How To Put More Durable Wheels On Your Luggage

by Ryan Vagabundo

Aside from possibly zippers or a poorly-made handle, the first thing to go on luggage is almost always the wheels. Even the upper-end brands like Samsonite tend to ship with crummy stock wheels that aren't designed for more than short trips through airports / hotel hallways maybe two or three times a year. 

It's a major hole in the market; even if you're willing to invest in a suitcase that will otherwise last for a lifetime, it probably comes equipped with crappy wheels that will be coming off after a year or so of regular use. 

Fortunately, it's relatively easy (and inexpensive) to add some custom durable wheels to a lot of suitcase models. It just requires a little drilling, and once it's done you can freely change wheels out whenever you want with nothing more than the type of basic hex key used for bicycles. 

Power Drill Required

The first thing to do is take a look at your suitcase wheels. If they're of the "spinner" variety that has a separate assembly that sticks out from the case (as pictured below), they're probably a good candidate for this process. If you can see the end of the bolt on one side of the wheel (opposite the larger flat head of the bolt), you're in great shape. 

Basically, as long as you can push that bolt out with a drill by attacking it from the end opposite the head, you're all set. This is most common in Samsonite-style spinner wheel designs, but it might also work in the sorts that you pull on two wheels (like duffel bag designs), IF the case isn't covering up the wheel bolts in a way that you can't get to them. 

You can potentially just drill while the wheel is still attached to the suitcase, but it's probably easier overall to remove the assembly first (if the suitcase is designed for that). This will vary greatly by model, but Samsonites (and their copycats) usually ship with the ability to remove the entire assembly but not the actual wheel (so they can sell you an entire assembly instead of letting you go get wheels from a sporting goods store. The assembly will usually be secured with basic screws inside the case, underneath the lining (if there isn't a lining zipper you may have to make small holes or cuts in it to get at them). 

Of course, you also need a power drill. You don't need anything special or heavy duty for this, a basic 4 or 5 amp corded electric drill (around 30 bucks new, as you can see at Amazon) will do the job just fine. These things are a decent investment to keep around in your storage/vehicle/home base for a variety of purposes, but if you're committed to having as minimal stuff as possible you might be able to access one for free or cheap at a tool lending library or makerspace. 

Whatever the case, you'll also want a 1/4" twist drill bit. Wheel sizes can vary, but 1/4 should do it for most models. If you want to be on the safe side you can get a decent basic bit set for around $10. You can probably get away with returning a power drill, but plan on keeping your bit as it's gonna show wear after this is done. 

With all that secured, all you have to do is just push the wheel bolt out with the drill. However, definitely do a little prep first. This is going to create a bunch of little metal shavings, so put some sort of drop cloth down (or even like a big trash bag) to catch them. They probably won't fly around unless something weird happens, but nevertheless you'll probably want to cover your eyes  for the sake of safety as well. Shrapnel in the eyeball is gonna ruin your day. 

Once you're all set with that, you just apply a little pushing force on the end of the bolt while running the drill (make sure it's set to run in the correct direction, usually a little switch near the handle). Don't be afraid to use a fair amount of force if it's slow going, but it also may take a minute or two to work out. And don't worry about the little metal ring around the bolt at the end you're pushing from, you want that thing out of there, just push right through it. 

New Bolts, Nuts and Wheels

Congratulations, the bolt is out and the wheel is free! But now the old bolt is unusable. So now what?

Well, you want some good new wheels, something better quality than the junk they usually put on suitcases. And you'll need a new bolt and lock nut to secure them with. 

Stock suitcase wheels are usually a cheap rubber that develops cracks very quickly under any kind of stress. What you want is a dense polyurethane, the kind used for rollerblade or inline skate wheels. 

I've been using this specific kind  (the black&clear variant) for most of a year now and I can vouch for them personally, they're way tougher than any stock suitcase wheels I've ever had and have held up well to numerous long walks along cracked and pebble-strewn sidewalks. They also come in a convenient little envelope package that has two lengths of bolts (suitcase designs aren't uniform) with a lock screw and washer to hold them in and make future removal as simple as using a standard hex key (also included). The longer bolt was the perfect size for me right out of the package (for Samsonite wheels), but if neither one worked you could always just grab the right size out of the bins at Home Depot or Lowes for next to nothing.

If for some reason ordering stuff online is out of the question, the first thing I'd try is a sporting goods store that carries rollerblade or inline skate wheels (probably an older kids size to fit most suitcases). Or look at thrift stores to see if they have any unwanted used rollerblades or skates you could disassemble. Then grab the bolts, lock element and hex key or screwdriver from any hardware store. 

Once the new wheels and bolt are in place, in the future you can easily swap new wheels on without messing with the assembly. 

As to further customizations? Well ... that's up to you.

Periodic Maintenance

Though rollerblade-style wheels will last MUCH longer than stock wheels, you'll still need to do a little occasional cleaning and greasing to handle gunk that builds up in the center of the wheel around the bolt.

You'll know its time when the suitcase starts squeaking and complaining when moved, and becomes harder to turn and move sideways on four wheels. Take the wheels off, wipe off any visible dark crud, and lightly apply a silicone grease spray just to the inside circle of the wheel where the bolt goes (getting into any crevices), don't grease the screws or lock nuts. Let it sit for a few hours before re-assembling the wheels. That's a smooth ride Mr. Bandit!