The Xiaomi Mi Electric Scooter series has proven to be reliable vehicles, but even these have a need for maintenance over time. One of the most common problems owners face after active use is the displacement or skewed steering column. It is not just an aesthetic defect that spoils the appearance of the device, but also a serious safety problem that affects handling.
If the steering wheel on your Xiaomi 1S is crooked, wobbly or has a backlash, you can not ignore this condition. Prolonged driving from a skewed steering rack leads to uneven wear of the tires, increased battery consumption due to rolling resistance and, most dangerously, can cause a fall at high speed. In this article, we will discuss all the stages of diagnosis and adjustment.
The alignment process doesn't require complex professional equipment, but requires carefulness and proper sequence of actions. You'll need a basic set of tools and an understanding of the design of the takeaway mounting unit. We'll look at both simple lifting techniques and more complex handling of replacement supplies.
Diagnosis of the problem and identification of backlashes
Before you start active with the keys, you need to accurately determine the source of instability of the steering. Often owners begin to twist all the bolts in a row, which can lead to a failure of the thread or improper assembly. First inspection allows you to localize the problem: whether it is in the takeaway (stem), in the attachment to the deck or in the steering fork.
Take the scooter behind the wheel and try to sway it from side to side without taking the wheels off the ground. If you feel a characteristic knock or see the whole knot walking relative to the deck, the problem lies in the lower mount. If the steering wheel is dangling, but the base is rigid, attention should be paid to the upper latchers and the folding mechanism clamps.
Notice the state of rubber dampers and plastic bushings, which eventually dry out or deform, giving the illusion of a backlash where it shouldn't be, and visual inspection is often overlooked, relying only on tactile sensations, but cracks in metal or rubbing paint will indicate the places of greatest stress.
⚠️ Warning: If you hear metal ringing inside the steering column pipe when rocking, there may be a problem with the bearings or the inner sleeve, which requires deeper disassembly beyond simple adjustment.
It's also worth checking if the steering wheel is rolling relative to the takeaway. On the Xiaomi 1S, the steering rail is inserted into the takeaway and fixed with bolts. If the mount is weakened, the right angle between the steering wheel and the direction of travel can get lost, creating a sense of curved steering, even though the column itself is flat.
Tools and workplace preparation required
To perform the steering leveling work on Xiaomi Mi Scooter 1S, a specific set of tools will be required. A standard car set may not be enough due to the features of the fastener used by the manufacturer. Preparing the right toolkit will take less time than finding the right head in the process.
The main tool will be a set of hexagonal keys. You'll need dimensions of 4 mm, 5 mm and maybe 6 mm for the main mount bolts. Also, a dynamometer key will be extremely useful, although many people do without it, relying on experience. To work with nuts, you will need a carob or cap key of the appropriate diameter.
- 🔧 Set of hexagonal keys (import standard, not Chinese "soft")
- 🔩 End head by 10 mm or 12 mm (depending on the modification of the bolts)
- 🧴 Plastic lubrication (lithium or silicone) for thread processing
- 🧹 Mulk and cleaner to remove old dirt and lubricant
It's important to prepare a clean and well-lit workplace. You'll have to tilt the scooter, put it on your side or even flip it over, so make sure there's no small debris on the floor that can get into the machinery. Having a wheel lock or a second person's help will make the process much easier.
☑️ Preparation for repairs
Don't forget to turn off the scooter before you start. Although we don't climb into the high-voltage part, the accidental short circuit of the steering wheel contacts (where the power button and the throttle pass) can cause the controller to fail. It's better to be safe and turn off the power button device.
Adjustment of the lower take-away anchorage to the deck
The most common cause of skewedness is the weakening of the four bolts that attach the takeaway (vertical tube) to the bottom platform (deck), which is the node that experiences maximum vibration loads, and if the steering wheel is crooked, the first thing you need to do is to loosen those mounts, align the pipe and tighten them again.
Use a hexagonal key (usually 5 mm or 6 mm) to consistently loosen all four bolts. Don't twist them out completely, just make 2-3 turns to make a backlash. After that, put the scooter on a flat surface, stand behind and visually or use a ruler to place the steering wheel strictly perpendicular to the deck.
The tightening process also has its nuances. To avoid skewing in the future, twist the bolts cross-to-cross. First, pull the left front, then the right rear, then the right front and left rear, and ensure that the takeaway flange fits evenly to the surface of the deck.
| Parameter | Meaning/Description | Recommendation |
|---|---|---|
| Type of bolt | The inner hexagon | Use quality bits |
| Puff moment | 15-20 Nm (approximately) | To pull to the point, but without fanaticism |
| Order. | Cross-cross | For an even distribution of effort |
| Carving fixer | Medium strength (blue) | It is advisable to apply to the thread |
If the steering wheel is still slightly slanted after tightening, it may be a problem in the dirt between the flange and the deck. Clean the surfaces of sand and old lubricant. In some cases, using a thread fixer (anaerobic sealant) helps, which will prevent the bolts from unscrewing spontaneously from vibrating.
💡
Apply a drop of a blue thread fixer (Loctite 243 or similar) to the takeaway mount bolts, which will prevent them from unscrewing during operation, but will allow you to remove the steering wheel if necessary.
Setting up the upper clamping and folding mechanism
The top of the steering column, where the latch hook and the round clamping are located, also affects the stability of the steering wheel position. If the folding mechanism is loose, the steering wheel can lead away when driving, even if the bottom mount is perfectly aligned, and the adjustment of this unit requires carefulness, because there are small parts there.
At the back of the round clamps is a nut-mounted screw, and by weakening the counternut, you can rotate the screw, changing the tension of the clamps around the tube, and your goal is to get that tension so that the folding mechanism closes with force, but does not hang out in the open or closed state.
A common mistake is to over-tighten the knot, and if you pull the clamps, you can deform the pipe or break the thread on the thin adjusting screw, the latch mechanism should be fixed clearly, without the backlash up and down, and if the backlash remained even after the tension adjustment, the rubber compensator may have worn out.
⚠️ Warning: Never lubricate the latch hook and the back with a thick lubricant, which will cause dust and sand to stick, which will turn the mechanism into an abrasive mixture and accelerate wear.
Inside the folding mechanism, there's a rubber sleeve that compensates for the gaps, and it can break or flatten over time, and if you don't adjust the screw to eliminate the wobbling, you should think about replacing this sleeve, which is an inexpensive part, but it requires removing the entire folding mechanism.
How do you remove the folding mechanism?
Removal of the steering wheel (reiki)
Sometimes it's a straight takeaway, and the curve is the horizontal handle itself (the rail). On the Xiaomi 1S model, the steering rail is inserted into a vertical takeaway and fixed with two or four bolts (depending on the revision), the shifting of the rail often occurs after a fall or sloppy transport in the trunk of the car.
To align the steering wheel, find bolts on the end of the takeaway that look towards the rider. Relax them, but don't take them out completely. Turn the steering wheel so that it's perfectly parallel to the ground and perpendicular to the direction of travel. The best way to control is by putting the scooter in front of you and looking down from top to bottom.
Once aligned, tighten the locking bolts evenly. It's also important not to overdo it. The aluminum alloy that the takeaway is made of is soft enough that if you exert too much force, the bolts can just turn the thread or crack the body itself. Use the long-handle key for better control of the effort.
- 📏 Check the symmetry of the departure of the handles of gas and brakes
- 🔩 Make sure the cables are not stretched excessively after turning.
- 🖐️ Scroll the grips so that they do not interfere with the work of the triggers
If additional accessories are installed on the steering wheel, such as a phone holder or bells, their weight can also affect balancing.Make sure they are tightly secured and do not create an extra moment of inertia that will take the steering wheel sideways as you move.
Replacement of consumables and final inspection
If the mechanical adjustment did not give the desired result and backlash is preserved, most likely, the resource of rubber seals is exhausted. In the design of Xiaomi Mi Scooter 1S, several rubber elements are used: a sleeve in the folding mechanism, damper rings on the mounts and wire seals.
Replacing rubber bands is a low-cost but time-consuming procedure, and you'll have to partially disassemble the mounting assembly to remove old, suffocated elements, and the new tyres will restore the original rigidity of the structure and remove the small vibrations that can also be perceived as instability of the steering wheel.
After all the manipulations, do the final test: ride the scooter on a flat surface at low speed, release the steering wheel (with caution) and see if the scooter is moving aside, if the trajectory is straight and the steering wheel is flat, the work is done successfully.
⚠️ Warning: After the first trip, be sure to check the tightening of all bolts again.The metal has the property of "slowing down", and the initial tightening may weaken after the first cycle of loads.
Regular maintenance of the steering column will prolong the life of your scooter, just 5 minutes of checks of the main components once a month to avoid serious breakdowns in the future, remember that safety on the road depends on the technical condition of your vehicle.
💡
Timely replacement of rubber dampers and the use of a thread fixer is a guarantee that the steering wheel on the Xiaomi 1S will always stand even and will not require frequent adjustment.