Why Does My Skateboard Tilt So Much?

Skateboarding is an activity that requires the rider to have balance, good coordination as well as correct timing. We all know that most skateboards tend to turn a little on their own, especially new skateboards, but it should not have to affect your riding. Such tilting could prevent you from doing stunts and from riding in public parks as your coordination would be off. We all hate it when skateboards start to have a mind of their own, more so when you maintain your boards. Tilting of skateboards affects your riding performance and it could be due to a range of reasons, most of which you can fix easily at home.

Your skateboard tilts because of reasons like worn-out wheels, bad or stiff bearings, loose or incorrectly installed hardware such as screws, faulty bushings, improperly attached trucks, too loose or too tight trucks, or the fault may be from your skateboard deck. Some skateboards tend to turn left and others may turn to the right on their own. If you are a new skater, the problem may stem from improper balance, which can easily be rectified by getting used to balancing on your board. This post will tell you some of the reasons why your skateboard is tilting so much and how to fix the problem easily at home.

Are Skateboards Supposed to Tilt?

Technically, skateboards tend to tilt because the rider is required to perform turns by leaning. The leaning action is usually controlled by the rubber truck bushings on regular skateboards. This is what makes it possible for the rider to tilt the board into turns and stunts. However, even though skateboards tilt, they should not deter you from riding properly and performing stunts. It should not stop you from having fun. If you begin to experience difficulties in riding your board arising from the tilting action, you should examine your board to identify the cause of the problem to fix it immediately.

How Much Should a Skateboard Tilt?

Your skateboards should tilt just a little to the right or left. More tilting should be based on the amount of force and power you exert while performing turns and stunts. The degree of tilting is based on your stability as the rider and your ability to steer the board in the right way.

What are Some Possible Causes of Tilting in Skateboards?

Although the primary causes of tilting in skateboards result from mechanical malfunction, poor skating techniques can play a role in your skateboard’s ghost riding.  Your weight distribution, balance, and stance affect how your board moves. If you tend to rest your body weight wholly to one side or lean forward while riding, this would cause a lot of pressure on that side and make your skateboard tilt towards that side. Some of the reasons your skateboard is tilting so much are;

1. Worn-out wheels: – A lot of new skaters tend to favor one side of the skateboard while turning or because of their stance. This causes more friction in the wheels leading to wear in them. Since skateboard wheels can have varying hardness and sizes, some of the wheels wear out faster than the others resulting in unequal wheel diameters; this would cause the board to tilt or turn to one side more than the other. A simple solution to this would be swapping or flipping your wheels, even though it may take a while for them to wear down and even out. As a general rule of thumb while swapping skateboard wheels, do this:

• Place the right front wheel at the rear left,
• Place the left front wheel at the rear right,
• Place the rear right wheel at the left front, and
• Place the rear left wheel at the right front.

2. Bad or stiff bearings: – The size and shape of your bearings can determine the speed of your skateboard. Typically, a standard skateboard needs 8 bearings in total to move efficiently. Although all skateboards make use of almost the same size of skateboard wheel bearings, they can cause tilting when placed improperly. They also require regular lubrication since they are metallic, so as not to get stiff quickly thereby restraining the wheel movement. Tilting can also be caused by broken bearings which cause wobbling in the wheels and eventually, accidents. Make sure to check regularly if your bearings are still in one piece. Check your bearings for entrapped dust and dirt which may cause wheels immobility.
3. Improper truck attachment: – Too big or too small skateboard trucks can affect movement. When the trucks are too small, it can result in unstable balancing, whereas too wide or too big trucks can result in a shoe-to-truck collision. When the trucks are attached improperly or wrongly installed, tilting can occur. For new skaters, movement can be difficult when the trucks are high (i.e., having an additional 5mm than the regular trucks).
4. Faulty bushings: – Bushings determine the flexibility of the board. Favoring one side of your board to the other would result in squashing of the bushings on that side, and create an imbalance. Stiff bushings also restrain movement; old or worn-out bushings can also cause tilting in your skateboard. If you notice cracks and tears in your bushings, replace them. They are inexpensive, but make sure to get proper bushings.
5. Too loose or too tight skateboard trucks: – Your skateboard deck may steer to the other direction if one truck is tighter than the other. If the trucks are too loose, your skateboard can move away from the original path. Make sure that you tighten your trucks evenly to prevent this from happening. Just ensure that you do not loosen or tighten the trucks too much.
6. Loosened, incorrectly, or incompletely installed hardware: – Skateboards usually have a large number of hardware with varying complexities. Since there are many pieces of hardware, it may become difficult to attach them properly. You may need to get a professional to help in installing the hardware. Getting the right size of hardware is also another factor that influences the movement of the board.
7. Warped skateboard deck: – If one or two wheels of your skateboard do not touch the ground when you place your deck on the ground, your board would be imbalanced and may cause tilting while riding. This is an indication that your skateboard is warped. Another indicator is if the deck is twisted or distorted.

How Do You Fix a Leaning Skateboard?

1. Worn-out wheels: – To fix this issue, make sure to check your wheels. The wheeling surface (contact path) should be well marked to provide sufficient friction and grip. If otherwise, get a new set of wheels and do well to install all the components correctly.
2. Bad or stiff bearings: – Do well to invest in lubricants and carry out regular lubrication of the bearings since they are metallic so that they do not get stiff quickly. This would also prevent wear and tear. Make sure to check regularly if your bearings are still in one piece. Check your bearings for entrapped dust and dirt which may cause wheels immobility.
3. Improper truck attachment: – get the right truck measurements for your skateboard. You can do this by measuring the board’s width. Also, make sure to know the perfect height for your truck before installing them.
4. Faulty bushings: – Do well to replace faulty bushings immediately. If they are stiff, loosen them. Another thing is to change your bearings every three months if you use them constantly.
5. Too loose or too tight skateboard trucks: – Make sure that you tighten your trucks evenly to prevent this from happening. Just ensure that you do not loosen or tighten the trucks too much.
6. Loosened, incorrectly, or incompletely installed hardware: – You may need to get a professional to help in installing the hardware. Ensure you get the right size of hardware and arrange them properly. Match bolts to the corresponding head brands and look out for loose screws; retighten them properly.
7. Warped skateboard deck: – Ensure you check to see if your deck is warped. If this is the case, make sure that your trucks and wheels are aligned evenly. Follow the right steps when getting a new skateboard deck.

Finally

Several reasons can account for a tilting skateboard. You should pay great attention to your board, perform regular checks and maintenance. Try to get high-quality skateboards because they are less likely to ghost ride compared to the low-quality skateboards. It is, therefore, best to get such boards if they are within your budget.

It is important to know that skateboards are never perfectly aligned. Well, there you have it! The possible reasons why your skateboard tilts so much while riding. Hopefully, you find the solution to fix your issue here. With the varying factors that could be responsible for your skateboard ghost riding, the simplest fixes can go a long way in making the board issue go away.