Corrosion...

[Joushou]

Hi...

I've been looking at my Segway recently, and noticed it's corroding itself to death... In the summer! Nothing so bad that i couldn't wipe it off with some lubricant, but still... I've seen some of your guys Segway in the snow... By my calculations, your gearboxes should be non-existent by now!

Am i being incredibly unlucky, or do you just take the Segway apart for lubrication every week?

This is makes me kind of afraid of gliding in the winter months, as they salt the roads like nuts... And if it corrodes like that when it's dry, i don't want to know what happens when i get in contact with very salty water!

[Bob.Kerns]

Originally Posted by Joushou

Hi...

I've been looking at my Segway recently, and noticed it's corroding itself to death... In the summer! Nothing so bad that i couldn't wipe it off with some lubricant, but still... I've seen some of your guys Segway in the snow... By my calculations, your gearboxes should be non-existent by now!

Am i being incredibly unlucky, or do you just take the Segway apart for lubrication every week?

This is makes me kind of afraid of gliding in the winter months, as they salt the roads like nuts... And if it corrodes like that when it's dry, i don't want to know what happens when i get in contact with very salty water!

While corrosion is something to take seriously, I think you're over-reacting.

First, aluminum is very prone to corrosion -- but it is generally self-limiting.

The other thing to realize is that the corrosion you see on aluminum takes up quite a bit more space than the original aluminum. So it looks like more damage has been done to the underlying metal than it would seem at first glance.

The major exception would be when it is in contact with other metals. There, what you want to do is to be sure there is a electrical barrier between the metals. For example, using Locktite or equivalent on stainless.

This form of corrosion CAN be quite destructive -- I once had to cut off several centimeters from the bottom of my sailboat mast, and build a new elevated mast step to compensate. It was quite the operation, and would have been massively expensive had I not done it myself.

My Segway is regularly exposed to salt spray, year-round. I don't even wipe it down because it'll be exposed again within hours. (I'm not saying it wouldn't be a good idea, but it would be too hard for me to do it often enough to see any benefit). After a year of this, it's not much different than when I tore it down after 6 months. (Which reminds me -- time to do it again).

The reason I tear it down is to ensure fasteners don't corrode and freeze up.

I don't do any that would involve opening the platform -- damaging seals is a bigger concern. But batteries, trim, etc.

[SegwayDan]

I wouldn't be too concerned with it. We've been gliding around the Florida Gulf Coast for almost four years, right next to the salt water, and at times up and down the beach on the hard-packed wet sand.

Nothing major as far as corrosion goes. The steel bolt heads get a little rusty, but that's about it.

[Joushou]

Yes, i know the corrosion i have seen isn't serious, but there haven't been one bolt not corroding, and some of the holes in the LSF is getting white as well... I may be overreacting, but i just think the reaction is too strong, too soon...

Some questions then: Where do you generally see corrosion? Only the nuts and bolts, or do you tend to see it on more important (Well, you *might* consider a wheel-nut as important... ) parts, like the gearboxes? That's my biggest concern... Currently, all black bolts have rusted (Cargo-frames, fascia-plates, stuff like that), wheel-nuts have corroded, i seem to have seen a slight reaction from the rims themselves... When i saw it, i over-sprayed it in lubricant, so it should be protected for now, but is there something you think i should give some extra attention? Currently my gearbox and rims are dripping from lubricant, and i don't think there's any other parts that would need "special attention"... But do you have any advice?

... I wrote this post while Dan wrote his, and he was quicker... So i suppose i shouldn't be worried... But since i'm a bit of a perfectionist, and absolutely hate the smallest amount of corrosion, i'll just keep it lubricated (And, my dad is even worse, and he would metaphorically kick my *** if he saw it corroding...)

Oh yeah, Yay, 400(+1) post!

[Bob.Kerns]

Originally Posted by Joushou

Yes, i know the corrosion i have seen isn't serious, but there haven't been one bolt not corroding, and some of the holes in the LSF is getting white as well... I may be overreacting, but i just think the reaction is too strong, too soon...

Some questions then: Where do you generally see corrosion? Only the nuts and bolts, or do you tend to see it on more important (Well, you *might* consider a wheel-nut as important... ) parts, like the gearboxes? That's my biggest concern... Currently, all black bolts have rusted (Cargo-frames, fascia-plates, stuff like that), wheel-nuts have corroded, i seem to have seen a slight reaction from the rims themselves... When i saw it, i over-sprayed it in lubricant, so it should be protected for now, but is there something you think i should give some extra attention? Currently my gearbox and rims are dripping from lubricant, and i don't think there's any other parts that would need "special attention"... But do you have any advice?

... I wrote this post while Dan wrote his, and he was quicker... So i suppose i shouldn't be worried... But since i'm a bit of a perfectionist, and absolutely hate the smallest amount of corrosion, i'll just keep it lubricated (And, my dad is even worse, and he would metaphorically kick my *** if he saw it corroding...)

Oh yeah, Yay, 400(+1) post!

I think lubricant on bolt heads is a reasonable precaution, as it doesn't take a lot of corrosion to increase the risk of stripping a bolt or screw.

I don't recommend lubing up to the point where things are dripping. You'll just attract dirt. A thin, invisible layer is all that's needed.

[SegwayDan]

Originally Posted by Joushou

Yes, i know the corrosion i have seen isn't serious, but there haven't been one bolt not corroding, and some of the holes in the LSF is getting white as well... I may be overreacting, but i just think the reaction is too strong, too soon...

Some questions then: Where do you generally see corrosion? Only the nuts and bolts, or do you tend to see it on more important (Well, you *might* consider a wheel-nut as important... ) parts, like the gearboxes? That's my biggest concern... Currently, all black bolts have rusted (Cargo-frames, fascia-plates, stuff like that), wheel-nuts have corroded, i seem to have seen a slight reaction from the rims themselves... When i saw it, i over-sprayed it in lubricant, so it should be protected for now, but is there something you think i should give some extra attention? Currently my gearbox and rims are dripping from lubricant, and i don't think there's any other parts that would need "special attention"... But do you have any advice?

... I wrote this post while Dan wrote his, and he was quicker... So i suppose i shouldn't be worried... But since i'm a bit of a perfectionist, and absolutely hate the smallest amount of corrosion, i'll just keep it lubricated (And, my dad is even worse, and he would metaphorically kick my *** if he saw it corroding...)

Oh yeah, Yay, 400(+1) post!

Try brushing off the corrosion in a small area with a wire brush (try to use a brass one as opposed to steel) to see the amount of pitting. If it's mainly superficial, don't worry about the corrosion.

[Joushou]

Bob: Ehm... I'm going to attract a whole lot of dirt then
It's dripping like crazy (I may have been lubricating it a little too much... But hey, now my problem is no longer corrosion )

Currently, i've replaced the bolts in the cargo-frames with stainless ones (And, damn, they're expensive! it's almost $1 for a bolt, when you buy 200! (Danish pricing sucks...)), as i thought rusted black bolts didn't look too good... So that's not a problem anymore... But with the pricing on stainless bolts/nuts, i can't afford to replace them all! (Even though they look so pretty...)

Dan: Ah... Well, i sure hope that it's not corroding itself to pieces already, but i'll remember that when it gets a bit older...

Completely unrelated: Post# 404! I actually laughed out loud when i read that...

[mattk]

My machine is 8 years old, I am from New England which means it has seen harsh winters and muggy summers. If mine has not failed, yours should not either.

[Joushou]

I didn't know ",,." was in New England

My biggest concern is the salt they throw on the roads to avoid ice... When the winter season begins, they start dumping tons of salt on the streets, whether there's snow/ice or not...
I suppose i'll just have to try to convince my farther that it wont fall apart...

[KSagal]

I just went into the cellar and found out that my segway has completely dissolved! All I have now is a pile of aluminum oxide and two tires...


No, wait, the seg is over there! What was that? Oh well, time to get the shop vac.


The seg is pretty robust. Not impervious to the environment, but pretty tough. Most of what you are going to deal with will deal more with your wishes for the seg's appearance than than any structural or mechanical damage.

Good luck...