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Post by toddscoot71 on May 28, 2014 10:37:11 GMT -5
Broken triple tree huh? That's scary as . I'll double check everything but the new triple tree hopefully isn't screwed up.
Getting the bearings and everything seated correctly makes a lot of sense. I installed the triple tree without the tire or anything mounted to the forks. I was careful to hold everything together before putting the top nut on but it's possible something isn't perfect. I'll pull it apart again soon.
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Post by toddscoot71 on May 28, 2014 9:36:36 GMT -5
The steering column needs to be adjusted and tightened. I had the same problem multiple times. Every time I adjust and tighten the column it goes away. It keeps coming back because I never tighten it enough. I don't have a wrench big enough and lowes was no help, so it basically hand tight. Simple easy fix. If you hear the noise and its tight you need to loosen it and adjust it. Every time I adjust and tighten I have to push the tire firmly up and screw it tight and it holds. Ive had the problem before and after replacing the tripple tree and bearings. Only thing in common was the fact it was loose and needed to be adjusted. All good advice. The problem is I've adjusted this until I'm about ready to go nuts. I even have the correct tools. Hook wrench, etc... Too snug, loose, either way it still does the exact same thing. What is funny is that if I sit on the scooter without the brakes on and pull back and forth on the handlebars it's solid as a rock. Same if I put it on the center stand and pull back and forth on the fork legs. No movement at all. It's only if I put the front brake on and push forward very hard (and kind of up) that you feel a little pop from the top of the headset, you can feel the upper bearing cap move too. While riding you would have to use only the front brake and stop very hard to feel it. During normal riding where I apply both brakes it feels great. Maybe I'm just trying to hard to make it move. That upper steering bearing is pretty darn small. Is it possible that with enough pressure it's just moving a little? With the front brake only on and pushing forward that's a lot of leverage on the fork stem and upper bearing. |
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Post by toddscoot71 on May 27, 2014 21:51:48 GMT -5
let it rest a few days it might be the best thing . any luck with a picture ? John LOL. I think you're right. I better let it rest a few days before I do something rash like kick it over. lol I didn't take any pictures. I really don't see anything wrong but maybe after I take a break from it for a while I'll feel like looking at it again and taking a picture without throwing my phone at it. It's SO frustrating. I've never worked on something so irritating in my life. Motorcycles, cars, race karts, etc... Nothing has ever quite infuriated as much as this thing. I'm so close to just parting it out and getting a more expensive scooter but I keep thinking "how hard can it be? just fix the dumb stuff and it'll be great." Yeah right. lol |
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Post by toddscoot71 on May 27, 2014 18:06:47 GMT -5
I just pulled everything apart again. Everything looks perfect. The bearings are all smooth, the races are seated nicely. I don't get it.
I was wrong about the upper bearing possibly being put in wrong. It can only go one way, the wrong way would be very obvious.
It's a mystery. After two new sets of bearings and a new full fork assembly along with inspecting the frame for any damage I'm at a loss. I've spent way too much time chasing stupid stuff on this scooter. I really think I got the one that was assembled on a Friday before a holiday.
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Post by toddscoot71 on May 27, 2014 13:20:38 GMT -5
Ok, compared to an old bicycle headset I think the upper bearing might be facing the wrong direction.
Can anyone point me to a photo or exploded view of the steering assembly so I can make sure which way is correct? I can't seem to find a picture anywhere.
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Post by toddscoot71 on May 27, 2014 11:33:44 GMT -5
maybe the frame housing is damaged . can you post some pictures . John John, I don't think it is but I'll post some pictures when I tear into it again. I just thought of something else and it might be my own stupidity for not checking. I carefully made a note of which way the upper bearing should face when I took it apart the first time. Thinking about it now I think it might have been in there upside down from the factory. I work on bikes a lot and really shouldn't have just assumed they had it right. I guess I won't know for sure until I take it apart. I'll get this thing right eventually. Maybe... |
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Post by toddscoot71 on May 27, 2014 10:24:40 GMT -5
I would open it back up and recheck it something is wrong . John Hrmmm. Yup. I agree. But I've had it torn apart several times now and tried two different sets of new bearings and two different fork assemblies, one being brand new. It has new bearing races pressed in, double checked to make sure they are seated correctly etc... Same exact thing it did when I got the scooter and nothing seems to change it. |
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Post by toddscoot71 on May 27, 2014 9:27:52 GMT -5
Ok guys, on to the next problem with my scooter (TaoTao EVO 150).
When I apply the front brakes hard and kind of push forward and up on the handbars I get a slight pop sound from the steering stem. I can feel that the upper bearing is moving a little when it does this.
Strange thing is, I just changed the entire fork assembly and put fresh, nicely greased, bearings in it.
After getting it all together and carefully adjusting the bearings still no love. It seems like no matter how tight you get them it still does it.
So, I took everything apart and put a second set of bearings in thinking the first ones might be bad straight from the factory but still no luck. It does it with any combo of bearings and sets of forks.
If I ride the scooter normally and apply both brakes I don't notice a problem. It takes a bit of muscle to get it to do it or a fast stop using front brake only.
Looking at the assembly it appears that it might be possible to move the upper bearing like this with enough force even if they're good. They seem a bit small for a scooter. Heck, they're quite a bit smaller than the headset bearings on my mountain bike.
So, am I chasing after a problem that can't be fixed or am I missing something? Do the larger lower bearings have to settle a bit after putting the forks together with new grease?
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Post by toddscoot71 on May 19, 2014 21:20:23 GMT -5
Thanks for the link. Unfortunately the shocks on my TaoTao are 13.5" eye to eye. I have the same adjustments on them but it only changes the preload on the spring. And I was wrong. This issue has already bent the heck out of the shaft right about where it goes into the cap. Pretty scary actually, I imagine it would break after a while. So I'm stuck. I think longer shocks might help a little but probably not enough. If I could find a shock that had a longer section under the eye above the spring cap that would be great but I'm not finding anything. I hope everyone with an EVO checks out their shocks really well, it's kind of hard to notice or see the problem but judging by other pictures I doubt I'm the only one lucky enough to have it going on. |
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Post by toddscoot71 on May 19, 2014 18:42:15 GMT -5
Or drill out the threads on the spring cap so it doesn't screw on the shaft but would now slide on the shaft. Then you could put in a spacer. I would leave as many threads inside the rod end as possible for as much strength as possible. But if you could just unscrew the cap enough to add a second jam nut, one for the rod end and one for the cap, that might work too. You just need to figure out a way to get that cap lower and away from the shock mount. Well, I took the shock apart and put a stack of washers under the cap just to see if it would help. Put it all back together on the scooter. Nope... It made a little bit of a space but not enough to make a difference. I guess I'll have to keep searching for shocks. Scooter parts place has some that would probably be perfect but with all the bad reviews I don't dare order from them. |
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Post by toddscoot71 on May 19, 2014 14:15:08 GMT -5
If the spring cap isn't welded to the rod end, and I would think it isn't, couldn't you take the shock apart and put a spacer of some sort between the cap and the rod end? That would lower the cap preventing it from hitting the shock mount.  I think I dismissed your suggestion too soon. I may have misunderstood what you were saying. The part of the cap that bolts to the frame is one piece but the cap is held on to the shock's damper rod by threads and a locking nut. One thing I'm considering is to take the shock apart and unscrew the cap a few turns then tighten the locking nut. Basically it would make the shock a bit longer thus changing the angle of the cap and hopefully making a bigger gap between the cap and frame. My only concern is having more threads on the damper rod exposed. Anyone know if that would create a stress riser on one of the threads and break the damper rod? I could take up the spring slack by ramping up the preload adjustment. |
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Post by toddscoot71 on May 19, 2014 14:01:09 GMT -5
RapidJim nailed it. Chinese scooters are for the 'do it yourself owner' - can save you a TON of money, but you have to be willing to do the necessary work. The good news is that it's all cheap, and there is no more inexpensive way to have a viable mode of transportation. The only problem is that the companies selling Chinese scooters are not doing a good enough job of educating customers as to what exactly they are getting. We are making a concerted effort to be the most transparent company out there (still a working in progress, but check out our FAQ for example, where we specifically discuss the PDI issue in the first paragraph). That's all true but I see nothing wrong with people talking about the problems they're having. Some of the issues could be downright dangerous so I would personally rather read about someone finding an issue instead of being surprised by it while on the road. |
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Post by toddscoot71 on May 19, 2014 11:06:48 GMT -5
I can't seem to find any oem style shocks that are longer than 13.8" eye to eye.
The ones on my bike are 13.5" eye to eye center. Strange thing is all of the 13.8" shocks I see say they are 14.5" long overall. Mine are also 14.5" overall so how can they have different eye to eye lengths? Maybe they're measuring from the edge of the eyes. Ugh.
Anyone every seen them longer than 13.8" eye to eye?
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Post by toddscoot71 on May 19, 2014 8:34:41 GMT -5
I have a Chinese scoot and my shocks are very close to frame " bracket " but no signs of them hitting . There are different length shocks u can get . An inch longer may also solve the problem. I know u said u didn't want to raise it any though . I bought a new set of rear shocks last yr and they sent me ones that were an inch shorter . Luckily they still work fine . That's a great idea! I never even thought about slightly longer shocks. That should change the angle enough to give more clearance. You're right though, I really don't want to raise the back of the bike but that may be the only practical solution at this point. |
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Post by toddscoot71 on May 18, 2014 22:32:54 GMT -5
The new shocks were roughly $100 for the pair. The shoocks themselves are a little stiff in my opinion but I think they will give you the clearance you need . Hope you get it figured out. I see now, if you search for for scooter shocks they're really expensive. If you just search for motorcycle shocks they're not bad. Same exact shocks, different price, go figure. Which length did you get? I'm thinking about trying the 320mm. Also, the picture you have of your shocks it's a bit dark in the area where mine hits so I can't really see how much clearance you have. It actually looks like it's very close like mine but it's hard to tell. |
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