How to Fix Skateboard that Turns by Itself- 17 Reasons Why Is My Skateboard Turning By Itself in 2024

Have you ever been skating along and suddenly your skateboard starts turning by itself? I’ve been asked by a lot of people what the reason was for my skateboard turning in the opposite direction. Every best skateboard brand, when in motion, turns slightly to one side or another. Learn How to Fix Skateboard that Turns by Itself with our comprehensive guide. Discover expert tips and techniques to fix this issue You can feel this when riding your board around a corner without your trucks touching the ground. When learning how to ollie, you can feel the board tilting to one side or another as you pop “the nollie”. This is something that beginners have a hard time controlling.

The best way to keep your college skateboard in check is by making sure everything operates smoothly. If you notice any problems, such as the skateboard turning by itself, bad bearings, or worn wheels/truck axles then take care of them right away before they cause more disruptions on the surface. Having a well-lubricated truck assembly is also important for a smooth ride, see if you can find a product that includes a mixture of bearing wheels and axle grease along with other lube oils to keep the skateboard running in tip-top shape.

How To Fix Skateboard That Turns By Itself

Why my skateboard turns by itself depends on the following key factors

1-Bad Bushings:

Your skateboard may turn because of bad bushings left or right because of its bushings. If your trucks are too loose, you will notice that the board tends to turn towards the direction where the kingpin is pointing. This is because your bushings are softer on one side, allowing them to turn more easily through turns.

2-Less Bushing Flexibility:

Harder Bushings = Less Turn

If your bushings are too hard, it won’t allow the board to turn enough. In this case, you may notice that your board turns towards where the hanger is pointing (reverse kingpin). This occurs because there isn’t enough room between the bushing and its seat to make a proper kingpin angle through a turn.

Softer Bushings = More Turn

 If your bushings are too soft, the board will turn more than it should. This is because there’s too much room between the bushing and its seat to make a proper kingpin angle through a turn.

3-Trucks Too Loose or Too Tight

Loose trucks make for a smoother ride, but if they are too loose you will lose control at high speeds. You can also feel this loss of control when turning your board around while riding on top of it. If the trucks are too tight, it will be hard to turn because there isn’t enough space between the truck and its baseplate to properly flex.

Readjusting Bushings If your trucks are too loose or too tight, you may be able to fix the problem by adjusting your bushings. Simply screw them in or out until they’re at a more comfortable level of resistance.

4-Worn Down or Faulty Pivot Cup Bushing

The pivot cup bushing is a small piece of rubber that grips the hanger and allows for smooth turning. When your pivot cup becomes worn down, it will cause a rattling noise when riding your board. This can also be an indicator that you may need a new set of bushings as well.

A faulty pivot cup bushing is what causes trucks to turn too much. As the bushing wears down, it loses its grip on the hanger and allows for more play in the kingpin area. Trucks with Bent Hangers When your truck’s hanger becomes bent, it changes where the pivot cup sits on it. If you have a bent hanger, you can fix it by taking apart your trucks and straightening out the hanger with a hammer.

5-Cheap Walmart or Toy Store Deck

Cheap decks are harder to control than higher quality decks because of the material they’re made out of. The average skateboard deck for pop is usually around 7–8 plies thick, but some can be as thin as 5 or 3 ply (which also leads to more turns). Cheap decks tend to flex more due to their lower quality material which transfers the shaking from your feet to the board. This may be hard to notice at first, but you can feel it when riding a cheap deck because of its instability and lack of control.

6-Worn Wheels  and Bearings

When your right size wheels and bearings get worn down, your board becomes harder to turn. This is because old wheels and bearings won’t roll as freely through turns as they did when new. If you’re riding on old or dirty bearings, they may feel like they get “stuck” at times while turning.

If your best skateboard wheels are not rolling through turns properly, you can check to see if they are aligned correctly. Place the edge of your board on a table so that it’s standing up straight. Find the point where your wheels are touching the table at an angle and make sure that it is equal for both wheels (they should both be touching at the same distance from the center of your deck).

It’s important to use good quality bearings. You will notice a difference in responsiveness and speed if you have high-quality bearings, but again it depends on what you’re used to riding. If you have really bad bearings, using better ones won’t make much of a difference.

7-Worn-Down Pivot Cup Bushing:

A worn-out pivot cup bushing is what causes trucks to turn too much. As the bushing wears down, it loses its grip on the hanger and allows for more play in the kingpin area (more movement of the truck).

8-Tightening Truck Bolts Too Much:

If you tighten your kingpin bolt too much, it will cause your trucks to turn less. This is because there’s not enough play in the hanger which transfers movement to the pivot cup instead. Over-tightening your bolts can also decrease the lifespan of your bushings, so go easy on them.

9-Bent Truck Axles:

Bent axles fit poorly in the hanger and pivot cup (where it attaches to the baseplate). If your trucks turn too much, you should check to see if your axles are straight. You can fix this problem by taking apart your board and bending the axle back into place with a hammer.

10-Loose Kingpin Bolt:

If the nut on your kingpin is loose, you will have a lot of play in your trucks which causes them to turn more. Tighten down your kingpin bolt to solve this problem. However, tightening it too much may cause the bushings to wear out faster or even crack. If that happens replacing your bushings won’t solve the problem, so check to see if your kingpin nut is tight.

11-Warped Skateboard Deck:

A warped deck can make it harder to control your board because the tail and nose end up being different heights. If you’re riding on a warped board, you may notice that one end of it sinks more than the other while riding. To fix this problem, place a small book or shim underneath the low side (make sure that both ends are at the same height before riding).

12-Bearings That Wobble:

If your bearings are making a lot of noise, they may be wobbling. However, you shouldn’t tighten them too much because it could cause your kingpin nut to become loose which would lead to playing in your trucks.

13-Thinner Grip Tape:

Thinner grip tape won’t be able to absorb as much shock when you ride over cracks in the ground. This means that your board will shake more, so if your right skateboard deck is pretty new and you don’t like how it feels, you can add thicker grip tape or try different ones out until you find one that you like.

14-Pushing Mongo:

Pushing mongo is a classic trick that all skateboarders learn. However, pushing too mongo and trying all skateboarding tricks can make your trucks turn more which makes it harder for you to control the board and balance on it. You should try adjusting your technique so that your feet are more centered over the axles. If you’re still having problems with pushing mongo, you can try switching to a board with a deeper concave.

15-Short Stepped On Trucks

Having your trucks set up this way will make it easier for you to push mongo because there won’t be any pressure on the outside of your foot which makes it more comfortable when riding in that stance.

16-Make Sure Correct Positioning Of Your Feet

Another factor that has a lot to do with the way your board turns is how you position your feet. Try to keep them parallel to each other and always have equal weight on both of them since having one foot over the other can cause it to turn either left or right depending on which side is lighter. You should also make sure that you are grounded to the skateboard well enough. If you are standing too far away from your board or if you are not leaning forward enough then all of these could contribute to the way it turns.

17-Stop Your Skateboard Wisely:

A proper way to stop is by bending your knees and lifting your back foot up when you want to stop. This kind of movement will cause your board to slow down gradually which makes it easier for you to eventually come to a complete stop without having to cause too many jerks or sudden movements.

Conclusion

Getting the right parts for your board is just as important as choosing the right skateboard deck. If you’re having problems with your truck turning too much, try loosening them up by adjusting them or replacing one of their parts (most commonly, worn-down pivot cup bushings). If they still turn too much after you’ve done all that, check to see if your kingpin has become loose, and tighten it down. Warped decks can be fixed by adding a book or shim to one end of the board which should even out its height.