RR Hornets not spinning

[TheProfessor 2]

I got some Rink Rat Hornets a few weeks ago and after many hours of tinkering, have still not gotten them to spin well. At first I thought it must be the bearings or possibly even a recently warped frame but after swapping out both many times, it's the wheels (although I can't pinpoint the actual problem with them.)

I believe it may be a warped hub, but I'm not sure. I can put one bearing in and the wheel spins normally. However, when I put both bearings and spacer in, there is noticable "drag" or friction acting against the wheel assymbly when i spin it in my hand or mounted in the skate frame. I'm thinking an asymmetrical hub might be causing this.

I've skated one game in these, and I aside from having noticable drag on the wheels, I've felt the "wheel friction problem" increase significantly when i roll the skate over to make a tight turn. Has any else experienced this? I had Hot Shots previously and never had any problems.

[Datsyukiandeek 0]

Email Rink Rat, they will replace them most likely.

[inlnfn 0]

I have had the same problem with the Hornets ever since they changed hubs. On some wheels it was the excess material left inside were the hub is joined contacting the bearing spacer. But on most wheels it seem like the bearings were not inline with each other and the bearings were way too loose when seated in the hub. Started using Hot Shot and have no problems. Rink Rats are still the best performing most durable wheel out there.

[phshockey53 0]

i say email rink rat or if you bought them locally, take them back to the store. the LHS where i bought mine replaced all of my defective wheels nearly a year after i had purchased them. my problem wasn't that they wouldn't spin, but i am a big guy (6' 220) and when i stop hard it puts a lot of stress on them, eventually causing them the break off the hub. my LHS told me RR had changed their hubs and were told that if any of their wheels broke, the LHS should replace them at no charge. hope i helped!

[MDE3 0]

Most of the time when this problem happens, it is because the step inside the hub is too wide. This step should be .400" +.000"/-.002". If it is any more than the .400" it is "longer" than the inner spacer which is also .400" long. When this happens the outer race of the bearing has "engaged" the hub step, before the inner race has contacted the bearing spacer. As you tighten the axle bolt, the inner race is pulled in until it engages the hub. This pulls the inner race towards the center of the wheel causing the balls of the bearing to be "sqaushed" slightly between the lans of the inner and outer races...hence the binding. This is not the only possible cause, but the most frequent.....and it has happened to every wheel manufacturer I have ever used..at some point in time.

[TheProfessor 2]

Ah ok, thanks MDE. In your experience, is there any way to shorten the step inside the hub a bit to correct this problem? It seems like it's precision work I don't have the tools for.

[kovalchuk71 212]

Has anyone had problems with the RR's not spinning "cleanly"? My wheels have a pretty bad wobble when they spin. Im not talkinga bout friction, but rather the wheel wobbles from side to side. Like the bearings arent in correctly, even though they are.

[MDE3 0]

Ah ok, thanks MDE. In your experience, is there any way to shorten the step inside the hub a bit to correct this problem? It seems like it's precision work I don't have the tools for.

I have measured up quite a few wheels with this problem using micrometers, and contemplated ways of correcting this...but none of what I considered has much of a chance of really improving the result. Better to get the wheels replaced.

If the wheels are oscillating with the bearings mounted..check that the spacers are "true"(need mic), and not mis-machined, and if not, then remove the bearingas and press in one bearing at a time (using a socket that has a 1" O.D)and tap it until it no longer moves. You can usually see by eye if the bearing is seated "true" or not.

With the bearings fully seated in the wheel and tight against the spcser, and if you have a one inch micrometer, or even a 2' with a 1" spacer. you should be able to measure the exact thickness of the assembly...it should be one inch exactly (measured from outside to outside of the inner races. Then if you also measure the width of the outer races they also should be 1" or even a hair less. If they exceed one inch then you have the shoulder binding problem, and it may be that the shoulders are uneven (measure 1" or less in one direction and then < 1" in another direction) inside the hub too..which can create the wheel wobble you see.