Skateboarding is a fun sport and having the best skateboard under your feet is what’s going to make your experience worthwhile. One of the most important components of any skateboard is its bearings. The bearings play an important part in making your skateboard rides smooth, safe, and enjoyable.
Every skateboard has a set of 8 bearings, two for each wheel. To enjoy a safer experience, make sure that all the bearings are the same and come from a top brand. If you know how to make skateboard bearing, you can use your custom bearings as well but you need to be sure that you are using the best quality product.
Also, it is never a good idea to make skateboard bearings on your own if you are not an expert just to cut down the expenses. Make sure that you do not compromise on the bearings and wheels of your skateboard if you want to enjoy perfect runs across the streets and perform tricks safely on the skateboard ramps.
Is It A Good Idea To Make Custom Skateboard Bearings Yourself?
For professionals with the right kind of tools and experience, it should be a good ploy to try and make their own best skateboard bearings. However, if you are not one of those experienced guys, you should not try to delve into this kind of stuff. It is the skateboard bearings that dictate your Skateboard Runs and a defective bearing or the one that lacks in quality can lead to accidents.
Depending on the brand you opt for, an 8-piece set of skateboard bearings can cost you anywhere between $15 and $30. That’s not much, indeed! So, it would be a good idea to buy the best bearings from a trusted provider out there.
Everything You Should Know About Best Skateboard Bearings
If you are going to buy skateboard bearings from a top brand, there are quite a few things that you should consider. Some of these include the following.
ABEC Ratings
One of the most important things you should consider is the ABEC ratings. ABEC or Annular Bearing Engineering Committee is a body that measures the accuracy and precision of bearings. Here’s what these ratings translate into.
- ABEC 1: It means that the bearings you are going to buy are made using low-quality steel. This rating is often associated with cheap bearings on the market.
- ABEC 3: These are also the cheap bearings, and you can find them even on the best skateboard for beginners.
- ABEC 5: For those who don’t have any major budget constraints, the bearings rated ABEC 5 are a good choice. These bearings are best suited to skateboards that are used to perform different moves and tricks.
- ABEC 7: These are high-quality bearings and are often quite expensive.
ABEC 9+: ABEC 9+ is the highest rating given to a bearing. It is often associated with bearings that are meant to offer great speeds.
The Material Used To Make Skateboard Bearings
Want to know how to make skateboard bearing? Whether you make your own or buy from the market, the material used for making them is of great importance too. Generally, the bearings are either steel or ceramic. Here’s how these two compare:
- Steel Bearings
Most skateboard bearings, including the ones from top brands, are made using steel. The difference, however, lies in the steel type used, the ball bearings, and the sealing. Keep in mind that the higher a skateboard bearing is priced, the higher its quality will be.
- Ceramic Bearings
Steel bearings tend to expand as time goes on. When you skate in hot weather conditions, this expansion often happens and it makes your bearings prone to breakage. This problem can be solved if you make or buy bearings made of ceramic. They are durable and more expensive.
Bearing Spacers
You need two bearings for every wheel of your skateboard. And, in order to ensure that the weight is distributed evenly on each of them, you need to put spacers between them. Placed right in between the two skateboard bearings, a good spacer can increase your bearing life. Besides, it also makes your runs smoother. If you have bought a skateboard that didn’t use a very good spacer, you can easily replace it at home.
Speed Washers
Commonly called bearing washers, the speed washers are present between the nut and the bearing. With the help of these washers, your wheels can turn and move faster. When you perform different tricks, such as turning around on a wheel, the speed washer will ensure that the bearings aren’t damaged in the process.
Check Best Skateboard Bearing
Now that you understand how do skateboard bearings work and what their ABEC ratings mean, you should be able to better understand what skateboard bearings are best suited to your skating needs. Get your hands at the skateboards with the best skateboard bearings today and rejuvenate your skating experience. You will feel the difference for sure when your skateboard wheels will be rolling with the quality bearings inside!