How to Replace Heelys Wheels

A pair of Heelys

Heelys are a revolution in shoe technology that allows for skating at any time, any place. Put on a pair of these shoes, insert the wheels, and find yourself skating on a sidewalk or in the parking lot, wherever it is safe to do so. Replacing Heelys wheels is a must for the avid skater who wants to maintain the shoes alongside the wheels, and keep safety in the mind.

Things You'll Need

• New Heelys wheels
• Cleaning rag
• Old toothbrush
• WD-40 lubricant (optional)

Instructions

1. Purchase new wheels. They are specially manufactured to fit into your Heelys wheel brackets and substitutions will not work.

2. Remove old wheels. Pick up one of your shoes, turn it over, and point the heel away from you. Get a good hold of the upside down shoe with one hand; place the thumb of the other hand on the corner of the wheel. Push with your thumb, away from you and up, loosening the wheel and causing it to pop out away from you; repeat this with the other shoe.

3. Clean the wheel brackets. Moisten a rag with water and dish soap; clean out the wheel bracket and pay special attention to removing loose debris such as pebbles or grass. If necessary, use an old toothbrush to gently loosen stubborn bits and pieces of debris that might have gotten lodged in this cavity.

4. Insert new wheels. Take the shoe, hold it upside down with the heel facing away from you, and loosely drop a wheel into the wheel bracket. Line up the axle with the corresponding axle arms inside the wheel bracket. Use both thumbs and press down on the aligned wheel until you hear a click. Double-check that you inserted the wheel properly by giving it a bit of a spin with your finger; it should spin freely and neither squeak nor stick.

5. Troubleshoot squeaky wheels. Fix a squeaky wheel using lubrication, such as WD-40. If after a thorough cleaning of the wheel bracket and also lubrication of the wheel the squeaking sound continues, double check that the fit of the wheel is adequate. If all else fails, switch wheels with the other shoe and see if the problem is localized to the wheel or the wheel bracket. If the problem is the wheel bracket, then the odds are good that you need to replace the shoes.

Tips & Warnings

• Periodically remove the wheels to clean the brackets and lubricate the wheels.

• Heelys with worn out wheel brackets are dangerous. Do not use them for skating, or you may get injured.

Resources

• Learn how to use your Heelys with aplomb with a video from the Heelys.com site.