When it comes to in-line skating, if your wheels are not working properly, you are not skating at all. Keeping your wheels in good working order helps improve the performance of your skates and avoid injury. Wheel bearings give your wheels the freedom to turn smoothly and quietly and to reduce friction as you skate. If your skate wheels are noisy or are not turning well, you may need to change the bearings.
Step 1
Remove the axle from the front wheel of your skate using a standard Allen wrench. Pull out the front wheel.
Step 2
Examine the wheel and determine whether your skates have standard or floating spacers. If you see a seam between the spacer and the bearing, you have a floating spacer. A standard spacer has no seam. On a standard spacer, use a flat-head screwdriver to push the spacer and bearing through the wheel. For a floating spacer, insert the screwdriver and twist.
Step 3
Place the new bearings into the wheels and replace the spacer. Set the wheel back into the frame and replace the axle with the Allen wrench. If your spacers are aluminum, tighten the axle bolts as much as you can. If you have plastic spacers, tighten them but then loosen a touch.
Step 4
Spin the wheel to ensure it's rolling freely. If the wheel seems a little tight, loosen the axle; if it wobbles, make the axle tighter.
Tips and Warnings
- Read through manufacturer's information about your skates before you change the bearings.
Things You'll Need
- In-line skates
- Allen wrench
- Flat-head screwdriver
- New wheel bearings
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