There’s nothing that ruins a run out on your hoverboard like a jerking, shaking motion. In this guide, we’re looking at why your hoverboard might shake when you’re riding it and what you can do about it.
It could be a technical fault or just something that’s quick and simple to sort out.
Let’s run through the checklist and see if we can get your board to behave itself.
Most common problems with hoverboards vibrating
- Shaking when you’re standing on your hoverboard (Usually intermittently)
- Vibrating sounds coming from the hoverboard
- Boards mysteriously wobbling even after you’ve gotten off them
- Vibrating when you go over bumps or cracks
- An unnerving wobbling when you or your child is moving forwards
Some of these things could be down to how the board is being ridden. We’ll cover that below.
What makes hoverboards shake?
The main reason a hoverboard is shaking is down to the two internal triggers not working properly. These are the large switches inside of the hoverboard that your feet press down on when you step on the two footplates.
While it’s possible they are faulty, it’s more likely the rider hasn’t learned to use them or could be making a mistake.
Here are the main things that can cause your hoverboard to shake and wobble while you’re riding it.
- Not putting enough weight on the footplates – It’s possible that the board has a fault.
- The rider isn’t heavy enough – This issue applies to children – it could be that they’re just not heavy enough to apply the necessary weight to the footpads.
- It’s a technical fault – One of the most common things that can go wrong, or just happen from the start with hoverboards is that they have a defect where they wobble.
- Something stuck around the wheel – Small stones and other debris can cause vibration and noise on hoverboards.
- A loose or missing screw on the hoverboard – Missing screws have been known to mess with the footplate sensors on hoverboards, causing problems like wobbling while you ride.
How heavy should you be to ride a hoverboard without it shaking?
If your child is having problems with a shaking hoverboard, it’s possible they’re not heavy enough to ride it. You can check the recommended minimum weight for a hoverboard before you buy it. As a rule, the average recommended weight is around 40lbs or 18kgs.
If your hoverboard shakes when you get off it
Don’t worry if your board seems to go a bit crazy sometimes and wobbles about when you step off it. This doesn’t normally mean there’s anything wrong with the board itself.
This is normally due to the way you step off the board and usually happens because someone leaves some weight on the board while they’re getting off. Lifting yourself up on a surface while standing on the board will have the same effect.
Always step intentionally and completely off the hoverboard so you don’t confuse the sensors.
Help – My hoverboard started wobbling and making strange noises while I was out!
If your ride was rudely interrupted with the board vibrating or suddenly making weird noises, it could be something as simple as a small pebble getting lodged close to the wheel. There are a couple of things you can try if this happens.
- Stop and change direction – this is normally a quick way to dislodge and get rid of whatever has gotten stuck.
- Give your hoverboard a shake – picking up the board and giving it a bit of a shake, in different directions, is another quick way to shift whatever road junk you’ve picked up.
My hoverboard wobbles like crazy when I put my hands on it and I’m scared to get on it
A lot of new owners like to test out their hoverboard by placing their hands on the footplates and pressing down to see how it works. They get a nasty shock when it begins to shake and wobble and is scared to step on it.
If you’ve found this, don’t worry – it’s normal! The hoverboard is not designed to have the comparatively lightweight your hands will exert onto the sensors and that’s why it wobbles, as it’s trying to start quickly stop the motors.
You’ll need to step onto the board in order for it to work properly. That shaking won’t happen (or shouldn’t) when you put your feet onto the board. Testing out a hoverboard with your hands is actually a bad idea as it will make the board seem broken when it’s not.
How to solve a persistent hoverboard vibration problem
If you’re still reading and none of the above suggestions has helped, there could be something more serious going on inside your hoverboard. There have been cases of mechanical problems within the board that can cause it to vibrate.
Here are some ways you can get your hoverboard fixed if refuses to stop wobbling.
1) If you’re within warranty, see if they’ll replace it
If you’re within warranty, contact wherever you bought it and they’ll be able to help you get a replacement. If you ordered from Amazon, pull up their chat as it’s the fastest way to get your problem sorted out.
2) Contact the actual manufacturer
This one’s a bit tricky, especially if it’s a hoverboard with an unknown brand that’s hard to track down. A lot of them don’t have websites and it’s tricky getting in tough. Still, it’s worth Googleing your board and seeing if you can get a contact. They might be able to tell you what’s wrong, or help get things fixed.
3) Use an online repair service
There are a number of good places you can pay to fix your shaking hoverboard online and this problem is actually one of the more common things that can go wrong. Many repair shops have dedicated hoverboard repair teams that can quickly diagnose and fix the issue.
Check out UK Segboards for prices.
Is it expensive to get a shaking hoverboard fixed?
That’s a big, fat ‘it depends’ but one good thing is that a lot of places will either take a look for free (most likely high-street shops will do this) or, if it’s an online repair service, they’ll normally have a fixed cost you’ll pay to open up the board and take a look.
Some services will often fix simple problems for ‘free’ during this and you won’t pay more than this flat fee. Send them an email before and check what their costs are.