Scooter Seat Will Not Latch To Close / Lock Trunk By straightbangin (Read 26,001 times)

[straightbangin]

Compared to the other problems I have had this one is super minor and not a huge concern but something I would like to fix.

My scooter seat has never shut (and latched) easily right from the start and neither did the seat on my last scooter. All over my neighborhood I see people reslamming their seat over and over, giving it a karate chop hit, and all other kinds of methods for getting it to latch that tell me this is a common problem.

My seat has been on and off more times that I can count so I am wondering if it is not lining up right / crooked or what.

I'm not sure if I need a new lock / assembly for it or what.

The little latch thing that looks like this (not a pic from my scooter) It moves back and forth when I push it with my finger but no matter how much gentle or forceful I try to shut my scooter. (Gentle push, hard push) it won't latch.

When I turn the key the latch doesn't move ( not sure if its supposed to) but a little bar seems to slide out ( tiny / hard to see and i have to look close) the little bar seems to lightly touch the bottom of the latch but not do much else.

I don't keep anything in my trunk so I'm not worried about theft but since there is a hole in the bottom of my trunk to turn my manual fuel on/off switch I don't want rain getting in and dripping into the trunk and down into that hole (should the scooter accidently get caught out in the rain when im out) Sometimes it down down pours out of the blue here.

I searched this board and google for this issue and found nothing which is surprising since it seems like a common problem.

When you turn the key to the underseat trunk are you supposed to see the latch move?

Any ideas?

Thanks!

[silverfox96]

Hi straightbangin! (love that screen name) From all the tiny metal shavings around that locking mechanism it appears that it does need some serious lube, and probably adjustment, too. If not a new lock. Clean it up really good and apply some lube. Not WD-40, though. It's not an actual lubrication, but rather a water displacement product.

[straightbangin]

Thanks. It seemed clean but I blew out the area w air and spayed some liquid wrench / lube in there and moved the latch around. Tried to shut if several times. No go. Thanks for your suggestion though.

[jct842]

i just took a look at mine. nothing moves when you turn the key with the seat up. i suspect that the inside of the latch is very rough and hanging up. i took a screw driver an pushed down in the middle where the part on the seat contacts the latch it went down and locked reluctantly. the key then was able to release it and i saw the movement. looking closer at the lower latch parts...they are very roughly stamped out parts. if mine was causing trouble such as having to slam the lid i would try to take a needle type file and smooth the edges that rub together. clean out the filings and lube it with some light grease. john

[straightbangin]

Part 1 - Thanks. Ill try messing with it with a screw driver (Ive only played with the latch with my finger ) and try the file trick too.

Part 2 - (10 Min Later) Ok I think I found the problem. I was messing with it with the screw driver and turning the key before/during/after the seat being put down and it seems like the seat part's metal thing isn't pressing the latch back far enough no matter how far I push so I may have to some how raise the latching mechanism. Maybe I can toss bolts under the thing that holds it on my scooter.

Part 3 - ( 10 Min Later) I raised up the " claw / locking " mechanism about 1/4" and its still not catching. Maybe its off by a certain little angle. Annoying. If I had a soldering iron I could build up the metal on the part attached the seat so it would go down in further. Hmmmm.

I think I'm just going to keep the whole back end covered every time I park it, even when Im out for a quick errand. It will keep the rain out and people from seeing the trunk is not shut all the way and keep them from wanting to go look in it.

[tvnacman]

pull the hook off the seat put washers under it . That will bring the loup further down (longer)

John

[straightbangin]

That sounds like a good idea John but how does the hook attach? I just see the other end of it going up into foam. LoL

[tvnacman]

Take a pic of it let me have a look, oh and smile for the camera.
happy new year! !!!!
John

[straightbangin]

happpy new year to you too!

this topic kinda bled into my other thread (the long saga) lol

www.scooterdoc.proboards.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=150cc&thread=5147&page=39

2nd post down starts up where this thread just left off

[cdoublejj]

had similar problem but, different design on mine i had to tweak things back straight with hammer and had to tighten up a rivet with a 2lb hammer and punch and lot of lubricant and adjusted it till it moved freely but, also wasn't too loose.

[straightbangin]

" tweak things back straight with hammer" hmmm. that sounds like a good/interesting idea. It does seem like the hook that pushes into the clutch kinda wants to go back and down more. Ill try working something like that out if I can't lower the hook from the seat. Thanks!

[silverfox96]

I don't think banging away with a hammer is the answer for you. It's a matter of getting the latch in the proper position so it will latch. You can loosen the bar that the little moving latch is mounted too and adjust it some that way. For up and down movement just try shimming under the latch bolts with thin washers until it is high enough to catch. My 50 cc had the same problem. All it took was time and patience with adjusting things.

[straightbangin]

Thank silverfox. I did that first. Its raised about 1/3" inch, still having the same problem without not latching

[royldoc]

If you can push the latch into the latched position with a screwdriver and it still does not catch the little catch pawl may be wore out. It is hard to tell from the photo but it looks like little metal shavings on the latch. You may be able to take it out and bend the catch a little bit. I had to bend mine because the cable was to tight to let it catch. I bent the end of the lock a little bit to slacken the cable. If you have to do this check it several times to make sure the key will still open the latch before you close the seat.


Roy

[straightbangin]

It works when I push it into the latched position with a screw driver but I can see just how far down I have to push it and when I close the seat and really press it down, I know its still not reaching the point it needs to in order to latch. I think the picture is just one I found on the internet to describe the part. Mine looks bran new. I also cleaned and lubed it too.

Thanks for the suggestion. I need to mess with it a little later this week when it warms up again. Today Ive been trying to stay in. Its 40-50 in Miami Beach!! one of the handful of cold days we get a year here and these buildings dont have heat so im tryin to stay warm today