Popping out bearings

[Doctor Hook 0]

This is my first year of playing roller. I acquired a Sonic Pro tool, and I am having trouble removing the bearings from my wheels. YouTube and other searches make it look easy, but for the life of me I cannot pop these suckers out. Any hints/tips/tricks?

[slj0219 1]

I put the wheel on top of a roll of tape with the bearing over the hole in the center of the tape roll. From there, I push down in the center of the bearing with the skate tool. The bearing on the underside of the wheel is forced out and falls to the table underneath the wheel and is contained by the roll of tape. Works every time.

[Thepandamancan 0]

There are two types of spacers, standard and a floating spacer. If you have a standard one, all you should do is pop them out by pushing through the middle of wheel with the tool.

If you have a floating spacer, you gotta use the nub end of the tool to pull the bearing out. Usually, you need two...one to hold on the other side.

[Vet88 674]

If you have a standard spacer (608 sized bearings and axles like those used on Mission / Bauer skates) and the bearings are jammed in tight and will not push out by hand, even with a sonic tool, then you will need a little bit of extra help.

I found a 8mm concrete dyna bolt to be the exact right size, it catches the edge of the spacer but not the inner ring of the bearing. I put the wheel on something hollow, like a socket or some tape, put the dyna bolt into the end of the spacer and give the dyna bolt a gentle tap with a hammer. The bearing at the bottom will then pop out

If you have a floating spacer, eg like those on Tours or speed skates, then you need to wedge the bearing out. A long bolt that is the same size as the axle will do, insert this into the bearing and then lever the bearing out by wiggling it side to side and gently pulling outwards. The longer the bolt or rod, the more leverage you will have.

I can post a pic or two of tools and how it works if anything isn't clear.

[Doctor Hook 0]

OK, finally got around to asking my roller teammates how to use the Pro Tool to push out the bearing and finally got it to work. I was under the impression that you are supposed to pull the bearing out, but not the case. Just put the tool through the hole, get some leverage, and push that baby out. Glad to have this knowledge, now it's time to become a wheel whore!