Indian Skaters

sk8er · ISF crew Joined: 21 Jan 2007 Posts: 22

This information was is taken from 2 different resources.

http://www.skatelog.com/wheels/rotating.htm
Why to Rotate Skate Wheels
Rotating your wheels regularly will make them last longer, because they will wear more evenly. Skate wheels usually wear out faster on one edge than the other, and most people wear down some of their wheels faster than others. For example, I wear out my back wheels, and the wheels on my right skate first, and (like most people) I tend wear out the inside edges of my wheels faster than the outside edges.

When to Rotate Skate Wheels
You will know it's time to rotate your skate wheels, when you see that one side of your wheels - usually the inside edge - is wearing down more quickly than the other. Another signal is when you can see that some of your wheels are noticeably larger than others, but if you can see this difference, you have probably waited too long.

3 Different Wheel Rotation Strategies
Here are three different approaches to rotating your wheels: #1 keeps things simple - you rotate the same wheels, the same way, every time. #2 turns rotating your wheels into an all-day project (that method is only for people who really love futzing around with their wheels). #3 is a very reasonable middle ground, and this is the method I use.

The Conventional Wheel Rotation Strategy

The most frequently recommended method for rotating inline skate wheels is the "1 to 3" and "2 to 4" system. This is what most inline skate manufacturers recommend, because they want to keep things simple for the average recreational skater. The method: simply flip the wheels over (so they will wear on the opposite edge) and rotate them like this:

Rotate From Rotate To
Skates With 4 Wheels
#1 - Front #3 - Middle Back
#2 - Middle Front #4 - Back
#3 - Middle Back #1 - Front
#4 - Back #2 - Middle Front

Skates With 5 Wheels
#1 - Front #4 - Middle Back
#2 - Middle Front #5 - Back
#3 - Middle #1 - Front
#4 - Middle Back #2 - Middle Front
#5 - Back #3 - Middle

A Precise and Complicated Strategy

The conventional skate wheel rotation strategy is not always the best one to use, because different people wear out their wheels in different ways, and sometimes those differences are dramatic. Here is a more precise (and much more time-consuming) method:

1. Examine Your Wheels
While the wheels are still on the skates, examine them to determine which wheels are the smallest (most worn) and which are the largest (least worn). Look at each wheel to determine which edge - inside or outside - is wearing down the fastest.

2. Make a Record
While the wheels are still on the skates, (A) make a record of which wheels are the largest and which are the smallest, and (B) record which side of each wheel is worn down the most. Do this separately for each skate, so you will know exactly how you tend to wear out your wheels. You can use our Skate Wheel Rotation Worksheet to record this information. If, during the rotation process, you want to keep track of which wheel came from which position, you can mark each one with a pen, or apply a piece of masking tape to each wheel, and mark the tape with a pen.

3. Remove Wheels From Skates
For instructions, see Replacing Inline Skate Wheels. OPTIONAL: If you want to keep very precise records, you can measure diameter of each wheel with calipers as you remove it from the skate. This is completely optional, and not at all necessary, but if you want to do it, there is a space on our printer friendly Skate Wheel Rotation Worksheet for recording this information.

4. Line Up Wheels by Size
Stand the wheels up on their sides, and line them up from smallest to largest. Sometimes I use calipers to measure the wheels, because they help me see, very quickly, which of two wheels is larger.

5. Set Aside the 4 Largest Wheels
The 4 largest wheels should be put in the front and back positions on each skate. This will give you the most stability and the longest possible wheel base.

6. Reverse the Wear Pattern on the Other Wheels
Your strategy for replacing the remaining wheels, should be to reverse the wear pattern for each wheel. Look at your Skate Wheel Rotation Worksheet to determine which wheel positions (not counting the front and back) had the largest wheels. Put the smallest wheels in those positions.

7. Reverse the Inside/Outside Wear Pattern
Look at the records you made before removing your wheels, to see which side of each wheel, in each position, was the most worn down. You want to reverse this wear pattern when you replace your wheels. If you are wearing out the inside edge of a wheel in a particular position, you should flip the wheel in that position so the worn-down side is facing out.

8. Put the Wheels Back on Your Skates
For instructions, see Replacing Inline Skate Wheels

The Middle Ground strategy
This wheel rotation strategy is more precise than wheel rotation Strategy #1 and less time-consuming and not as complicated as Strategy #2. This is the method I typically use.

1. Move the wheels from one skate to the other.

2. Put the largest wheels in the front and back positions.

3. If you wear out your wheels faster on the inside edge, flip each wheel so the most worn-out edge faces out.

After You Rotate Your Wheels
Freshly rotated wheels can feel a bit strange when you skate on them and it can be difficult to keep your balance. This problem can be reduced by rotating your wheels frequently, and by rotating the largest wheels to the front and back positions. If you your wheels do feel strange after rotating, they will feel normal again after a few days of hard skating.

anaharsh · Respected Member Joined: 01 Dec 2009 Posts: 15

nice post.
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Roller Skates