Parking Stand Mod

[quade]

The Segway Parking Stand has one horrible issue; it breaks. What happens is that typically the spring will bend near the attachment point making it unble to support the Segway from that point on.

Once your Segway Parking Stand has broken in the typical fashion though, you can actually make a better one.

Here's what ya do. Go to a hobby store and pick up a piece of brass tube stock. 19/32x.014 Costs about $3.50.

http://forums.segwaychat.com/gallery/albums/userpics/15887/Mats.jpg

Using a tube cutter, cut the tube to the appropriate length. While you're at it, cut two and keep one for a spare. The brass tubing -may- eventually break again, but that is FAR preferable to your bolts that attach the parking stand to the base breaking.

Remove the heat shrink tubing from the stand and replace it with the brass tube.

The outward pressure of the still attached and bent spring will hold the brass tube in place and allow for some slop.

Here's the finished product.

http://forums.segwaychat.com/gallery/albums/userpics/15887/normal_FinishedMod.jpg

[Segwaiian]

Quade,

Looks good!

How long have you had this mod deployed, and have you had any problems?

Aloha,
Roger

[quade]

Been riding it for a couple of weeks now with no issues. Whereas the original stand would flex quite a bit and could sometimes be tricky in getting the unit to balance on slightly uneven ground, this mod is slightly better. That said, it can only do so much when you consider the contact patch of the stand.

The ONLY thing I don't like about it is purely aesthetic; brass doesn't mix with chrome and "silver". That said, it's my own dang fault for being too lazy paint it black. Then again, paint would eventually chip since I'm also too lazy to deploy it by hand the kick it with my shoe. I suppose I could have used aluminum, but at the same dimensions and wall thickness available in the local hobby shop, I felt that didn't have the strength required.

[NotQuiteCode3]

Would black PVC pipe work instead of brass? It has a bit of flexibility (necessary for those of us who sometimes forget to put the kickstand up before taking off) and would break before tearing the bolts out of the base.

Where the stand comes in contact with the ground, you could get better traction by attaching a rubber replacement tip for a wallking cane - they have those at OSH. That might help with the stability problem on uneven surfaces, too.

What do you think?

Lynn

[cmonkey]

try some heat shrink tubing.

[quade]

try some heat shrink tubing.

I'll pop over to Radio Shack tomorrow to pick some up. Good idea.

I kinda wonder about the overall thickness of it on top of the brass tube, but we'll see. Sure it's only a few hundredths of an inch, but . . .

[bentbiker]

It has a bit of flexibility (necessary for those of us who sometimes forget to put the kickstand up before taking off) and would break before tearing the bolts out of the base.I have had a habit of occasionally turning the unit on while on the stand and then, unthinkingly putting my foot on the back edge of the mat to tilt the unit backward so that I could pull it out of its "parking spot" in the garage. You are right this can cause the unit to quickly back up and try to get the platform level -- and that puts quite a strain on the stand. From what I understand, it doesn't break off the screws, it breaks the mechanism just below the screws. Either way, not good. For those of us with that bad habit, a solution is to make the stand long enough that you can't easily put the unit into balance mode with the stand in the down position (you can't get the green "level" LED).

[g041579]

It seems to me that you could possibly replace the spring
and threaded stud with a machine threaded bolt or stud at the proper length.Then put shrink wrap around the kickstand
for a nice finish.This would create a solid steel stand.

[quade]

It seems to me that you could possibly replace the spring
and threaded stud with a machine threaded bolt or stud at the proper length.Then put shrink wrap around the kickstand
for a nice finish.This would create a solid steel stand.

There is a small danger of damaging the base unit if you make the stand TOO sturdy, which is why it has the spring in the first place. I kinda like the idea of an inexpensive and replaceable point of failure.

My original idea was "almost" what you've suggested but used wood instead of steel, however, the spring seems to REALLY be on there and I think I'd need a pretty good cutting tool to get it off. I've tried.

[bentbiker]

It seems to me that you could possibly replace the spring and threaded stud with a machine threaded bolt or stud at the proper length.Then put shrink wrap around the kickstand for a nice finish.This would create a solid steel stand.

Have you seen http://forums.segwaychat.com/showpost.php?p=168067&postcount=5 . Very similar approach to what you suggest.

[bentbiker]

. . . however, the spring seems to REALLY be on there and I think I'd need a pretty good cutting tool to get it off. I've tried.
If you remove the spring and stud together, you can unwind the spring from the stud. It is not easy.

[PeteInLongBeach]

I still haven't managed to get the spring off the stud yet... I think I need a vice (or advice)
;-)

[falves]

Pete,

The problem is that trying to unscrew the stud from the spring by backing out from the stud side, causes the spring tension to tighten around the stud and makes it almost impossible to remove. You can use brute force with pliers and mangle the spring into submission, or you can use a long hex wrench and go in from the open spring end. The stud has a hex hole on that end, and by screwing the stud all the way through the spring and out the long way, the tension of the spring is relieved and the stud comes out fairly easily! :)

Hope this helps,
Fernando

[bentbiker]

I still haven't managed to get the spring off the stud yet... I think I need a vice (or advice)
;-)
Although I agree totally with Fernando on the tightening of the coils in one direction and loosening in the long direction, I've still been unable to remove the stud without unwinding the spring (turning it into a long straight wire) from the stud.

Yes, a vice helps a lot, but I think (haven't done it) that you should be able to use a ViceGrip in place of a vice and then unwind with pliers. Worst case, come to the parade on July 4 and I'll bring a small portable vice. Having a truly functional stand is great -- finally.

[headtow]

The Segway Parking Stand has one horrible issue; it breaks. What happens is that typically the spring will bend near the attachment point making it unble to support the Segway from that point on.

Once your Segway Parking Stand has broken in the typical fashion though, you can actually make a better one.

Here's what ya do. Go to a hobby store and pick up a piece of brass tube stock. 19/32x.014 Costs about $3.50.

http://forums.segwaychat.com/gallery/albums/userpics/15887/Mats.jpg

Using a tube cutter, cut the tube to the appropriate length. While you're at it, cut two and keep one for a spare. The brass tubing -may- eventually break again, but that is FAR preferable to your bolts that attach the parking stand to the base breaking.

Remove the heat shrink tubing from the stand and replace it with the brass tube.

The outward pressure of the still attached and bent spring will hold the brass tube in place and allow for some slop.

Here's the finished product.

http://forums.segwaychat.com/gallery/albums/userpics/15887/normal_FinishedMod.jpg

That looks great, I have changed mine also and used allthread to replacthe spring. It works great, I also made two one with a chrom tip, and one rubber. Both better than stock. Wish I could have used it more, but on vacation the batteries failed. Now I need to know all about batteries, and do not speak the language.