Segway Personal Transporters (PTs) are built tough and built to last. Just about every machine we've ever sold in New Zealand since 2003 is still up and running. The legendary build quality of the Segway Personal Transporter endures today as an exceptional example of the design genius of the original inventors. Excellence in engineering provided a sound foundation for refinement and expansion, with the first 'Human Transporter' model going on to spawn multiple styles and sizes of personal, off-road and golf variants of the Segway Personal Transporter. Sure, under heavy use some components of the Segway PT wear out and require servicing or replacement. Mostly, this is because commercial users or private owners have put their Segway PTs workhorses to hard daily yakka to extract all possible value from their purchase. Batteries become exhausted or stop working over time, but they're easy to replace and by then will likely have lasted long enough for you to have travelled the circumference of the world on your Segway PT (if you treat them nicely). Even the original HT i167 and HT e167 models are fully compatible with today's latest Segway Lithium battery packs - just bolt 'em on and go around again! As with all vehicles and machines, at some point it just makes sense to replace rather than repair your old equipment. Buy our latest Segway i2 SE ($12,995) or x2 SE ($13,995) models to get the benefit of great new features such as a redesigned and improved centre console, a quick-release LeanSteer Frame, front and rear running lights, easier diagnostics and the latest iteration of Segway Lithium battery packs. The component parts of the Segway PT are attached to the PowerBase platform using a variety of sizes and types of fasteners. For example, each wheel is held on by three wheel nuts. For most owners, these standard Segway fasteners will last years and years, and will never need to be replaced. In fact, the majority of owners will ever even remove a single fastener on their Segway PT. However, certain operators of Segway PTs remove various fasteners on a semi-regular basis. For example, some Segway Tour operators remove LeanSteer Frames for transport, swap battery packs regularly, replace wheels, remove parts such as fenders for cleaning, and regularly check certain fasteners for tightness. In some environments corrosion of fasteners is more likely to occur than others. If corrosion is encountered, our recommended solution is to replace these fasteners immediately. Segway NZ has all replacement fasteners in stock and for sale. One example of a fastener that can become corroded - especially in wet, salty conditions - are the very special battery fasteners. These have a recessed o-ring under the cap-screw head (see our article Segway Lithium battery pack fasteners ("bolts"): important information for details and photos). You cannot replace these fasteners with any old fastener that doesn't have an o-ring (if you do water will leak past and into the battery and into the Segway PowerBase, and cause extensive and expensive damage). Here in New Zealand we've discovered there are some geographic locations and some operating environments where it makes good sense to replace a selection of the standard Segway fasteners with stainless steel equivalents. We've carefully curated and prepared a selection that we're calling our Stainless Steel Fastener Upgrade Set. We recommend our Stainless Steel Fastener Upgrade Sets to the following users:

• Segway Tour businesses located by the ocean or a lakefront (particularly lakes in active geothermal regions), and especially if the tour crosses sand or close to the water's edge. Winds can carry salty sea spray mist several kilometres inland.
• Segway owners who regularly or occasionally ride along the beach. Salt water, as well as damp, salty sand will cause corrosion. Many of the famous black sand beaches found along the west coast of New Zealand's North Island get their colour from ironsand (originally spewn forth from our numerous volcanoes). These lightly magnetic sands have a heavy concentration of iron in the form of Magnetite (which is a valuable raw input for the production of steel). This magnetised sand is more difficult to wash or brush away, so will keep salty damp sand in contact with the metal components of the Segway PT for longer, promoting oxidation (rust).
• Segway owners who use their Personal Transporters on long, wet grass and drive through mud and puddles on a regular basis - such as farmers and orchardists.
• Segway owners who use their Personal Transporters in wet conditions then store them away in a damp, dark building before the Segway PT has had time to dry off.

Regular use in these environments under such conditions make it possible for certain fasteners to become corroded over time. This can make the fasteners difficult or impossible to remove when maintenance is required. For example, should a battery fastener become rusted into place, it will need to be drilled out using a Special Battery Fastener Tool that we've developed here in New Zealand. The removal process is both time consuming and expensive, and sometimes causes damage the PowerBase chassis itself. If that occurs the chassis will almost certainly need to be replaced, otherwise the Segway PT will not be properly sealed from water ingress. Our Stainless Steel Fastener Upgrade Set replaces all of the fasteners most likely to be affected by corrosion from salt water or extended exposure to dampness. In the case of the battery fasteners, our stainless steel replacements are fitted with o-ring seals to prevent water ingresses into the PowerBase. It is essential to use a thread locking compound (e.g. "Loctite") to prevent loosening by vibration, and a lubricant to prevent galling when installing these fasteners. Also, it is essential that each fastener be tightened to the correct torque setting. Fasteners must not be under-tightened nor over-tightened, otherwise the thread inside the chassis may become stripped. Our Stainless Steel Fastener Upgrade Set comes complete with suitable thread locker, lubricant and a list of torque settings. We have prepared specific sets of fasteners that match the particular model of Segway PT that you own, further tailored to how and where you use it. All sets are $195+GST (includes delivery) per Segway PT, or $245+GST if you'd like us to fit them to your new Segway PT prior to delivery. Fleet pricing for Sets is available to Segway Tour operators and owners of multiple Segway PTs (contact us for prices). Sets containing our recommended selection of fasteners are available now for:

• Segway x2 SE
• Segway i2 SE
• Segway i2
• Segway x2
• Segway HT i167, HT i170, HT i180, Segway GT
• Segway XT

Here are a selection of photos of a Segway x2 SE Camouflage that has been kitted out with our Stainless Steel Fastener Upgrade Set.