How to Put Bearings in Roller Skate Wheels? – 4 Easy Ways

Marsh-Harrison

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Marsh Harrison

Godfrey-Rice

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Godfrey Rice

how to put bearings in roller skate wheels

One of the most important things that you will have to learn as a roller skater is how to put bearings in roller skate wheels. After all, you will have to take them off at some point for cleaning. You will also have to replace them with new ones when they rust or wear out.

It is possible to install roller skate wheel bearings with or without a dedicated tool. In this blog post, we will go through all the methods. So, whenever you need to complete the task, you will be able to do it easily.

Let’s start!

4 Ways to Put Bearings in Roller Skate Wheels (With & Without Tools)

Installing roller skate bearings is pretty easy. You just need the right tools and know what steps to take.

1. With Dedicated Tools

Method  #1 – Using a Bearing Tool

loosen-rolles-skate-wheel

Your first option to install roller skate wheel bearings is with a bearing tool. A lot of people think that it is only a roller skate-bearing removal tool. But it also comes in handy when you want to reattach your bearings!

What you will need to do

using-a-Bearing-Tool

  • Grab a bearing with its protective layer facing up and your bearing tool.
  • Press the button on top of the tool down onto the bearing so the bearing is hooked onto the tool.
  • Set your wheel out on a flat surface. Then, slide the tool with the bearing hooked on top of the wheel.
  • Then, press down on the tool to insert the bearing into the wheel.
  • To detach the tool, press the button on the top again and pull it up.

Repeat the steps for the bearing on the other side of the wheel, and all of the bearings for your other wheels.


Method #2 – Using a Bearing Press

roller-skate-bearings-size

A bearing press is another tool that can be used to take out bearings and put them back in. This tool is also particularly great for wheels with aluminum cores, which tend to be difficult to deal with.

However, make sure that you get one that works for your specific roller skate bearings size. Most bearing presses on the market do not work for all bearing sizes for roller skates.

What you will need to do

using-a-bearing-press

  • Pull the lever of the bearing press to reveal a short pole opposite to it. This is where you will slide the bearings and wheel in.
  • Put one bearing in first. Check that its protective side is on the bottom.
  • After the bearing, put in the wheel, and then, the second bearing goes last. Unlike the first bearing, its protective side should be facing up.
  • Once the bearings and wheels are in, push the pole down, changing from a vertical position to a horizontal position.
  • Press the lever and it will do all the work! The bearings will be lodged into the wheels, and you can take them out to attach to your roller skates.


2. Without Dedicated Tools

Method #1

roller-skate-bearing-removal-tool

Sometimes, you do not have the dedicated roller skate bearing tools to change roller skate bearings. But that does not mean you cannot get the job done. It is still possible to put bearings on wheels, here is one way to do it:

  • Slide a bearing into your roller skate axle.
  • Then, do the same with your wheel.
  • Push the wheel down on the bearing to the end of the axle with the heel of your hands. They should be all the way down to click the bearing into place.
Tip

To get better leverage, you can stack several wheels on top of the bearing to push the bearing into the first one more easily. But do not worry; this will definitely not loosen roller skate wheels.


Method #2

roller-skate-bearing-tool

1. On a flat surface, lay out your bearing. Make sure that the back of it is facing up.

2. Next, grab your wheel and put it on top of the bearing. Press down on it with your palm so the bearing will lodge into place.

3. After that, put in the spacer and the next bearing. Check that the correct side of the bearing is facing out.

4. Attach the spacer and second bearing to the wheel by pressing them both in with your fingers. You will hear a small click.

5. And you are done! Repeat the process to put in bearings for all your wheels.

Conclusion

Now that you have gone through this short guide on how to put bearings in roller skate wheels, you can rest assured that you can get your skates back up and running after an upkeep session.

There are methods for putting bearings in skate wheels with and without a dedicated tool. You just need to pick whichever one you are most comfortable with. Regardless of which you choose, the next time you get bearings out and need to put them back in, you will know exactly what to do!

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