When my parents purchased my very first pair of skates, they did not know really how to take care of them and neither did I. I used them in the rink and in the neighborhood until they fell apart. A few years later I realized that I could have kept my skates for a lot longer if only I had maintained them, but I did not know how to do it. This article is to help any new or even more experienced skater understand some of the most fundamental steps needed to make your skates roll with minimum problems.
Clean your skate by using a damp cloth. Clean the boot and also whip away any dirt accumulating on the outside of the bearings. If you find any embedded dirt, gently dig it out.
One of the most neglected areas of maintenance is the bearings. They need to be cleaned at least once every two months if you skate once a week. If you skate more than that, they should be cleaned monthly. Remove the bearings using a bearing remover tool (found at internet skate stores) and then clean them with a bearing cleaner. Do not use detergent because that will destroy your bearings. After soaking them in the cleaner for a few hours, then use some bearing lubricant which is available at rinks and internet stores. Put the bearings back on the wheels and you are ready for more fun.
Every year the bearings should be replaced. If you skate more than once a week, you probably should think of replacing them every six months. You will know that they need to be replaced when they start making a lot of noise. Bearings ensure that the skates run smoothly. Most bearings are 8mm but check the size of your skates before you purchase.
Check the wheel nuts every three to four months if you skate once a week or less. If you skate more often, do this more frequently. You can tighten them with a half-inch wrench just enough so that they have no play. You don’t want to tighten them too much; otherwise the wheels will not roll smoothly.
Wheels need to be replaced just like tires on your car after being used for a long time. You can check the wear on your wheels by looking at the inside edges. If they have a shaved off look or you can hardly read the writing on the sides of the wheels, it is time to replace them.
Toe stoppers can be adjustable or non- adjustable. The non-adjustable needs to be checked very frequently because they can easily be worked lose because of vibrations from stopping frequently. Just use a screwdriver to tighten them. Adjustable stoppers do not become lose from vibrations from stopping so they do not need to be tightened as often. If they need to be tightened, loosen the nut on the base of the stopper and use your hand to adjust the height.
Finally, you need to check the trucks every few months to make sure that they are not becoming lose. The looser they are the more flexible they become, but the control is harder when skating fast. By tightening the trucks, flexibility is decreased and control is easier. There should be directions that came with your skates to show you how to adjust your trucks.
Follow these steps and you will have very few problems with your skates. Ignore these steps and I can guarantee you that you will experience a lot of aggravation with your skates!