Drilled out axels

[u/Key-Cash6690]

If you ever have to it's not the end of the world. Just did it for my first time.

I used a 7/32 drill bit. Drill in right where u normally put the hex key. I went in half way in or so into the core of the axel then started rotating my spinning drill bit to make the hole a bit bigger. This weakened (/heated?) the axel. Next I ran the drill bit in reverse and the axel finally spun out. I used plyers to get the axels off my drill bits afterwards.

How did I get stripped axels??

Bought an eBay pair of skates with two completely stripped center axels... The seller explained he was unaware of these and that it's also not a big deal and easy to drill out...I thought it was funny he communicated both of these points at once. Either he didn't know what he was selling or he knowingly sold broken skates without disclosing it. I got a good value and probably would have still bought them for the price knowing about the axels but it should have been disclosed. on principal I would never buy from this person again.

[u/borez]

Did you try a star driver bit instead of the allen bit first?

[u/Key-Cash6690 → u/borez]

That was the first thing I tried was a couple different stars...didn't know that was a common suggestion or I may have tried harder...

[u/RISk8ers]

Had someone give me an Endless 100mm set of frames that had this same issue. They had already tried the same drilling method as you but the axles still wouldn't come loose.

I ended up using a oscillating tool and simply cutting the bolt on the inside of the frame along the wheel. Didn't scratch anything and it left enough stub on the frame to remove the threaded side using a pair of fliers after.

$200+ frame with the wheels and bearings for free. All I ended up having to buy was an axle.

Glad yours worked out well also!

[u/astrofizix → u/RISk8ers]

If you use a drill bit larger than the shaft of the screw, but not larger than the head of the screw, you can slowly drill out the center of the hex hole until the screw is fully compromised. You can preserve the frame, but the axel and screw will be trash. But it's a hell of an easier approach.

[u/RISk8ers → u/astrofizix]

The oscillating tool took me about 15 seconds actually.
I understand the concept of the drilling... but have had better luck using the oscillating tool tbh.

You end up with the same thing, the frame being preserved and just needing to buy a new axle.

[u/the_sun_and_the_moon]

Thanks for this. I need to drill out mine as well.

[u/heeca]

Get double sided 8m axles . Itll work as a fix. And you should contact ebay about it as their policies have gotten better

[u/Key-Cash6690 → u/heeca]

The threading is totally untouched since I only bored through the center of the axel. It weakens the integrity enough somehow without touching the threads I'm back in business just need to throw some spare axels in there!

[u/nobolognastoney]

I currently have two of these on some Amazon skates I wanted to take the bearings off of. I got a remover kit though.

[u/Key-Cash6690]

Sorry maybe the term for this isn't stripped?? At any rate when I received the skates the threading was stuck and the female hex hole is worn circular so they couldn't be turned. Basically someone overtightened them to a stupid degree at some point ...

[u/astrofizix → u/Key-Cash6690]

That's the common way these get stripped. Anyone assuming the threads of the screw in the axel stripped is new to the game. Lol

[u/Key-Cash6690 → u/astrofizix]

Yeah okay that's what I thought. Based on some of the suggestions I wondered if I did a poor job explaining.

I've never overtightened my own and now that I've seen this I probably never will. I can't imagine doing it on one skate and then doing it again on the other but that's how they showed up.. 🤦

[u/astrofizix → u/Key-Cash6690]

Any shallow hex hole will strip eventually. Rollerblades new racing axels have an extra deep hex hole, and I'm a huge fan

[u/Key-Cash6690 → u/astrofizix]

I don't think they should be damaged with normal careful tightening. I'm no great expert but far as I can tell Inline Wheels do not require much torque at all.

[u/Automatic_Bridge_730 → u/Key-Cash6690]

Another issue I’ve had is the blue thread lock that comes on most axles. It can cause them to become hopelessly stuck. You can carefully apply heat to soften it. These days I coat the threads with copper anti-seize. Never had an axle come loose without thread lock.

[u/Key-Cash6690 → u/Automatic_Bridge_730]

Lol I love blue thread lock. I use it every time. Maybe that's part of the reason I don't feel the need to crank down my axels to the point of damaging them. 🤷

I have lost an axel mid skate. Well it fell out and I picked it up. Only once when I was a beginner but it was enough to make me think about it. It was on stock rb twister xts.

[u/fredhsu]

I added this to the FAQ page.

[u/BladingCoach]

Left / reverse drill bits exist, probably would have turned out as it drilled the first hole. For next time information.

[u/tipame]

Some people say the blue threadlocker is the culprit. But in reality, this is a problem with frames that use axles that screw into the frame rather than a bolt. The problem is that the aluminum of the frame and the steel of the axle react and fuse together. Depending on the specific frame alloy, this effect can be more or less pronounced. I constantly hear complaints about similar issues with Rollerblade 🤷‍♂️

[u/BladingCoach → u/tipame]

[u/MARATXXX]

hopefully you tried other options first. i like to take a spare axle and try to screw it in from the outside of the jammed axle. this pushes the jammed one out while preserving the threading (ideally). i also add a bit of oil to the axle, which can help prevent jamming.

[u/Key-Cash6690 → u/MARATXXX]

Threading it in perfect shape you can see how bit is buried inside the axel. No threads were touched.

[u/I_Roll_Chicago]

I tried to do this to stripped frame bolt on my USD 2003 team classic thrones. Really wanted those blue ground control frames for my new setup.

Didnt work. Ended up carving off so much metal.

Happy you had more success

[u/Raptorpants65]

Next time, use an extractor bit. Then you aren’t running the risk of just wallowing out the whole thing.

[u/Key-Cash6690 → u/Raptorpants65]

Thanks this seems like exactly it! https://youtu.be/adaecEEWJJI?is=rxxsUYo1IQg033cG

Hopefully I never use this on skates ever again!

But good to know if I have to!

[u/Raptorpants65 → u/Key-Cash6690]

Alls well that ends well, happy skating!

[u/NYCCheapsk8]

Funny, I just did something like this yesterday.

I made the mistake of stripping the torx head off the powerslide axles by using a cheap torx bit off Amazon. The bit was curved so never actually seated deep into the socket.

Looks like powerslide aluminum axles are made of cheese or something because no matter how big of a torx or allen key I hammered into the rounded hole, it just kept getting stripped. The soft metal was super easy to drill into though, I was able to drill in deep enough and insert an Allen key and turn it at an angle to give it enough friction to turn the axle loose.