labeda wheels...what's the deal?

[junkie]

I have now purchased 3 sets of labeda wheels and have had the same problem with at least half the wheels in each set. After installing bearings and skating on them for a while (1 to 2 hours), I notice that the wheels click. When I remove my skates, I can move the wheels back and forth while mounted, and the bearings pop in and out of the hub. Granted, they don't come completely out, but it appears as if they don't stay seated. If one of the wheels doing this is on my toe, I tend to slip on acceleration. Anyone ever experience this?

At first, I thought this problem solely happened to Millenium wheels (orange and purple). But now, my Dynasty wheels are doing it. (both green and red) It this normal?

Can anyone recommend another wheel to me that has good durability and performance? Thanks

[-venom-]

*cough*rinkrat*cough*

although the hubs in the new hornets really pissed me off last night, i ahd to attempt to find spacers that fit them correctly, and i'm still not sure the spacers i've got in there now are the right ones.......

[rinkrat15]

You must have the older hubbed hornets, 3 protruding prongs that are in the hub area. We modified that due to the new spacer put out with the flange on it. Problem corrected. Send me your wheels brother, I will replace them....Mike

National Inline manager for Rink Rat wheels.

[-venom-]

Mike-

? really? See heres where I was confused....

The ORIGINAL Hornets I've got, from like February, didn't have the 3 prongs in 'em. They had a more traditional hub.

THe ones I just picked up last week (@ igloo hockey @ TORHS, just after I watched your game vs. the Mudcats), I thought they were the new Hornets? no? Either way, yes they have 3 prongs in the inner hub.... found spacers that 'fit' but when i tighten my axles down all the way, the wheels tend to tighten up and not spin as well.

Confusing, to say the least... lol.

[MDE3]

I did the same thing and Rink Rat swapped them out for the "newer" version at their promotional desk right there at Torhs. When I went over to talk to them, they explained that that wheel hub in the wheels we bought at Feasterville, was the early version of the new wheels. The newest version also has the "three prongs" but they are smaller and will accept the "top hat spacer". All the other sets in stock at the Igloo proshop, were the same as the one's we both purchased, and would need a different spacer.

[junkie]

Mike: Is it possible to buy the new wheels through you? If so, please send me an email to [email protected] and let me know what to do.

I have heard nothing but great things about rink rat wheels, and have been searching the net for a place to buy them. Stock is scarce...and I'm afraid to order now that I know there are different versions.

[MDE3]

Sounds like the wheel hub shoulders inside the wheels are seriously undersized(not wide enough).

When you tighten any wheel, the inner race of the bearing, the center spacer, and the shoulder buttress on the inside of the chassis(raised area that presses against the outside of the bearing inner race), should form a "solid" piece held tightly in place by the axle bolt when fully engaged. When this is done, you should be able to"snap" the wheel a few thousands back and forth, but not much more than .005"(the difference in length between your spacer and the wheel hub step). In fact this tolerance is there to be sure you can "center the wheel" once they have been tightened, and that there is no lateral pressure exerted on any of the bearing races.

It is even a good practice to "pop" or "snap" the wheels once right after you have just mounted them to be sure the wheels will spin freely, and are not "bound up".

The little step (inner hub shoulder) which you will notice on the inside of the wheel hub, serves to hold the outer race of the bearing pretty much centered over the middle of the axle/spacer assembly.

If you have the tools to measure it, this shoulder should be about .004" - .005" smaller in width than the length of your spacer(measured end to end). It should also be approximately .100" - .120" smaller in the bore than the O.D. of the outer bearing race. This is so the outer race has something to engage when you push the bearing into place, and also serves to hold the wheel centered over the axle.

If the hubs and spacers do not conform to the description above, or maybe your wheel hubs are missing this shoulder completely, then take the wheels back, as they are improperly manufactured.

The only other possibility would be if you got some new bearings which are of slightly different dimensions than stock 688's or 608's. Unlikely, but anything is possible in manufacturing.

[-venom-]

hmm....

see, i DID find the 'top hat' spacer that fit perfectly in the hub. now it seems as if the spacer itself isn't really wide enough, maybe about 1mm of or so, and instead of the axles tightening down completely on that, they disrupt the bearign itself.

not sure, maybe i'm just retarded.

I'd send em back mike, only problem is, I would need them ASAP. I leave for NARCh Thursday morning. :(

maybe after I get back?

[MDE3]

By "top hat" spacer do you mean the one with disk around the center to hold the spacer in position better in order to be easier to slip the axle bolt through??

That's the stock spacer we have on the Nexed Stinger two degree chassis, and it would not fit into the first wheels we bought at the pro shop in Feasterville. Those wheels all had a wider three piece hub flange than the later version we got from RR. The O.D. of the "ring" was wider than the opening in the middle of the flange, so they could not be used with that spacer.

I just tried the newest wheels from Rink Rat and they fit perfectly with no binding with our stock original spacers. Just the right amount of "pop" after installing to make sure they are loose.

I measured the spacer we have at .398" -.399". It has happened to me with another chassis, that the axle hub spacers were wrong, as were another set I bought in a proshop, so you might check that too. If they are shorter than say .390", they could be causing your problem.

[-venom-]

hmm....

There were 2 different sized spacers (top hat-type). And like you said, the one size is too large. The other side slipped into the hub perfectly, but like you said, I'm not sure it's wide enough to take up the entire distance between the bearings when they are fully pressed into the wheel. probably the small amount you have said, and thats binding the bearings.

Anywhere in the area have the new Rink Rats with the newer hubs? THat way, I can return the ones I have and get the newer ones, use my regular spacers, and have confidence that my wheels aren't F'ed up lol.....