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Roller Skates 101

Common Questions: Bearings

Common Questions: Bearings

Roller Skates Bearings Guide

  • How many bearings do I need to purchase for my skate?


  • What do bearings for roller skates do?


  • What does ABEC stand for?

This is an acronym for Annular Bearing Engineers' Committee. This committee determines the ratings for each bearing.The ABEC rating system includes grades 1,3,5,7, and 9. The number determines how much "roll" the bearings has. The higher the number, the longer it will take your wheel to stop spinning after you stop pushing.

  • How do I tell what size bearings are in my wheels?


  1. Look at the stamping on the shield of your existing skate bearing. Most will be stamped with 608. This means you have 8mm. If stamped with 627, you have a 7mm bearing.
  2. You can also tell by the size of the wheel nut. A 9/32" nut will indicate a 7mm bearing. A 5/16" nut will indicate a 8mm bearing.
  3. Take a number 2 pencil using the eraser side of the pencil. Try sliding the bearing onto the pencil. If it is too big to fit through the center it is a 7mm bearing, but if the same pencil slides right through you have a 8mm bearing.
  • What does 7mm or 8mm mean?

Those refer to the inner diameter of the bearing and the size of the axle its going on. Most of the new skates use 8mm axles so the standard 8mm bearings would be needed. The older models, and high end skates use 7mm axles so they would need the 7mm bearings.

  • How often should I clean and lubricate my bearings?

In a perfect world you should clean your bearings every time you use your skates, but taking the bearings apart and cleaning them is a time consuming and dirty task. So the best way to tell if your bearings need cleaning, is to flip your skates and spin the wheels. Note how freely they spin, and listen for any interesting noises. Crunching and/or grinding means there is dirt or debris and the bearings need to be cleaned. Chirping and/or squeaking noises probably means you should lubricate the bearings.

  • How do I clean and lubricate my bearings?


If you lube your bearings first it will trap the dirt and particles and make it really hard to clean those bits out. Those particles are what destroy bearings. Do not use WD-40 or anything like that. They leave behind a film that actually collects dirt and dust. Orange 409 cleaner will clean your bearings. Spray the bearings and use newspaper (not rags, they will leave lint behind). Clean them until no more dirt is expelled. Do not rinse with water. Just let the bearings air dry and proceed to lubricating.

Lubricating: Once your bearings are cleaned correctly, it is recommended to apply lubrication to your bearings. The heavier the lubricant (such as Bones Speed Cream) the longer it will last and you won't have to clean and lube your bearings as often.

Browse our available  roller skate lubrication and cleaners here.

  • How do I keep my bearings performing like new and help them last longer?
  1. Stay away from water. Water is a skate bearing kryptonite. It results in the lubrication becoming diluted and can eventually cause the bearings to rust. As you can probably guess, rusted bearings are neither fast nor smooth. If you want to go through a puddle for some fun, jump in the car and splash some people on the sidewalk.
  2. Stay off of the grass. It is recommended that if you are beginner and you are having difficulty stopping that you skate off into the grass. While I will not discount this learning technique, I cannot emphasize enough that you stay off the grass if possible. Kids in particular love to walk or skate into the grass on purpose. Grass is filled with dirt and crud and when these particles get into the bearings, it clogs them up and can cause them to seize up.
  • Can you replace the bearings without using a special tool?

Yes you can! Here is  a quick video tutorial for how to remove your bearings with or without a tool.

Make sure to only press the center ring of the bearing. If you press the bearing on the side, it may bend it and then it will not roll well.

  • What are the benefits of ceramic bearings?

The benefits of ceramic bearings are that they do not rust. They are self cleaning, much lighter than metal bearings, and are durable. They also can withstand higher speeds & acceleration capability. There is less heat friction, and they have a higher spin rate.