Saturday, March 1, 2014

Changing Wheels

Those of you out there who have been patiently waiting for the next G Spot article, I wholeheartedly apologize.  I fully intended to publish an article a month this season, but the past couple months have been a whirlwind...in a good way!  Not only has fiveonfive, the official Roller Derby magazine of the Women's Flat Track Derby Association (WFTDA), published a few of my articles, but I also resigned from my day job to pursue a full-time Derby career.  In addition to writing articles and blog posts (Shocker Khan's G Spot and Roller Derby Nation's new venture: Rollin' News),  I continue to provide quality products and services through 2N1 Skate Shoppe, travel all over the world to train future Roller Derby super-athletes, and I have also started selling interesting items I make by hand in an Etsy store called The ShockerKnot.  These handmade items consist of jewelry and other interesting items (like this cool bottle stopper).

Enough about me, let's get to the good stuff!

Have you ever needed to quickly change out your wheels with a set that doesn't have bearings, only to have it take so long you end up missing part of practice?  Well, using the method described here, you'll be able to change out your wheels and be back on the track in no time!

First, gather your skates, new wheels, axle nut wrench, and bearing tool (optional). ***If you skate on wheels with metal hubs, having a bottle of lube on hand is a good idea.  See edit at the end of the article for more info.***

Next, position your skates so they are facing the same direction.  This is especially important if you are installing pushers; however, I like to do this even when I'm switching out 8 of the same wheels.  It helps my OCD.

You should see 4 axle nuts, unscrew and remove them, then set them aside.  If you use bearing washers (aka speed rings), remove them as well and place them with the nuts.

Use your tool to unscrew the axle nut,
remove the axle nut.



 then







Now it's time to take out the bearings (and spacer, if applicable).  The best way to remove bearings is either with a bearing press like the ones made by PowerDyne or Sure Grip, or with the more transportable Bones Bearing tool.

Use the Bones Bearing Tool to remove the outer bearing,
pry off the inner bearing with the axle.




 or






If you don't have a tool, you can pry out your inner bearing with your wheel axle, as pictured.  I don't recommend this as a frequently used bearing removal method, but every once in a while shouldn't do too much damage...hopefully. 

Alternate method of removing the outer bearing.
If you have issues getting the outer bearing to budge, you can try to push it out from the inside using the Bones Bearing tool.  For particularly stubborn bearings, I'll place the wheel face-down on a hard surface, then insert the tool and put my weight into pushing the bearing out.

Open side of a bearing faces UP on the axle.
After removing the bearings, place them back on the axle with the dust cover side toward the plate.  Both bearings will be facing the same way.  If the bearings have dust covers on both sides, it doesn't matter which way they go on the axle.  If you use bearing spacers, place one between the 2 bearings on the axle.  If you don't use spacers, see the "If you don't use spacers" paragraph below for further instructions.
Bearings With Spacer
First Bearing Seated






Now comes the fun part!  Take your new wheel, and place the OUTSIDE on the axle, centered on the first bearing, and press straight down.  You will feel the bearing seat into the wheel.  Take the wheel off the axle, and turn it around to make sure the bearing's dust cover is facing out and the open side is inside the wheel (see the pic to the right).  If the opposite happened, you didn't have the bearing facing open side up on the axle and you will need to remove the bearing from the wheel before repeating this step. 






Bearing Spacer/Speed Ring




Next, flip the wheel around and push it onto the axle until the inner bearing is completely seated in the wheel.  All you need to do now is replace the speed ring/bearing washer (if used) and tighten the axle nut until you feel resistance.   Repeat for the next 3 wheels then flip both skates over to complete swapping the last 4 wheels.




If you don't use bearing spacers...

First, I'd like to ask you, why not?  Spacers allow bearings to work properly by preventing pressure/friction.  Pair spacers with speed rings/bearing washers, and you have an awesome setup that is not only going to keep your bearings rolling longer, but you'll notice an increase in speed.  Using spacers also actually helps change out wheels when using the method I described above, so for those of you who don't use them because you say it takes too long to change out wheels...I'd like to challenge you to a wheel swapping duel!

4 Bearings Stacked, Dust Cover Side Toward Plate

But I digress...  If you don't use bearing spacers, you will need to place 4 bearings on one axle and press them into the outside of 2 wheels before pressing other bearings in the plate-side of those wheels.  See the pic to the left on how the 4 bearings will look when stacked.  The outer lip of most wheels is too concave for bearings to be properly seated if only 2 bearings are on the axle and are likely not going to be pushed far enough into the wheels to be seated so if you don't have a spacer between 2 bearings, you will need at least 3 bearings on an axle to perform this maneuver.




See how easy that is!  After you practice it a few times, it becomes second nature.  Soon you'll be able to change a whole set of wheels and get back on the track before your opponent is half-way done!





Wheeeeeee!


I hope you found this article interesting and will try out this method for changing your wheels.  Let me know if you try it out by posting a comment and I'll pick a few of you to send a free goodie to from "Shocker's Box O'Goodies."  So go try it out and post away!

Until we skate again!
Shocker


***Edited to add that a drop of lube on the inside of metal hubs works wonders to get bearings to seat properly and later be removed much easier.  This can also save your tools from being broken...I've now heard of a couple Bones Bearing tools coming apart due to trying to force bearings in/out and we had a large Bearing Press handle break due to an employee trying to force bearings in place...resistance is futile, use lube!  Thanks to Tracy for reminding me about this tip.***

37 comments:

  1. I tend to be my teams hardware guru, helping everyone keep their bearings clean and so on. Any time that we can save on wheel changes would be helpful. I've never seen bearing spacers or speed ring/bearing washers before! I'd definitely like to know more about those, and perhaps try them out. It's my goal this year to break 30 laps in 5 minutes, and need as much speed as I can get!

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  2. I just recently started using bearing spacers and I really love them if not just because I don't have to fiddle around with how much to tighten down my wheels. With the spacers there I can tighten them down enough so that my wheels aren't getting loose and they still get great spin <3

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  3. Can spacers be used with any wheels/bearings? I bought an old pair of skates and really liked the wheels on them better than the ones that came on my skates, but they had horrible bearings and when I swapped them out I found spacers. When I tried to put them back in with the new bearings, it seemed like the bearings wouldn't go all the way in, so I left them out. Now it seems like those wheels don't roll as well as they did.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. There are different sized spacers so you may have the spacers that are made for longboard wheels (8mm x 10mm) instead of roller skate wheels (8mm x 8mm). I'm guessing maybe either the person who had the skates before you had the wrong size spacers or the wheels are really old and were made differently than they are today.

      Here are the spacers that work with modern roller derby wheels... http://www.2n1skateshoppe.com/Khiro-Bearing-Spacers-8x8mm-Set-of-8_p_316.html

      Hope that helps! :)
      Shocker

      Delete
  4. I read this article when it first came out and have been using the directions on seating the bearings on the wheel by stacking them on the axle since. Holy heck that has made life so much easier. Thanks!

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  5. Congrats on your full time derby career! Great article!

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  6. This is an OUTSTANDING article. I have a lot of skaters in my league that are HORRIBLE about skate maintenance and your article will get a lot of shares from me. :)

    And like you, I absolutely cringe when I see someone taking bearings out using their axles. For nylon hubs it usually doesn't cause any issues, but aluminum hubs can be a different story. I actually had a skater bend an axle trying to get a bearing out of an aluminum hub. Fortunately I had a spare truck in the toolbox.

    And as much as I love my Bones Bearing puller, it does have limits. I have actually had them come apart when trying to get bearings out of, again, aluminum hubs. My rule of thumb now is that if they don't come out with moderate pressure, I grab my bearing press. Might be something to want to share so people are aware of this potential. I can't figure out how to attach a photo but emailed you one, maybe you can share it?

    Again, love reading your blog. Keep up the good work and derby on!

    Regards,

    Glenn Hur

    Skater with Collision Mens Derby
    Coach/Skate Tech with Carolina Rollergirls

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  7. How do you remove bearings with bearing spacers in? I have a Bones tool and it can't grab the back of the bearing to pull it out. Same thing with the remover on my bearing press. I'm hesitant to put on the full set of spacers I got because I feel like my bearings will be "trapped" in the tight hubs, since a bearing puller won't work to remove them. Spacers would be fine on wheels with a loose hub (like Rollerbones Day of the Dead) but I don't understand how to remove them on wheels with tighter hubs, without resorting to shoving sharp objects into the hub to push out the bearing/spacer. Thanks for your help!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. "If you don't have a tool, you can pry out your inner bearing with your wheel axle, as pictured. I don't recommend this as a frequently used bearing removal method, but every once in a while shouldn't do too much damage...hopefully." There is also a pic of me prying the first bearing out of a wheel in the article above.

      The other option is to get one of these...

      http://www.2n1skateshoppe.com/Sure-Grip-Qube-Portable-Bearing-Press-Puller_p_416.html

      They aren't as portable as the Bones Bearing tool, but if you change your bearings at home with the press and only use the axle method in a pinch, your hubs shouldn't get too much damage.

      If you skate on wheels with metal hubs, you won't be able to pry that first bearing out with your axle. I have found that if you smack the outside of the wheel on a hard, smooth surface (such as smooth concrete or metal), you can usually get that outer bearing to pop out along with the spacer, then can use the bearing tool for the other bearing. Some hubs are super tight though so this may not work and you can try moving the spacer to one side with something like an allen wrench or screwdriver, then pushing out on the inner bearing race...NOT ON THE DUST COVER...making sure you move the tool around the bearing so you aren't warping anything or digging into bearing innards.

      Hope that helps :)

      Delete
  8. What a great article! Definitely sharing with my teammates. How quickly are you able to switch wheels now? I'm also curious about spacers. Where might one purchase some and how often do they need to be replaced?

    Derby love!
    Toxic Ash #87

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hey Ashley,

      You can get spacers here... http://www.2n1skateshoppe.com/Khiro-Bearing-Spacers-8x8mm-Set-of-8_p_316.html

      As for how long it takes me to switch wheels...I really should go time myself to see lol. I know I'm always done before anyone else, just not sure the actual time. Will get back to you!

      Delete
    2. the link for spacers no longer works

      Delete
  9. This is a great article, but I'm definitely having a little trouble visualizing the process. Is there any way we could bribe you to post an instructional video?? How much time do you think this saves you when changing out bearings?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I've actually thought about trying some video blog entries...let me get the ones about different lacing techniques posted then I'll come back to do this. Just no one make fun of my manly shoulders! ;)

      Delete
  10. Great article! I never would have thought to use this to take bearings out to change wheels in a hurry. I am also going to order some spacers and give them a try. Thank you for posting about this!

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  11. I love your articles! Thank you for taking the time to write them. Yall set my skates up so nicely, I love that I finally understand what the spacer is for. I felt it was important if yall put it in, so I made sure not to lose it! :)

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  12. That's what those little, metal circles were. Time to put them back in. thanks.

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  13. I've been that person at the start of practice trying to change my bearings and wheels fast and failing miserably. I'm gonna try this method and practice at home. Thanks for the post :)

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  14. Sharing this with my Juniors. They're so averse to skate maintenance, so I pull them aside frequently to check their setups. They'll like how easy this is!

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  15. I had the same issue with the Bones bearing tool pulling apart - but to Bones's credit, their rep at ECDX last year replaced it on the spot.

    Also, if you are replacing bearings on aluminum-hubbed wheels, take the time to rub some speed cream on the outside of the bearings before you put them in. It does slow down the process a bit,but you will thank yourself when it comes time to remove them.

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    Replies
    1. Ah yes, I forgot to mention the lube trick to get bearings to seat properly/come out easier! I'll go edit the post right now, thank you for reminding me!

      Shocker

      Delete
  16. This is an incredibly good idea, and far easier seeming than my standard route of gently hammering each bearing in for 30 minutes. :)

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  17. Genius idea! And now I'm wishing that I had spacers...

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  18. Congratulations on starting your full-time derby career! I haven't experimented with spacers yet, but I had no idea that they were actually beneficial. I never noticed a difference with my longboards, at least, so I thought they were just used with wheels that didn't have much of a core for the bearing to "snap" into.

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  19. Great information about speed rings and spacers.

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  20. This is going to save me so much time! Now I have to consider investing in bearing spacers too...

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  21. Seating the bearings on the axle to position them inside the wheels has been a huge time saver for me. My bearings also appreciate not being as abused. Now that I'm showing this way off to my leaguemates, you could say the technique has been MIND blowing...

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  22. Great ideas! I also pry my inside bearings out with the allen wrench that tightens my to stop in my plate rather than use the axle and I use a socket wrench to punch the outside one out like you mentioned. Great idea to put a drop of lube in the aluminum hubs, getting those bearings in and out can be a bitch. Definitely doing that!

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  23. Freshie here. Someone on reddit linked me your blog just last week and your info is great. I know I'm super slow when it comes to changing my wheels and now I'm going slightly faster! I checked out wheels from 2n1 skate shoppe and they just arrived today so it was the perfect opportunity to try it out. Also, now that I know about bearing spacers and washers, I'll need to pick those up ASAP.

    I'd like to second another commenter that requested a video.

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  24. awesome post! love it. fresh meat here so informative!

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  25. Getting a bearing press is one of the best investments I've made. Luckily I don't have to change my bearings out too frequently, but it's so great to have when I need it. Great article! Thanks Shocker!

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  26. I am the WORST about "Do as I Say, not as I do" for bearing maintenance and it showed during my extra clacky bearing last night at practice.

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  27. this is a fabulous article. pinning it and bookmarking it so i can share it with our next batch of new skaters! :)

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  28. Thanks, been looking for something like this for ages!

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    ReplyDelete

Thank you for taking the time to post your comment. If you asked a question, I will do my best to post an answer within a couple days. If you need an answer quicker than that, feel free to e-mail me at ShockerKhan2N1@gmail.com.

Until we skate again!
Shocker