are, but not limited to, the Rockwell hardness test of used material, noise, vibration, lubricant and load handling.

Thus, make sure all of these are put into consideration before you settle on any ABEC rating.

 

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Need more help choosing your skate bearings? Reach out to us today and we’ll get you just the right thing.

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