What are bearing spacers and speed washers?

<p style="text-align: center;"><img src="/ueditor/php/upload/image/20230113/1673552287630544.png" title="1673552287630544.png" alt="3.png"/></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Bearing spacers and speed washers are underrated skateboard hardware items that can improve the overall riding feel and extend the lifetime of your equipment.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">But the classic question remains. Do you really need spacers and washers?</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Maybe yes, maybe no. It depends - a skateboard is a sum and fine-tuning of&nbsp;its multiple parts.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">But first, let&#39;s learn what they do for your riding experience and gear and if they&#39;re worth it.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><br/></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Speed Washers</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Washers, known as speed rings, are small and thin pieces of metal, usually made of aluminum or steel.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">They play an essential role in reducing friction between the trucks, the bearings, and the wheel nuts altogether.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">As a result, they help keep the wheels tightened and secure so that all parts of the skateboard stay solid and firm while rolling or doing tricks.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><br/></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Also, they prevent wheels from getting stuck when the nuts are too tightened and reduce stress on <a href="https://www.bearing-asia.com/products/catalogue.html" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 112, 192); text-decoration: underline;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; color: rgb(0, 112, 192);"><strong>bearings</strong></span></a> and the truck hanger&#39;s axle.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><br/></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">The washers have the exact size of the bearings&#39; inner axles.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">They are not critical to skateboard riding, but they make your equipment last longer and could improve performance and speed.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Speed washers can be added at any time to your riding kit, even though they are not mandatory.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">They help the skateboard stay together by providing extra stability and preventing the nuts and bolts from loosening over time.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><br/></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Skateboard washers have many benefits, including:</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Protect the parts of the skateboard from rust, which can weaken the metal and cause the parts to break;</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Keep the nuts, bolts, and screws from coming loose, which can cause the skateboard to become unsafe to ride;</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Reduce friction between the truck and the bearings;</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Increase skateboard stability and overall riding feel;</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><br/></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Bearing Spacers</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Bearing spacers are small metal cylinders that are placed in between the bearings of a wheel.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">They serve a particular purpose - keeping the wheel working correctly.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">When a skateboard wheel spins, it needs to turn around a central axle that holds it in place.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">The bearings are small metal circles on the sides of the wheel, and they help the wheel turn smoothly around the axle.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Sometimes, the wheel hardly spins if the axle is tightened too much.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Spacers help prevent this problem by sitting between the bearings and taking the pressure off the tightening axle.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">They also help to evenly distribute the weight on the bearings, making the wheel spins even better.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">In this way, bearing spacers help ensure that the wheels are free to rotate and not be hindered by the frame, thereby increasing the performance of the skateboard.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">You may find different types of bearing spacers with different sizes, shapes, and materials, but they all work the same way to keep your wheels spinning smoothly.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">When the spacers are properly installed, they can reduce friction and provide a more stable and responsive ride.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">The wheels will also sit comfortably and snugly in the truck.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">To use spacers, you need to remove the nuts that hold the wheels in place, then place a spacer between the bearing.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><br/></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">The benefits of using bearing spacers on a skateboard include the following:</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Stabilizing the axles and wheels:&nbsp;Spacers help to keep the axles and wheels of the skateboard in proper alignment, which can help to maintain the integrity of these parts and improve the overall stability of the board. This can be especially beneficial when riding on rough surfaces, as it can help to reduce shaking and vibrations in the wheels;</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Increasing the life of the bearings:&nbsp;By evenly distributing the weight of the rider on the bearings, spacers can help to reduce wear and tear on them and prolong their life;</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Enhancing skating speed:&nbsp;By reducing friction and vibrations in the wheels, spacers can also help to increase the speed at which a rider can skate;</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Perfect for longboards:&nbsp;Spacers can be especially beneficial for longboards as it helps to decrease the shaking of wheels and make the longboard more stable, which is necessary for cruising, traveling, or downhill skating;</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Heat-resistant construction:&nbsp;Some spacers are made with heat-resistant construction, which ensures durability and good performance even in hot conditions;</span></p><p><br/></p>