ChunkyThunder 2 Report post Posted July 6, 2014 Is softening wheels at all possible? I saw this and thought and it got me wondering http://www.ehow.com/how_7453457_soften-roller-skate-wheels.html#page=0I play on outdoor smooth concrete so I thought 82a would give me enough grip but I'm slipping and sliding all over the place and I really don't want to buy another set of wheels right now. Does anyone know anything about this? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Vet88 674 Report post Posted July 6, 2014 Give it a go and let us know how it went. Only thing I wouldn't do is leave any good bearings in the wheel. I can see why you would leave a bearing in the wheel (to help the inner part of the wheel maintain its shape during the boiling process) but all that water and heat means you would have to relube them when they come out. And if the bearings have plastic races or rubber shields in them, I'm not sure how these parts would react to 30 minutes of high heat. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
FactionSports 10 Report post Posted July 8, 2014 I HIGHLY recommend NOT doing this. Reason is, (besides the chance of causing permanent damage to your wheels/hubs) wheels are poured to come out to an exact hardness and that is done when the urethane is still in a liquid state. Temperature control, curing times, flow rate, etc all impact what hardness the urethane will come out to. So even if boiling wheels is successful in bringing the durometer down a 1 or 2 points and doesn't warp the wheel, after a day or two the urethane will probably come back up to its original hardness.Chucky - what wheel and what kind of surface are you skating on? NickRink Rat Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ChunkyThunder 2 Report post Posted July 8, 2014 I HIGHLY recommend NOT doing this. Reason is, (besides the chance of causing permanent damage to your wheels/hubs) wheels are poured to come out to an exact hardness and that is done when the urethane is still in a liquid state. Temperature control, curing times, flow rate, etc all impact what hardness the urethane will come out to. So even if boiling wheels is successful in bringing the durometer down a 1 or 2 points and doesn't warp the wheel, after a day or two the urethane will probably come back up to its original hardness.Chucky - what wheel and what kind of surface are you skating on? NickRink RatThe wheels are 82a, coming from 78a (had good grip with these) and 84a before (my first skates stock wheels) I'm skating on smooth concrete. I got these wheels for almost a dollar each, and I think I'm too heavy (200lbs) for the 74a wheels that my current skates came with, which is why I bought the 82a wheels, and using them currently. They were rated for outdoor skating, so I thought they would be okay for smooth concrete, but I was sooo wrong. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
FactionSports 10 Report post Posted July 8, 2014 I would say its not the 82a thats the problem...for $1 per wheel I'd say its the quality of the urethane. At that price, the wheel is most likely made in Asia and the quality of urethane isn't up to par vs wheels made in the US. We have three wheels you should take a look at: the World Cup is 82a, dual-pour wheel with our pro level urethane. They run $9.99 per wheel but the performance is outstanding. If thats too far out of your price range, we have the Envy Pro Street ($6.25) and Pivot Asphalt ($3.99). The difference between the two is the quality of the urethane....Envy PS has better grip and speed and may be better on smooth concrete. Both are 84a, single pour, and made in the US so they'll be much better than anything coming in from Asia. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kovalchuk71 212 Report post Posted July 8, 2014 I would say its not the 82a thats the problem...for $1 per wheel I'd say its the quality of the urethane. At that price, the wheel is most likely made in Asia and the quality of urethane isn't up to par vs wheels made in the US. We have three wheels you should take a look at: the World Cup is 82a, dual-pour wheel with our pro level urethane. They run $9.99 per wheel but the performance is outstanding. If thats too far out of your price range, we have the Envy Pro Street ($6.25) and Pivot Asphalt ($3.99). The difference between the two is the quality of the urethane....Envy PS has better grip and speed and may be better on smooth concrete. Both are 84a, single pour, and made in the US so they'll be much better than anything coming in from Asia.Agreed. It's around the correct durometer (with your weight). You get what you pay for in this case. Perhaps a 78A single pour wheel could work as well (emphasis on COULD). If it is smooth concrete, definately take a look at the World Cups, as Faction Sports suggested.FactionSports, I sent you a PM. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
