Anyone else not feeling the Navigator love?

[Dcclerk]

I will preface this that DS LOVES his trike. *He* is definitely feeling the love and I'm thrilled I got him one. I love the footpads and cannot imagine not having the pushbar, but I am lamenting the Navigator call right now. Does anyone else have problems with it being very squirrelly? I can look both the front wheel AND the back wheel and the back wheels still have a ton of play. I seriously think they still are able to turn about 3 inches from side to side. I feel like pushing is actually MORE work with the Navigator, than it is for those that don't have the rear-wheel steering. And I really don't think that this will be a good trike when DS is riding on his own because the "lock" of the back wheels is not so fabulous.

I'm wondering if I got a defective Navigator... does anyone else have this problem? Do you think that I would be able to trade it in for a Jumbo or anything like that? We've only used it 2 days and it came with a scratched seat, if those factors make any difference.

[Kate888]

We have the Navigator and LOVE it so far. The pushing/steering is very easy! I've only used it with the front wheel locked while pushing DD around the block. Could you explain more about it being "squirrelly"? I'm going to test it with the back wheels locked when DH is home. Will report later.


Kate
Mama to Maya 2-17-02

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[kelly ann]

I am so confused on how to even operate our Navigator corretly at this point! We have the front wheels locked and we use the pushbar. To turn the trike, I have to push down on the bar to lift the front wheel up and then turn the trike on the back wheels. Is this right? Or should I be turning it with all three wheels on the ground? But I always feel like the trike is pulling to the right so I am always correcting this. I thought maybe it is DS pulling the handlebars slightly...even though the front wheels are locked. Or maybe DH over-tightend some bolt or something when assembling. Sorry to hijack this thread, but I have been trying to figure out the "wheel movement" issues as well.

[Dcclerk]

Thanks for responding, Kate. What I mean is that the wheels don't stay straight when I am pushing straight. They keep veering to one side or the other, so that I end up compensating by moving the handle all over the place. It is also hard to keep from running the thing into the wall, if I am pretty close to one. I know it probably sounds like I am the most uncoordinated person in the universe that I can't keep the thing going straight, but I don't think I am that bad.

And when I look the back wheels, but then go over some slightly off kilter terrain, like a grassy hill, the wheels still move about 3 inches or so to that side. My DH didn't believe that I had the wheels locked, but then he couldn't move the lever thing any more than I did. Maybe there is some trick to locking the wheels that I don't know about other than the lever that goes forward and back under the seat. Of course that still doesn't fix the squirrelly when unlocked problem...

[Chelsey333]

I have the Jumbo and I feel ours pulls to the right also. Not sure why or how to fix it.

[lfp2n]

We have the Air Happy and the front wheel lock has a lot of play- if DD holds on with only one hand we will steer in that direction, and if she's hands free and not steering at all it will veer in one direction (right I think). I guess I'm really used to making little adjustments using the push bar all the time now, but it is trickier going down a narrow path.

Lucy

[Kate888]

Ok, I just checked the trike with DH. When the back wheels are locked, they're pretty stable and we couldn't see any extra movement that you described on your trike. I tried steering it on the drive way, side walk and on our lawn and the back wheels stay fixed all the time. And yes, the only trick to locking the wheels is the lever that goes forward. You have to push it all the way back. Could you check the instructions again? Or maybe give Kettler a call to see if they can help you figure out the problem.

When the back wheels are unlocked, I do have to adjust a little to keep the trike straight. But not " all over the place" like you described. The steering is very easy and I don't have to lift the front wheel either (like another poster described), unless I need to make a sharp turn (like 80-90 degree).

HTH a little :) Hope you have the problem fixed soon!


Kate
Mama to Maya 2-17-02

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[Kate888]

To turn the Navigator, you have to move the pushbar to the opposite direction that you want to go. For example, if you want to turn right, move the pushbar to the left. By doing so, the back wheels will go right, thus the trike will turn right. There is no need to lift the front wheel up. It takes a few minutes to get used to, but you'll get a hang of it soon.

HTH :)

Kate
Mama to Maya 2-17-02

http://instagiber.net/smiliesdotcom/kao/otn/ptrose.gif