Segway Gearbox Generations Comparison
Useful information about the Segway PT Gearbox
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Segway Gen1 Gearbox Generation 1 (image-left)
The Segway Gen 1 transmission was built with a lot of care and precision. 10 -20t. km are no problem!!! If any wear occurs, it is minimal compared to all other gear generations. Abrasion occurs only slightly on the gears. Every 5t- to 7t kilometers an oil change is sufficient for a nearly silent gliding with the Segway PT. Wear on couplings and elastomers is also significantly less than all other transmissions.
Segway Gen2 Gearbox (Generation 2) a (image- second from left)
The Gearbox Segway Gen 2 a has been slightly modified. The gear shaft and the carrier plate welded on it for the wheels were adapted to the newer generation. Unfortunately, the hardened area of the shaft, which runs in the bearing, was not modeled on the first generation, so there after about 4t- 6t km abrasion occurs on the main shaft. Due to the good workmanship of the entire gearbox, however, little wear on couplings and elastomers is to be expected. The carrier plate with the three wheel bolts was still very thin in this version and could easily bend, e.g. in case of an impact, which results in the wheels not running smoothly (eg. egg). The tolerances of the components were kept low and thus all components play well together. Reinforcement by a bearing fitting ring is recommended, but not mandatory under 4000 km.
Segway Gen2 b Gearbox (Generation 2 b) (picture- third from left)
The Gear Box for the Gen 2b clearly shows that an attempt was made to reduce production costs. The components no longer fit together as exactly, resulting in larger tolerances. A very soft shaft was installed in the needle bearing without hardening, which leads to abrasion occurring there after only a few km and the shaft begins to taper, since the degree of hardness of the needle bearing is many times higher than the degree of hardness of the shaft. In this case, a revision (reinforcement with a hardened bearing fitting ring) is necessary as soon as possible. From 1500km to 2000km this should be done at the latest, as the stress wear of the shaft also affects the surrounding bearings. As soon as the taper of the shaft has started slightly, the abrasion and the shrinkage of the shaft accelerate many times. Scratching noises and clacking is the audible result. The increasing imbalance of the shaft also greatly accelerates the wear of the couplings and elastomers. At a certain degree of unbalance, the elastomers can no longer compensate for the tolerances and break down very early. However, a significant improvement has been made in the carrier plate of these gear units. This is thicker and more durable welded and thus it holds more shocks and does not twist so easily.
Gear Box Segway SE (Second Edition) (picture fourth from left)
In SE gearboxes, it seems to be recognized that production costs have been reduced and various suppliers are supplying components. Presumably, this unfortunately led to the fact that these gearboxes no longer fit together cleanly as a whole. Large tolerances and different materials with different properties ensure that the gearboxes do not harmonize when assembled. Loud operating noises and hard-running wheels are the result. Attempts were made to harden the surface of the shaft that runs in the needle bearing. Unfortunately, this hardening of the material was carried out very incompletely and only superficially, whereby also the gears became louder to the existing problems. On many new Segway SEs, the gears are a significant reason why these slow the rider down from a certain speed (felt as if the speed limiter would start too early). Also, the not clean hardening of the shaft causes problems and out-of-round running in the needle bearing. The wear of the couplings and elastomers is significantly higher, almost twice as high as in all other gearbox generations. SE gear units should be overhauled when new or with only a few kilometers on the clock, as the abrasion of the partially hardened shaft damages the surrounding bearings more aggressively. During reconditioning, noticeable tolerances can be reduced and operating noise can be lowered due to the uniformly hardened bearing fitting ring. The additives used in PT Pro's service also bring about a significant improvement in functionality and protect the gear components in use over the long term. Wear on couplings and elastomers is reduced by almost half and the Segway SE also reacts more precisely in fluctuating temperatures (summer/winter). Another positive feature of the SE transmission is the very stable carrier plate with the sturdy 12.9 wheel bolts. These easily withstand minor impacts without deforming.
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