Why Is My Skateboard Making Noise?

Skateboards make noise by nature. However, if you find your skateboard is making an excessive amount of sounds, it may be time to peek under the hood.

[Check out the best skateboarders, if you need some inspiration.]

10 Best Quiet Skateboards To Buy

1. Stoked Ride Shop Complete Skateboard

Our own board is quiet and easy to ride. It comes fully assembled, so it won't be a fuss to put together, and you won't need to tweak it.

Our complete skateboard is also very affordable, so even beginners will feel comfortable. While we may be a bit biased, we think this is a perfect option for just about anyone.

2. Sector 9 Chamber Vortex Longboard

Sector 9 makes lots of great boards. This complete longboard is perfect for anyone, and it's very well put together.

This board is good for cruising, but it may not be the best choice for doing lots of tricks. We were also impressed with how quiet this board was, so if you don't want any auditory hassles, this is a perfect choice.

3. Kryptonics Stubby Complete Skateboard

This very small board is also extremely well-reviewed. While it's definitely a budget option, that doesn't mean it's not a fun ride.

Kids will love this board, as will adults. It's definitely a different fit than a longboard, so be prepared for a little bit different ride.

4. KYNG Electric Skateboard

This unique electric skateboard definitely will be different for you. It is made from 7 layer maple, and comes with a completely wireless LED remote.

[Is skateboarding dangerous?]

It has lots of great reviews and the price is also very reasonable. If you want an electric ride, this is an excellent choice.

5. PlayWheels Spider-Man Complete Skateboard

This kids board is extremely affordable, and your little ones will love it. With Spidey's visage on the board, you're also likely to make your neighbors jealous.

If you're a serious skater, this may not be the best board - but if you're a little one, this will be a super fun choice for you. While you can certainly spend more, this is a great option for beginners and little ones.

6. Santa Cruz Screaming Hand Complete Skateboard

Santa Cruz has been a prominent player in the skateboarding world for decades. This screaming hand model not only has a great design - it handles flawlessly.

While expert boarders may want something more advanced, for beginners, this is perfect. It also has great reviews, making this an easy and simple choice - for just about anyone.

7. Tony Hawk 31" Complete Cruiser Skateboard

This budget pick won't hurt your wallet, and we think you'll be surprised at how good the performance is. This board is backed by tons of great reviews, and we also love the design.

At 31", it's obviously built for cruising. But whether you're a girl, boy, teen, or adult - this is definitely a winner.

8. SereneLife Mini Cruiser

This awesome mini cruiser has great ratings, and it perfect for any gender or any age. It should also give you a very smooth and quiet ride.

Since it's made with maple and bamboo, it's also very light. We loved this board for cruising, and it's perfect for any beginner.

9. Alien Workshop Complete Skateboard

Alien Workshop is well known for being an awesome brand, and this board shows exactly why. It has a cool design, and a great price.

We like the spectrum white color, but the abduction design is also very cool. If you want a quiet, complete skateboard - make it this one.

10. Santa Cruz Complete Skateboard

This classic design works for just about anyone. Santa Cruz is known for their quality boards, and this is no exception.

The price is unbeatable, and the reviews are stellar. You can easily have a quiet ride with this board, and it also comes complete - shipped right to your door.

[Need a ride? Grab the best commuter skateboard.]

Reasons Why Your Skateboard May Be Making Noise

There are numerous reasons why your board may be making noise, although there is no way to tell what specifically may be causing the issue. Like a car that is making a funny sound, you will have to run down a checklist of possible problems. Skateboard or longboard trucks, skateboard wheels, skateboard bearings, kingpin nut, spacers, and axle nuts could all be the culprit of a loud noise or a rattling noise.

What Sounds Should Your Skateboard Be Making?

To start with, your skateboard should always be making some sound. It would be unusual if it didn't, since it has wheels and will be riding over rough surfaces like concrete, warped wood, and even gravel.

 

With bearings, wheels, screws, washers, and bushings - there are a ton of things that can go wrong. A board can even make lots of noise just from the deck being loose - so don't try to diagnose the problem too quickly.

 

And if you can't figure out the problem, don't be afraid to take your board down to your local skate shop. They'll likely be able to solve the problem for you pretty quickly.

 

These sounds are also not limited to just smaller boards - longboards will also make noises. Some of these sounds are normal, mostly the hum of wheels on pavement.

 

When you start to hear noises beyond this, that's when you should start to worry. A lot of times, however, your board will perform poorly as well - alerting to you that there is indeed a problem.

 

Most of the time, the cause of excessive sounds is one of 5-10 problems - not something obscure. While weird problems are technically possible - most of the time these sounds come from a common issue every skater has.

[Are you pushing mongo?]

Is There Sound When You Lean On Your Skateboard?

If there is sound from just leaning on your board, the problem could be your pivot cup, or loose screws or nuts. These are usually pretty easy problems to fix.

 

Start by tightening all of the screws on your board. This is a pretty easy process.

If this is done, and there is still noise - you'll want to check the pivot cup. The below video should help you spot and fix any problems with your pivot cups.

Usually Bushings Are Making Excessive Noise On A Skateboard

While it is possible there is another cause of your noise, the bushings are usually the issue, in our experience. Poor weather conditions can cause them to be damaged, or they cause just have lots of wear and tear.

 

If your washers are cutting into the bushings, that is almost always a surefire sign that the bushings are indeed causing the squeaky noise your hearing. If you want to check, you need to remove your bushings.

My Bearings Are Making A Rattling Or Squeaky Sound

Bearings are not meant to last forever, but if you maintain them well, you can at least prolong their life. If you clean your bearings, or lube them up with speed cream, you will usually fix your sound issues.

There are a number of ways to clean your bearings - a silicone-based lube is the best way. If this somehow doesn't work, you will want to try olive oil or acetone.

The helpful video above shows you exactly how to clean your bearings. If you are having trouble determining which bearing is causing the issue, spin your wheels one by one, until you reach the loud one.

There is also a weird paradox at play, where the more you clean your bearings, the more you will have to do it. Once you first remove the bearing shields, Expect gunk to gum up your bearings again in the future - and of course, eventually you'll need to get new bearings all together.

[Is skateboarding a crime?]

You May Need Softer Wheels

There may actually be nothing wrong with your board. Soft wheels will reduce the sound of your board, so if you have hard wheels, you can try swapping them out.

The tradeoff here is that softer wheels are great for cruising, but not so good for street tricks. If you want to do better street tricks or powerslides, you'll need harder wheels.

Try Checking Your Riser Pads

If you have tried other solutions without success, you can try looking at your riser pads. You can find them between your trucks and the deck itself.

If they are loose, it's possible that they would be causing noise. Try tightening the screws here, and you may just solve the problem.

Look For Flat Spots On Your Wheels

If you are riding around and you have a bumpy ride, you could have flat spots on your wheels. There really is not much of a solution here.

Ultimately, you will have to get new wheels. If you try to scrape your wheels down, you will end up with tiny wheels, which will cause a slew of other issues.

Weird, Low Pitch Sounds? It May Be Your Bearings

If you hear an odd sound coming from your board, it may be emanating from your wheel seats. This is the space between the inside of your wheels, and the outside of your bearings.

To fix this type of issue, clean the bearings. Next, clean the wheels.

After this, you should add lubrication to the core of your wheels. You should also add lube to your bearings (on the outer edge), which should drastically reduce the noise.

Lubricate, Lubricate, Lubricate

No matter where the issue lies, you can usually apply wax or lubrication to fix your board. Do not use WD-40 - it is never a good idea.

Believe it or not, one of the best options here is candles. They contain paraffin, and will work to fix most areas on a board (just not your bearings).

What About Weird Squeaking?

No matter how much of an experienced rider you are, at some point you'll start to hear some squeaking from your board. While it can often be the bushings, there are also other possibilities.

The main possibility here, is the pivot cup. This is where the baseplate and truck hanger meet.

Once you've done lots of turning, the baseplate may start to be worn down, and start squeaking. In this case, add wax or soap in the pivot cup.

Rub the wax or soap around evenly, on the pivot cup, to make sure it gets into the right spot. Your trucks may also start to perform better after this addition.

[Need a ride for a little one? Check out the best kids skateboards.]

Other Factors To Consider

If you are noticing some squeaking, you should look at your skateboard trucks, as well as your skateboard deck. You could need new bushings, new trucks - or a new skateboard entirely.

If your skateboard trucks squeak, or you experience squeaking noise from your board, you could try using some bar soap to lubricate the key parts of your skateboard. Amazon has a million skate tools as well, so you can fix squeaky bushings, as well as squeaky skateboard trucks.

We hope this FAQ was able to answer all your questions, and you can even try liquid soap to fix any weird noises you might have, coming from your board. Here at Stoked, we’ve fixed many squeaky boards, so we are pretty familiar with all the usual problems you may have.

[Check out the best shortboard skateboard, if you need a new ride.]

The Bottom Line - Why Does My Skateboard Make So Much Noise?

Ultimately, there are a number of reasons why your skateboard may be making a lot of noise. Bearings, bushings, or more - there is no one surefire problem that will be there all the time.

Just be sure to follow our simple steps, and you'll be able to troubleshoot the problem, and also fix it. If you're in the market for a new board, be sure to grab our complete skateboard - it's affordable, sturdy, and very quiet.