You can use the Rotation constraint to constrain an object’s individual axis. For example, you can make an object rotate only on its Y-axis, no matter which way the source object spins.

To constrain a single axis:

1. Create a Rotation constraint. See Transferring rotation between objects for steps on how to do this.
2. Double-click the Rotation constraint in the Scene browser to select it.
3. Open the Properties window. The Rotation constraint settings display.
4. Expand Constraint Axes and disable the axis (X, Y, or Z) for the translation effect you want to inhibit.
5. To reactivate the unconstrained axes, activate the X, Y, or Z axis option(s).