How to Adjust Kids' Roller Skates

Roller skates are a staple in many garages. Learning how to adjust your kids' roller skates means you can extend or shorten the wheel base and the stopper to accommodate for their size and abilities. As kids grow, you'll need to readjust their skates routinely. Lengthen the distance between the skate and the shoe to give more flexibility in the skates for more experienced skaters, or shorten it for less flexibility and more stability in less experienced skaters. Make sure you are inspecting the skates frequently to avoid malfunctions that may injure your kids.

Things You'll Need

  • Roller skates
  • 11/16 inch wrench
  • 9/16 inch wrench
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Instructions

    • 1

      Turn the skate upside down and loosen the lock nut located above the wheels with either an 11/16 or a 9/16 inch wrench, depending on the hardware used to hold the wheels in place. The lock nut is located on the end of the shaft that holds the wheels in place.

    • 2

      Slide the truck, which is the shaft the wheels are attached to, to adjust the spacing between the wheel and the skate shoe. The further from the shoe the wheel is, the more flexible it becomes and the harder it is to control when skating at high speeds.

    • 3

      Hold the truck in place and tighten the lock nut with the appropriate wrench.

    • 4

      Lengthen or shorten the height of the toe stopper by loosening the lock nut with a 9/16 wrench. Slide the stopper to the correct position and tighten the lock nut securely. For new or young skaters, lengthen the toe stopper so they can more easily stop the skate.