I posted a few weeks back about my new KH saddle seeming to be kind of flexy. We’ll I made a discovery and I just wanted to pass it along so as to avoid someone else asking stupid questions like why is my seat flexy? But anyway. I bought my muni early this summer from Unicycle.com. The nuts for the seat were the 10mm size with a cap on them. The other day I was messing with the seat and noticed the cap on one of the nuts had started to pry off. I thought “oh thats funny” so what if? I popped the caps off the 3 remaining nuts, put the ratchet on and voila…nice and tight with seemingly no flex. Not as stiff as the Viscount but close enough. Seems the caps were keeping the nuts from being tighten to were they needed to be. It made my day anyway.
Putting a washer or two under each acorn nut is a better solution to that problem.
Ya well whatever Johnie. Next time I have a uni question, I’ll post it personally to you oh smart one.
I noticed the same thing on my KH seat. I’m even less clever than loafr, as I left bits of cap on the nuts until one of them cut my finger, then I took all the caps off.
Flexy saddle design fault
I disagree. Maybe that helped in your case, but I am certain that the reason for the flexiness in the first production of KH saddles is due to either a cost or weight saving flaw in the design, or something that was overlooked. There is a metal seatpost bracket thing which attaches underneath the seat, cutting sharply into the plastic base. There are plastic ridges from a bit past where the metal and plastic meet, running forwards to where the handle is. The force of the handle pulling upwards flexes the plastic, and the edge where it meets the seatpost bracket acts like a fulcrum, multiplying the forces into one spot. The plastic ridges do not strengthen the part which needs it, so a metal plate or something stronger is needed. My seat broke and it did not have covers on the nuts, and they were securely fastened. If you can feel any flex, make sure the bolts are tight, but do not keep testing how flexy it is because it will weaken the seat until it will eventually snap like mine did. I wonder when the newer models will start being sold, and if people with faulty originals will get a discounted replacement.
… and use lock-tite. The original acorn nuts are lock nuts; adding washers will take care of the clearance problem, but cancel out the locking effect (which I assume is there for a reason). Therefore, I suggest using locktite if adding washers.
Another solution (particularly if one has already broken the top off the acorn nuts) is to simply buy 4 more acorn nuts (6mm) and put them over the exposed ends of the studs.
Comment/Question: It seems to me that one should be careful not to tighten these nuts more than needed, as it would simply damage/weaken the plastic in which the studs are mounted. Anyone know more about this than I do?
.duaner.
HEY!
jc has posted techy-type info that have helped plenty unicyclists look after their machines
u dont have to take his advice but u dont have to be nasty either
The comment wasn’t meant to dis you or be critical. It was just a simple comment that a few washers will let you tighten down the acorn nuts without busting the cap off.
It’s not just the KH seat that needs a washer or two under the cap nuts. Miyata seats can need washers, Semcycle seats can need washers, and probably most any unicycle seat could do with a washer or two under the acorn nuts.
Acorn nuts are a good thing because they cover the threads so you don’t injure your fingers when grabbing the seat. If you break the caps off of the acorn nuts then you create some finger hazards under the seat.
the caps don’t stop anything. if you tighten it down to where it touches the cap, they simply pop open. I hate those caps and tighten all my nuts to cap-popping
I apologize ahead of time loafr, for responding to your post. It seems to be a no-no
Re: Flexy KH saddle. Not it’s fault.
On Wed, 10 Sep 2003 00:19:22 -0500, duaner
<duaner.tiyjd@timelimit.unicyclist.com> wrote:
>… and use lock-tite. The original acorn nuts are lock nuts; adding
>washers will take care of the clearance problem, but cancel out the
>locking effect (which I assume is there for a reason). Therefore, I
>suggest using locktite if adding washers.
Or use locking washers?
Klaas Bil - Newsgroup Addict
If the crank is moving then it really sounds as if it’s loose. - onewheeldave trying to pinpoint the cause of a clicking crank
Re: Re: Flexy KH saddle. Not it’s fault.
I don’t think typical split-ring lock-washers would (consistently) lock well against the slot shaped hole in the mounting bracket. And the lock-washers might deform badly on (re) tightening.