Mountain Board Bearing Q

Reaper356 · Since 10 Dec 2006 781 Posts Salem / LC Oregon Opinionated

I have an MBS mountain board w/ skate trucks. Been a good little board, but I ride it on the beach all the time and the bearings are out / on their way out.

My current routine is to bring the board home, wash it w/ fresh water, grease the hell out the axles and reassemble. But this is time consuming and generally sux b/c the hubs are always greasy. Of course if I forget once they bearings start to seize up! Any bearing saving suggestions? What bearings make best replacements?

Wind Slither · Since 04 Mar 2005 2619 Posts The 503 METAL

MBS sells a kit for like $40 that has all the replacement parts you may need including the bearings. This is cheaper than buying the bearings from a bike/skate shop.

When you ride on a salty beach and then the board sits for a while, I don't think there's anyway to prevent annual seizures. I try to extend the time between replacements by:

Keep a clean layer of thick grease over the bearings and leave them alone until they get really gunky. The idea is the grease prevents salt water and grit from getting in there.

Avoid riding in the salt water and in deep powdery sand.

Don't blast the bearings too hard with the hose after...just a spray to get the loose sand off.

mamann · Since 16 Jul 2007 76 Posts Goldendale

I have an MBS also. When I changed my bearings, I bought a new set of ABEC something or others and pulled the grease covers off and used rubbing alcohol and a tooth brush to remove all the grease from the bearings. I then dried them out and packed them completely full of Marine Grease and squished the grease covers back on, ensuring there was no air inside. That should help prevent the possibility of anything like salt water from getting inside. I have had my board submerged a couple of times and always ride through the water(as this gives me more beach to ride). I just spray down the board and wheels when I get home and the bearings are still doing fine, although it's been a little while since I ridden at the beach. And while your at it, you may as well replace all the harware on the board with stainless, or it will all sieze and corrode away.
Mike

ansarha · Since 01 Jul 2006 112 Posts Redmond Oregon Stoked

What i use on my Mountain board is a product called free all its a spray on lube.... even if your bearings are frozen from rust or salt water just spray it on and it works.