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How To Stop The Speed Wobbles On An Electric Scooter [6 Vital Steps]

Are you a speed lover who wishes to know how to stop the speed wobbles on an electric scooter? Read on and find more to stay safe while riding.

Key Takeaways

  • Ensure front wheel alignment and proper tire inflation to minimize wobbles.
  • Regularly check and tighten all stem screws to enhance stability.
  • Consider upgrading the stem for more durability on rough terrains.
  • Install a steering damper for added control and to reduce wobble significantly.

If you are an adrenaline junky, then it is not an uncommon occurrence to experience a wobble on your electric scooter.

In fact, there is currently Frequently Asked Question, “Why do scooters wobble so much?”, “How can I stop the speed wobbles on an electric scooter?”, and many more.

For the fastest electric scooters, wobbling is pretty normal.

However, you can conduct a couple of preventive measures to ensure that your ride becomes more stable.

In our today’s article, we are going to provide you with the reasons why an electric scooter has wobbling and perhaps how best you can solve the occurrence.

Why Do Scooters Wobble So Much?

Before we provide you with how you can solve the wobbling problem, it is worth it to know why the instability is there in the first place.

In any case, you will be doing zero work when you address the problem without knowing its root cause since it will keep on recurring. 

Below are the reasons why there are wobbles on your e-scooter: 

vector graphic showing how to stop the speed wobbles on an electric scooter

1. Little contact between the front wheel and the road (electric scooter front wheel wobble)

Under most circumstances, wobbling on an electric scooter starts on the front side and rarely will you be forced to address instability at the rear wheels. 

As you ride your electric scooter, it is sometimes inevitable to hit a bump or a pothole.

Unfortunately, the impact gets felt mostly by the front wheel, and this makes the wheel bend on one side. 

As the wheel tries to find balance, then you will experience wobble on the front side.

Unless you align the affected wheel, then the wobbling problem is bound to keep on happening.

Another problem associated with the front wheel failing to have sufficient contact with the front wheel is that after hitting a pothole, then the bolts around the motor hub can get loose. 

2. Loose screws on the stem

If you have loose screws on the stem of your electric scooter, then your ride will most likely be wobbly. 

Unless you tighten those bolts to the maximum, then the chances are high that you will never enjoy riding your electric scooter at relatively high speeds.

3. Cracked or broken stem

It goes beyond saying that a cracked or broken stem will cause a wobble.

Those who mostly find their stems cracking or even on the verge of breaking are those who do constant offroading or even the big dawgs. 

4. Loose bolts

Loose bolts and especially under the folding mechanism in some electric scooters can cause speed wobble. 

For some electric scooter owners, they may not necessarily guess that there can be screws under the folding mechanism since these bolts tend to be covered under a cap. 

5. Loose handlebars

Since electric scooters come with different manufacturing designs, there are instances where some of them come with split handlebars.

You may find that your e-scooter can wobble to the left or right and blame the stem whereas solving the problem from the handlebars side will help you big time. 

How to Stop the Speed Wobbles On an Electric Scooter

1. Fix the front wheel

If the cause of the wobbling at high speeds is the front wheel, then starting by tightening the motor hub bolts will ultimately solve the larger part of the problem. 

If the wheel also seems tilted towards one side such that it doesn’t evenly reach the surface, then we recommend that you remove it and align it properly.

As you adjust the tire, keep on moving it around and pumping it until you get convinced that it is straight. 

It is also important to ensure that as you adjust the tire, you put sufficient lube where the tire and the rim meets then pump it to the recommended PSI.

That way, the tire bead can seat properly. 

Another way to fix the front wheel and stop the wobbling on the entire scooter is by ensuring that the rim is well-aligned.

When the rim is off-center from the motor, then you will definitely have to battle with a wobble. 

Lastly, your riding habit could be making your front wheel wobble as you ride.

It’s advisable that you perfectly balance on your electric scooter.

You can negate the wobble by putting most of your weight on the front.

As you brake, tend to lean back. 

2. Tighten all the stem screws

While most manufacturers do a commendable job towards shipping an electric scooter when it already has tightened screws on the stem, it reaches a point where tightening them once more and applying Blue Loctite is inevitable. 

Under most circumstances, it’s scooters such as Apollo Pro, Zero 10X, and Turbowheel Lightining that can have their stem wobbling completely solved by tightening the double clamp down.

If yours is a different make, then following our procedure below will absolutely help you big time. 

  • Tighten down the top and bottom clamps such that loosening it requires some reasonable force.
  • Open the top clamp and tighten the small screws behind this clamp. As you tighten those screws, it’s important to apply your Blue Loctite for the best results.
  • Open the bottom clamp and tighten the screws after applying the Blue Loctite thread locker.
  • Keep alternating the tightening with each of the clamps to acquire a rock solid yet wobble-free electric scooter. 

3. Upgrade the stem

If your ride feels wobbly owing to a broken or cracked stem, then it’s important to change the stem. 

Additionally, you can go to a professional welder and have them strengthen it for you.

If that seems like a tall order for you, then ensure that the stem you get is for an electric scooter rated for a higher weight limit than what you currently ride.

It’s important to communicate with the seller in advance for their piece of advice on what best suits you.

4. Install a Steering Damper

Steering damper on YUME X11
Steering damper on YUME X11

If you lack any change to report so far after addressing the solutions above, then installing a steering damper will help you solve the problem for good. 

In fact, some electric scooters such as the YUME X11 come already pre-installed with a steering damper.

This definitely makes the ride super stable regardless of whether you are going at the ECO Mode or the Sport Mode. 

As you look out for a steering damper, also note that you need one that offers convenienc when it comes to offering a stellar turning radius. 

We can confidently recommend the Wolf Steering Damper since it suits most electric scooters.

5. Tighten the bolts beneath the folding mechanism

You may need to use a small ratchet with an extension to reach the bolts under the folding mechanism and tighten them.

Under most circumstances, electric scoters that have these nuts under the folding mechanism tend to come with 10mm bolts.

Knowing the size matters and determines how best you can find help. 

6. Tighten the handlebars

If your electric scooter comes with split handlebars and there is wobble on either side, then it’s worth it noting that the handlebars could have gone loose.

As such, ensure that you tighten the left as well as the right using a reasonable amount of force. 

In Summary

Knowing the causes and how to stop wobble on an electric scooter is vital.

You are not only making your ride much more comfortable but you are also adding markes to your safety.

See, when wobbling is caused by a loose component, then it means your safety is at stake and likewise your electric scooter riding experience.

Fix your wobble and help yourself from getting involved in an electric scooter accident. 

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