Jason Mitchell, Seismic Nationals 2007, Hybrid Slalom.  Photo by Greg Fadell Northern California Downhill Skateboarding Association
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Skateboard Bearing Reviews

 
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Bearing Reviews (4976 Posts)
Bearing Review
hubcaps
On 12/5/2000 roger wrote in from (198.206.nnn.nnn)

Hubcaps are especially important when riding in the dirt. Xtremewheelz have chrome hubcaps designed for their big rubber wheelz (too large for most wheels). Hubcaps must be removable, but yet never come off when riding. To complicate this all wheels flex, hubs also flex but to a lesser extent. Aluminators and XT hubs are rigid pretty rigid. Exkate hubs (Turbo, Cherry, M-80, etc) definitely do flex. Personally I doubt that epoxy will hold up for very long, but let us know after a while how they are doing.

 
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plastic dirt sheilds
On 12/5/2000 nobody wrote in from (209.240.nnn.nnn)

hi i made-invented (whatever) a clear dirt sheild for bearings that fits completly over the wheel rims on either side of the wheel it helps keep dirt,water out and lube in. its not water tight but pretty close to it since it doesnt touch any part of the truck.u can make a complete set just follow these instructions:
u need:5 minute epoxy resin,3 liter bottle,trace kit,lube
cut out the top and bottom half of the bottle,then cut the rest of the plastic down the middle so it makes a flat square piece of plastic.take that and trace the wheel rim EXACTLY as it is on the wheel itself onto the plastic square.now trace and cut out seven more pieces of the same.affix one wheel with bearings inplace onto the truck but do not add the nut onto the axle,because u need trace the trucks outer cylyinder (where the truck meets the axle)so that the wheel spins freely,but not so much that dirt or water enters the inner cavity(use your imagination)now u should have four circular cutouts that have circular cutouts in their center.the other four do not. next,place the circular within circular plastic cutouts on the wheel so that its centered on the rim.make your epoxy resin formula as instructed on the package it comes with.apply the formula so that it makes a watertight seal around the rim.when dry affix the wheel on the axle tighten nut as desired add desired lube.the wheel should spin freely.now add one singular circular cutout to the nut side of the wheel and place your epoxy around the rim again making a watertight seal the nut/axle should not be touching the plastic otherwise u need bigger wheels(excate turbos and above work best).do this for all four wheels and u should have a nice clear plastic dirt shield.dont forget to add lube where indicated and remove the metal crimp or non crimp shields that came with the bearing for maximum effectiveness if done right u should be able to ride in the rain,dirt it should lub itself for at least 1 year of use since it does evaporate u shuoldnt have to clean it at all.a poormans version of this would be a tape cutout but it doesnt last as long as the expoxy resin will.your welcome and HAVE FUN!

 
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bearing removal tool
On 12/4/2000 Ryan M wrote in from (165.236.nnn.nnn)

cheaper than a truck axle is an exacto knife handle, the #1 smaller, standard handles work great and the grip/chuck is great for yanking out bearings set deep in wheels like Sims street wheels and Bones Street Cubics...costs about $2, and you can cut some pretty gnar grip designs while you're at it!

 
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Worlds cheapest bearing tool
On 12/4/2000 Herbn wrote in from (216.107.nnn.nnn)

Pushing bearings;out? mmmmm,You put the axle into the bearing,maybe a little more than halfway then pry to the sides,push bearings,in.

 
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Gettin those bearings out...
On 12/4/2000 Groove Champion wrote in from (152.163.nnn.nnn)

I've tried using the end of the axle to push them out... hmmm... I don't know... those suckas are in there real tight. Any suggestions on getting them out? Having this problem with my 60mm Spitfire park wheels as well as with my 8-ballz...

I'm askin cuz in my Spitfires I'm experiencing a terrible ticking sound (that quickly becomes an unsettling hum at higher speeds). I'm thinkin I finally busted a ball or something. Anyone know of a way that I could just get a single replacement bearing or am I going to have to buy a whole new set... (Yes, I am a poor, poor college kid... ;)) Alright, Thanks,

sK

 
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Bones sheilds
On 12/3/2000 Herbn wrote in from (216.107.nnn.nnn)

my friend wrote powell about his sheilds falling off,and they actually sent him replacement sheilds.

 
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Shields and Dirt
On 12/2/2000 marty wrote in from (131.194.nnn.nnn)

Two questions on one really. First, I have a set of Swiss Bones with the old shields that aren't meant to be taken off. Well, they're off now, is there any place to order, or any instructions to make (preferable) shields. Also, what bearings would one recomend for downhill, offroad riding, something that I either can clean easily and will remain durable, or will simply stay clean well. Thanks all.

 
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ceramics
On 12/1/2000 ColD_FisH wrote in from (196.2.nnn.nnn)

I got these from my local skate shop at a super low price and I decided that I just had to try them out so I went for it.

 
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peer
On 11/30/2000 hugh r wrote in from (205.216.nnn.nnn)

Hey Pre-school,

Thanks for the info... guess they're kind of like that old pinto station wagon I had as a boy... lots of fun, but not real fancy! Now I don't feel bad about using them as "sacrifice bearings" in my conditioning jig! HR

 
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Peer Bearings
On 11/30/2000 Pre-School Rider wrote in from (209.198.nnn.nnn)

Hugh,those are an American bearing,often tapped into by Delco or Hoover to make bearings.Their overall quality is,well,remember the AMC Pacer,yeah,that good!Solid,dependable,but probably not fast.

 
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ceramics
On 11/30/2000 DT wrote in from (24.4.nnn.nnn)

from what jarret ewanek has taught me, all it takes is a light jolt or drop to begin the process of distruction. you see, only the balls are ceramic, but the races arent. when a side impact is created the harder ceramic balls chip away the races, causing them to not work as they are intended. and you just wasted alot of money. there are much better and cheaper ways to go faster.

 
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ceramics
On 11/30/2000 ColD_FiSh wrote in from (196.2.nnn.nnn)

I have heard many different stories about them. I just want to know how well they last compared to your average bearing ie will they break after like one run or competition or can I skate them lots of times and will they still be fine

 
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peer bearings
On 11/29/2000 hugh r wrote in from (205.216.nnn.nnn)

Just pulled 3 of theses out of an old set of wheels that ended up having some Germans in them too.

Anyone ever heard of "peer" bearings? Thanks, HR

 
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bearing lubes
On 11/26/2000 grinch wrote in from (64.7.nnn.nnn)

i have the good fortune of having overhead pin routers at work, and the oil we use in the router bits with bearings is what i use for my skate bearings. clean the bearings with acetone, use compressed air to clean them out and dry them, then two drops of the oil (get it worked in and dry off the excess) and i'm done. my two cents.....

 
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fkd 3 silvers
On 11/25/2000 tank wrote in from (205.188.nnn.nnn)

pretty good - not the fastest - last awile. but can ne one tell me how to get the darn crimp sheilds off ?

 
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NMB (ENG) golds
On 11/23/2000 Pre-School Rider wrote in from (209.198.nnn.nnn)

EvanS,NMB was a 'standard' bearing commonly found on skateboards throughout the '80s,but most were made in Singapore,some came from Italy(better than the Singapore made ones by far),and a few from Great Britain.The ones you have are high-end within the electric motor market,but the sheilds May Be non-removable(pressed into place,so that once removed with say,a hobby knife,they're bent for life)because of the intended application of being internally mounted in a motor.Many of the bearings now marketed for the skateboard/rollerblade worlds come with that C-clip that is removable,for cleaning/lubing purposes.Try an X-Acto knife slipped under one end of the C-ring(Don't press hard,pry Gently)and then lift and slide the tip of the blade around the arc of the C-ring to release it.

 
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the motion in the ocean
On 11/23/2000 DT wrote in from (24.4.nnn.nnn)

how fast is that?

 
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Abec 9's
On 11/23/2000 Doulou wrote in from (195.92.nnn.nnn)

Hey, just got a Sector9 Cr1, pretty sick, carves like hell, nice to find that surfy feeling outta de water. Anyway, they only come with Abec3's, so I wanna get some new bearings, and I have heard that Abec9's, generally used in Inlining are fast as fuck. Has anyone used them? Id be stoked if you can email me letting me know If they rip or not, or alternatively, what does. Cheers

 
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in general
On 11/20/2000 speeddemon wrote in from (24.4.nnn.nnn)

PIGS-fast for a while,ok bearings
FKD abec 5(purple shield)-slow when breaking in,smooth after a month of skating(noisy though)
FKD gold elite-same as above,but almost as smooth as swiss(highly recommended)
CHINA bones-fast break in period,smooth and reliable
SWISS bones-incredible break in period(like a hour),smooth as a hell,last along time;very good

you have to try the bones swiss and the fkds

speeddemon
ride the lightning

 
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NMB abec 5's
On 11/20/2000 EvanS wrote in from (4.48.nnn.nnn)

I got these for a deal on ebay for 10 bucks and so far they have seemed pretty reliable. I aws cleaning them out the yesterday night and when I took was taking them out of my kryptonic wheels I smahsed one the the bearings shields in by accident. Sad as it may sound this bearing, once cleaned and replaced in its wheel spun for 4 minutes and 24 seconds. My questions are how is it safe to remove your bearings from your wheels and how do you get the c- clip off of the bearing shield to get to the actual bearings. I treidn this with a pin last night and was unsuccessful. I thikn that the NMB's have a wierd set up. I haven't even heard of this compnay before unitl the dude offered them to me for 10 buck but they say NMB and England on a slightly tinted gold bearing shield. So if you have any advice or can answer my questions it would be appreciated... Thanks

 
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ceramix
On 11/20/2000 mikez wrote in from (196.2.nnn.nnn)

Today I picked up a pair of ceramics for a pretty good price(40$) they were made in the same factory as the bones ceramics the only difference (according to the guy at the shop) is that they don't come with the bones box and don't have bones ceramic printed on the sheilds of the bearing they run sooo smoothly and look to be really cool.
Does anyone know how well they stand up to rough surfaces and shock etc?

 
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R8's
On 11/19/2000 Herbn wrote in from (216.107.nnn.nnn)

a mile huh? that's cool I was just scouting some 2 mile long hills today after biking in Harrimann statepark,i'm to the point where i'm starting to worry less about cars catching up,but i think i need a blocker/ride to the top,anyway.

 
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R8 bearings
On 11/19/2000 Steven King wrote in from (205.156.nnn.nnn)

Herbn,

Thanks.

I inquired about the R8s with stainless races, ceramic balls,
composite spacers and single shield. Might be pricey compared
to the avg. bearing -- but I'm willing to go as high as $10
each just on principle.

I liked your idea about a different setup. The UFOs come
with adapter/spacers, so R8 will do just fine.

Will report back when I get a quote, buy bearings and ride
the suckers. It will take at least 1 mile to get the wheels
up to speed, given how heavy they are!

Steven

 
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Tips
On 11/19/2000 SHAD wrote in from (152.163.nnn.nnn)

I just thought that you people should know thatif you ever wanna get some fast ass bearings that last 4 ever and roll clean and smooth you should get either Halo's 7s or Pig Speed Stars. I have had both of these bearings and i totally recomend these to everyone. Iw ould recomend Lucky's but they are to prone to rust and if you put to mush lube on them that seem to slow you down. Also i was wondering has anybody here ever tried Zero black widows??? They are supposed to be fast. Ohh and one last thing i guess you all go to radio shack and spend 5 bucks for a can of contact cleaner.... wellll it would be a little bit easyier if you went and used any normal degreaser like: Gasoline, Kerosene, Paint or Laquer thinner, White Vinegar or Ammonia. If you want maximum speed, after you put your bearings in a degreaser ad one drop of oil per bearing and they will spin fast ass hell

 
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R8 bearings
On 11/19/2000 Herbn wrote in from (216.107.nnn.nnn)

Ops, it Revusa.com,they have r8's listed, no special sized replacements though:(

 
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