skateboard wheels and other skateboard parts
Considered both a sport and a means of transportation, skateboarding has found its way into mainstream culture and can be seen not only on streets and in neighborhoods, but also on television, in movies, and in advertisements all over the world. the country.
The origins of skateboarding are complicated, at best. Some consider it to have arisen as an accidental phenomenon, that is, when children in soap boxes in the 1930s and 1940s separated the cart box from the soap box from the plank and attached roller skate wheels to the plank. Others argue that the sport began as a premeditated move by Southern California surfers in an effort to recreate the smooth carving motion of surfing on land. Whatever the origin, skateboarding has become fashionable. Not only are skateboards widely available for purchase, but cities are also covered with specific, sometimes closed, areas designated for skateboarding. These areas are known as skate-parks.
The scooters are made up of the following parts:
- skateboard
- skateboard bearings
- skateboard hardware
- skateboard trucks
- skateboard wheels
Skateboard decks are usually 7-ply maple planks that are 7 to 10 ½ inches wide. Wide boards are used for trick skating, while skateboards in the 7 to 8 ½ inch range are used for street skating. The covers usually have “grip tape” on top. This tape adheres to the top of the deck, while the surface provides a sandpaper material that helps the person “grip” the deck. The decks also have a wide range of designs on the bottom of them, from patterns or solid colors (allowing the individual to add stickers without disrupting the art) to figures, structures, and landscapes.
The bearings help mount the platform on an axis. Most bearings are rated on a scale called the ABEC scale. “608” size industrial bearings are standard and the bearings are usually made of steel.
The hardware consists of a set of bolts, usually 8 in a set (10-32 bolts). An allen (or crosshead) is also part of the hardware. In addition, self-locking nylock nuts are used.
Skateboards have two metal trucks, which are usually an aluminum alloy. These connect the wheels to the deck. The trucks are made up of a base plate and a hanger. The base plate bolts to the deck and the hanger supports the axle. There are also rubber grommets or bushings between the hanger and the base plate, which help the board to maneuver and turn. The stiffer the bushings or rubber grommets, the stiffer the turn. The bushings also cushion. A center pivot bolt is used to join the pieces together.
The wheels are made of polyurethane. They can come in different shapes and sizes. The sizes and shapes are suitable for different types of skating, such as street skating or trick skating. Smaller sizes keep the platform lower to the ground, requiring less force to speed up or slow down. Wheel hardness also affects overall performance. Hardness is usually measured on the ‘A’ scale of the durometer. A very soft wheel is about 75a and a very hard wheel is about 101a.
Optional parts include:
- lapped
- nose guard
- Tracks
- elevators
- Elevators (angled)
- grip tape
- tail guard
