How to Put Skate Bearings in a Wheel

Eventually, the bearings in your inline skates will need to be taken out and cleaned or replaced. Inline skates have two bearings per wheel with a hollow spacer in between, where the axle slides into. This general process should also work for replacing bearings in skateboard or roller skate wheels.

Things You'll Need

  • Three-in-one skate tool (includes bearing pusher, hex heads and screwdriver head)
  • Bearing cleaning kit or new bearings
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Instructions

    • 1

      Remove the wheels using a skate tool or wrench that was included with your inline skates. Memorize the order that each wheel was placed to avoid uneven wheel wear.

    • 2

      Set aside the wheel axles and bolts.

    • 3

      Place the bearing pusher in the hole of each bearing and push. This pushes the bearing spacer on the outer bearing, forcing it to pop out. If you don't have a skate tool with a bearing pusher, you'll have to find a dowel or cylindrical object in order to push on that spacer.

    • 4

      Inspect the bearings. If they are dirty or spin rough, they probably need to be cleaned. Use a bearing cleaning kit to clean your bearings.

    • 5

      Press each bearing back in on one side of the wheel. Insert the spacer from the other side and insert the other bearings. Place the wheels back into the wheel chassis and insert the axles. Tighten the wheels using the bolts, making sure not to overtighten. Certain high performance bearings do not have a seal on one side. Make sure you install them so the seal is flush with the outside of the wheel.