Front Wheel

Front Wheel

Wheel Replacement for Rollerblades

I was asked a question the other day about replacing wheels for inline skates. To set the table, the individual told me that one of there wheels was worn out and that they wanted to know if they could replace just the one wheel, if new wheels came with bearings, and if they could remove the worn wheel and skate without it.

I told this person that while I couldn't diagnose their wheel as worn out or not without seeing it, that they could replace the one wheel if they found a shop that sold them in singles. It likely wouldn't match the other wheels, but it was possible. I also told them that wheels don't typically come with new bearings, unless they buy a wheel/bearing combo kit. Some companies manufacture these, but typically it's wheels and bearing separate. I also told them that they could skate remove the one wheel and skate without it, provided it wasn't the first or last wheel on the frame, but that I didn't recommend it because it could damage the frame.

But all in all, this got me to thinking about the days when I was younger and had some of the exact same questions. While this person was about my age (I'm 27), it hit me that wheel replacement and proper maintenance is not commonly understood by many people who skate. Therefore, I decided to write a little article covering some of the basics.

A common question about replacing wheels on inline skates is how do you know when it's time to replace your wheels? Honestly, there is no set time table because the real answer is dependent on unknown variable such as how often you skate and how often your rotate your wheels to prevent uneven wear. However, this image illustrates the various stages of breakdown for skate wheels.

This image breaks down as follows:

A.) Perfectly new or relatively unworn wheel will look similar to this. At this point you do not need to do anything.

B.) Early stages of a wheel with uneven wear. Consider rotation and flipping at this point. This will help to even out the wear and increase the longevity of your wheels.

C.) Advanced stages of a wheel with uneven wear. The wheel has been rotated and flipped several times and is beginning to show wear on both sides, indicated by the sharp tip being created in the middle. Should consider replacement if skating is becoming difficult.

D.) Severely warn wheel that needs to be replaced. Skating is surely difficult at this point and skating any longer may result in the core and hub cracking.

Now, the breakdown above mentions rotating and flipping your skate wheels. This should be done in a specific way depending on the wheel setup of the skates. This can vary, so rather than try to explain, I decided that it would be best to link to the rotation section of this great guide on buying inline skate wheels.

If you scroll through the guide you'll find some extremely good information on things to account for when shopping for replacement wheels, but most importantly you'll get step-by-step information on proper wheel rotation. This will extend the life of your skate wheels, keep your ride smoother, and also keep more money in your pocket.

I hope this helps you when you're trying to determine when you should rotate, flip, or replace your skate wheels.

About the Author

AT-5W071 front wheel set $15.04 front wheel

Front Wheel Axle 1P $3.5 Front Wheel Axle 1P

Front-wheel drive set $4 Front-wheel drive set

Front Wheel Cylinder by Crown Automotive $22.99 1957-64 Jeep FC Truck;1947-63 Jeep Pickup Truck;1946-63 Jeep Wagon;1948-63 Jeep Sedan Delivery;1948-51 Jeep Jeepster;Front Driverside;10 in. or 11 in. brakes Front Wheel Cylinder by Crown Automotive

Front Wheel Cylinder by Crown Automotive for Jeep $41.99 Wheel Cylinder JEEP CJ-3B CJ5 CJ6 1966 3.7L Dauntless (225) GAS Front Wheel Cylinder by Crown Automotive for Jeep

Redcat Racing AT-5W071 Front Wheel Set $21.63 Front wheel.

Redcat Racing AT5W071 Front Wheel Set $26.78 Front wheel.

A Front Wheel of a Bicycle $24.99 A Front Wheel of a Bicycle - Photographic Print

Medline Front Wheel Assembly, Each $28.54 Medline Front Wheel Assembly

Jeep Front Wheel Cylinder by Omix-Ada 16722.05 $56.99 1963-66 Jeep CJ;With 9 in. brakes and angle hose connection;Driver side JEEP CJ-3B CJ5 CJ6 1966 3.7L Dauntless (225) GAS Jeep Front Wheel Cylinder by Omix-Ada 16722.05

Jeep Front Wheel Cylinder by Omix-Ada 16722.06 $49.99 1963-66 Jeep CJ;With 9 in. brakes and angle hose connection;Passenger side JEEP CJ-3B CJ5 CJ6 1966 3.7L Dauntless (225) GAS Jeep Front Wheel Cylinder by Omix-Ada 16722.06

Front Wheel Seal by Crown Automotive $2.99 1974-91 SJ and J-series truck;Front inner hub

1/16 Front Wheel/Tires $8 1/16 Front Wheel/Tires (12mm Hex)

Jeep Front Wheel Cylinder by Omix-Ada 16722.07 $24.99 1967-71 Jeep CJ;With 9 in. brakes and 1 in. cylinder;Driver or passenger side JEEP CJ5 CJ6 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 2.2L (134) 3.1L Diesel (192) 3.7L Dauntless (225) DIESEL GAS Jeep Front Wheel Cylinder by Omix-Ada 16722.07

Jeep Front Wheel Cylinder by Omix-Ada 16722.08 $34.99 1967-71 Jeep CJ;With 10 in. brakes;Driver or passenger side JEEP CJ5 CJ6 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 2.2L (134) 3.1L Diesel (192) 3.7L Dauntless (225) DIESEL GAS Jeep Front Wheel Cylinder by Omix-Ada 16722.08

Jeep Front Wheel Cylinder by Omix-Ada 16722.09 $18.99 1972-77 Jeep CJ;Driver side JEEP CJ5 CJ6 CJ7 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 3.8L (232) 4.2L (258) 5L (304) GAS Jeep Front Wheel Cylinder by Omix-Ada 16722.09

Jeep Front Wheel Cylinder by Omix-Ada 16722.1 $18.99 1972-77 Jeep CJ;Passenger side JEEP CJ5 CJ6 CJ7 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 3.8L (232) 4.2L (258) 5L (304) GAS Jeep Front Wheel Cylinder by Omix-Ada 16722.1

Jeep Front Wheel Stud by Omix-Ada 16714.11 $2.99 2003-04 Jeep TJ Wrangler, Rubicon and Unlimited JEEP WRANGLER (97-06LJ) WRANGLER (97-06TJ) RUBICON SAHARA SE SPORT UNLIMITED UNLIMITED RUBICON X 2003 2004 2005 2.4L Power-Tech (148) 4L Power Tech (242) GAS Jeep Front Wheel Stud by Omix-Ada 16714.11

Wheel Rim(front) 2P White $3.3 Wheel Rim(front) 2P White

Wheel Rim(front) 2P Gold $3.3 Wheel Rim(front) 2P Gold

Wheel Rim(front) 2P Black $3.3 Wheel Rim(front) 2P Black

Wheel Rim(front) 2P Green $3.3 Wheel Rim(front) 2P Green

Wheel Rim(front) 2P Blue $3.3 Wheel Rim(front) 2P Blue

Wheel Rim(front) 2P Yellow $3.3 Wheel Rim(front) 2P Yellow

Wheel Rim(front) 2P Red $3.3 Wheel Rim(front) 2P Red

Wheel Rim(front) 2P Orange $3.3 Wheel Rim(front) 2P Orange

G-2 Wheel Bearing Kit for Jeep $43.69 G2 Axle and Gear Front Wheel Bearing Kit;For use in 77-79 GM Front Dana 60;All Parts For One Side;Timken Inner Wheel Bearing And Race;Timken Outer Wheel Bearing And Race;Wheel Bearing Seal G-2 Wheel Bearing Kit for Jeep