Your skate is probably making grinding noises or starting to spin uncontrollably.
It could either mean your wheels are too tight or loose.
Either way, it is a sign that it’s time to learn how to loosen roller skate wheels so that you can adjust them anytime.
Don’t worry; it’s not as difficult as it sounds.
Keep on reading to learn these steps.
What You Will Need
In truth, a skate tool is a fancy wrench made specifically for skateboards.
You might find many things around the house that you can use to tighten or loosen your skateboard trucks or your wheels and bearings without tools.
A wrench that fits the bolt on your skateboard wheels can be bought at a nearby hardware store.
You don’t need a skate tool; they’re more valuable than many full-sized tools.
There aren’t many sockets and wrenches that need to be used.
Depending on the size of the screws on your wheel, you need a small and easy-to-carry wrench.
As a replacement for the skate tool, you can use any of the following
Wrench
This tool is made to tighten nuts and bolts.
It’s called an “open-end wrench,” It comes in different sizes to fit different nuts and bolts.
The ends have straight-sided slots that fit over the part being tightened.
Pliers
You can also use pliers, but make sure they are big enough to hold the nut on both sides so you can tighten or loosen it as you like.
Socket Wrench
Using a socket wrench or ratchet makes it much easier to turn bolts and nuts.
Because it ratchets, you don’t have to keep putting the wrench back on each time you turn it.
In the three options above, you can only use one tool if you don’t have a skate tool.
Related Reading: Inline Skates Vs. Roller Blades – Read The Comparison Here.
Steps To Loosen The Wheels
Step 1 – Use Your Tools
Your roller skate adjusting comrade is your Y-Tool, but if you don’t have one, it’s time to use one of the tools mentioned earlier.
Put the matching piece on your roller skate screw.
Step 2 – Screwing On
This doesn’t make sense, but you should trust the process.
With your Y-Tool, tighten your wheels as much as possible, but don’t overdo it.
You’ll need to take them off later, so don’t overdo it.
This gives all four wheels the same starting point, so they loosen up more evenly.
Step 3: Loosen the Wheels
Now that all your wheels are at the same starting point, you can use your Y-tool to loosen them by turning the screw counterclockwise.
The faster the wheel spins, the less tight it is.
Now that you’ve done these steps, you can readjust the wheels to your desired tightness.
Just remember to keep your skates balanced, meaning all four wheels should turn at the same speed and spin for almost the same length of time.
Your goal is to be able to skate smoothly and efficiently.
Don’t be afraid to make changes until all four wheels roll the same way, even if that means constantly loosening and tightening.
Related Reading: What To Wear Roller Skating – Click Here to Learn More.
Test Your Skates
Make sure you’re rolling right by skating in a straight line.
Don’t worry about turning or doing tricks right now.
Just keep going straight forward and watch your speed.
You should feel like you’re floating, and the wheels shouldn’t suddenly stop.
If you think you’re going too fast, tighten the wheels.
Loosen the wheels if you feel like you’re going too slowly or the wheels stop turning too soon.
Keeping the Wheels Tight for Longevity
If the axle moves around too much, it will break.
Some people like their wheels to have a lot of play because they think it makes them easier to turn and spin.
But if your wheels aren’t tight, they’ll shake.
This shaking will wear down your axle over time, and you’ll have to replace it at some point.
Also, if your wheels are too loose, the nut could come off while you’re skating.
That could make you fall, which isn’t the best way to make a good impression at the roller rink.
Tension Nuts
These nuts can wear out over time. You should get new ones if you see that they are spinning freely, slipping off the axle, or won’t tighten as much as you’d like.
Just loosen the old ones until you can take them off the axle, put the new ones on the axle, and tighten them like you usually would.
You can get new tension nuts anywhere that sells roller skate parts, like a skate shop or online.
Balanced and Unbalanced Wheels
Balanced wheels should spin at the same speed.
Your skate should go in a straight line when you roll it.
Wheels that aren’t balanced spin at different speeds.
When you roll your skate, it won’t go in a straight line. Instead, it will curve.
This could mean that only one wheel is out of balance or all four are. In either case, you’ll need to adjust.
Related Reading: Best Roller Skate Brands – Check Them Out Here.
Final Thoughts
You don’t need to be a mechanic; anybody can adjust their roller skate wheels.
Once you’ve gotten used to adjusting your skates, they will start feeling like an extension of your feet.