Wheel quality and mileage
From Motorboards
The width of the wheels that I have purchased from Roth may vary by as much as a millimeter. This affects performance of the wheel.
Some wheels purchased from Roth have a ridge on one side. IMHO, this MUST be sanded down. In my experience the ridge wears unevenly and can cause a crack in the Polyurethane.
I have been able to get 150miles max, or about one months usage, before having to replace the rear wheel. This includes roadside motorboarding with varying road conditions. Although after three years of riding, I can get about 450miles/3 months out of a wheel due to carefully avoiding stones and cracks in road, and seeking out smooth surfaces.
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Typical "end-of-life" for wheels
Typical wheel usage is seen in the pictures at right. When one of these conditions occurs, it is necessary to replace the wheel. It should be noted that it is possible to separate the bearings from the wheel and reuse them in another wheel if needed.
Diagnosing problems
If the wheel "clicks" at a fast rate, several times for each rotation of the wheel (perhaps accompanied with loss of power) then problem is usually with the bearings. This can be easily checked by rotating the wheel by hand and listening for clicking or "screeching" noises.
If the wheel "clicks" at a slower rate, once per each rotation of the wheel, then the problem is usually with the wheel itself. Usually a crack or notch has developed and this can be sanded down with sandpaper.
It is possible that the wheel itself can become bloated and even though no damage is apparent to the sides of the wheel, it will rub at the top motorsled causing loss of power.
See also
- Care and feeding of polyurethane wheels
- Rubber wheel information
- Wheel bearings part number
- Repairing a cracked, damaged or worn wheel
