Sometimes, you want to loosen up your skateboard wheels, or maybe you need to replace an old wheel, or maybe you just want to change things up a little bit. Whatever the reason, you don’t need the tools to do it.
But the question is, How To Loosen Skateboard Wheels Without Tools?
You can loosen your skateboard wheels by holding the skateboard with one hand and turning the wheel in a counter-clockwise direction using your fingers until the wheel bolts have been loosened enough.
The process is quite tricky, but in fact, there’s nothing more hard in it. I’m pretty sure anyone with even a moderate knowledge of skateboarding can do this task.
Read the following step-by-step guide.
Also Read: How Tight Should Skateboard Wheels Be? Expert Guide
How To Loosen Skateboard Wheels Without Tools
- Step 1: Place the skateboard on a flat surface.
- Step 2: Put one foot on the board’s tail and push down while using your other foot to apply pressure to the front of the board.
- Step 3: Using your hands, turn each wheel counterclockwise until it is loose. Here’s a helpful tip: make sure you turn each wheel an equal number of times so that they are all equally loose.
What Can I Use If I Don’t Have A Skate Tool? (Skate Tool Alternative)
Plenty of household items can help you tighten or loosen up your board and make sure it’s ready to shred.
We’ll show you how to loosen skateboard wheels without skate tools using common items around the house in the following guide.
You can use:
- Wrench
- Pliers
- Socket Wrench
1. How To Loosen Skateboard Wheels With Wrench?
It’s possible to make your skateboard wheels looser without a skate tool. All you need is a T-shaped wrench.
If you don’t already have one, it’s super easy to find one at your local hardware store, all you need to know is the size of the bolt on your wheels.
First, take the wrench, and insert it into the screw that holds your wheel in place.
Next, turn the wrench counterclockwise until you feel the wheel loosen. This should only require 1-2 turns.
Note: If you turn the wrench more than 2 times, stop immediately and turn it clockwise 1-to 2 times until you get a good fit again. A loose wheel can cause instability or injury, so be careful!
2. How To Loosen Skateboard Wheels With Pliers?
Pliers are another easy way to loosen or tighten your trucks. And the great thing about using pliers is that you probably have a pair lying around your house already.
Hold onto the nut with the pliers and turn it counter-clockwise to loosen the skateboard wheels.
When you have turned it a few times, your wheels should be loose enough for you to take them off. If you want to tighten the wheels, turn the nut clockwise.
One advantage of using pliers to tighten or loosen your trucks is that they do a good job of holding on to nuts (so they don’t slip out and damage the nut or your hand)
3. How To Loosen Skateboard Wheels With Socket Wrench?
A socket wrench is a great tool to help you loosen bolts, nuts, and screws.
A socket wrench is a hand tool with a ratchet handle and sockets attached to one end. The sockets have special designs to fit different types of bolts, nuts, and screws.
When loosening wheels from the axle of your skateboard, it is much easier to spin bolts and nuts using a socket wrench because it can stay in place while turning rather than having to be removed and replaced.
You’ll want to make sure that you have the correct size socket wrench according to your board for the job.
Instructions On How To Loosen Skateboard Wheels For Beginners
If you’re a beginner, don’t worry. It’s not difficult to loosen skateboard wheels—but it may be tricky for someone who has never done it before.
It’s recommended that you have a skate tool before beginning the process. This tool is great because it has two ends. One end is a nut wrench, and the other is a screwdriver.
If you don’t have one, some household items can take the place of a skate tool, as we’ve mentioned above in the guide.
Be careful when adjusting your skateboard wheels, especially if you’re new to the process.
To loosen your skateboard wheels, you need to turn the nut on the axle that connects the wheel to the board in a counterclockwise direction.
Be careful not to over-loosen your skateboard wheels! You want them to feel loose, but not so loose that they fall off. If your wheels are too tight and you can’t loosen them without breaking something, bring it to a shop for help!
How Do You Know When It’s Time To Loosen Your Skateboard Wheels?
Not sure whether you need to tighten or loosen your skateboard wheels?
As a skateboarder, you know that the way your board rides will make or break your experience.
If your wheels are too loose, you won’t be able to turn as quickly or effectively. If they’re too tight, the ride will feel stiff and uncomfortable. But how do you know when it’s time for your wheels to get looser?
Here’s how to find out when to loosen your skateboard wheels.
- If your skateboard feels too tight while riding, it is a sign to loosen them slightly and see if that helps. If it doesn’t, try loosening them more until it feels better—don’t go too far!
- If you feel too much resistance when skating down a hill, your wheels are too tight.
- If your board feels like it’s shaking from side to side and isn’t going straight, you need to loosen them.
- if you’re having trouble doing tricks with your board because it isn’t turning quickly enough, that’s a sign that you need to tighten the screws on your wheels.
How To Avoid Tightening Your Wheels Excessively?
If you tighten your trucks as much as possible every time you ride, you are probably doing it wrong.
Wheels that are too tight may be the most common mistake among beginning skaters, but it is also very easy to fix.
Try to turn your wheels comfortably by hand. If this is difficult, they are probably too tight.
To fix this, first, make sure that the wheel on your truck is centered. If it’s not, your wheel will wobble at high speeds, and wobbling wheels lead to a rougher ride.
Once your wheel is centered, use any tool to loosen all 8 nuts on your truck. Try turning the wheels by hand—if they turn comfortably but don’t move around on their own when you hold the board up by the tail and let go, then you’re good!
If it still feels too hard to turn, continue loosening until you can do so with ease. Remember: wheels should spin freely but not wobble back.
What Are The Most Common Reasons That Skateboard Wheels Are Stiff?
Bearings and bushings are a major factor in wheel stiffness, so if you find that your wheel is too stiff, it might be worth inspecting them. Here are some common reasons for a stiff wheel:
- Damaged bearings: This is the most common cause of stiffness. Skateboard wheels are designed to move freely, but they can’t roll smoothly when the bearings aren’t in good shape.
- Scarred bearing surface: If your wheels have a rough or uneven surface, then it can cause them to feel stiff. You can fix this by replacing the wheels with new ones that are smooth and clean.
- Dirty bushing: This can also cause stiffness in your skateboard wheels. It would be best to clean out any dirt or debris that may be causing this problem before using them again.
- Too much pressure on the wheel: Too much pressure from your foot or body weight can make your skateboard wheels feel stiffer than normal.
Also Read: How Tight Should Skateboard Trucks Be
Wrap-Up On How To Loosen Skateboard Wheels Without AÂ Tool
We hope you have gained some insight from the lesson we covered above. No matter how you ride, it’s a good idea to keep a tool kit on hand, even if it’s just some Allen wrenches and a screwdriver.
That way, you don’t have to stress out if your wheels get jacked up when you’re out skating!
We hope you will try these tricks out for yourself the next time you have a stubborn pair of wheels that needs loosening. Good luck, and have fun!
