Longboard Wheels on a Skateboard – Is it Possible?

A lot of beginners might be thinking about putting longboard wheels on a skateboard. However, is it possible? do you know what will be the consequences of you do so? Well,

You can put longboard wheels on a skateboard for sure but you need to keep the wheel size in mind. The longboard wheels should be under 70 mm and you should have 1/2 inch risers pads installed to prevent wheel bite issues.

However, that’s not all and there’s a lot more to learn when it comes to putting longboard wheels on a skateboard. If you are interested in exploring all the facts about longboard wheels then keep on reading.

Can You Put Longboard Wheels on a Skateboard?

The answer is “Yes” but with some small limitations, you need to be aware of. It’s possible for sure but the method is not that simple and it needs a lot of precautions. If you haven’t tried skating before then it would be better if you don’t try this at all.

Things To Keep in Mind

There’s something you need to know before you make up your mind about putting longboard wheels on. The first and most important thing is, the size of the wheel matters! You can’t just use any sized wheel – It needs to be under 70 mm and it should sit flush on the deck.

Secondly, you need to keep in mind that a skateboard has a different kingpin than a longboard so your trucks won’t work with this setup. So, you will have to get new trucks if you want this set up to work properly.

If none of these two things matter then you might be able to swap the truck of your skateboard with the one you have in mind. This is where the real problem starts! The spacing between the wheels will be different, so you will probably need to change that too.

You will also have to get longer bearings for sure because of the longboard wheel’s greater diameter. You can put some riser pads to make sure the wheel doesn’t hit the deck and that’s it, you can go skating with your setup.

Can You Swap The Trucks of Your Skateboard With Longboard Trucks?

The answer is “Yes” but there are some small limitations. It will work for sure if you have a long enough kingpin! If your skateboard truck has a long enough kingpin then you can swap it with the one of a longboard.

The screw will be shorter if you go for this option and that’s why, the deck will sit higher. You should keep in mind that this is not an ideal option because the kingpins are different on both trucks.

The other thing is, the wheels will be farther apart which means you will have to change your trucks or use risers. You can also get another deck but Kingpin won’t work with it because the distance between bearings is different than on a longboard.

Best Practices When It Comes To Putting Longboard Wheels on a Skateboard?

The first thing you need to do is, keep the wheel size below 70 mm. If you have a deck that is wider than 8 inches then it’s recommended for you to stick with wheels under 73 mm.

The next important thing is if you use risers but they don’t work perfectly and give you wheel bite issues then you can get some riser pads instead of risers. However, if the wheel size is small enough (lower than 70 mm) then you don’t need to worry about it at all.

You should also make sure that you have 1/2 inch risers installed when using longboard wheels on a skateboard that is 8 inches wide or more.

Your trucks will probably need to change too if you go for this set up and that’s why I recommend that you don’t try it until you have some experience with longboarding.

Skateboard wheels work in a different way than longboard wheels and the overall geometry is also different so it’s not recommended for a beginner to try this.

What If You Don’t Have Enough Experience and Your Wheels Give You Wheelbite Issues?

If you don’t have enough experience with longboarding and your wheels give you wheel bite issues then we recommend that you get shorter risers or riser pads instead of changing the entire truck. Risers will also make sure that you have the right distance between wheels.

You also need to keep in mind that this is not an ideal situation when you are a beginner longboarder because it can be dangerous for you. If you don’t use risers then there will be less space between your deck and wheel which means that if something happens then you won’t have enough time to react.

Are skateboard and longboard wheels the same?

No, they are not. They look the same but there are some significant differences between them.

Longboard wheels are bigger in diameter and length which means that you will need to change your deck or truck if you want to use longboard wheels on a skateboard.

Longboard wheels can vary in size than skateboard ones do and that’s why you should measure the size of your skateboard wheels before going for a set up like this.

Can You Do Tricks on a Skateboard with Longboard Wheels?

Yes, of course! You can do many tricks with longboard wheels without any problem. If you are a beginner then it’s recommended for you to stick with skateboard wheels which are smaller because they are easier to land tricks on.

Another thing is, if you go for smaller wheels then your board will be lighter and that’s why you will have an easier time doing tricks.

The other thing is, you can use your longboard on flat or small hills but don’t go too fast because the wheel size of the skateboard and LDP/Downhill style decks are very different.

What’s The Difference Between Longboard Wheels and Skateboard Wheels?

There are many differences between longboard wheels and skateboard ones.

The size is the first thing you need to consider because it can cause wheel bite problems or make tricks harder for you to do if your board is not big enough.

It’s better to keep the wheel size below 70mm when you are a beginner so you don’t have to worry about getting wheel bite problems. That’s also one of the reasons why it’s recommended for you to buy smaller wheels if you don’t have an LDP board.

Wheel durometer is another difference between longboard and skateboard wheels because a soft skateboard wheel will give you more grip but won’t roll as well as a harder longboard wheel.

Wheel shape and lip style is another thing you should look for in a longboard wheel because it can make a big difference in your experience when you are using them.

Conclusion

Can you put longboard wheels on a skateboard? – The answer is yes, but you have to keep in mind that longboard wheels are wider and longer which means that it will be more difficult for a beginner to land tricks. 

That’s why I recommend that you buy smaller wheels or risers if you want to use this set up.

Don’t forget to share this article with your friends that want to learn more about this topic.

Thanks for reading and have fun trying!