How to Set Up a Skateboard
Building a board is not difficult. It is about 45 minutes the first time, most of it spent on the grip tape, and there is really only one step people get wrong.
If this is your first board, buy a complete instead. It works out considerably cheaper and arrives set up properly. Build one when you know exactly what you want on it.
The short version
- Order: grip the deck, trim it, open the bolt holes, mount trucks, press bearings, fit wheels, set tension.
- Time: 45 minutes first go, 20 minutes once you have done a few.
- Tools: a skate T-tool, a sharp blade, a screwdriver or file. Around $10 all up.
- The one mistake everyone makes: mounting trucks the wrong way round. Kingpins face each other.
- Bolt length: 7/8in standard, 1in with 1/8in risers, 1 1/8in with 1/4in risers.
- Axle nuts: no rattle, still spins freely. Do not crank them.
What we cover
What you need · Applying grip tape · Mounting trucks · Bearings and wheels · Setting tension · Common mistakes · FAQ
What you need
| Part | How many | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Deck | 1 | Ungripped, unless you bought it pre-gripped |
| Grip tape | 1 sheet | One sheet grips one deck |
| Trucks | 1 pair | Axle width matched to deck width |
| Wheels | 4 | All the same. Do not mix sizes or durometers |
| Bearings | 8 | Two per wheel. All the same size, they fit any wheel |
| Hardware | 8 bolts and nuts | Length depends on whether you run risers |
| Risers | 2, optional | Only for larger wheels or wheel bite |
| Skate T-tool | 1 | Does every nut and bolt on the board |
You will also want a sharp blade and a screwdriver or metal file for the grip tape.
How do you apply grip tape?
This is the part worth slowing down for. Everything else can be redone in a minute. Grip cannot.
- Peel the backing off and hold the sheet by the edges so it does not fold onto itself. It will stick to anything, including itself, permanently.
- Line it up over the deck with a small overhang all round, then lay it down from the middle outwards, pushing air toward the edges as you go. Do not drop the whole sheet down at once.
- Press it into the edges firmly with the flat of your hand so it takes the shape of the concave.
- Score the outline. Run a screwdriver shaft or a file along the edge of the deck, pressing into the grip. A white line appears where it has been cut. Go all the way round.
- Cut along the white line with a sharp blade held at a shallow angle, blade pointing slightly under the deck. Work in sections rather than one continuous pass.
- Smooth the edge with an offcut of grip tape, rubbing along the cut line to knock the roughness off.
- Open the bolt holes. Push a screwdriver or a bolt through each of the eight holes from underneath.
Trapped a bubble? Pierce it with a pin and press it flat. Do not try to lift and relay the sheet.
How do you mount the trucks?
Drop the eight bolts through from the top of the deck. If you are running risers, they sit between the deck and the truck baseplate.
The kingpins face each other. Both point in toward the middle of the board. This is the one step people get wrong and it is worth checking twice before you tighten anything, because mounted the wrong way the board turns strangely and the kingpins sit exposed to every grind.
Tighten the nuts until the bolt heads sit flush or just below the grip surface. Snug, not crushed. Overtightening compresses the deck around the bolt holes and is where stress cracks start.
How do you fit bearings and wheels?
Bearings press into the wheels using the truck axle as a tool. There is no special equipment needed.
- Slide one bearing onto the axle, shield facing out.
- Push the wheel down over it, using steady pressure until the bearing seats fully into the wheel. It will click home.
- Flip the wheel and repeat for the second bearing.
- Do all four wheels before fitting any of them.
Then fit each wheel: speed washer, wheel, speed washer, axle nut. Both washers matter. The inner one stops the bearing grinding on the truck hanger and the outer one stops the nut chewing into the bearing shield.
Tighten the axle nut until the wheel stops rattling sideways, then back off slightly so it spins freely. There should be a barely detectable amount of play. If a brand new setup feels slow, this is almost always why.
How do you set truck tension?
Tighten each kingpin nut until the hanger has no vertical play, then adjust a quarter turn at a time.
Tighter is more stable at speed and harder to turn, which suits transition and bigger setups. Looser carves and turns easily, which suits street and cruising, but past a point it brings on wheel bite and speed wobbles rather than curing them.
Ride it before you decide. New bushings loosen slightly over the first few sessions, so most people end up adjusting again after a week.
Common mistakes
- Trucks mounted backwards. Kingpins face each other. Check before tightening.
- Wrong bolt length with risers. Standard 7/8in bolts will not reach through a riser. 1in for 1/8in risers, 1 1/8in for 1/4in risers.
- Overtightened axle nuts. The most common reason a new board feels slow.
- Forgetting a speed washer. There are eight in total, two per wheel. They are easy to lose on the bench.
- Blade held too upright when trimming grip. Angle it under the deck or you get a ragged edge that peels.
- Mixing wheel sizes. All four the same, always.
Skateboard setup FAQ
How long does it take to set up a skateboard?
About 45 minutes the first time, and around 20 minutes once you have done a few. Applying and trimming the grip tape takes the longest. Nothing about it is difficult, it just rewards taking your time on the grip.
Which way do skateboard trucks face?
The kingpins face each other, pointing in toward the middle of the board. Mounted the wrong way the board still rolls but turns strangely and the kingpins are exposed to grinds. It is the most common first-build mistake.
How do you get bubbles out of grip tape?
Lay the sheet from the centre outwards and push air toward the edges as you go rather than sticking it all down at once. For a bubble you have already trapped, pierce it with a pin and press it flat.
Do you need riser pads on a skateboard?
Only if you are running larger wheels or getting wheel bite. Most street setups do not need them. If you do fit risers, you need longer hardware: 1 inch bolts for 1/8 inch risers, 1 1/8 inch for 1/4 inch risers.
How tight should the axle nuts be?
Tight enough that the wheel does not rattle side to side, loose enough that it spins freely with a barely detectable amount of play. Overtightening is the most common cause of wheels that feel slow on a brand new setup.
Is it worth building your own skateboard?
Build one when you know exactly which deck, trucks and wheels you want. It costs around $337 for a mid range setup against $130 to $200 for a comparable complete, so you do it for the specification rather than to save money.
Or let us build it
Pick your parts and we will put it together at 435A Bridge Road, Richmond. We grip it properly, set the tension, and you ride out on it. Bring the board back any time and we will adjust it for you.
Free shipping Australia wide on orders over $90. Call 03 9421 2293.
Keep reading: How to Choose a Skateboard · What Size Skateboard Do You Need? · Skateboard Maintenance Guide · Skateboard Problems and How to Fix Them · How Much Does a Skateboard Cost?
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