How to Fit Wheels on Roller Skates

This video offers a comprehensive step-by-step tutorial on fitting wheels to roller skates. Whether swapping out your roller skate wheels or refitting them after replacing the bearings, this guide is here to help you through the whole task. Ensure you have a skate tool ready and enjoy!

Process for Mounting Wheels on Roller Skates:

The first step is to remove the nut from the wheel axle. If it's stubborn, employ a skate tool.
Insert the washer onto the axle, ensuring the rounded side is upwards.
Fit the wheel with the logo side facing upwards.
Position the second washer with the rounded side facing downwards.
Begin affixing the nut. Secure it tightly with a skate tool.
Ensure the nut is secure using a skate tool. Tighten sufficiently so that the wheel spins effortlessly without lateral movement.

Repeat this method for the remaining wheels, and your roller skates will be good to go!

Common Questions:

My wheels stop rolling when I tighten them. What’s the solution?

You might be over-tightening them. The axle nuts need to be secure but not so tight that the wheel is obstructed. To simplify this, consider using washers as displayed in the video, or insert a spacer inside the wheel if not already present.

How can I tell when my roller skate wheels need replacing?

Replacement is needed when you detect flat spots, notably blunt edges diminishing the contact patch, or any cracks in the wheel hub or urethane. Many roller skaters prefer having varied sets of roller skate wheels with different hardness and diameters for diverse conditions, so save this video tutorial: it'll undoubtedly be useful on numerous occasions.

Is there a method to extend the longevity of wheels?

Try rotating them periodically in a criss-cross pattern (the front-left wheel of the left skate swaps with the back-right wheel of the right skate, and the front-right wheel of the left skate goes in the place of the back-left wheel of the right skate, and so forth) to encourage even wear, thereby extending their lifespan.

Is it possible to use skateboard wheels on roller skates?

Technically, you can, but you must ensure the wheels have a side set (where the inner bearing aligns with the wheel) and are suitably wide for your skating style. Therefore, we recommend this only if you possess advanced roller skating expertise!