When & How to Change Skateboard Bushings | Tactics 

I dont know men, but im not able to change my bushing cause the axle nuts are waaay to deep inside the washers…how can i remove them?

You will probably have to use a vicegrip to grab the kingpin nut and get it loose. 👍 - Tim

Make sure to get paraffin wax specifically, it's cheap and lasts a long time!

@@radiant9230 or just use your skate wax, as its almost always made of paraffin :D

I’m a big boy too ! I’ve snapped two kingpins and 7 boards Forced me to lose weight,which is good since I’m 6,1

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im that way with bones man they are so good, only problem is since i got the hi avenue suspension trucks its too long to use bones hardcores even with the washers lol i got whatever i got from my local shop i think they had indies instead of dohdohs

I like your pfp

Spacers allow you to tighten the axle nut all the way preventing the wheel from wiggling while still providing a free spin. They also reduce the horizontal lode on each bearing making them less likely to blow out. Spacers are super important for downhill longboarding because they help with speed wobbles and keep the board more stable at higher speeds and while sliding. But they really don't make much of a difference when it comes to regular skateboarding scenarios because we're rarely going 40+ mph on a skateboard. I'd say they're a good thing to have on your board especially if you like bombing hills and doing long powerslides, but since the performance difference is almost negligible at normal speeds, you can take them or leave them on your skate set up. Cheers! - Tim

Yes, Independent has their standard cylinder bushings, and they have conical bushings which cone in on the bottom bushing to make them more responsive. The cylinder bushings feel more stable and have more resistance when you lean to turn, and the conical bushings turn a little quicker, and feel a bit looser. 👍

Yep! You'd put both of the wider parts of the bushings against the hanger. Cheers! - Tim

You should be fine. It's not going to affect you really. 👍

I've never personally used Khiro bushings, so I can't say how they'll hold up, but all bushings eventually get worn out. How long did the Indy bushings last you before they blew out? - Tim

Are your new bushings too big? If your board turns fine it might not be a problem, but if it's making your board act weird you might need to adjust them or get some bushings that fit properly.

Gamechanger. They deserve some kind of industry reward. Bronson bearings shook up their department as well.

I just got soft bones hardcore bushing and one of them keeps popping out of the back of the truck any tips?

*vid

I know you can get individual longboard bushings that are different duros, but I haven't seen any regular skateboard bushings that have different durometers together in one set. But bushings are relatively inexpensive anyway, so you could just get two sets and mix and match however you want. I hope that helps! Cheers! - Tim

@@tacticsboardshop Thank you so much 😀

@@Jp_Elcrack2403 Well, it all depends on how often and where you skate. If you skate for hours every day, your board and shoes will wear out pretty quickly, but if you only skate once or twice a week, they'll last much longer. Also, your board will last much longer if you skate spots or skateparks that are smooth rather than rough and chunky. So that said, boards can last a few months if you can manage to not accidentally break it, but the board will eventually start to lose it's pop and feel soggy, but that's usually not a big deal for beginners. 👍 Shoes wear out pretty quick depending on how much you skate and what type of skating you like to do. Flip tricks wear them out faster, but transition skating that usually involves less flicking will make your shoes last longer. Also cupsole shoes last longer that vulcanized shoes. Trucks last the longest and take a LOT of abuse to wear through. They can last multiple years depending on how much grinding you do but if you're just starting out and haven't learned to grind yet then I'm sure your trucks will last a long time for you. Also there's a lot of replacement parts for trucks available so you can keep the same pair of trucks going for years. Wheels also last a long time. If you skate smooth spots or parks, your wheels will last for months if not a year, but if you skate rough spots they'll wear out faster. Also slides and pivoty tricks like powerslides wear them out faster and sometimes cause flat spots on the wheel. But if you get a small flatspot, it's ok, it'll smooth itself out eventually. Replace your wheels when they start to get so small that it's hard for you to maintain speed or if you get a monster flat spot that shakes the board while riding. Bearings can last months if not a year as long as you take care of them and keep out water, sand and mud. Dirt always finds it's way in, but if you roll through puddles or it goes wheel deep into some mud or in a sand pit, you'll have to clean them out. I'd get new bearings if they start to seize up because if they're fully seized, they sometimes aren't salvageable. Hardware can last for for up to a year if you're lucky. Sometimes they unexpectedly break or one will occasionally fall out, and eventually they get stripped, but hardware is super cheap so it's not a big deal to replace them from time to time. Riser pads could theoretically break, but I've never broken or worn out a riser pad. 🤷‍♂️ Here's a couple guides that have some more detailed info on when to replace skate gear. Also sorry to bombard you with info! 😄 Happy New Year! - Tim Deck - ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-26xHjM0DGJ4.html Trucks - ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-YUySOWVQWYU.html Wheels - ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-l_F3eqG3qZ0.html Shoes - ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-Vjab-9e7wXQ.html

Nah, squeaking trucks are totally normal. It's the sound of the bushings and the pivot in the pivot cup rubbing a little bit when you lean from side to side, but it doesn't affect performance at all. If it bothers you a bunch, you can wax your bushings so they squeak less. Cheers! - Tim

I'm pretty sure both the top and bottom bushings have a sharp lip on one side and a rounder lip on the other. The flat sides with the sharp edges sandwich the hanger, and the rounder sides sit in the metal washers on the top and bottom. So I'm sure your bushings are totally normal. 👍

There's a bunch of different causes of auto turn. You could try rotating your bushings 90 degrees by loosening up your trucks a little bit and pivoting the bushing so that the blown out part is facing the middle of the board (or the nose/tail). That might help. Or you could just try mashing the bushings on the opposite side than it likes to turn and try to even it out a little bit. Sometimes it's even a blown out pivot cup that can cause auto turn. Just fiddle with it a little and if you can't get it to roll straight, then maybe it's time for some new bushings. I hope you can get it fixed! 👍 - Tim

Just curious because it might break immediately

Nah, your truck will work fine. It will turn and wheelbite a little easier, simply because there's less material to give resistance while you're turning. 👍 - Tim

Most of the time, the new bushings just need to be broken-in before everything is leveled out and even. What do mean exactly by "kingpin is not fix"?

A vice grip works really well to grab onto the nut and loosen it if the socket wont fit over it or it's just stuck on there.

How tight do you have the bushings? Bushings are actually susceptible to temperature changes, so they'll seem firmer in colder wheather, and looser in warmer weather. Another possibility is that they are just getting more and more broken-in. If you want them to be absolutely rock solid with no turning you can put a stack of washers where the bushings would go, but having super tight trucks that don't turn at all makes it really hard to land stuff without having to tictac afterwards. It might be beneficial to get used to having slightly looser trucks? Sorry I can't help much more without more info. Stay safe out there! - Tim

You'll probably want hard bushings that are 96a or above. You just need to find some that will fit in whatever type of trucks you have. 👍

You'll probably need to use a vicegrip to grab a hold of it so you can loosen it.

Yep, the squeak is completely normal on all trucks. The squeak is the sound of your hanger/pivot rubbing against your bushings and pivot cup. If the squeak is bugging you, you can wax your bushings, and as some others in the comments have pointed out as well, a little dish soap in the pivot cup can help too. Stay safe out there! - Tim

@@tacticsboardshop Okay Thanks!

That's the "Independent Spare Parts Kit". Unfortunately we just sold out of them, but you might be able to find one somewhere if you search the name up in quotation marks. I hope you find one! - Tim

If you're only 75 lbs, then you'll probably want soft bushings. 👍 www.tactics.com/skateboard-truck-parts

@@tacticsboardshop great thanks👍

They'll work, but it will change the way they turn quite a bit.

If that's your preference, then just rock it! There's nothing wrong with having super loose trucks (as long as it's not so loose that the kingpin nut is going to fall off lol). Just watch out for wheelbite with loose trucks. It might be worth getting some riser pads so you don't get as much wheelbite if you don't have some already. Cheers! - Tim

@@tacticsboardshop thanks for the response:). i actually got to this video because I could not find loose enough bushings and I wanted to look at bushing stuff (I like really really loose trucks) I got looser bushings directly after I discovered risers so I could ride loose and avoid wheele bite.

There's really no way to tighten them a lot without them getting crushed and damaged, so I think the solution for you is go get some harder and stiffer bushings, rather than overtightening them. 👍 - Tim

@@tacticsboardshop ah ok got it, thanks for the reply!

I'd say just right away. Adjust them till they feel and turn how you want them to. Some people are picky about their bushings and have their own rituals for breaking them in, but I've always just put them on, tightened them a little bit till they feel right and just go from there. Cheers! - Tim

How loose do you usually have your trucks? Is your pivot cup blown out? Have your hardware holes become ovals and the baseplate shifts?

I have to ask, what kind of trucks do you have? The bones bushings should fit on any standard skate-brand truck. If your trucks came on a department store complete or if you have longboard trucks, they may not fit properly. Let's figure this out! - Tim

Nick Kaminski got the same problem

Go for softer bushings.

I have the same problem right now they are soft bushing and I have to tighten the trucks and one of them pops out then I unscrew and red dew and the other pops out lmao it’s annoying

Use bushing cups. They're like flat washers but there's a lip around the edge to keep the bushing from squishing out. (This will make your bushings feel harder, so be aware of that.)

That sounds like it might be a defective bushing. You should be able to exchange or return it. If you got the rebuild kit from us, feel free to hit up our customer service and they should be able to help you out. 888 450 5060 🙏🛹

@@tacticsboardshop sweet, thanks tactics

It is pretty common for brand new bushings to get stuck at first because they haven't been broken in yet. May I ask what bushings you got for which trucks? - Tim

@@tacticsboardshop sure，my truck is Indy 139, and my new bushing is Indy 96a the yellow one. Thanks for your help!

@@fanyang4073 Ok those bushings should be just fine. Just give them some time to break in and it'll stop getting stuck to the side. 👍

Yeah, that's all pretty normal. Sometimes bushings can get stuck in place, but everything is fine when you put your body weight on the board. Also little cracks on the bushings happen frequently, but as long as it skates fine then there shouldn't be an issue. As for the rotating bushing, that can only really happen if the trucks are super loose, but if you like them that way, then "if it ain't broke, don't fix it!" 😄 Stay safe out there! Cheers! - Tim

@@tacticsboardshop Thank you so much for the info Tim!

Does it look like it's coming off of the axle nut? It's most likely the nylon lock of the axle nut. The axle nuts have a nylon plastic section right at the top of the nut so it can grip the axle thread to keep it from loosening from vibrations while your riding. When the axle nuts are old and have been taken on and off a few times, that nylon lock can get mashed and start to get pushed out and it looks like a thin plastic stringy thing coming out of the nut. It's not a huge deal when that starts to happen, but if you notice the axle nut starting to loosen itself and almost falling off, then you might want to replace it so it doesn't fall off while your skating and then your wheel makes an escape attempt lol. I hope that helps, and if that's not the issue, just let me know and we can try to figure it out! Stay safe out there! - Tim

@@tacticsboardshop yes, I think that's it! Thank you!

It really depends on how you want the board to feel when you turn. If you're just cruising, then you'll probably be fine with soft bushings, but if you're doing anything with a bit of impact then maybe get some harder ones. - Tim

@@tacticsboardshop thanks bro

Nah, they're all gone already. The shop would have needed a response within a day or two. 🙁 Next time! 👟🔥

@@tacticsboardshop Damn well your raffle odds are pretty good and i got 7 other pair, So hopefully next time

We definitely ship to the UK!

@@tacticsboardshop it's just that sometimes shipping things from America to the UK can cost a lot of money and I'm also not sure how all the transferring from £ to $ would work as Ive never bought anything that's not my own currency. Like a lot of skaters I'm on quite a tight budget so that's why I'm a little reluctant to buy anything but I would lov e to buy some of your products if there's a way to transfer all the money

@@Turkey_b0i I completely understand. International shipping is super spendy! You can always call our customer service (+1.541.349.0087) and they can estimate the costs, but It's still more cost effective if you can find what you're looking for locally. Cheers! - Tim

@@Turkey_b0i Wait till you need a few bits and pieces at once then combine shipping?

It's perfectly normal for your bushings to be squeaky. It will get less squeaky over time, but it always will have a little bit. If it's super annoying, you can wax your bushings or put a little dish soap on them so they don't rub so hard on the hangar/baseplate. 👍 - Tim

@@tacticsboardshop thanks man 👍

They're most likely cracking from being over-tightened. Does it affect your skating severely when they're cracked? - Tim

@@tacticsboardshop whats up Tim ! Super fast answer wow im amazed ! Yea, it does affect the skating since when i land, my trucks goes completely off and gets stuck to either the right or left side « depending what side i land » I have also tried to loosen both trucks, even tho the major problems in the back truck.... same results when loose, it looks like the bushings are literally slipping out of position and end up OUT of the washers and the truck ends being all unaligned. I wish i could show you a picture! First time ive ever seen this ! A bushing slipping out of the washer cup ! Both the barrel AND the cone super weird... 2 thread deep for super hard cushions is too tight ?

​@@cansedipset Dang, that sounds frustrating! Are the bushings too big for the washer cups? Are the washers all mashed and inverted? Maybe the trucks are defective? Do you skate the trucks super tight to where you have to tictac a lot? Also what temperatures do you usually skate in? (Bushings can be really susceptible to different temperatures) Sorry for bombarding you with questions! I'm just trying to figure it out! If you want them really tight, you can do the Daewon technique and use a stack of flat washers instead of bushings, but that seems like it would be floppy and rattley and weird feeling. Or you can try Bones Bushings. I hope you can get it solved! 🙏🛹 - Tim

@@tacticsboardshop i used the replacement washers that came with the Independent after market super hard 96a cushions... they sent me these under warranty, so there shouldn’t be a problem there :( my trucks are also independent trucks, so it should be the right fit , it comes directly from them. Do you think this is part of breaking them in ?? Or is there something i could do to prevent the bushing from slipping from the inside of the trucks and coming out the washer ? Would tightening them help ? Or will it cause more problems since there would be too much pressure on the bushing ? It looks like the cutting happens when the bushing slips out, then the cone washer applies pressure on it and cuts it. This is weird man lol and it is extremely frustrating i have to put everything back into place like 2-3 tricks deep

I know quite a few skaters that ride with no washers at all. Their trucks are super floppy but they like them that way. If it doesn't screw up your skating and you can still do all your favorite tricks, then just go with it. If you're wanting to replace that bottom washer, check to see if your friends or your local shop has any extra washers from old trucks that you could salvage. Cheers! - Tim

@@tacticsboardshop Nice! I was expecting some random dude😆anyways thanks! I was scared I couldn’t ride properly if I didn’t have it😅so far the only flat ground trick I can do is Ollie if you even want to call it a trick lol. I did notice the extra floppiness but I think I like it like that 👌

I think it will depend on how fast you want to go. Harder bushings will give you a bit more stability, but softer ones will let you turn easier. You'll probably get less speed wobbles with harder bushings. 👍

@@tacticsboardshop thank you I'll check both out

The hanger needs that wiggle room around the kingpin so it has the space to tilt and pivot around the kingpin in order to allow you to turn. If the hanger was flush or attached to the kingpin, it wouldn't be able to turn because the metal hanger would just pinch or hold onto the kingpin rather than allowing it to tilt. The bushings and the washers keep the hanger in place so the hole stays centered around the kingpin. I hope that explanation makes sense! If you want, you can take apart a truck and tilt the hanger without the bushings there to see why the space is necessary. Cheers! 🛹 - Tim

You're new bushings shouldn't have any cracks in them. 🤔 You might have to hit up whoever you bought them from and exchange them. Have you tried using them yet? - Tim

@@tacticsboardshop no i havent used them yet. Its hard to describe cuz they look like cracks but not like from use and they arent that deep. Im waiting for my trucks to come to use them. Would it be noticeable or just a visual thing. They are 97d thunder bushings

@@tacticsboardshop is there any way for me to send a photo

@@carlosserrano9059 The bushings are probably fine, but I can't tell for sure without seeing them. You could email your question and a photo of the bushings to our customer service department at: help@tactics.com They'll be able to help you out, because there's only so much I can do over RU-vid comments. 😄 I hope you get your answers and everything works out! - Tim

@@tacticsboardshop thank you ‼️‼️