If you’re looking to cruise down city streets on a skateboard with increased speed and control, you’ll need riser pads and longboard wheels. Without those things, when you hit any rough pavement or meet a pebble in your path during cruising it will be cut short immediately.
No more worries! You can go “cruise-ready” easily! All you need to do is follow these easy steps:
Table of Contents
Tools Required:
- A Skateboard
- Longboard Wheels (Size 60mm – 70mm)
- Riser Pads
- Eight 1.25″ Screws
- A Skate Tool (T-tool), or Socket Wrench Set
Buy a Pair of Smaller Sized Longboard Wheels
How Much Do Longboard Wheels Cost?
The prices for longboard wheels range from affordable to expensive.
The price of longboard wheels can vary quite a lot depending on the quality. The most common range for these is $25-$70. The prices for a quality set of wheels can range anywhere from $30-$40. Longboard aficionados can purchase wheels for their boards at the cheapest prices through Amazon.
There are so many choices on Amazon. You don’t want to be the guy with a truck on his skateboard–you should get some smaller wheels like 70mm, so you avoid “wheel bite.”
Where Can I Purchase Longboard Wheels?
As long as you have a skateboard, your local shop will be able to help mount it with the right parts. Also, you can find them in any skate shop. Don’t forget about Amazon.com when shopping around for longboard wheels! You’ll want to support your local skate shop as much as possible, but if you can’t make it there for some reason, then don’t feel guilty about shopping online. Some of the best shops have their own websites where they sell both new and used gear!
You Have To Purchase Riser Pads
How Much Do Riser Pads Cost?
Riser pads are not expensive.
Riser pads are a cheap way to make your longboard more comfortable. For $5-$15, you can get the plastic pieces that fit between the trucks and board because larger wheels need additional space. Purchase these pads at a local shop where experts may help you install them correctly onto your board for better performance. You can either call ahead and see if your local skate shop has any in stock or order them from Amazon yourself.
If you put longboard wheels on your skateboard, the riser pad is a must. Without it, there’s nothing but trouble in store for both yourself and your board as wheel bite can occur easily.
Where Can I Purchase Riser Pads?
Skate shops are a great place to go for all your skateboard needs. They will have riser pads in stock and can help you put them on; it’s best to call ahead though, just in case they run out of inventory. I once showed up at my local shop without calling first, only to find that the skater ran out earlier.
You can also look for riser pads on websites like Amazon. My suggestion is to try and support your local retailer if you are able, but online retailers have their benefits as well so don’t feel bad about buying from them either!
You have to make sure you get the proper screws with your purchase of a riser pad. The pads come with extra-long screws that are necessary for installation, so don’t forget them when you buy one!
Steps On How To Put Longboard Wheels On A Skateboard
1. Remove Your Trucks
To remove your trucks from the deck of a skateboard, you need to loosen and eventually take four screws out for each truck. The small screws with the notches are on top of your skateboard deck, or at the side with the grip tape. Loosen each screw with your Phillips head screwdriver and remove it using only your fingers from the skateboard.
If your screw is jammed, try to turn it with a wrench or socket. If that doesn’t work, grip the bolt on the back of the board and unscrew from the top (grip tape side).
Now that all of the screws are out, you should be able to separate your truck from the deck. Take these four screws and put them somewhere for safekeeping – we won’t need them with this setup!
2. Reattach Your Trucks with Riser Pads
To make your skateboard deck, you first want to align the riser pads with your trucks on the underside of where they will be mounted. Next, screw in each bolt by hand and keep tightening it until all are secure.
Next, line up your trucks and attach them to the screws in front of you. You can do this by hand. Gently tighten each screw with a bolt until it is touching your truck.
The final step in assembling the deck is to tighten four screws on each truck. These screw heads are located on top of the board or side with a grip tape sheet applied. One by one, turn each of your long screws clockwise with the Phillips head screwdriver. Use a wrench or socket wrench to hold onto the bolt on the back of the board if needed, and make sure you’re turning it snugly so that there is no space between any parts.
The screw will become too loose to unscrew, and you can easily remove it with your fingers.
3. Remove Your Bearings
Be wary of pesky grease and dirt that soaks into your bearings. It’s always best to replace them with fresh new ones, but it can be hard work if you have a tight budget!
4. Fit Your Bearings Into Your Longboard Wheels
Skate shops use a bearing press to fit the bearings in, but you can do it just as well with your hands.
5. Attach Your New Longboard Wheels
You want to make sure you’re not just sliding your new wheels on and off of the axle but that they are a tight fit. Slide them one by one into place with both rings still attached at first. You can slide the second ring in after everything is all set up!
Use your hand to turn the loosely attached bolt onto the axle until it is tightly screwed into place.
Use a skate tool to tighten the bolts on your wheels. First, find the appropriately sized socket head and screw it over one of your wheel bolts until snugly in place. Turn clockwise with force; this will secure both parts together, ensuring you can successfully ride away without being dragged down by loose nuts or shaky bearings!
When attaching your wheels and bearings, don’t forget that even a tiny bit of play can make all the difference. Your wheel could come loose while you’re skating at top speed!
6. Adjust Your Truck’s Tightness to Avoid Wheel Bite
You may have just replaced your entire board, or maybe it’s a brand new skateboard. Whatever the case is, you need to be sure that everything works! The first step in this process starts with taking a test ride on the newly-built board and checking for any signs of wheel wobbling.
If your trucks are too loose and it’s causing wheel bite, tighten them with a wrench to avoid treading on the lip of the skateboard. This is called “wheel bite” which will make skating very difficult for you!
Turning your board can be challenging if the trucks are too tight or loose. Make sure to use your skate tool and adjust them, so they’re perfect for you!
If you want to tighten or loosen your skateboard trucks, all you need is a wrench with the appropriate socket size. To tighten your trucks, turn the skate tool in a clockwise direction. To loosen them, do so counterclockwise.
Conclusion
I’m so glad you read this. I hope that it helps with your longboard wheel fitting! You just have to follow the steps I have given you above so that you will be able to put your longboard wheels on your skateboard. I hope that you learn a new skill after reading this. Skate well brother and sister!
