When and How to Replace the Wheels on a Freestyle Scooter

⚡ In brief: replace the wheel if it has a flat spot, peeling polyurethane, a cracked core, or noisy bearings. Replacement takes 10 minutes with a 13 mm wrench or a 6 mm Allen key.

Buy the same diameter and width as your current wheels (most commonly 110 × 24 mm); choose a different size only after checking compatibility with the fork, deck, and brake. Each wheel requires 2 bearings and a spacer between them; bearings are sold in packs of 4, which is enough for two wheels.

Procedure: loosen the axle, remove the old wheel along with the spacer washers, fit the new one, insert the axle from the same side, and tighten it so there is no play, but not too tight. The wheel must then spin freely and must not wobble.

🔁 When is it time to replace the wheel?

Wheels are a consumable part; how long they last depends on the rider and the surface. The rear wheels wear out faster due to braking and impacts, so it’s a good idea to swap them occasionally. Do not go by the time, but by the symptoms.

We write in more detail about the diameters, hardness, and cores of wheels in the article How to Choose Wheels for a Freestyle Scooter.

🛒 What to buy: wheels, bearings, and spacers

Wheels. The safest option is to buy the same diameter and width as the ones you have now. The size is usually stamped on the side of the core, or you can measure it with calipers or a ruler: the diameter across the entire wheel (most commonly 110 mm; 100 mm for the smallest, cheapest ones) and the width of the polyurethane (most commonly 24 mm). The same wheel always fits. Only purchase a different diameter or width after checking all three parts: the fork, deck, and brake. A smaller diameter fits everywhere; a larger or wider one fits only where specified by the fork and deck manufacturer. More details in the article Which wheel will fit in my fork, deck, and under the brake?.

Bearings. Each wheel requires 2 bearings and 1 spacer (a metal tube between the bearings that prevents them from being pressed together when the axle is tightened). The standard bearings are 608 for an 8 mm axle. They are sold in sets of 4, i.e. for two wheels, usually including spacers. New wheels are often sold with bearings already pressed in; check the product description so you don’t buy them twice. The ABEC rating indicates manufacturing precision, not durability; don’t worry about ABEC. Category: wheels and bearings.

Spacer washers for the axle. In addition to the spacer inside the wheel, there are also spacers outside the wheel: rings fitted onto the axle on both sides that fill the gap between the wheel and the fork or deck (for example, when the deck is designed for a 30 mm wheel and you have a 24 mm one). You do not buy new ones; when replacing the wheel, remove them from the old axle and put them back in the same place. That’s why you should remember their order when taking them apart.

🎬 Video: how to install the rear wheel with spacers into the board

We’ve prepared a video showing the entire process of installing the rear wheel with spacers into the board. It’s simple and straightforward; the text below the video breaks down the same process step by step.

🛠️ How to replace the wheel step by step?

The procedure is the same for the rear and front wheels; the only difference is that the rear wheel sits in the ends of the frame (dropouts) under the brake, while the front wheel sits in the fork. Work on a table or on the floor, where you won’t lose the spacer.

A. Rear wheel (in the board)

1. Enable the axis. Using a 13 mm wrench or a 6 mm Allen key (depending on the axle type), hold one side in place and loosen the other. If the screw spins freely, hold both sides at the same time.
2. Pull out the axle and remove the wheel. Pull the shaft out. Pay attention to which side the axle head was on; some boards have a recess on one side that the head fits into. Remove the wheel from under the brake; lift the flex fender slightly if necessary.
3. Remove the spacers from the axle (if there are any) and note how many were on each side. Set them aside in the order they were in.
4. Prepare a new round. If the bearings are press-fitted, skip this step. If not: insert the first bearing straight into the core and press it in with the palm of your hand; insert the spacer; insert the second bearing from the other side. To fully seat it, push the axle through and lightly tighten it by hand against the fork or plate; the bearings will seat. Never strike bearings with a hammer; this will damage both the bearing and the core.
5. Insert the wheel into the board. Slide it between the ends of the board under the brake. If there were spacer washers on the axle, put them back between the wheel and the plate on both sides, as they were. The circle should be centered, with equal spacing on both sides.
6. Thread the axle through the same side as before. If it won’t go through, the wheel or spacer is misaligned; don’t force it—align them.
7. Tighten the axle. Tighten firmly by hand with a standard wrench or Allen key, without extending the lever. A properly tightened axle: the wheel does not wobble from side to side and spins freely for several seconds. If it binds after tightening, loosen it and check the internal spacer; it is usually missing or the bearing is misaligned.
8. Check the brake. The Flex fender must not rest on the new wheel when at rest, and must make contact when pressed down. The new wheel is larger than the worn one, so the brake will have less clearance; that’s fine as long as it doesn’t rub.

B. Front wheel (in the fork)

1. Loosen and pull out the axle just as you did at the rear. Remove the wheel from the fork and take off the spacer rings, if present.
2. Insert the new wheel with the bearings and inner spacer between the fork arms, and put the spacers back on both sides.
3. Insert the axle through the same side and tighten it until there is no play. The wheel must not wobble and must spin freely.
4. Drop test. Lift the scooter a few centimeters and let it go. A dull sound is fine; knocking means the axle or brake is not tightened.

The whole thing takes roughly 10 minutes per round. After the first few rides with the new axle wheels, check again; the parts will settle in and the axle may need tightening.

⚠️ Most common mistakes when replacing wheels

• Forgotten spacer between the bearings. The most common mistake. The axle pulls the bearing together, the wheel rubs, and the bearings fail after just a few rides. If the wheel does not spin after tightening, do not tighten it further; check for a spacer.
• Forgotten axle spacers. When tightened, the wheel is pulled against the side of the plate or fork, rubs against it, and the bearings are destroyed. Put them back where they were.
• Overextended shaft. “To make sure it stays in place” overloads the bearings and shortens their lifespan; on an aluminum fork, it can strip the threads. The wheel should rotate freely without play; maximum force is not the goal.
• Axle inserted from the opposite side. For boards with a recess for the axle head, the head does not fit properly and the axle comes loose. Push it through from the side it came from.
• Bearings struck with a hammer or installed crookedly. Both the bearing and the housing in the core will be destroyed. Straight, with the palm, press firmly along the axis.
• Different size without verification. A larger or wider wheel may not fit in the fork, deck, or under the brake. Buy the same size, or check compatibility.
• Replacing only one wheel when both are worn out. The scooter is not level. Due to wear, replace both; in case of damage, replacing one is sufficient.

❓ FAQ