Homemade scooters with your own hands photos. How to make a cheap electric scooter

A scooter, of course, is not, but it allows you to save a lot of energy on moving, especially if you use it constantly.

A homemade scooter is easy to make, its cost is minimal, and the benefits for the health of the body are simply invaluable! After all, it is known that constant, uniform loads strengthen the heart muscle and increase the overall tone of the body. A scooter assembled by yourself greatly helps to increase endurance, if, of course, it is used daily.

Wooden scooter for commuting. The scooter was made of 10 mm plywood and 28 mm furniture board, the latter went to the support platform.

The front fork of the scooter is taken from a standard bicycle (20-inch wheel), the rear wheel has a smaller diameter (12 inches).

The scooter was assembled with your own hands, self-tapping screws and furniture corners were used as fasteners, except for the glue, all parts were glued with PVA glue.

Over the summer of 2012, more than 600 km were covered on a homemade scooter.

It is worth adding to this description that such a homemade scooter is much better than a purchased one. I have not seen a normal scooter with pneumatic tires at an affordable price. Even scooters with 2 suspensions (for each wheel) from Decathlon do not allow driving on grass or a country road, and when driving on paving slabs or chipped asphalt on the roadway, they “knock” and vibrate very strongly, which makes riding very quickly boring.

Bicycle wheels used in a homemade scooter allow you to avoid such shaking, and the large diameter of the wheels helps on off-road conditions. In addition, you yourself can design the ground clearance of your scooter, if you ride on a country road - make it larger!

With proper manufacturing and subsequent treatment with varnish (preferably waterproof - for example, yacht varnish), a homemade scooter will serve you for many years!

More articles for DIYers.

Instead of a preface

Folding mini-scooters rolled into our lives like lightning. Outwardly, they are not much different from each other. The main difference is in the names. For example, the foreigner “Scooter”, the Russian “Zzhik” and “Moonshine” and so on.

The modern scooter is a product of interspecific hybridization of the classic running machine by K. F. Drez - a scooter (the design diagram is taken from it), a skateboard (support platform) and roller skates (polyurethane rollers).

The development of the scooter continues, so it is quite possible that completely unusual examples will appear. Moreover, when riding a scooter, when pushing, muscular energy is realized most effectively; more muscles are used than when riding a bicycle.

If a folding mini-scooter is a thing for sports and entertainment purposes, then the “Dachnik” scooter, which I want to talk about here, is a thing for household purposes.

Development of the idea

Pushing with my hands a handcart on wheels - the main means of small-scale transport mechanization of the era of transition from developed socialism to a market economy, I once realized that there was clearly a lack of a support platform with a wheel. After all, by placing one foot on such a platform and pushing off the road with the other, you could ride on a cart, like on a scooter.

However, an attempt to adapt a platform with rollers from a skateboard to a cargo trolley was not entirely successful due to the poor quality of the sliding bearings of the wheels of the cargo trolley, and besides, the maneuverability of the crew left much to be desired. But my family didn’t allow me to completely ruin my son’s skateboard.

In this regard, it was necessary to develop a cargo-passenger scooter. I don't pretend to be a new idea. At one time, engineer S.S. Lundovsky built a cargo-passenger scooter, but in his design the luggage rack platform, taken from a road bicycle, was raised too high, and the structure itself, assembled on the basis of a children's bicycle, did not have sufficient strength.

The main material for the manufacture of the proposed below homemade scooter(Fig. 1) a used car rack made of steel tubes and inflatable wheels from a children's bicycle measuring 12.5"x2.25" (205x56 mm) were used.

The main elements of a homemade scooter

Front fork

For the front fork - steering column, I selected steel pipes with a diameter of 20 mm, although pipes with a diameter of 22 mm would have been better suited. At the ends of the flattened fork pipes, slots are made for installing and securing the front wheel axle (Fig. 2).

The part (bridge) that combines the feathers into the fork is made of a channel with a flange width of 75 mm and a length of 120 mm, bent from a steel sheet 3 mm thick. Two holes with a diameter of 20 mm are drilled in the channel at a distance of 90 mm from each other to install fork-column pipes in them (Fig. 3). These pipes are welded to the bridge using circumferential seams. Between the holes for the column fork pipes in the bridge flanges, a hole with a diameter of 22 mm is drilled for the rotary axis - a piece of pipe 1/2". To increase the “torsional rigidity” of the front fork, a jumper and a ring with a diameter of 300 mm are welded to the steering pipes, which is bent from steel thin-walled pipe with a diameter of 10 mm.

The bearing assembly of the steering column is made of a plumbing tee with 3/4" threads (see Fig. 3). As already mentioned, the rotary axis is a piece of 1/2" pipe with threads at the ends. Axial clearances in the bearing assembly are eliminated using brass washers, which, by the way, reduce friction in the hinge.

The scooter frame consists of three parts (Fig. 4). Before assembling it, it is advisable to draw a general view of the scooter in full size on a sheet of plywood. If you make a scooter for yourself, then its dimensions are naturally adjusted to fit your own dimensions. The experience of S.S. Lundovsky shows that a ground clearance of 30 mm is quite sufficient for a scooter.

The S-shaped part of the frame is bent from a 3/4" pipe using a pipe bender, which is always available in the workshop at the housing office. At one end of the pipe a 3/4" thread is cut to connect to the tee. To prevent self-unscrewing, the threaded connection of the tee with the frame pipe is secured by installing a cotter pin into the hole drilled in it (the connection) (see Fig. 3).

The rear of the frame is a front fork from a road bike. The fork is inserted into the pipe of the front S-shaped part, and the joint is welded using a circular seam. A 15x15 mm corner bridge welded between the stays strengthens the fork. Subsequently, a support platform (step) and a rear mudguard are attached to it.

The footrest is cut out of plywood 10...12 mm thick and secured with two M6 screws (with a conical head) to the jumper and one screw in the fork (see Fig. 1). Corrugated rubber, for example, from an old rug, is glued or nailed to the footboard with small nails.

When transporting the scooter on public transport, the steering column axle is removed and the frame is disconnected from the front fork. I note that the front fork with a wheel can be used autonomously, like a regular unicycle cargo cart.

Additional scooter equipment

For better stability of the scooter, its trunk should ensure a low center of gravity of the load. The heaviest parts of the cargo are placed on the sides of the trunk “saddle-style”.

The scooter's equipment must include good splash guards and reflective reflectors. The front is white, the sides (on the wheels) are yellow, and the back is red. The more reflectors installed, the better. Plastic handles from ski poles or bicycle handlebars are placed on the ends of the steering tubes. It is useful to equip the scooter with a “Matchish” type sound signal and a brake with a drive on the rear wheel.

By providing the possibility of installing a seat on the trunk for a small passenger, for example, from a stroller, where the seat is equipped with footrests, we turn the scooter into a self-rickshaw. If the seat does not have side rails in the front part, it is necessary, like on a motorcycle, to install a ring or handle, which the passenger will hold with his hands while driving. The basis of the backrest for the passenger will be a ring welded to the steering wheel pipes.

An easily removable fairing-awning made of transparent film or Bologna fabric with a transparent window, mounted on a flexible frame made of thin-walled pipes, will protect the passenger from the effects of adverse climatic factors, providing the traveler with more comfortable conditions. When driving with a passenger, the load is placed behind the steering tubes, lashed to the ring, like a pack (Fig. 5).

Taming of the Shrew

Learning to ride a scooter begins on a flat asphalt area. The main attention is paid to practicing a long and strong, but not sharp kick with the foot, and they also try to master the movement of coasting, by inertia. Please note that the steering wheel must remain completely motionless when coasting, as otherwise the resistance to movement increases and the speed of the scooter decreases.

Past and thoughts

The design of a homemade scooter presented here is more of a working prototype, the shortcomings of which are obvious. First of all, the diameter of the rear wheel is excessively large, which increases the dimensions of the roller skate. Excessive cross-country ability, generally speaking, is useless, since on difficult sections of the road it is better to dismount and overcome them, rolling the carriage with luggage by hand.

Perhaps the best option would be to install a rear wheel with a reduced diameter, for example, from a Sibiryak roller ski. As a front wheel, it is probably advisable to use a wheel with a tubeless tire from the Druzhok bicycle, as it is not afraid of punctures.

It should be noted that in the West, scooters with an internal combustion engine with a displacement of 28 “cubes” are now extremely popular. If you are lucky enough to acquire a small-sized motor from a Mac Cullog chainsaw, then you can easily make a similar projectile by equipping the roller with a motor.

A homemade electric scooter made with your own hands from an electric drill engine and a gearbox from an angle grinder: photo of the assembly, as well as a video of testing the scooter.

Electric scooters are gradually becoming part of our daily lives; on the streets you can find such devices not only for children, but also for adults. And some owners of these devices go to work without traffic jams, because the power reserve of such a vehicle is enough for 15 - 20 km and there is no need to fill it with gasoline.

Industrial versions of scooter devices that are on sale are not cheap, but for our folk craftsmen, building an electric scooter from scrap materials is not a problem, and in this article we will look at such a homemade product.

An ordinary scooter made in China.
Electric drill powered by 12V battery.
The axle and gearbox are from a grinder.
Overrunning Bendix clutch from a car starter.
Roller wheel bearings – 3 pcs.
Lithium polymer battery - 12V and 2.2 A.
Wires.
Aluminum corners.
Bolts, nuts, rivets.

An overrunning clutch is needed here so that when the engine is turned off, the scooter wheel does not stop or brake, but continues to rotate.

Note! Bendix can be left-handed or right-handed, it must be selected depending on the direction of rotation.

I connected the axle from the grinder to the wheel of the scooter, for this I welded the wheel bearing to the axle, and also welded the bearing itself inside so that it would not rotate. The wheel is tightly fixed to the axle so that torque is transmitted to the wheel.

The wheel axle is mounted on two bearings secured with aluminum corners on the scooter frame.

Now you need to connect the engine gearbox axis to the bendix.

I drilled a 3.3 mm hole in the axis of the engine gearbox (perpendicular to the axis) and hammered a piece of drill into it.

In the Bendix itself, I made a longitudinal cut so that the axle with a piece of drill would fit in, it turned out something like a cardan joint.

A lithium-polymer battery was mounted on the frame.

On the steering wheel I installed a speed control button from an electric drill, the regulator is connected simply, two wires go to the electric motor and two more to the battery itself.

“Today we will look at the process of assembling a homemade collapsible scooter with go-kart wheels. Step by step photos are attached. The scooter's homemade frame is welded from a round pipe, the rear wheel has a spring-loaded shock absorber, there is a convenient platform for placing the legs, and the brake cable from the rear wheel is routed to the steering wheel. This scooter is compact and can be disassembled by unscrewing only 4 bolts, which will allow it to be placed in the trunk of a car. The scooter does not have an engine, but if desired, you can install a gasoline or electric motor.

The scooter is unique and original, this is the meaning of the project by the author of SD-KART, the dismountable scooter was assembled by hand over the course of 3 months, because the master devoted only evening free time to work, and you know, there is always not enough free time)

And so, let's look at the design features of the presented homemade collapsible scooter.

Materials

round pipe
card wheels 2 pcs
cable
sheet aluminum
fastener
fiberglass
epoxy resin

Tools

welding inverter
Angle grinder (grinder)
drill
set of wrenches
skillful hands and a bright head)
pipe bender

Step-by-step photos of assembling a homemade dismountable scooter. The frame is homemade, welded from a pipe, the shape is arbitrary. The rear wheel has a shock absorber and a fiberglass fender.
Front and rear wheel from kart.

The parts are cleaned, primed and painted before assembly.
The brakes are installed on the rear wheel, and the cable is routed to the steering wheel, and there is also a comfortable footrest.
Additionally, a bag for keys and a bottle for water, because anything can happen on the road;)

Here is such an interesting and original collapsible scooter assembled by SD-KART. Let's all support the technical creativity of the author and share the project on our social network!

Today there are quite a large number of factory-made electric scooters on the market and you can choose one to suit every taste and budget.

But any product, as you know, is designed for the average buyer.

One is foldable and lightweight, but it travels slowly and does not start from a standstill.

The second one starts and accelerates perfectly, but is too heavy.

What to do if you want a scooter specifically tailored to your needs?

There are two options - either take the factory one and modify it, or assemble the device yourself from scratch.

Both options have the right to life and which way to go is everyone’s personal choice.

I will try to outline how a set of elements for self-assembly is completed.

The main element of the assembled scooter is the “base”.

Scooter databases are conventionally divided into subtypes:

Micro - with wheels up to 8 inches,

Mini wheels 8-10 inches,

Midi - 12-16 inches,

Maxi - from 20 inches and more.

Scooters with wide, non-bicycle tires stand a little apart. Rhino, Evo, Scruiser and their clones are also considered scooters, although in terms of engine power and appearance they are clearly closer to motor scooters and scooters.

So the base is where you should start dancing.

The final driving performance of the electric scooter depends on the choice of base.

What should you pay attention to first?

The size of the wheels, cast or inflatable, the presence of suspension, a place for a convenient location of the battery and the width of the dropouts for installing the motor-wheel.

If your city has mirror asphalt that is washed with shampoo every evening, then 5.5 inches is quite suitable for you.

If there are tiles and cracks in the asphalt - 8 inches is the minimum and pneumatics are very desirable.

If your asphalt has not been repaired for the last 10 years, don’t even look below 12 inches.

Do you want to drive at a speed of 40-plus and not be afraid to fly head over heels on an unexpected hole? From 16 inches and above.

The suspension partially reduces impacts from bumps on small wheels, but the rule “a wheel can move over an obstacle no more than half its diameter” will not go away.

Battery location Options - in the deck, in the steering column, on the steering wheel in a bag or case, on the trunk, in a backpack.

Some scooters have a cavity in the deck that allows it to be used for packing battery assemblies.

Pros: low center of gravity, appearance. Disadvantages – additional protection of the battery from impacts on road surface protrusions may be necessary.

You can place a battery in the steering column if it consists of several pipes and there is free space between them. Pros - the battery does not significantly affect the weight distribution of the scooter; when making the facing, the scooter is not afraid of falls. Disadvantages: labor-intensive work.

Also, some scooters have mounts for a bottle on the steering column, where you can screw a case or battery in a “bottle”. Pros: ease of installation, ease of removal. Disadvantages – it interferes with driving; if you fall, the fasteners can break off.

You can place the battery on the steering wheel in the case. Pros: ease of installation, ease of removal. Cons: worse weight distribution, more noticeable impacts on the front wheel. If you fall, there is a chance that the case will break.

The batteries for small and folding scooters are usually located on the handlebars in the bag. The bag for photographic equipment is sufficient for a small battery and does not attract attention. Pros - ease of installation, Cons - risk of damage to the battery if dropped.

The battery on the rear rack was a popular solution for early electric bicycles. It is of little relevance for scooters, due to the lack of a trunk on most of them. Pros: ease of installation, ease of removal. Cons: change in weight distribution, noticeable impacts on the rear wheel.

It is also possible to ride with a battery in a backpack and a cable with a connector to the scooter itself. Pros: the ability to insulate the battery for use in winter. Lightening the scooter, which significantly increases maneuverability and the ability to actively ride with jumps. Disadvantages – diseases of the spine from constant load (depending on the weight of the battery), change in weight distribution to the motor-wheel side.

Dropout width.

This is the distance between the seats in the front or rear fork of the scooter.

For micro and mini models, the standard motor wheels are 45 or 65 mm. For anything larger - 100 mm.

Bicycle MKs for the front wheel also have a standard of 100mm.

There are MK 110s with brake discs, but less frequently.

135mm is already the bicycle size of the rear wheel, for gears on one side.

The electrical part of the electric scooter is quite simple, 4 points - battery, controller, motor and controls.

Previously, batteries were heavy lead, with a low resource of 300-400 cycles and low charge-discharge currents.

Modern electric scooters run on different types of lithium batteries – lithium-ion, lithium-polymer, lithium-iron phosphate.

Let's look at the difference between them.

Lithium polymer (LiPo) batteries have a favorable cost, high charge and discharge currents, and a service life of 500-800 cycles.

Lithium ion (LiIon) – 500-1000 cycles, light weight, temperature dependent.

In general, there are three subtypes of ions, depending on the type of chemistry. Some have higher capacity, but higher internal resistance, others have high current, but do not shine with capacity.

They require protection from mechanical damage when used on scooters. There have been cases of ions catching fire from impacts when dropped.

Lithium iron phosphate (LiFePo4) – About twice as heavy as ions, more expensive. They give out and receive high currents, the service life is 2000 cycles.

Not fire hazardous, quite resistant to mechanical deformation. Can be discharged at sub-zero temperatures.

Drive of a scooter wheel from an external motor by a belt or chain is still common, but it is clearly losing ground to motor wheels.

A wheel motor is the best choice of motor for a self-assembled electric scooter.

They come in two types - geared and direct drive. Let's look at the differences, pros and cons of each type.

Gear micros.

Lighter than direct drive MK of the same power, better efficiency at low speeds. Excellent roll-up due to the presence of a freewheel, which is very useful when using a foot-powered scooter. There are wear parts - gears, someday they will require replacement. Noise - the gearbox howls during operation. Impossibility of regenerative braking. Slightly better boost potential due to higher rotation speeds.

Direct drive (DD).

Heavier than gearboxes, rolling is worse due to the cog effect. There are no wearing parts other than bearings in such MKs. Low noise, and when using a sinusoidal controller they can be completely silent. They have the ability to use recuperation braking. They justify themselves when using a scooter in areas with large differences in elevation and as a means of saving brake pads. When installing MK on mini and micro scooters, it happens that recuperation is the only adequate brake on board.

Controller.

The controller is the brains of our scooter; the traction uphill, the start method and the dynamics of acceleration will depend on its choice. The choice of controller must be made according to the motor parameters. For example, a wheel motor has the following parameters: 48V 350W, what does this mean?

The rated voltage of the wheel motor is 48 volts. Nobody forbids feeding it less, but at the same time its power will be lower. No one forbids supplying more to it, but it is important not to overheat the microscope with the pumped power.

This is the rated power of this mk. As practice shows, the rated power can be increased by 1.5-2 times for DD and 2-2.5 times for gearboxes. To select a controller, let's convert watts to amperes - 350/48 = 7.3 amperes. Of course, it will run at 7.3 amps, but it’s pretty sad, so we boost it to 12-15 amps for direct drive and 15-18 for gearboxes. For these currents we will need to look for a controller for such a microcontroller.

Controls.

1 – power switch.

The power supply is usually connected directly to the controller and is not interrupted when idle. The power switch turns off the low-current part of the controller that supplies voltage to the control circuit. Since the currents there are small, you can use almost any suitable latching button.

2 - Gazulka.

It is a motorcycle-type throttle grip, or a half throttle or throttle trigger. I strongly recommend choosing the trigger, since it is easy to release in an emergency, and a person instinctively grasps the handle more tightly to hold on. Has at least three wires - plus 5 volts, ground and output signal.

3 – Brake levers.

Electric scooters are equipped with brake handles with built-in limit switches to turn off the motor when the brake is pressed. If the controller has an activated regeneration braking mode, it will also turn on when any brake lever is pressed. They come with built-in buttons, with reed switches and with hall sensors. Connection - ground, output signal. For hall sensors, + 5 volts are additionally connected. Sometimes, in order not to change the standard handles, separate modules with reed switches or hall sensors are installed. They are attached to a cable or to the body of the handles.

So we figured out the general electrical structure.

Let's look at assembly examples.

This project uses the Yedoo Ox base,