How Long Should Skateboard Wheels Spin?

When I was a beginner, I researched and found out that its wheels and bearings play a huge role in the perfect beginner experience among other parts of your skateboard. Whether you’re skateboarding on a rough surface like a side path or a smooth surface like a skatepark, your bearings and wheels can tell a lot about your experience.

Free spinning your wheels wouldn’t reflect how you will perform on the skateboard, but it will tell you if the bearings of your skateboard are suitable or not.

Your wheels don’t need to spin freely for more than two seconds. That being stated, you should stand on your board for a few minutes and push around. If pushing is difficult or the board comes to a halt on its own, loosen the wheels slightly.

If your wheels keep rattling or they lack balance, I would keep tightening those wheels till they feel perfect for me. I would prefer my skateboard wheels to spin 10 to 20 seconds while free-spinning, and if that doesn’t happen, I will try to clean my wheels and bearings.

How to Make Skateboard Wheels Spin Longer?

There could be multiple as to why your wheels aren’t spinning longer. However, there are a few things to think about if you want your skateboard wheels to spin longer.

If something is amiss with the speed of your skateboard wheels, your spinning skateboard will alert you. Early detection of wheel issues will help to avoid a larger problem.

Here are some of the methods or tips you could try to make your skateboard wheels spin longer;

Method 1: Clean Wheels And Bearings

If you’ve used your skateboard for a while, the first and foremost method you should try is by cleaning the wheels and bearings of your skateboard.

After a while of using, dirt and debris will build up in your wheels and bearings, and this will eventually slow down your skateboards. They will also start producing noises. To fix this problem, you should regularly clean your wheels and bearings.

How Do You Clean Them?

Before cleaning either of them, make sure that the surface area is clean and flat. It would be much better if you’re cleaning them in a place readily available with tools and has a lot of lights. This way, you don’t lose parts of your skateboards like it happens most of the time with me.

The Wheels

Using a socket wrench, remove the wheels from the axle.
With the truck axle, pry the bearings off of the wheels.
Wipe dirt and debris from the surface of your wheels using a rag.
Soak the wheels for 10 minutes in soapy water.
Wipe the wheels down with a towel or a toothbrush.
Using a clean towel, dry up the wheels.

The Bearings

With a razor blade, pry the bearing shields off.
Fill a bowl with 1 to 2 inches (2.5 to 5.1 cm) of solvent.
Soak the bearings for 5 minutes in the solution.
To remove the solvent, tap each bearing onto a paper towel.
1 to 2 drops of oil should be poured into the bearings.

How To Reassemble Them?

Frankly speaking, I am not good at reassembling things. So, here are the steps to reassemble them in case you’re like me.

Replace the bearing shields by snapping them back into place.
Reinstall the bearings back into the wheels.
With the axle nut, secure the wheels to the axle of your skateboard.

And reassembling your skateboard back to its former state is as easy as these three simple steps.

Method 2: Lose The Axle Nuts

More often than not, it’s the debris and dirt in your wheels and bearings that make your wheels spin less. So after cleaning them and the problem continues, you might want to check your axle nuts.

We sometimes over tighten axle nuts for increased performance, although this is unnecessary because It can cause the skateboard wheels to spin slowly.

You can make your skateboard wheels spin longer by gradually loosening the axle nuts, for which you’ll need a wrench. Then, slightly lose the wheel and spin it to evaluate the speed.

If the speed is now satisfactory for you, then leave it as it is. Else, repeat the process till you’re satisfied.

Method 3: Upgrade Skateboard Wheels And Bearings

If the cleaning and the tightening of your axle nuts didn’t work, then it’s probably time for you to upgrade your wheels along with the bearings.

Unfortunately, the truth is that most wheels don’t last that much. Depending on how you use your skateboard, on average, your wheels can last up to three months.

If you’re a rough road rider you might need wheels that are best for rough roads. Similarly, if you prefer street riding, you need to buy the best wheels for street riding.

And if you are someone who just likes to cruise on their skateboards, then there are wheels for that too.

If you notice cracks on your skateboard wheel or see the surface material moving or wobbling while you ride, it’s time for you to change your skateboard wheels.

Also, if you don’t know which wheels to go for, here are some of the best wheels (2021) for your skateboard, depending on your riding style:

For Street Skating

Spitfire Formula Four 101A
Spitfire Formula Four Full Conical 99A
Spitfire Formula Four Classics 99A
Bones Street Tech Formula V1 to V6

For Cruising

Bones Rough Riders
Cloud Ride
Powell Peralta Snakes
Easyrider Bogart Wheels

For Rough Roads

Spitfire Chargers
Bones ATF
Ricta Clouds

For SkateParks

Bones Skatepark Formula
Spitfire Lock-in

Your bearings, too, should be replaced at least three times each year, depending on your riding style. Similarly, if you discover that the bearing is missing balls or has a break in it, the bearings likely need to be replaced as well.

Almost all bearings are manufactured in the same size, making them simple to select. Always evaluate the built quality and rating factor of bearings, ABEC (Annular bearing engineer committee), on a scale of 1-9.

The high grade indicates that the bearings are very valuable but also weaker. As a result, the most suggested bearing is one with a grade of 3 to 5, suggesting that it is sturdy and long-lasting.

Method 4: Master Your Skills

You have to master your riding skills to skate faster or make your wheels spin longer if you’re a beginner like I was once.

The speed of your skateboard will be determined by how you move and how hard you push it. Crouching down while riding your board will quicken your pace. Learn to skate straight instead of shifting from one side to the other.

Riding practice is essential for gradually increasing your pace. Just remember to always wear safety equipment. Learn how to fall defensively to avoid serious injury.

You can learn all these skills and even more from youtube videos and other skateboarding websites. In addition, Reddit is a great community to clear up any doubts you might have.

Method 5: Break-in Your Skateboard

If your skateboard is a brand new one, you might just need to break it in. I recommend releasing the axle bolts with your skate tools before riding. Bring your tools along with you. Loosen as needed when skateboarding on that particular day.

The bearings will not start spinning faster and longer for a while right away. They should, however, start after a few rides.

If you bought a whole skateboard and the wheels are still stopping early, you most likely received a substandard set of bearings and should change to a reputable brand like Bronson Speed Co., Bones Reds, or Mini Logo.

Here are some more tips on how to make skateboard wheels spin longer:

Wheels that are made of higher quality material can make your wheels spin longer
Replace your little wheels with larger wheels. Smaller wheels move at a slower rate than larger wheels.
Invest in high-durometer skateboard wheels. The wheels are tougher if the durometer is higher—the softer wheels spin and roll slower than harder wheels.
A smoother path is preferable for skating because it allows you to move faster. Rough roads slow you down as you hit bumps on the road.
Taking off the spacers you put between your skateboard bearings will help your wheels spin quicker. Spacers are not required for high-quality bearings because they are already difficult to break.

How Fast Should Skateboard Wheels Be?

Speed of the wheels on your skateboard, or how quickly you can go on a skateboard, is not justified by spinning wheels by hand or, in other words, free-spinning. Wheels should generally spin for at least 10 seconds before stalling.

If you have a new skateboard, it will generally take time to break in. That being said, your skateboard wheels will go faster once they are used to skating.

As I mentioned before, your wheels need to only spin for 2 seconds or more, but I would prefer 10 to 20 seconds. This will determine how fast the wheels of your skateboard will be.

A skateboard can often move at speeds ranging from 5 to 12 mph. The typical cruising speed may range from 5 to 7 miles per hour.

Professional skateboarders can ride at speeds ranging from 7 to 8 miles per hour. This is for travels of 1 to 2 miles on level terrain.

How Often Should You Rotate Skateboard Wheels?

The frequency with which you must replace your wheels is determined by the amount of time and effort you put into skating. In addition, wheels wear out and shrink in diameter over time, and riding on rougher surfaces can cause flat patches.

The wheels’ rebound decreases over time, causing the bearing grip to relax. Check your tires regularly and replace them if necessary.

To change your wheels, use your skate tool to loosen the nuts on each axle. Then, simply slip the wheels off their axles. Next, slide the new bearing onto the axle and firmly press the wheel down until the bearing slides in.

Remove the wheel off the axle and repeat the process on the opposite side. After both bearings are securely in place, replace the nut, and then repeat for all wheels.

Final Thoughts

Your wheels and bearings are very important when it comes to skateboarding. They determine how your experience is going to be, especially if you’re a beginner.

Free spinning is not the way to determine whether the wheels are good, but they tell you about the bearings. The recommendation is that your wheels spin at least for 2 seconds, but I would prefer to spin for 10-20 seconds.

There are so many things you could try in case your wheels don’t spin according to your satisfaction.