Troubleshooting Tips & Advice
Below are troubleshooting tips and advice on the following queries:
- Bent frame
- Red Side Clip - Will not attach
- Stiff to unfold
- Will not fold
- Missing frame bolt/nut
- Foam handle grips moving
- Lost stopper
- Rivet failure on front cross bars
- Front Wheel - Doesn't Swivel
- Veers in one direction
- Squeaky wheels
- Rear Wheels 'loose' - move side to side
- The tyre has come off a wheel
For any other queries please don't hesitate to contact us.
Bent Frame
Damaged? A common question
Please note that your pushchair is made from aluminium tube which shaped (bent) by design.
One of the cross bars under the seat and one cross bar behind the seat have two slight bends, evenly spaced from each end. You will see it is symmetrical. At the point of the bend there is a slight creasing to the metal.
These bends are deliberate and the pushchair would not function without them.
We do understand that until you are familiar with your new pushchair you might be concerned on seeing them that your pushchair is damaged, it isn't. The manufacturer advises on this in the PDF below:
Red Side Clip - Will not attach
the red clip won't attach to the metal stud
Once the pushchair is unfolded attach the red clips by the hinge on each side.
It is unlikely that they will automatically clip in when you unfold the pushchair and it is a good habit to check they are properly attached before your child gets into the seat.
If the red clip will not clip over the metal stud it shows that the pushchair is not fully 100% unfolded because the clip and the metal stud are too far apart.
To solve this:
Stiff to Unfold
unfolding is getting harder, what do I do ?
Firstly do not force it, it is possible that some routine maintenance will make it easier. See also Will Not Fold section below
If the frame is stiff to unfold far enough for the side clips to engage then it can help if you stand behind the pushchair, hold the plastic guides at the top of the seat on both sides and pull these up the frame. If this helps then it is likely that you need to perform the maintenance listed below.
After the pushchair has been used for a while it will naturally collect dust/dirt etc. and as this builds up it will add friction at various points which need to move freely.
The top of the seat and the back of the seat are attached to the frame with square plastic guides which move along the frame when the pushchair is folded, they need to move freely so any dirt in the guide or surface grime will slow them down.
Use hot soapy water to clean the surface of the frame and to flush out any dirt inside the guides. Fold the pushchair a little to make sure you clean the whole length of the frame.
Polish the frame with a silicone based (not wax based) furniture polish, spray a little inside the plastic guides.
NOTE If you have a Basket fitted then the fixing straps also need to slide smoothly along the frame when unfolding, so clean the frame there and also the Basket.
You should now feel the frame moving more freely, if not then the cause may be more serious
Will NOT Fold
stuck, what do I do ?
Firstly do not force it to fold.
The classic cause of the pushchair not folding is that the harness has not been done up after the child has left the seat and one of the plastic clips on the end of a harness strap is now jammed in the frame, preventing it from folding.
To solve this:
The pushchair should now fold down.
It is always important to snap together the harness before folding the pushchair to avoid breaking the harness clips or damaging the frame.
Basket - The Basket or contents are caught up in the frame
To solve this:
Frame Broken Check that there are no failed joints on the pushchair especially the rivet fixings of the crossbars behind the footplate.
To solve this:
Missing Frame Bolt/Nut
The Excel Elise frame is bolted together (older models may be riveted).
Although nylock nuts are used to resist vibration it is possible over time for a nut to come undone.
If you hear rattling or the pushchair behaves oddly then it is best to check the tightness of the nuts and bolts before you actually lose a nut.
NOTE. The nylock nut will help to resist coming undone due to vibration but best to add a dab of 'threadlock' glue (super glue).
If you are buying these replacements because you have lost a nut then it would be a good idea to check that the remaining nuts on the frame are not loose but please be aware that tightening a nut will break the seal on any existing 'threadlock' which you may need to replace.
If you do lose a nut and bolt from the frame near the wheel and the frame comes apart then we can supply a replacement pair for that area here.
Foam Handle Grips Moving
Hard to control !
The foam handle grips should be prevented from moving by the stoppers which blank off the tube end. If your foam grips move too much then you may be about to lose the end stoppers (see below).
To solve this:
Lost Stopper
Lost Handle End Stopper
The handle stoppers blank off the tube and help to keep the foam handle grips in place. It is not possible to get identical ones but you can get tube ends very cheaply on ebay, for example from UK Plastic Parts
You need to get 16mm Round Plastic Black Blanking Tube End Caps
A drop of superglue, or similar, can help avoid them coming out again
Lost Tube End Stopper
You can get tube ends very cheaply on ebay, for example from UK Plastic Parts
You need to get Square Plastic Black Blanking Tube End Caps
A drop of superglue, or similar, can help avoid them coming out again
Rivet Failure on front Cross Bars
UNSAFE
If the Footplate is not fitted then cross frame which connects the two sides of the pushchair can be damaged if used as a footrest or if a child swings their feet back against it.
To solve this:
IMPORTANT The pushchair may not be safe to use before it has been repaired and if used will likely result in the vertical frame part breaking
Front Wheel - Doesn't Swivel
NOTE. The front wheels use 'castor action' to steer them in the direction you are going, the direction the wheels are rotating in. There needs to be enough friction between the surface of the ground and the wheel for them to rotate and the steering to work. It won't work indoors on a hard surface or floor tiles as there isn't enough friction.
If not swivelling outdoors:
First check the black plastic joint cover on the frame above the wheels, if this has been pushed down and is stuck hard against the wheels it will stop them from swivelling
Next most likely cause is the nut holding the pair of front wheels onto the frame is too tight. If the front wheel turns consistently in one direction then it can tighten up the nut holding it on.
To solve this:
Note. Sometimes simply turning the pair of wheels anticlockwise will undo the nut.
See also the section below 'Veers in one direction'
Veers in one direction
Difficult to steer
Lift each set of wheels in turn from the floor and spin the wheels to indentify any which do not rotate freely, if one is stuck then this will cause the pushchair to veer.
To solve this:
Squeaky Wheels
Drives you mad !
The Excel Elise wheels are plastic with plastic hubs on a steel axle.i.e. not sealed bearings. Friction between the plastic parts or if grit gets stuck in the mechanism can cause a squeak.
To solve this:
Rear Wheels 'loose' - move side to side
A pair of rear wheels should be clamped firmly together with minimal movement side to side.
The wheels are fixed onto a plain metal rod with a 'star washer' which slides down the axle and the teeth grip to stay tight. If a wheel takes a knock on the inside it can move the star washer along the axle so the wheels are no longer clamped together allowing them to move sideways.
To solve this:
The tyre has come off a wheel
This is almost always on a rear wheel and is more likely to happen in hot weather or if the pushchair has been stored inside a car in the sunshine.
It is also more likely if the child is heavy and the pushchair is turned from a stationary position, i.e. without any forwards motion which is rotating the rear wheel.
It is fairly straight forward to refit the tyre onto the wheel but you may need to add some adhesive to stick the tyre to the wheel to stop it happening again. A general purpose adhesive should be fine.
NOTE. If your child is heavy then best to change direction while moving, if you turn while stationary then the force is across the tyre.