Blackhajt
ASK
MELTDOWN
THE DOCTOR
Iwent swimming when it was about 104°
for about two hours while my skateboard
was upside down with the wheels facing the
sun. After I was done I decided to skate
around and I looked back and there were
green wheel tracks (I have green wheels)
everywhere I went. I guess it had happened
because it was so hot but I freaked because
it made my wheel radius smaller and faster.
Now I'm worried that everywhere I skate
there will be hot speed wheel goo on the ce-
ment and it will cut my wheels to nothing.
What should I do. It's like the Twilight Zone.
Chad Shannon
Safford, AZ
This has got to be a first. I've never
heard of wheel goo being left on the
ground from melted wheels. It could be
just the dye used to color the urethane
and not the urethane itself. I would guess
from what you've mentioned your wheels
are definitely shot. To remedy the situa-
tion I suggest buying new wheels. To pre-t
vent the same thing from happening in
the future try keeping your wheels out of
the sun. Some wheels use different com-
pounds of urethane and might be more
prone to meltdown than others. Without
knowing what brand of wheel you have I
can't fully research the problem.
SQUEAKERS
About three months ago I bought a board.
with Venture trucks. The trucks are cool and
all but they squeak like hell. Where the truck
goes into the baseplate is where the problem
is. I wrote the company twice but no answer.
I asked the local skateshop owners but
they're too stupid to know. What's the
problem?
20
Keith
Tampa, FL
Well Keith, this problem is not uncom
mon and in fact half my boards suffer
from exactly the same thing. That cons-
tant squeaking noise emanating from
beneath your board...what the hell is
that? Pivot bushings. The urethane up on
the pivot part of the truck, not the king pin
bushings. That little sucker can wail, I'll
tell ya. However some do and some don't,
depending on which formulation of
urethane is used at any given time. We
used to put a little squirt of grease in the
pivot and that would stop it for awhile. In
a continuing effort to solve this problem
I visited the highly technical facilities at
with Rick Blackhart
Venture Trucks only to find they had the
problem well in hand. The urethane for-
mula used for that little pivot bushing has
been changed. Slowly but surely trucks
should start quieting down in the future.
Thanks for your letter.
RENTAL UNIT
I'm 14 years old. I skate OK. I just started
about a year ago. I've got 5 boards. Now that
Thave a mohawk my parents have kicked me
out of the house. I love to skate. I listen to
hardcore like the Sex Pistols and the D.K.'s.
What should I do about my parents?
Thomas Fortney
Baytown, TX
What you do about your parents for the
most part is nothing. If they can't take you
for what you are then shine 'em.
However, in a situation like this, ultimate-
ly both sides are going to have to give and
take a little. Example: ease up on the punk
scene a little and maybe your parents will
loosen up a bit. Usually with the passing.
of time these things work themselves.
out. If they don't and you really can't han
dle it, the answer is easy. Get a job, move
out, support yourself, do what you want.
Remember, I said the answer was easy,
not life.
STALE MALES
I'm a fifteen year-old girl, I love to skate. I
go out with my brother when he skates and
I get ugly remarks. What is wrong with a girl
skater? I happen to think it's cool but I'm get-
ting doubts. I've started to back out of con-
tests and stopped going out with my brother
to avoid these remarks. Dr. Blackhart, can
you help me?
Shaa Lawrence
Beverly Hills, CA
I really don't know what to tell you. Per-
sonally, if I see a girl skating I think it's
totally cool. It takes courage along with a
big desire for any girl to become a skater.
Any male who puts down or harrasses
some girl just because she's trying to
skate is a jerk. Either they're jealous
because a girl is invading their terrain or
they're just idiots. So don't you or any
other girls get bummed when this hap-
pens. Just ignore them and keep skating.
BOLT BREAKDOWN
Answer to "Hardcore On Hardware" in
June issue: Mike, I used to have the same
problem, broken bolts. Although my weather
conditions aren't as bad, my bolts take quite
a bit of wear and tear. Anyway, the answer
is "Thunderbolts." They're about $5 for a
set of 8, but way worth it. They are un-
breakable, and guaranteed for life. Check
'em out at your local skate shop, and skate
on, hope it works out.
Jairus Szezepanek
Calistoga, CA
Apparently, as far as some readers are
concerned, your answer was better than
mine, so there it is.
WHERE TO GET AIR
I live in a small town in Canada and we
have the only 1/2 pipe around, so our ramp
skating is all self-taught. We have had the
pipe for 12 months and I am still scared to
drop in, I can get up to the vertical after a lot.
of hard pumping. The question is: how do I
get air? I am pumping with the knees and
coming inches from the coping. Is it the
design? (8 feet wide. 14 feet flat. 9 foot tran-
ny) Should we add another layer of
plywood? (We only have two.) And where do
you get all the wood to build those killer
ramps in California?
Peter Banks
Oaksville, Ontario, Canada
Practice. A lot of practice. When I was
learning how to do air I fell so many times
and got so pissed off I just wanted to quit
skating. But something made me want to
try again. And again. Eventually you'll
learn. The size and shape of your ramp is
fine. Adding ply won't make it easier to
ride. When you go up the wall, aim above
the lip and thrust past it. After you fall
about ten thousand times you'll get it.
Where do we get all the wood in Califor-
nia from? Trees in Canada, where else?
SKATE & MATE
Lately I've had this problem. Every time
I'm with a girl, making love, I start to fan-
tasize about ramps. Smooth masonite, the
bark of aluminum on pool coping, the rush
of the drop! Is there any hope? Or am I over
the hill?
26 and Still Skating
B.ham. WA
Alright, someone from the old.
school-one who remembers what
skating was and how it got here. Good to
hear from ya. Anyway, about your skate
fetish: try a heavy skate session just
before making love. Maybe that will get it
out of your system for the time being.
Overall, if it doesn't bother her and she's
not offended by it. I wouldn't call it a pro-
blem. Later.
Blackhau
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