You finally bought your first skateboard and have been dying to get on and ride it, but for beginners it is better to start off with some research before you hit the ramp or the skate park. Here is a crash course for you to prime yourself of the needed information and safety precautions before practicing with your skateboard. This article includes information on how to assemble a skateboard and safety precautions before getting on your skateboard. Read on to find out the basics of skateboarding.
Parts of a Skateboard
Some skaters prefer assembling their skateboard by themselves for a more hands on experience. However, if you are a complete beginner and have no one to help you with your skateboard, you can bring it to the store where you bought it and let them assemble the board themselves.
Your board has four parts: the deck, trucks, wheels, and the bearings. Each of these parts come in different designs and specifications to let you skate in a way that you like. Some skaters prefer to customize their boards, so they can ride it in the way they want. Make sure to get the parts that are for beginners to get you skating in no time. But you are a bit skilled already in skateboarding, then you can get parts that are specified for the riding you want to do. Go to your nearest skate shop and they will know how to help you.
How to Assemble the Parts
If you are a beginner looking to assemble a board for yourself, then it will take lots of research, time, and understanding to ensure you have your board in tiptop shape. The benefit of assembling it yourself means you can customize and tune it in the ways you want that will be fit for the ride you want to achieve. For assembling your skateboard, here are the needed parts:
- Gripped Deck. Your deck requires to be fully gripped with tape for safety and a smoother ride.
- Trucks. You will need total of eight nuts, eight screws, eight washers, and four locks. Just make sure your screws and nuts can fit into the baseplate.
- Wheels. These wheels must match each other. You cannot match and mix.
- Bearings. You need four bearings for each wheel, a total of 8wheels.
- Adjustable Wrench. This should be able to adjust to 3/8’’.
- Phillips Screwdriver. Most skate tools come with this screwdriver.
Step 1. Mount the Trucks
Put all eight screws into the holes of the newly gripped deck, makes sure to safely poke holes through the deck with screwdriver. Next is you place trucks into the screws via base plate. Trucks must face inwards towards each other, then you can attach nuts to screws before fastening them securely. Use the wrench to fasten nuts in place across each other to make sure its hold is tight and balance across the baseplate.
Step 2. Put the Bearings to the Wheels
One of the most difficult and sensitive steps when assembling is this step so read the instructions carefully. Put the skateboard on the side and slowly and safely slide on a bearing into the axle which is now facing upward. Slide a spacer on top of bearing then followed by the wheel. With a lot of pressure, push in the bearing to the wheel’s socket until it is in place eventually. Once that’s done, put in another bearing and a spacer. Then flip its wheel, then slide it into the axle that is over its bearing or spacer, and your done. Repeat this until all wheels are successfully outfitted.
Step 3. Attach the Wheels to Trucks
For this step you need your board on the side and your washers. Slide on its first washer, the wheel, then another washer. Then you need a nut to that secures the wheel into place. Then do it on all sides of your boards until you finish off all the wheels.
Step 4. Do a Runover
By now you are probably excited to hit the road and ride your board, but before that you need to check and look for any mistakes you committed when you were assembling your board. This will make is safer for you to enjoy your board.
How to Set up a Skateboard Video Guidelines
Safety Tips when you Ride your Board
Skateboarding can cause several injuries on the knees, ankles, face, neck, and head, so you need to take safety precautions when skating or else you will be in for a risky ride. The following are some safety precautions before you ride on a ramp or skate park. The following are some safety tips for you to follow:
- Always wear protective gear when skating.
- Avoid using your board on uneven terrains.
- Maintain and keep you board in good condition.
There you have it, those are the basics or 101s for you to remember in skateboarding.
