Electric skateboard maintenance: bearings, belts, tyres and battery care

Electric skateboard maintenance comes down to a few habits: check bolts, wheels and remote before riding, clean bearings when they get dirty or noisy, inspect belts or hub motor wheels for wear, clean grip without soaking the deck, and store the battery part-charged and away from heat. South African dust, heat and potholes make each habit count.

Why do South African conditions change the routine?

One local ride can cross dusty verges, broken paving and speed bumps. An estimate of 25 million potholes was reported in 2022, though SANRAL called that figure improbable for a paved network of 168,000 km. Either way, rough surfaces are why bolt checks and bearing care come first. Daily riders should also read our guide to electric skateboard commuting in South Africa.

What should you check before every ride?

1. Battery and remote. Check the board's charge level and that the remote is charged and connected.
2. Wheels. Spin each wheel by hand. It should turn freely and quietly, with no wobble.
3. Hardware. Look and listen for anything loose or rattling on the trucks and wheel nuts.
4. Grip. Check the grip tape is not lifting.
5. Brakes. Test the brake at walking pace before you pick up speed.
6. Your kit. Helmet on, and our protective full-finger riding gloves (sizes S to XL) for your hands.

How often should you check bolts, the deck and bearings?

Bolts, trucks and deck

Evolve's maintenance guide suggests checking all bolts and hardware after every few rides, and running a hand along the deck regularly to feel for cracks near the truck mounting points. The Nova, Phantom, Spartan and Relentless boxes include an assembly toolkit, and the Apex ships with a tool. Tighten anything loose, especially after rough rides on the Spartan's 9-inch and the Relentless's 10-inch double-layer trucks or the Apex's all-terrain suspension trucks.

Bearings

Bones Bearings says to clean bearings when they get dirty or noisy: dirt increases friction, dirty bearings stop spinning freely when you flick the wheel, and Bones warns not to keep riding bearings in that state. Evolve suggests every couple of months if you ride often. Pop the bearings out and clean them in a solvent such as pure isopropyl alcohol, wearing rubber gloves in a well-ventilated area as Bones advises, then dry them straight away and add a little lubricant. Ask us before opening a hub motor drive wheel.

Belt drive or hub motor: which does your Journ-E have?

A hub motor sits inside the wheel; a belt drive puts the motor beside the wheel and turns it through a belt. The motor and wheel columns come from our published spec sheets.

Board	Motor (spec sheet)	Wheels (spec sheet)	Main wear points
Journ-E Nova	300 W single hub	70 x 51 mm PU	Hub drive wheel, PU wheels, bearings
Journ-E Origins	Dual 600 W hub	90 x 55 mm PU	Hub drive wheels, PU wheels, bearings
Journ-E Phantom	Dual 1200 W	105 x 51 mm Cloud	Cloud wheels, bearings
Journ-E Spartan	Dual 800 W hub	105 x 60 mm Cloud	Hub drive wheels, Cloud wheels, bearings
Journ-E Apex	Dual 1650 W belt	150 x 50 mm pneumatic	Belts, tyre pressure, punctures, bearings
Journ-E Relentless	Dual 3500 W belt	140 x 50 mm airless honeycomb	Belts, honeycomb cracks, bearings
DNASkate V4	Dual 500 W hub	105 mm anti-slip	Hub drive wheels, wheels, bearings

For how motor layout changes the ride, read single-drive vs dual-drive electric skateboards.

Belt drive care: Apex and Relentless

Evolve recommends checking belts every few weeks for fraying edges, cracks on the underside and missing teeth. Tension matters: too loose and the belt slips, too tight and it stresses the motor bearings. Brush grit off belts and pulleys after gravel rides. Belts and pulleys are board-specific parts we do not keep, and some belt hardware repairs may not be possible, so WhatsApp us a photo before buying anything.

Hub motor care

There is no belt to tension, so watch the urethane on the drive wheels. Meepo lists missing chunks, flat spots and a wheel losing its round shape as signs of urethane wear. Drive wheels contain the motor, and Journ-E stocks standard, non-motorised replacement wheels only, so talk to us before ordering for a drive wheel.

How do you look after PU, Cloud, pneumatic and airless wheels?

Our guide to electric skateboard wheel sizes and types explains how each type rides.

PU street wheels: Nova and Origins

Solid PU needs no pressure checks, but Meepo notes that aggressive braking causes flat spots, so brake smoothly. Replace wheels with chunks, flat spots or an out-of-round shape. Nova 70 x 51 mm PU street wheels cost R250.

Cloud wheels: Phantom and Spartan

Wipe off dust after dirty rides and check for chunks and cracks. Replacements are the Phantom 105 x 51 mm Cloud wheels at R300 and the Spartan 105 x 60 mm wide Cloud wheels at R320. The Spartan wheels are currently out of stock, so WhatsApp us for availability.

Pneumatic tyres: Apex

Pneumatic all-terrain tyres mean pressure checks and a puncture risk. Our spec sheet lists no pressure, so check the tyre sidewall or manual, or ask us. Meepo's guide puts most e-skateboard pneumatic tyres at 35 to 45 PSI, but your own tyre's rating wins. Meepo also flags sidewall bulges, uneven tread wear and slow leaks.

Airless honeycomb wheels: Relentless

Airless honeycomb wheels have no pressure to check and nothing to puncture. Our FAQ advises replacing them if the structure cracks. Knock mud and stones out after trail rides, and see our off-road electric skateboard guide for rough ground. Relentless 140 x 50 mm airless honeycomb wheels cost R350.

Browse our electric skateboard wheels collection and confirm fitment in the Wheel Lab before you order.

How do you clean grip tape without damaging the deck?

Skateboard Session's guide recommends an old toothbrush dipped in a little water, small circular scrubbing motions, then patting the area dry, because excess water can damage the deck. It also suggests rubbing grip gum firmly over dirty areas and wiping off the residue. Replace grip that is peeling at the edges or no longer grips. On an electric board, keep water well away from the battery and electronics.

How should you charge and store the battery?

• Use only the supplied charger. Our FAQ says so, and the DNASkate V4 spec sheet says original charger only.
• Stay nearby. The US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) advises being present while micromobility products charge, never charging while you sleep, and unplugging when done.
• Keep it out of heat. UL Standards & Engagement advises e-bike and e-scooter owners not to store or charge near heat sources or in direct sunlight. Treat your board the same way, and do not leave it in a car parked in the sun.
• Do not charge below freezing. Battery University says no charge is permitted below freezing, so after a frosty Highveld morning, charge indoors at room temperature as our FAQ advises.
• Top up freely. Battery University says partial discharge is fine for lithium-ion and there is no memory.
• Unplug when the power goes. Eskom's load-shedding FAQ warns that power may return with a momentary surge that can damage electronically controlled appliances. Our FAQ adds: never charge from a generator with unstable output.
• Store it part-charged. For long breaks, our FAQ recommends around 40-70%, and Evolve suggests recharging every one to two months.
• Stop at warning signs. UL Standards & Engagement lists swelling, leaking, an extremely hot battery, unusual smells, smoke, and hissing or popping sounds, and the US Fire Administration says to stop using a lithium-ion battery showing signs like these. If a battery smokes or catches fire, London Fire Brigade's advice is to get out immediately, raise the alarm, call the emergency services and not tackle the fire yourself. If it swells or overheats without smoke, stop riding and contact us.

For how temperature and battery age affect distance, see how far electric skateboards really go.

How do you look after the remote?

The remote is your throttle and your brake. Charge it before every ride: the Nova ships with a USB-C remote charging cable, and the Phantom, Spartan and Relentless with a C-type remote charger. Keep it dry and off hot dashboards. If it keeps disconnecting, stop riding and contact us.

When should you contact Journ-E under the 6-month warranty?

Every board carries a 6-month local warranty from your delivery date. It covers manufacturing defects on the motor, ESC and electronics, battery and remote, assessed by technicians in Johannesburg. It excludes wear items (wheels, grip tape, belts and bearings), crash, water, terrain or negligence damage, and unauthorised modifications. Contact us straight away about:

• A motor that cuts out, stutters or grinds under power
• A battery that swells, runs unusually hot or will not charge on the supplied charger
• A remote that will not pair, hold a charge or stay connected

Put your serial number and delivery date on file on the warranty registration page, and log claims on the Returns and Repairs page. If your board is not in a form's board list, WhatsApp us instead. Out-of-warranty work is quoted upfront before it starts.

Frequently asked questions

How often should I clean my bearings?

Bones Bearings says to clean them when they get dirty or noisy, and not to keep riding bearings that no longer spin freely. Evolve suggests every couple of months if you ride often.

Can I charge my board overnight?

No. The CPSC advises being present while micromobility products charge and never charging while you sleep.

Can I fit replacement wheels myself?

Yes. Wheels bought on our site are customer-fitted and we can guide you on WhatsApp, or you can book a paid install.

Does the warranty cover worn wheels or belts?

No. Wheels, grip tape, belts and bearings are wear items. Log a Service ticket or WhatsApp us first, and we will quote only the work we can do.

Still deciding which board suits your roads and how much upkeep you want? Our buying help page matches a board to your routes, or browse all Journ-E electric skateboards with local stock, a 6-month warranty and nationwide courier delivery.