How to extract bearings from wheels?

Extracting bearings: the task is not as easy as it seems. You have to manage to take them off without damaging them. The best thing is to push in the axis, but sometimes it’s quite a business...

Par alfathor
Publié le 3 juin 2008 - Mis à jour le 3 novembre 2020 - 124079 Lectures - 0 commentaire(s)

Different methods for different cases

According to the types of spacers in-between the bearings, the method to extract your bearings may differ. Let’s talk about the different cases.

Principle: the best thing to extract skate bearings is to push in the axis. They don’t like lateral torsion: they get loose and their components lose their shapes and precision.

Bearing extractors

These tools enable to take off bearings in the axis. They only work with bearings in which you don’t insert spacers (8mm spacers).

Some brands sell these extractors, but it is quite expensive (around 50 euros).

The DS Innov Key

A new tool has arrived recently: the DS Innov key has been conceived by a skater and it costs around 30€. You can extract the bearing in pushing or pulling in the axis. Here again it only works with 8mm bearings (cf. the 8 in “608”).

See how it works here

The classic skate key including a bearing extractor

Just as shown on the picture, some keys are equipped with a metal excrescence that you can slip into the bearing to pull it out. They only work with bearings in which you do not insert spacers.

Insert the metal part in the bearing
Wedge the key on the side of the bearing
It pushes a bit the spacer in-between the bearings
Progressively pull out the bearing in the axis not to damage it
Once the first bearing out, all that’s eft is just pushing the opposite bearing from the inside of the wheel.

&amp;amp;amp;amp;nbsp;

How to do without key

If you don’t have a key, things are going to be a little more complicated and the risks to damage your bearings are bigger.

Get a skate key and a speed skating axle, and proceed as following:

Slip the axle on the key
Insert the key with the axle on in the central hole of the bearing on 5mm (not to get the spacer in-between the bearings at the same time).
Lever it up laterally to lift progressively the sides of the bearing off of the wheel core.
Little by little, the bearing gets out
Once the first bearing out, just push the opposite bearing from the inside of the wheel.

How to do if a spacer is inserted in the bearing

It’s probably the most complicated situation. When a spacer is inserted in the bearing, you have to create a tool to push it. If you manage to do so, it will push out the opposite bearing and the most difficult part will be done. Ideally, it is better to have a spacer of the same kind as that of the spacers in the wheel to use for pushing.

Here is our method:

Take off the axle of your skates
Use a key with a “pusher” to push the spacer and the bearing
Once the bearing extracted, take the spacer and slip it on the axle
Use this new “tool” to push the spacers out of all the other wheels.

And you’re all set!

Another complicated case: wheels with metal cores

The task is particularly tough with aluminum cores. Sometimes it is necessary to file or lubricate the core to extract and replace the bearing.

A tip when your key is missing

In order to extract your bearing, you can use a 8mm Poêlier screw. It’s the same size as that of most bearings. In order not to damage them, you can also file down the last 2cm of the thread.

And as the other end of the screw is in the shape of a half-moon, you won’t hurt your hands!

Cost: 0.15€/tool.