Help!

How to Set up an LDP

Part 1

Wedges – Get a couple 1/4″ flat risers, a couple 1/2″ flat risers, and a Khiro wedge kit.

Hardware – At bare minimum get at least one set of 2.5″ bolts, one or two sets of 2″ bolts, and optionally a set of 1.5″.    Considering the costs of shipping such small items, and the fact that over time you’ll end up stripping threads or heads, it’s always better to buy extra sets — and combine these orders with bushings, wedges, and other skate items.

http://pavedwave.myfastforum.org/shopping_lists_for_LDP_setup_about52.html

Part 2

Bolts and wedges – figure out whether your bolts are long enough – put the bolts through your planned risers and baseplate then hold it up to the side of your deck, making sure you still have enough threading the nylock nut can grab onto securely.    Stiffer flex decks tend to be thicker and might require just slightly longer bolts.

Push the baseplates down on the bolts – the bolts will bend from the wedging – don’t worry about it.

Part 3

Take off the hangars to make tightening down the baseplates easier.

You will likely have to use some kind of shim or washers to make just about any non-Bennett bushing fit properly in a Bennett truck.   The Bennett barrel has a very unique height.   In this video I’m using an extra thick type of washer that was machined by Spencer Smith.   You could use 2 or 3 thick washers to achieve the same, or even shave a thin slice from another bushing.

I tend to run a rear truck hangar that is slightly narrower than the front hangar, and sometimes the same width.   I rarely run a wider rear truck.

Part 4

Check for wheelbite before taking the board on the road. Push the wheels to max turn and check for clearance.

The “jiggle” test is done by either pushing the wheel to max turn by hand, then letting it go, or else by hitting the wheel with your fist or palm. The truck should SNAP back to the middle and JIGGLE a little bit.

Rear truck should have harder duro bushings, this is where you generate most of your forward moving power.  Front truck should turn easy but not be overly loose — rebound is the key.

LDP Shopping List:

http://pavedwave.myfastforum.org/shopping_lists_for_LDP_setup_about52.html

How to clean and lube your bearings FAST – the Skanunu + Centrifuge method

It rains a ton in the northwest, so because of how often your gear takes a deep soak, the conventional bearing maintenance regimen simply isn’t practical.  Taking off shields or removing the ball bearings to clean them is fine for fair-weather hobbyists, but when you have to just grab your board and go no matter what the conditions, this is the method I use when I finish a ride and just before kicking off the next day.  It saves tons of time, and keeps your bearings flowing smooth.

1. Put the board down, wheels up, and spin each wheel using your foot.  This tells you right away which wheels are spinning freely and which might need more love.

2.  Put the board on its side and squirt a little Skanunu on all four visible bearing faces.  Grab and tilt the board just enough so the ground side wheels can also spin freely, then spin each wheel gently so the Skanunu can seep through the shields into the bearings, and start doing its work.

3.  Flip the board on its other side, and repeat step 2.  At this point the bearings should be nicely soaked in Skanunu.

4.   Put the board down, wheels up again.  This is the “centrifuge” step, where you give each wheel a hard kick to get them spinning fast, and repeat the kicks as needed.   Make sure you’re wearing some ratty clothes, at least something you don’t mind getting a little grease and grime on.  You should now see the Skanunu, plus a lot of dirt and crud, flying out the sides of your spinning wheels!

5.  An optional step (but something I always do) is shooting an aerosol-powered silicone spray into each bearing face before and while the wheels are spinning.  This helps force more lubricant into the bearings, once again without any time-consuming disassembly.

6. The bottom of your board should have a light coating of Skanunu and silicone (and crud) as well, so grab an old rag and wipe it all off.  This actually adds a side benefit of cleaning up and even lightly coating your deck with a thin sheen of lubricant, making it even more rain resistant!

How to clean dead skateboard bearings – The Simple Green Shake

Even without removing bearing shields, you can usually knock heavy dirt and rust buildup simply by shaking your bearings in Simple Green.

Follow it up by mounting the wheels, soaking the bearings in a lubricant / cleaner like Skanunu, and just spin the rest out.   Ready for more rain rides!

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