How To: Replace skateboard wheels

Broken or missing skateboard wheels aren't the end of the world. In just a few minutes, you can replace them.

You Will Need
* A combination wrench
* Replacement wheels

Step 1: Remove the old wheels
To remove a damaged wheel, use a combination wrench. Place the skateboard on its side, loosen the nut on the old wheel and remove both the wheel and the nut.

Always use a combination wrench that is the correct size to keep from damaging the nut. The wrench should fit snugly over the nut and not slip off as you apply pressure.

Step 2: Locate the correct wheels
Take the old wheels that you removed to the local sporting goods store or skate shop to find the correct size of replacement wheels. Ask an employee to remove the bearings from your old wheels and install them into your new wheels.

Step 3: Replace the wheels
With the skateboard still on its side, put the new wheel on the spoke, place the nut on the spoke and use the combination wrench to tighten it.

Step 4: Check the wheel
With your fingers, check the "play" of the new wheel. If you have tightened the nut correctly, the new wheel should move back and forth slightly on the spoke. If the wheel is too wobbly, apply more pressure to the nut. If the wheel barely moves, loosen the nut.

Step 5: Repeat the process
Repeat these steps for each wheel that needs to be replaced.

Step 6: Rotate your wheels regularly
To extend the life of your skateboard wheels, rotate them every few months. Remove the nuts and wheels with your combination wrench, flip them over and place them back on the spokes. Tighten the nuts, making sure the wheels each have enough play without being too wobbly. Rotate the position of all four wheels every few months as well.

Fact: A prototype of skateboarding has been around since the early 1900s, when kids took steel roller-skate wheels and nailed them to planks of wood.