Which Bearings Are You Guys Running?

[ridethegutter]

I am riding bones swiss bearings.  I have already cleaned them once. Added some speed cream and good as new. Definitely recommend especially if you have a promo code.

[pantyhero]

someone told me SKF bearings are amazing and feel much faster than any other bearing. Anyone else had this experience?!?

No experience yet with the skate bearings, but I've used SKF bearings in industrial applications and as the square taper bottom bracket for my bike and they are absolutely top quality, an industry standard. "Faster" is sort of meaningless when it comes to a cartridge bearing, but SKF bearings are intended to roll extremely smooth with little maintenance for a very long time.

[Slave IV]

I currently have reds, super reds, Swiss 6, G3 and Bronson Raw bearings in various setups. I can barely tell any difference with any of them as far as speed but I can say the Swiss 6 that I have are around 10 years old but I just cleaned them and put them in my newest setup and they feel smoother than ever. Before that, I had one setup with reds and one with G3 and between the two, it was the only time I think I noticed a slight difference where the G3 might be slightly faster. But those were also new G3s in newer 54mm wheels compared to reds that are also around 10 years old, haven’t been cleaned in a while in old 51mm wheels. Basically, it doesn’t seem like I’ll ever need new bearings again with what I currently have but if I ever had to buy a new set, I’d probably go with G3 or Super Reds because since they seem like the best balance of value and maybe a slightly perceivable increase in performance over the cheapest options.

[JimmyFive]

anyone clean their skfs?
what kind of grease do you use after that

Ah so I looked into this in detail. The grease is SKF LGLT 2.0 Low viscosity super high speed grease. I had to call around industrial bearing retailers - finally tracked down a tube that will last me till the end of my skating days.

It's the truth. Also works great in other bearings like Bronson G3's - the "micro-grooved raceways" seem to be conducive to the SKF light grease. With Swiss/6 I still use speed cream.

[Texas_Tone]

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anyone clean their skfs?
what kind of grease do you use after that

[close]

Ah so I looked into this in detail. The grease is SKF LGLT 2.0 Low viscosity super high speed grease. I had to call around industrial bearing retailers - finally tracked down a tube that will last me till the end of my skating days.

It's the truth. Also works great in other bearings like Bronson G3's - the "micro-grooved raceways" seem to be conducive to the SKF light grease. With Swiss/6 I still use speed cream.

Damn thanks for doing the grunt work G, yea I cleaned mine awhile back and just used sewing machine oil, gonna grab a tube of this and see what’s up

[rikki]

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anyone clean their skfs?
what kind of grease do you use after that

[close]

Ah so I looked into this in detail. The grease is SKF LGLT 2.0 Low viscosity super high speed grease. I had to call around industrial bearing retailers - finally tracked down a tube that will last me till the end of my skating days.

It's the truth. Also works great in other bearings like Bronson G3's - the "micro-grooved raceways" seem to be conducive to the SKF light grease. With Swiss/6 I still use speed cream.

This looks great. Would you happen to know what's the difference between SKF LGLT2 and LGMT2 greases? Any critical differences for skate bearing purposes?

[Goggzy60]

I was looking at some SKFs for nostalgia reasons I rode a set years ago (maybe 2007 or and they had a different sound compared to every other bearing I have ever skated. Anyone else able to confirm if that sound did exist and wasn’t just in my head and better yet if it’s still there.

[Jackismydogsname]

The SKF sound is there, they are tight with thick grease. Overall they should perform better for longer in normal skate conditions but I'd you're not use to it, it's weird. I liked NMBs, my brain doesn't know what is right.
Due to riding the new softer formulas and thinking my bearings where loose in the seats, I have been trying out Zealous which are grease and have spacers built in, just short of cranked down. They ride great, but have a different feel. I want to only ride 101/bones shield popped but I'm almost 40 and ok being a kook with Dragons and Longboard bearings for comfort.

[Slave IV]

I have never even heard of SKF bearings until I just started reading this thread. Only bearings I remember from back in the day were "German" and NMB. To this day, I can barely tell any difference in speed between any reputable bearing but I'm always curious about the history and stories behind who is doing what and what makes them think whatever they do is better than their competition.

[Fast_Freddie]

Quantum Isotopes x3

One set in my daily
One set in my back-up
One set cleaned in case, ready to be installed

[Slave IV]

Quantum Isotopes x3

One set in my daily
One set in my back-up
One set cleaned in case, ready to be installed

Sounds like something we talk about in toy collecting:
One to play
One to display
One just in case
 

[Fast_Freddie]

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Quantum Isotopes x3

One set in my daily
One set in my back-up
One set cleaned in case, ready to be installed

[close]

Sounds like something we talk about in toy collecting:
One to play
One to display
One just in case
 

I finally got an ultrasonic cleaner and that makes cleaning bearings so much easier, I swap/clean my bearings about once a month, or when I swap out a new deck...

[Slave IV]

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Quantum Isotopes x3

One set in my daily
One set in my back-up
One set cleaned in case, ready to be installed

[close]

Sounds like something we talk about in toy collecting:
One to play
One to display
One just in case
 

[close]

I finally got an ultrasonic cleaner and that makes cleaning bearings so much easier, I swap/clean my bearings about once a month, or when I swap out a new deck...

That sounds like a great solution!

[Creachteach]

I want new bearings to go in my new wheels.
I think they’re gonna be Bronson G3s.

Is it only the orange standards that come with spacers and washers, or do pro models also come with them?

I like the graphics on the Kevin Bækkel and the Gravette ones, but they’re going in asymmetrical OJ Mini combos.
Will I need the spacers? It’s mainly mini ramp and bowl

[BALARGUE]

Standard G3s come with washers and spacers
Pro G3s don't (the box / packaging is smaller)

You have to be pretty lucky with wheels & spacers manufacturing... most of the time spacers are just a nuisance

[soot_yawd]

I have never even heard of SKF bearings until I just started reading this thread. Only bearings I remember from back in the day were "German" and NMB. To this day, I can barely tell any difference in speed between any reputable bearing but I'm always curious about the history and stories behind who is doing what and what makes them think whatever they do is better than their competition.

Jenkem talked to the SKF folks and posted a video about it if you’re interested.

https://youtu.be/g5Se5uHabWE?si=cg7IjpjvIvwIkTnz

[Slave IV]

Expand Quote

I have never even heard of SKF bearings until I just started reading this thread. Only bearings I remember from back in the day were "German" and NMB. To this day, I can barely tell any difference in speed between any reputable bearing but I'm always curious about the history and stories behind who is doing what and what makes them think whatever they do is better than their competition.

[close]

Jenkem talked to the SKF folks and posted a video about it if you’re interested.

https://youtu.be/g5Se5uHabWE?si=cg7IjpjvIvwIkTnz

Cool, thanks for sharing!

[Creachteach]

Standard G3s come with washers and spacers
Pro G3s don't (the box / packaging is smaller)

You have to be pretty lucky with wheels & spacers manufacturing... most of the time spacers are just a nuisance

It’d suck getting the pro’s and then get wheel jams on axle stalls, and then realise that I need spacers.
Might as well get standards first, and then when I next need new bearings get pro G3s, cause then I’d already have spacers.

They’re all the same, except for colorway, right?

[Tuktuk]

Yes just the color that changes.

[bombsaway86]

Spacers are useless. They hurt more than they help. I say this after using spacers for 20+ years. Never again

[moonordie]

I agree that spacers are useless but I used them my whole life and the time I skated without I ate shit badly and my skill level got worst than usual so after that give me my precious spacers back.

[Orangepulp1000]

Been on the same set of bones swiss for two yrs. Just gave them their maiden clean out with a soak in acetone, bit of vibration the dry off and a drop or two of sewing machine oil, pop shields back on and good as new.


Always ran whatever was cheap and was lucky to get 8 mo the out of them. Never going back now

[pantyhero]

Spacers are useless. They hurt more than they help. I say this after using spacers for 20+ years. Never again

Absolutely. Either the bearing seat in the wheel is good or it's not, a spacer isn't going to make any difference. In the best case scenario where everything is perfect, it either does absolutely nothing, but if the seat of your soft, cheap polyurethane wheel isn't perfect, it's only going to cause the bearings to run out of round.

[Bongwater Mojito]

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Spacers are useless. They hurt more than they help. I say this after using spacers for 20+ years. Never again

[close]

Absolutely. Either the bearing seat in the wheel is good or it's not, a spacer isn't going to make any difference. In the best case scenario where everything is perfect, it either does absolutely nothing, but if the seat of your soft, cheap polyurethane wheel isn't perfect, it's only going to cause the bearings to run out of round.

This is actually a good point. I guess you're saying in other words that wheel's bearing seats have shorter distance between them than the spacer, causing sideway force to push the other side bearing out of the seat?

I've used spacers all the time, never had any issues, but I guess they're more like a habit as I also have the typical half-turn play in each wheel.

[JimmyFive]

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anyone clean their skfs?
what kind of grease do you use after that

[close]

Ah so I looked into this in detail. The grease is SKF LGLT 2.0 Low viscosity super high speed grease. I had to call around industrial bearing retailers - finally tracked down a tube that will last me till the end of my skating days.

It's the truth. Also works great in other bearings like Bronson G3's - the "micro-grooved raceways" seem to be conducive to the SKF light grease. With Swiss/6 I still use speed cream.

[close]

This looks great. Would you happen to know what's the difference between SKF LGLT2 and LGMT2 greases? Any critical differences for skate bearing purposes?

Hey sorry late reply! I think the LGMT grease is more viscous/thick than the LGLT and therefore will provide more resistance/less speed. Peter Verdone has a good breakdown on bearings and lubricants - LGLT is what he uses in his Swiss 6. If you can find the LGLT grease in a tube I'd snap it up!

[BeachChicken]

Are skateboard bearings actual that high speed compared to industrial use cases?

[Blinded]

I just picked up a set of Ace bearings....never knew they made em until I saw that Cody ad in Thrasher. If he's charging on them then I'll fucking give it a try. He's on tear!

[back smith]

Anyone tried Tom's bearings? They are pretty cheap

[Unkle Fleak]

Spacers are to make up for wheel intolerances. Yo backack in the day you could crank and crank and crank um. It happens with my vintage bones streets. The seats are wrong. With a spacer they stay perfect.  I ride spacers on any wheel above 53 mm.  Especially fulls.

[Jackismydogsname]

Are skateboard bearings actual that high speed compared to industrial use cases?

Not really, I am not an engineer but have asked around, you'd have to go 60MPH to start going into well above 10,000RPM range.