I saw a XJT MEC Italian guy with them on his bags.

hahahahaha:p:D

As one poster mentioned, Play-It-Again sports would probably be your best option. Another, would be to find a hockey store (not a chain sporting goods store) that also sells roller hockey equipment. They will sell individual wheels at approximately 5-10 bucks a wheel. Harder wheels will last longer and also will be cheaper (78A or 80A).

Wipe the bearings with some paper towel to remove any dirt and apply some lubricant (which you should also be able to buy at the hockey store). Just don't use WD-40.

Also, try this website,

Inline Hockey Wheels - 608 Core

There are some on there within the 5 dollar range.

or you can call travel pro and get oem parts. A complete wheel assembly is really cheap, it takes about 5 minutes depending upon which model you have. i have the either crew 3 or 5 and the wheel assembly just unscrews. Travel pro sent me a new wheel and bearings for just a few dollars, if not free and i paid for shipping, i can not exactly remember. Cheers.

Went to the stopover store in DTW and got 2 wheels and bearings for like $15. One of the axles wouldn't come out though, so I had to go to the hardware store and buy a 1/4" rod and have it cut to size.

The little flashing light wheels come from toy stores in Shanghai and Bejiing....they cost like 50 cents each and the battery dies in about 5 days.....

Travelpro wheels are fairly easy to replace because you can remove the wheel housing with just a screwdriver. I once destroyed a Samsonite bag trying to replace the riveted axle wheels.

I bought a pack of rollerblade-style wheels from a local sporting goods store. Most bags take wheels in the 72-76mm range, however there are some brands which use much smaller inline wheels as well. I got wheels with pre-installed bearings...ABEC 3's I think it was?

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3539/...e42e6db9_o.jpg

You are correct that a pack of wheels is not cheap. But, consider that a pack of eight wheels will provide enough for the rest of your flying career. Or you can do what I did. When I'd fly with a crewmember who was complaining about the bad wheels on their bag, I would offer to replace the wheels with some of the extras I had. A small screwdriver and five minutes later, they'd have a bag that rolled like new. I wouldn't quote a particular price for this service, but most would toss me ten or fifteen bucks. After two sets, I had covered the cost of the original pack of wheels.

Some bags have "wide" bearings that serve to keep the wheel centered. Like someone above mentioned, you can use small washers on either side of the wheel to accomplish this--I use nylon washers. I've found that even inexpensive inline skate wheels are much better than the factory wheels that come with the bags; with most original wheels I've had, either the bearings go bad, or with my more recent travelpro, the plastic core in the center of the wheel actually broke.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3356/...c9b92e63_o.jpg

Sadly, I've seen more than one RJ FO parading around with them.:rolleyes:

The housing came out easy but it appears the axle is rivited. How is that removed?

Or you could go into the PSA CLT crewroom at night and pick any rollerbag left in there. Place it on 4 cinderblocks and jack the wheels off of any poor unsuspecting suckers bag. Seats and stereo are optional.

I helped a guy replace the wheels on his bag, and it had a rivet/pressed fit roll pin for an axle. We drilled it out and used AN-3 bolts and nuts for the replacement. That'd be about a -28 length, I guess.. Just go to the hardware store and eyeball it. If you're not using aircraft parts it's cheap enough to get a few lengths and see what works.