Bearings moving in the bearing seat

[sbr]

Bringing this back from the dead to see if anyone else has had any issues. Been having this happen with pretty much all trucks and wheels I've tried over the past few months and have been gradually downsizing my wheels to see if that makes any bit of difference... I've been trying to shake the madness, but having my wheel lock up multiple times per session is a headache I wish I didn't have to deal with...

[Mbrimson88]

Bringing this back from the dead to see if anyone else has had any issues. Been having this happen with pretty much all trucks and wheels I've tried over the past few months and have been gradually downsizing my wheels to see if that makes any bit of difference... I've been trying to shake the madness, but having my wheel lock up multiple times per session is a headache I wish I didn't have to deal with...

So you got it on the Indy and Thunders as well?


Only on feeble tricks or on other tricks too?


I know you have had setup upgrades, so curious if you noticed much or any difference between truck brands, along with all the info as per previous posts in this thread re wheels and bearings.

[sbr]

So you got it on the Indy and Thunders as well?


Only on feeble tricks or on other tricks too?


I know you have had setup upgrades, so curious if you noticed much or any difference between truck brands, along with all the info as per previous posts in this thread re wheels and bearings.

Shot you a DM on IG as well, but long story short it has happened with multiple different trucks, bearings & wheels. The issue predominantly presents itself with feebles, but yesterday my son and I both had it happen while skating flat at the tennis court across the street from us (we're both on Thunder Teams, Swiss & F4 Classic 54's).

[j....soy.....]

That’s awesome….I run race reds out of principle so I’m worse than you…..

Even running what I consider the  ‘perfect’ set up….bearings still slip out of the cage/seize/break….

I equate it to constantly tightening my axel nuts because I can….and…koo…koo…

I still stand by a lot of what we do in skating is so far beyond what the bearing was designed for.

I also think just buying reds or some other cheap bearing all the time is not a bad program either…. You don’t get your hands as dirty….just keep some spares….buy new axel nuts so your ready to go when it happens mid session…

[Easy Slider]

I had it in the beginning on my two sets of Spit Classics 52 mm, with different bearings but it has now almost disappeared. Maybe they are just broken in, but I also made progress on my heelflips resulting in less primo landings. Might have some kind of relation, who knows?

[Mbrimson88]

Expand Quote

So you got it on the Indy and Thunders as well?


Only on feeble tricks or on other tricks too?


I know you have had setup upgrades, so curious if you noticed much or any difference between truck brands, along with all the info as per previous posts in this thread re wheels and bearings.

[close]

Shot you a DM on IG as well, but long story short it has happened with multiple different trucks, bearings & wheels. The issue predominantly presents itself with feebles, but yesterday my son and I both had it happen while skating flat at the tennis court across the street from us (we're both on Thunder Teams, Swiss & F4 Classic 54's).

Yeah (Wow!) so crazy to hear.

Any specific position of wheel on the setup, and do you skate the board either end doing pop shuvs or other tricks or only really skate them the one way, so say it is always the front toe that is jamming more or like that?


It is intriguing and horrifying at the same time, especially as my usual go to fix (using Race Reds tightened down so no other movement besides bearings spinning) didn't seem to work for you either.

Had another set of wheels, slightly softer cruiser sort the bearings would not stay in if you held up the wheel, that were doing that and again the extended bearing races tightened right down fixed the issue on that board and it skated fine after that, for doing lots of things where the skater was pushing the wheels this way and that, slides, grinds on ledges, etc.

[logjammin]

Happens to me on every set of softer durometer wheels now, and it's 100% from slappies and how aggressive I smash into them, it's just how I do it. Others can be more graceful and still do a proper slappy, I've noticed. Bones dragons 93a in 52mm and 60mm, both sizes and shapes the bearings pop out of the seat super easy. I can't skate that wheel now and it sucks cause I actually really liked them. Happens on 95a Dogtown wheels (Creative Urethane) and 95a-97a OJs. I tried cored softer wheels for the first time to alleviate this issue per a pal's recommendation and it worked, but I hated the way they felt and performed. Now I'm just digging through my old bag of used wheels lately since weather has finally been nice to skate outdoor again, and my old 52mm NFG's and Spitfire f4 99a's are doing fine with no bearing slippage. Harder formula locks em in there good. Bearing spacers never worked for me, either.

[bombsaway86]

I took my spacers out a few weeks ago and this has been happening a lot less. This is on my main setup with 99a F4s.

I’ve also noticed it never happens on my other setup with 95a OJs. I used to ride Bones DTF which were also 95a and never once had the bearings back out in all the years I rode them. I noticed it happening all the time when I switched to harder wheels.

[Esquivel]

Adding my pointless opinion because I am sick and tired of this happening and I want to comment every time this issue gets raised in hopes that the people who make wheels notice the complaints and act upon. I have been having this issue on and off (most sets, really) since around 2008. Not taking old, tiny wheels (early 90's) into account where the bearings would straight up fall out of the wheels after a few months of use. The issue became a real problem around 2012 skating bones wheels and this was the reason I switched to F4s. However, even on most sets of F4s the bearings tend to slide out of their seats, making the truck feel like the axle has slipped with one wheel tightening. It has been strangely happening mostly when I skate flatground, and especially when I bail a trick and the board goes bouncing all over the place. I am sure that what causes the problem is a combination of me skating super sticky ground (like a super sandy/weathered concrete park) and the wheels being kinda slack from the get go. I remember with wheels back in the day that it was almost impossible to remove the bearings and no one ever had issues with the bearings sliding out of their seats. Wheel manufacturers should just make the bearing seats a little tighter (0.5 mm ?). Another fix for this could be to add a inward draft to the bearing seat (see attached pic for an extremely exaggerated example) but I am not sure how this would work with mold release. In any case, I believe the bearing should "pop" into place and not easily slide in.

[sbr]

Adding my pointless opinion because I am sick and tired of this happening and I want to comment every time this issue gets raised in hopes that the people who make wheels notice the complaints and act upon. I have been having this issue on and off (most sets, really) since around 2008. Not taking old, tiny wheels (early 90's) into account where the bearings would straight up fall out of the wheels after a few months of use. The issue became a real problem around 2012 skating bones wheels and this was the reason I switched to F4s. However, even on most sets of F4s the bearings tend to slide out of their seats, making the truck feel like the axle has slipped with one wheel tightening. It has been strangely happening mostly when I skate flatground, and especially when I bail a trick and the board goes bouncing all over the place. I am sure that what causes the problem is a combination of me skating super sticky ground (like a super sandy/weathered concrete park) and the wheels being kinda slack from the get go. I remember with wheels back in the day that it was almost impossible to remove the bearings and no one ever had issues with the bearings sliding out of their seats. Wheel manufacturers should just make the bearing seats a little tighter (0.5 mm ?). Another fix for this could be to add a inward draft to the bearing seat (see attached pic for an extremely exaggerated example) but I am not sure how this would work with mold release. In any case, I believe the bearing should "pop" into place and not easily slide in.

I'd be interested to try something if someone did this, especially since the F4's have a slightly angled edge on the outside of the bearing seat (presumably to make it easier to press the bearing in). I know NHS has a slightly smaller bore on their softer wheels to accommodate the urethane distortion the bearing seat takes when you press the bearing in (since lets say a 95a will not hug the bearing as tightly as a 101a will). I've wanted to try a set of F4 101 Classics to see if a harder wheel would hold the bearing any more snug, but I'm terrified of skating 101's since I spend most of my time skating smooth concrete bowls and I feel like I would just slide all over the place on them. I may grab a set for the fuck of it just to see if it yields any different result.

[Esquivel]

I've wanted to try a set of F4 101 Classics to see if a harder wheel would hold the bearing any more snug

I strongly advise to try F4s if you have not already, they are THE best wheels. Just wanted to add that I had the bearings slide out while skating F4 101 classics and radial slims. For me, if I don't struggle to insert the bearings, it is a guarantee that they will slip out of the seats.

[sbr]

Expand Quote

I've wanted to try a set of F4 101 Classics to see if a harder wheel would hold the bearing any more snug

[close]

I strongly advise to try F4s if you have not already, they are THE best wheels. Just wanted to add that I had the bearings slide out while skating F4 101 classics and radial slims. For me, if I don't struggle to insert the bearings, it is a guarantee that they will slip out of the seats.

I've mostly skated F4 99's since they came out and have never had the bearing issue until the start of the pandemic and it's been plaguing me with every shape and size since then. Some less than others, but it happens (mind you it has also happened with OJ's OG and Elite 99a formulas & Speed Labs 99a formula with multiple different sets of bearings). The issue has lessened since I stopped running the center spacer, but it's still annoying to have to press the bearing back in the wheel after every few runs when it decides to act up. What I'm curious about is I'm setting up a Krooked 9.81" shape next on Ace AF1 66's and it'll be the first board in quite some time that I did not have the "size up" trucks on (i.e. an 8.75" with 9.125" trucks) so I'm curious if the board fitting in the rear and being a bit bigger in the front will change anything in a positive way.

[JM]

I never had this problem growing up, and it happened all the time since four years ago when I picked it back up frequently. 

Any power slide would push the bearing out against the wheel and cause it all be slow down.

I have always had a mm or two of play cause that’s what I thought you do.

Well, watched a few YT videos from people telling me “noooo you’re supposed to have NO play in your bearings! That’s how they’re designed!”

Well that’s a load of crap… I did that barely and it slowed the spin.

But I tried having them loosened to JUST off full tight grip (fraction of a mm), so they roll free… and I haven’t had bearing slip since like six months ago.

Huzzah.

[vicious cycle]

carbon assembly paste. I mean it works pretty well on carbon bike frames. It lowers the amount of torgue needed so your frame doesn't snap, like on handlebars, seatpoast clamp etc.
It's save for carbon, don't know about polyurethane..

[sbr]

I never had this problem growing up, and it happened all the time since four years ago when I picked it back up frequently. 

Any power slide would push the bearing out against the wheel and cause it all be slow down.

I have always had a mm or two of play cause that’s what I thought you do.

Well, watched a few YT videos from people telling me “noooo you’re supposed to have NO play in your bearings! That’s how they’re designed!”

Well that’s a load of crap… I did that barely and it slowed the spin.

But I tried having them loosened to JUST off full tight grip (fraction of a mm), so they roll free… and I haven’t had bearing slip since like six months ago.

Huzzah.

Yeah, I never once had this issue until the start of the pandemic. I also used to run my wheels a bit more "sloppy" play-wise, but lessened the amount of play after the issue started happening and it helps alleviate it a bit but does not fully solve the problem.

carbon assembly paste. I mean it works pretty well on carbon bike frames. It lowers the amount of torgue needed so your frame doesn't snap, like on handlebars, seatpoast clamp etc.
It's save for carbon, don't know about polyurethane..

I'm hesitant to add any kind of grease or the like to the bearing seat, especially carbon paste. That stuff is designed to lessen the torque needed, however, its also made to prevent the carbon from binding up and cold welding itself to the other parts so in my head it'd just make the issue worse. I did try prepping the bearing seats and the outsides of the bearing races with isopropyl alcohol hoping that'd help and it helped lessen the issue from happening. I'm still curious if I'd have the issue with 101's, but I know I'd just be sliding out and dying on them so the likelihood of me giving them a test is pretty low. I did find a shop that had a F4 graphic that came out pre-pandemic (that are the potato brown color) that I may grab a set of to see if they yield any different results than the stuff I've been having issues with over the past few years.

[intendedreceivers]

I use a bearing press, but when I notice a bearing slide into the wheel too easily, it’s usually because the outside of the outer race got coated in excess oil from the manufacturing and packaging process.

When this happens, I pull the bearing out and use a tiny bit of alcohol, degreaser, citrus cleaner, or something similar on a cotton swab to dissolve the oil on the outside, dry the metal, and swipe any residue out of the bearing seat, too.

[Easy Slider]

The thing with my Spitfires is they sit extremely tight but the bearings still regularly jam. Then I have to loosen the nut a bit and it‘s fine but I can‘t do that too often else it falls of.

[sbr]

So yesterday I had the first session in 2 years where the issue did not present itself on my basically new complete (minus the swiss that I carried over since they’re only a few weeks old). The only thing I did differently this time around was give the bearings a full cleaning before assembly.

For context, they’re Swiss with no tube spacers in Spitfire F4 Classic 56’s.

Bearing overhaul process:

• Soak in isopropyl alcohol for an hour
• Agitate/shake them and let them sit for another hour
• Rinse with water
• Dry/blow out with air compressor
• 1 drop of speed cream in each bearing
• Spin the bearings a few times in both directions to let the speed cream evenly coat the balls/inner race and let sit on a paper towel shieldless side down to seep for 20-30 min
• Clean off the shieldless side with a dry paper towel, spin again, let sit shieldless side down for 20-30 min to seep
• Clean off the shieldless side with a dry paper towel, spin again, let sit shieldless side down for 20-30 min to seep
• Clean off the shieldless side with a dry paper towel once last time and use another clean dry paper towel to wipe down the outer rings of all of the bearings
• Install the bearings as normal

Take this with a grain of salt, but the issue started happening when I retired a set of 4 year old regularly maintained Swiss bearings and every set of bearings I’ve had it happen with were brand new. It never once dawned on me to try fully clean a brand new set of bearings. I did try just wiping the outer races down pre-assembly with alcohol a few times on previous setups, but they still had the issue so I’m thinking all of the bearings I’ve had are coming over lubricated from the factory and even being wiped down before installation the lubricant will seep toward the shieldless side/core of the wheel and cause the issue to happen (and once the bearing goes crooked a few times the urethanes rebound is compressed and wont fully go back to the OG bearing seat ID).

I’ll report back in a few days, but I have not had one single session at the bowl where at least one wheel gave me an issue in 2 years, so yesterday was welcome change to say the least.

This has been my TED talk…

[sbr]

I had two 4-hour sessions over the weekend and the issue did not happen once, which is a first for me since this has been non-stop for 2 years.

Thus far, I think the full cleaning prior to setting the new board up worked. My son, on the other hand, has been having the issue happen multiple times per session. We ordered him a new deck and some other things over the weekend and I figured I'd give his bearings the same cleaning treatment to see if I can replicate my success and I pulled the bearings from his wheel to see this (which I think proves my factory over-lubrication theory).

I'll give myself a few more sessions and have him skate his new setup for a week or so and I'll check back in here with an update, but this may have been the culprit all along. The moral of the story is we may all have to start cleaning band new bearings out of the box lol
 

[Ourladyoftheflowers]

I’ve had this problem for the last year. Don’t use spacers. Has me considering buying a bearing press. I used to be able to just press in the bearings by hand now I usually have to crank them to get them set in the wheel. Usually about once a week one of my bearing will pop out and I gotta crank it again. I also only tighten my axel flush so I don’t have to rethread. Prob causes the issue while skating but confusing trying to get them in when they’re new

[sbr]

I’ve had this problem for the last year. Don’t use spacers. Has me considering buying a bearing press. I used to be able to just press in the bearings by hand now I usually have to crank them to get them set in the wheel. Usually about once a week one of my bearing will pop out and I gotta crank it again. I also only tighten my axel flush so I don’t have to rethread. Prob causes the issue while skating but confusing trying to get them in when they’re new

Try cleaning the bearings and wiping the bearing seats down before reinstalling. I've legit tried everything and the first time I had any bit of difference was after I fully cleaned/degreased the bearings and was SUPER diligent about only lightly re-greasing them.

[JM]

I took my spacers out a few weeks ago and this has been happening a lot less. This is on my main setup with 99a F4s.

I’ve also noticed it never happens on my other setup with 95a OJs. I used to ride Bones DTF which were also 95a and never once had the bearings back out in all the years I rode them. I noticed it happening all the time when I switched to harder wheels.

I’m going to have to try this. I wondered if the spacers aren’t allowing a good seat of the bearing… for the conspiracy theory that wheel makers shrunk the molds a tiny bit to save money.

[sbr]

I’m going to have to try this. I wondered if the spacers aren’t allowing a good seat of the bearing… for the conspiracy theory that wheel makers shrunk the molds a tiny bit to save money.

I stopped using spacers as well, but as far as shrinking molds I think it's more that the molds are inconsistent and the spacers are not precision spec. I had a set of Spitfire F4's my son was skating that 2 wheels fit with the spacers perfectly and 2 wheels I would seat one side, put the spacer on and press the other bearing in and you could feel the other already seated bearing press out of the seat.

[PisstickleTypeExperience]

I'm gonna go ahead and say that Fireball Built bearings are the best value for money that you can possibly buy. They aren't as fast as ceramics or traditional bearings that use light oils for lubricants (they use grease), but they are consistent as fuck and last forever.

[Noble Experiment]

Hadn’t had issues with this since some V2 STFs and some OG formula classics I skated back in 2009-2010 but recently out of nowhere I’ve been having this happen on a set of 99A F4s, always on the back left wheel. The wheel locked up a few times during a sesh a few days back. At first I thought it might have been an axle slip on these ventures I’m currently skating, so I actually switched out my back hanger with a used hanger from an old set of ventures I had laying around that I knew was still good. Lo and behold fifteen minutes into the next sesh the wheel locked up again! I was thinking “there’s no way I just axle slipped another hanger” so I took a closer look and I’m fairly certain it’s from the bearings slipping out of the wheel. Much like an axle slip, it’s not the end of the world, but it definitely is annoying having to check your board every few tricks to make sure your wheel isn’t locked up and having to fix it real quick if it is locked up.

[logjammin]

Pulled out some used 99a spits from last summer that I never had an issue with bearing slippage, but put some new Bones Big Balls in them fresh out of the package, and first slappy here we go again. You might be onto something with the alcohol bath. I didn’t go that far but I cleaned the inner and outer race with rubbing alcohol, and same with inside the wheels and the axles and hanger facings so everything is dried up. Tightened to less play with barely any side to side movement but enough for a good spin. Will try this out tomorrow and hopefully it solves it cause this shit is annoying.

edit: it didn’t work. Fuuuuuck

[sbr]

Hadn’t had issues with this since some V2 STFs and some OG formula classics I skated back in 2009-2010 but recently out of nowhere I’ve been having this happen on a set of 99A F4s, always on the back left wheel. The wheel locked up a few times during a sesh a few days back. At first I thought it might have been an axle slip on these ventures I’m currently skating, so I actually switched out my back hanger with a used hanger from an old set of ventures I had laying around that I knew was still good. Lo and behold fifteen minutes into the next sesh the wheel locked up again! I was thinking “there’s no way I just axle slipped another hanger” so I took a closer look and I’m fairly certain it’s from the bearings slipping out of the wheel. Much like an axle slip, it’s not the end of the world, but it definitely is annoying having to check your board every few tricks to make sure your wheel isn’t locked up and having to fix it real quick if it is locked up.

Out of curiosity what color are the F4’s? I have a whiter color set of F4 Classic 99a 56’s that I skated for a few months and they have been fine. Got a small edge chunk so I swapped them for a set if F4 Classic 99a 55’s that are more beige colored and had the issue happen with 2 of the wheels within the first 15 minutes on them. Took them off, swapped everything with alcohol and had the same issue. Tried them again with Spitfire Burners and still the issue persists. Threw the 56’s back on and we’re back to functional again… Might try and track down a set of newer whiter 55’s to see if its possibly a batch issue with the darker ones…

[ChuckRamone]

I posted about this issue a few years back and someone said it might be dirty or rusty axles causing it and suggested cleaning my axles and lightly oiling them. That worked for me and I rarely have this problem any more.

[sbr]

I posted about this issue a few years back and someone said it might be dirty or rusty axles causing it and suggested cleaning my axles and lightly oiling them. That worked for me and I rarely have this problem any more.

My trucks are only a few months old and the axles are clean so I don't think that's the issue. Oddly enough, I had a set of 99a F4 Classic 56's that I set up with Bones Swiss that I cleaned before I set the wheels up and I got 2 months with absolutely no issues. Got an edge chunk in my one wheel and grabbed a set of 99a F4 Classic 55's and had the issue happen with 2 of the 4 wheels with the same bearings (my heel side back wheel and my toe side front wheel). Tried the 55's with Spitfire Burner bearings as well just for sanity's sake, and the same thing happened. Put the Swiss back in the 56's and they're perfectly fine... The one thing I'm noticing is the 55's are more beige colored and the 56's are more white, so I ordered another set of 55's from a higher volume online shop (hoping to get a newer batch this way) and we'll see if they show up whiter like the 56's, and if that's the case maybe they'll be all good hahaha

[sbr]

Ordered a set of 99a F4 Classic 55's from Skate Warehouse assuming they'd be more "high volume" and have newer product and they came today. The wheels are the same color as my 99a F4 Classic 56's (more white than beige) and after throwing them on and messing around on my quarter for a bit they're working just as well as the 56's did for me. Now I'm just curious why the beige ones are having issues with the bearings staying seated...