Got a question for the wheel experts...

[sgia]

My son is an avid scooter rider, (he placed #5 here in Germany, under 14 group) - and we have an issue - his front wheel bearings get "tight" and the wheel ceases to spin freely if the axle is tightened enough so there's no play in the wheel. When there is a bit of play in the wheel it spins freely, but we can't seem to find that "sweet spot". When it drags, it's as if we can feel the wheel turning in "steps" like it's jumping from one bearing to the next. Loosened just a bit and it's ok, bit the play in the wheel is then unacceptable.

Any pros out there have any tips?

Thanks

 

[Bror Svensson]

what forks is he using they might be bent or just try to swap the bearings. Bearings are dirt cheap so its worth a shot

 

[sgia]

what forks is he using they might be bent or just try to swap the bearings. Bearings are dirt cheap so its worth a shot

Thanks. I'll post some pics tomorrow. He's got a pretty custom setup so I think pictures are probably best.

 

[Bror Svensson]

Thanks. I'll post some pics tomorrow. He's got a pretty custom setup so I think pictures are probably best.

Then its probably not the fork, try putting the back wheel in the fornt and see if that works, if it works then its the bearings in the front wheel that needs to be swapped.

 

[sgia]

Then its probably not the fork, try putting the back wheel in the fornt and see if that works, if it works then its the bearings in the front wheel that needs to be swapped.

Thanks for the tip. I'll give it a go and get back.

 

[Beyond16]

Possible causes:
1) The spacer was machined slightly short.
2) The spacer was originally the correct length, but due to low quality it crushed a bit when you tightened the axle.
3) The distance in the wheel between where the two bearings sit was machined slightly off. That puts the bearings too far apart.

Any one of these problems puts a heavy side load on the bearings as the axle is tightened. The spacer needs to be wide enough so that there is no side load on the bearings at all.

As a test, put a shim on one side of the spacer to act as a spacer lengthener. Unless the spacer is crushing when you tighten the axle, that should solve the problem.