Skate Reanimate

I ordered new bushings and soft risers from Socal Skateshop, which I installed last night and tested before work this morning at the Orem park.

Old bushings

SCS stickers:

The product:

Installed:

If you notice, my old bushings were crushed and deformed. I realize now this is because they were replacements for Grind King trucks, and GK has it’s own unique style of bushings. So not only do these new GK bushings fit better, they perform better, and I think it has straightened out the hold of the board. You’ll notice that I have replaced the kingpins on these trucks, as the hex bolts that GK packs drill into the board when I tighten them down.

My ride this morning was noticeably smoother; the Orem skatepark has a lot of roll-ins and good transitions. I left my trucks a little looser than normal, so I don’t know if that improved the overall ride, or if the risers had anything to do with it. I really have no way to tell immediately if they disperse the impact and protect my joints, but I may be able to tell after a week of skating.

I had heard that you can dye skateboard wheels using a packet of Rit, so I gave it a shot on an old set of white wheels–yellowed with age:

1. Prep the wheels

   

   I sanded the remaining silkscreen off of the outer rim, washed the wheels, then gently sanded some of the darkened surface of the wheel. (I later determined this surface sanding is probably unnecessary)

2. Prep the dye bath

   I filled a medium sauce pan with water–just enough to cover the wheels–and set it simmering on the stove. I then emptied a full pack of Rit dye (I chose Royal Blue) and a quarter cup of salt into the pan. (I now wonder if less dye would result in a brighter or lighter color.)

3. Dunk the wheels

   

   I set the wheels in the simmering brew, and stirred them for about 20 minutes. (Again, I wonder if for a brighter or lighter color 5-10 minutes might work.)

4. Remove, Rinse, Dry

   

   Ta-da! (These are actually much darker in real life than they appear here, thanks to the camera flash.)