Electric Scooter Maintenance, Tips And Guide
You start your electric scooter and find that its brakes aren’t working properly, or the tire may be punctured. Well, these scenarios aren’t unfamiliar. And it brings us to an important discussion, “electric scooter maintenance”.
Yes, electric scooters require very little maintenance and upkeep. But, it doesn’t mean that you can go for months and years without minimum maintenance to your electric scooter.
Also, electric scooters are no cheap investment. Consequently, repair and replacement of tires, brakes, or display panels may be pricier and cause mishaps.
That’s why we have compiled this guideline on how to maintain electric scooter to improve riding smoothness and performance. Here, you will learn about the importance of maintaining your e-scooter regularly, tools required for the maintenance, and, more importantly, daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly maintenance tips for different parts of the electric scooter.
Thus, it will be one heck of reading if you love your electric scooter and want to keep it in the best possible condition for the best performance.
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Importance of Electric Scooter Maintenance
Checkups and minor adjustments should be performed on your electric scooter every 2 to 4 weeks. In addition, you should perform a thorough checkup and substantial maintenance on the e-scooter at least twice a year.
But why is it important to do regular electric scooter maintenance? The following points will help you open up your eyes.
To begin with, an electric scooter is a costly investment. A typical electric scooter will cost you around $300 or more. As a result, you will not want any major repairs or parts replacement after only a few months of use. This is where the importance of e-scooter maintenance comes into play.
You reduce the likelihood of a major and costly repair by maintaining your electric scooter at least once every two weeks. If you ride frequently, it will be a huge relief. Regular maintenance will also improve your riding safety.
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If you keep your electric scooter in good condition, you will experience the following benefits:
- Regular maintenance will improve the riding comfort and smoothness.
- When you check up the brakes, controls, and tires weekly, it will provide you with a safer riding experience
- Your electric scooter will remain dependable on the roads and ensure you better rides
- Regular e-scooter maintenance will offer you better safety and security as it prevents fatal hazards
- You will enjoy a cost-effective e-scooter as regular maintenance won’t allow major problems to develop for costly repair and replacement of different parts.
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Nonetheless, you should be aware of the potential risks if you do not properly maintain your e-scooter.
- A poorly maintained e-scooter will cost serious repair and replacement in the long run.
- As you don’t maintain your e-scooter, its tires, brakes, and controls may wear out and malfunction. It will be fatal for both the rider and the traffics on the road.
- Irregular maintenance will largely affect the performance and efficiency of the electric scooter. The battery capacity may reduce, or the controls become damaged. So, it will cost you dearly both safety and money.
Long story short, regular maintenance and upkeep of your electric scooter will help you keep your loved and favorite commuter friend in good condition. Also, a clean-looking e-scooter will be useful for your impression both at home and indoors.
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Understand the Parts of Electric Scooter
Electric scooters are engineering excellence. Also, it comes with multiple parts. So, when you plan to maintain your electric scooter, you must know the function and types of the parts this commuting device has.
So, as part of our electric scooter maintenance guide, let’s focus on the maintenance of the different parts first. Usually, an electric scooter consists of three different parts and functions. It includes:
- Mechanical parts
- Electrical parts
- Traffic parts
The mechanical components of the electric scooter work together to make the vehicle run smoothly. The list includes:
- Handlebars
- Brakes and forks
- Wheels and chain
- Seat
- Shock absorber
- Kickstand and fenders
These parts are made of metal and form the structure of the electric scooter. Also, there’re electric parts that include the following ones:
- Electric motor
- Throttle
- Controllers
- Switches and fuses
- Battery and charger
The two most important electric components of an e-scooter are the motor and battery. Besides that, the throttle lets you quickly turn on and off the scooter. And as you ride on the roads, you will need headlights and turn signals, which are part of an e-scooter’s road safety equipment. These include:
- Front and rear light
- Turn lights or indicators
Tools Require For Electric Scooter Maintenance
The success of any project is determined by the preparation. The same applies true for keeping your e-scooter in good shape. The preparation for e-scooter maintenance begins with gathering all of the necessary tools. Of course, the tools will differ depending on the model.
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However, the general maintenance and minor repair work for e-scooter are impossible without the following tools:
- Allen key
- Regular wrench
- Adjustable wrench
- Bicycle tire levers
- Digital multi-meter
- Magnetic steel tray
- Freewheel removal tool
- Chain tool
Apart from these tools, you will also need the two following elements:
- Washing equipment and detergent for cleaning your electric scooter
- Lubricant to lubricate the wheels, chain, and brakes of the scooter
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Tips on Electric Scooter Maintenance
Now you’re probably curious about the answer to the question, “How to Maintain an Electric Scooter?”
So, we won’t make you wait anymore. But, before we jump into the maintenance tips for electric scooters, let’s take a look at the maintenance schedule.
Maintenance Period | Major Maintenances Required | |
2-4 weeks checkup | You need to thoroughly check the headlight, brakes, tires, and steering columns. Particularly, the brakes and tires may become loose and malfunction. So, check these parts carefully and maintain them if need be. Also, clean all the parts once a month to keep it neat and clean. | |
2-4 months |
| |
Yearly maintenance | The brake pads might need replacement at this time. Check the scooter’s seat and mainframe to ensure they are in good condition. In addition, you should visit a professional scooter mechanic once a year. |
However, before you begin, you must always follow these safety precautions.
- Always switch off your scooter
- Always perform the maintenance in outdoor
- E-scooters aren’t fully waterproof. So, never use a high-pressure hose to clean or wash your electric scooter.
- Before you wash your e-scooter, don’t forget to remove the battery (if removable).
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Maintenance tips for brakes
Certainly, you should inspect the electric scooter’s brakes before each trip. However, we are fully aware that nobody will check the brakes every day. Therefore, you should examine them at least twice a month.
Additionally, a good braking system is crucial. As a result, stopping ability is critical for the rider’s and the safety. Electric scooter brakes often come in a few different types, including the ones listed below:
- Caliper brakes
- Drum brakes
- Disc brakes
- Electric brakes
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Although these four types of brakes are common on electric scooters, the V-brake and band brakes are also found in some models. Luckily, the maintenance techniques for brakes are the same for all brake types.
Thoroughly check the entire braking system and complete the tasks listed below:
- Turn the wheels and tires of the scooter. They should move freely. If the tires and wheels are obstructed, you need to fix the problem.
- You also need to check the brake shoes, calipers, and brake pads of the e-scooter. Usually, you need to replace the brake shoes once a year as these wear out due to constant friction.
When you find the brakes have become loose, you need to fine-tune them. It needs patience since fine-tuning e-scooter brakes is time-consuming and needs exceptional attention. Use an Allen key to adjust the brakes.
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Maintenance tips for electric scooter tires
The tires make direct contact with the road. As a result they get wears and tears pretty quickly. Furthermore, various elements on the road will damage the tire, needing regular maintenance.
There are two aspects to consider when purchasing electric scooter tires. They are as follows:
- Firstly, look at the tires pressure
- Secondly, check the lifespan of the tires
If the tire has more or less than the standard pressure, you will find it hard to ride your electric scooter.
A low or high-pressure e-scooter tire will cause uneven wear and tear, slow riding speed, and lower mileage as it drains the battery faster.
So, what’s the accurate tire pressure for electric scooters?
Well, the standard e-scooter tire pressure depends on the rider’s weight.
- For heavier riders, the tire pressure should be at 40PSI to 45PSI. Usually, people who weigh over 170 pounds are considered heavier riders for e-scooter.
- If riders weigh less than 170 pounds, they are lightweight riders. Thus, for lighter riders, your e-scooter tire will need around 32PSI to 36PSI pressure.
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You can measure the PSI with a barometer. Also, check the lifespan of the tires. Ideally, you should replace the tires for every 1500 to 2000 miles for the best performance. Finally, check for any leaks in the tires to ensure smooth and safe rides.
When the tires wear out and reach their lifespan, you need to replace them. Also, when the tires are punctured, you need to replace or fix them.
You can follow these steps to replace the tires. It includes:
- For the front tire, you need to remove the brakes. And for the rear tire and wheel, you may need to remove the cables that connect with the motor. If you find it difficult to take off the brakes or motor wires, you may follow the user manual.
- Once you have detached the wheel’s tire, you need to take off the inner tube and inspect for any possible leaks and punctures. If you find any, you need to fix it.
Maintenance tips for electric scooter battery
As part of our electric scooter maintenance guide, we’ll now look at the battery. Batteries require the least amount of maintenance than the other components. Once a year, you should inspect the battery’s condition.
Furthermore, the battery has a fixed lifespan. When its lifespan expires, you must replace it. Thank goodness, an electric scooter’s battery will easily last a few years.
However, you should check the battery health using a digital multi-meter. Connect the battery with the digital multi-meter and check the readings.
- If the battery reading shoes above 25V, there’s nothing to do anymore. It suggests that the battery and the charger are working fine.
- If the digital multi-meter shows readings less than 25V, you might need to replace the battery. We recommend you look for a mechanic to replace the battery safely.
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How to Wash Your Electric Scooter
Another important aspects of electric scooter maintenance is keeping it neat and clean. Also, regular cleaning of the electric scooter will help you detect any problem and fix it ASAP before it develops into a major one.
Therefore, you should clean your electric scooter at least once every month. The steps include:
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Step 1: Clean the mechanical parts
You can clean the mechanical parts with warm water and detergent. These parts include brakes, wheels, handlebars, etc.
To begin, mix warm water and liquid detergent in a bowl. Instead of detergent, you can use soap. Dip a rag in warm water and liquid detergent. Wash the outside of your electric scooter safely with it.
Once you have washed off the mechanical parts and the exterior of the e-scooter, rinse off with a clean and dry cloth. Now, let it air dry.
Step 2: Clean the wheels
Cleaning the wheels is easy. Simply pour water on the wheels to soften the residue and debris. Finally, wash the wheels off with the sponge. You would need to repeat the cleaning process multiple times to remove the last pinch of residue from the wheels.
Step 3: Wash the e-scooter chain
To do that, first you need to put the e-scooter on a high platform to ensure its wheel and chain moves freely. After that, wash off the entire chain with a brush and commercial cleaner. You can alternatively use warm water and detergent mixture.
As you wash the chain, keep spinning it by moving the wheels. Once the entire chain has been degreased, it must be lubricated. Lubrication is essential for a smooth-riding experience free of hiccups.
Tips on How to Lubricate Your Electric Scooter:
People often ask, “Where do I lubricate my electric scooter?”
Well, here’s the answer:
Lubricating the brakes, wheels, bearings, and chain will help them perform better and safer. You may use WD-40 commercial lubricant for this purpose.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to maintain my electric scooter?
Yes, you must maintain your electric scooter. The brakes, tires, wheels, electric controls, and motors require appropriate maintenance.
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How often should you service your electric scooter?
You should regularly check for the minor issues every 2 to 4 weeks. Additionally, take your e-scooter to a mechanic once a year for a thorough service to ensure peak performance.
What is the average maintenance cost of an electric scooter?
Luckily, the average cost of e-scooter maintenance is pretty low. You will need to spend on the tires and brakes, but these need replacement very rarely, usually once every one to two years. So, it won’t hurt your pocket anyway.
Final Words
Electric scooter maintenance is not rocket science. All you have to do is follow our guidelines and steps, which include everything from maintaining the brakes and wheels to cleaning and lubricating the entire wheelbase.
The simplest solution is to thoroughly inspect every component of and ensure that everything works fine. If you notice any problems with your e-scooter, you should service it right away. It will make your riding experience more comfortable and safe.
