Smartrike front wheel won't turn with pedals once on the ground

I just Fixed this problem today with the bike Radio Flyer Trike 4 in 1. I just opened the red adjustable hub, and found one spring detached, and both springs that control the 2-pawl system of ratchet system very loose. I tensioned both springs but it worked for one day only. Called customer service, provided all the necessary information and they promised a new front wheel.
In 3 business days a received, a brand new front wheel with pedals and fork. The pedals are fixed on wheel, and is the best solution from radio Flyer for a Kid who is grown with the bike from 18 months to 36 month, and now at age 3 rides the lovely Radio Flyer like a dare devil. Thank you Radio Flyer.
Having a strong mechanical background, I opened system, both sides of the wheel. To dissemble and repair, I had to remove one pedal on the side of the big white hub. What I found inside was a Ratchet wheel, with rounded teeth, and 2 Pawls totally worn out.
I fixed drilling 4 holes all the way through metallic plate, ratchet wheel, and the hub of the wheel. Inside the hub cavity, I used 4 washers and nuts to secure tight all 4, 3/32 stainless steel screws.
My grandson is very happy and more confident, because now he can move the bike forward, and backwards, and the most important, now he can use the pedals of the front wheel to stop the bike. Which it was a safety flaw by original design of this bike, but solved now by Radio Flyer. The new wheel Red Hub has 2 Positions. 1 PULL TO COAST. 2 PUSH TO PEDAL.

Same thing happens today with the bike Radio Flyer Trike 4 in 1. I just opened the red adjustable hub, and found one spring detached, and both springs that control the 2-pawl system of ratchet system very loose. I tensioned both springs but it worked for one day only. Called customer service, provided all the necessary information and they promised a new front wheel.
In 3 business days a received, a brand new front wheel with pedals and fork. The pedals are fixed on wheel, and is the best solution from radio Flyer for a Kid who is grown with the bike from 18 months to 36 month, and now at age 3 rides the lovely Radio Flyer like a dare devil. Thank you Radio Flyer.
Having a strong mechanical background, I opened system, both sides of the wheel. To dissemble and repair, I had to remove one pedal on the side of the big white hub. What I found inside was a Ratchet wheel, with rounded teeth, and 2 Pawls totally worn out.
I fixed drilling 4 holes all the way through metallic plate, ratchet wheel, and the hub of the wheel. Inside the hub cavity, I used 4 washers and nuts to secure tight all 4, 3/32 stainless steel screws.
My grandson is very happy and more confident, because now he can move the bike forward, and backwards, and the most important, now he can use the pedals of the front wheel to stop the bike. Which it was a safety flaw by original design of this bike, but solved now by Radio Flyer. The new wheel Red Hub has 2 Positions. 1 PULL TO COAST. 2 PUSH TO PEDAL.

Same thing happens today with the bike Radio Flyer Trike 4 in 1. I just opened the red adjustable hub, and found one spring detached, and both springs that control the 2-pawl system of ratchet system very loose. I tensioned both springs but it worked for one day only. Called customer service, provided all the necessary information and they promised a new front wheel. In 3 business days a received, a brand new front wheel with pedals and fork. The pedals are fixed on wheel, and is the best solution from radio Flyer for a Kid who is grown with the bike from 18 months to 36 month, and now at age 3 rides the lovely Radio Flyer like a dare devil. Thank you Radio Flyer.
Having a strong mechanical background, I opened system, both sides of the wheel. To dissemble and repair, I had to remove one pedal on the side of the big white hub. What I found inside was a Ratchet wheel, with rounded teeth, and 2 Pawls totally worn out.
I fixed drilling 4 holes all the way through metallic plate, ratchet wheel, and the hub of the wheel. Inside the hub cavity, I used 4 washers and nuts to secure tight all 4, 3/32 stainless steel screws.
My grandson is very happy and more confident, because now he can move the bike forward, and backwards, and the most important, now he can use the pedals of the front wheel to stop the bike. Which it was a safety flaw by original design of this bike, but solved now by Radio Flyer. The new wheel Red Hub has 2 Positions. 1 PULL TO COAST. 2 PUSH TO PEDAL.

Yes, something isn't turning freely. It's either the front wheel, the back wheel, or the pedals and chain. Lift the bike off the ground and turn the front wheel by hand. If it doesn't turn very freely, it could be the hand-brake is dragging or the hub bearing is too tight. Try the back wheel in both directions. It should move freely in the forward direction. When rolling it backwards it is normal for the pedals to move too if this bike has a coaster brake (that is the kind of brake that is applied by pushing the pedals backwards.) It the back wheel moves forward freely, but backwards is a problem, then try the pedals by hand with the rear wheel off the ground. If this doesn't turn freely, the pedal crank bearing (a.k.a. bottom bracket) is too tight. Once you have identified the problem take it back to where you got it. It should be easy to fix, or they should replace it.

Same thing happens today with the bike Radio Flyer Trike 4 in 1. I just opened the red adjustable hub, and found one spring detached, and both springs that control the 2-pawl system of ratchet system very loose. I tensioned both springs but it worked for one day only. Called customer service, provided all the necessary information and they promised a new front wheel. In 3 business days a received, a brand new front wheel with pedals and fork. The pedals are fixed on wheel, and is the best solution from radio Flyer for a Kid who is grown with the bike from 18 months to 36 month, and now at age 3 rides the lovely Radio Flyer like a dare devil. Thank you Radio Flyer.
Having a strong mechanical background, I opened system, both sides of the wheel. To dissemble and repair, I had to remove one pedal on the side of the big white hub. What I found inside was a Ratchet wheel, with rounded teeth, and 2 Pawls totally worn out.
I fixed drilling 4 holes all the way through metallic plate, ratchet wheel, and the hub of the wheel. Inside the hub cavity, I used 4 washers and nuts to secure tight all 4, 3/32 stainless steel screws.
My grandson is very happy and more confident, because now he can move the bike forward, and backwards, and the most important, now he can use the pedals of the front wheel to stop the bike. Which it was a safety flaw by original design of this bike, but solved now by Radio Flyer. The new wheel Red Hub has 2 Positions.
1 PULL TO COAST. 2 PUSH TO PEDAL.

you need to pull the pedal off on the side that the crank is on the pedal will thread off like a bolt but the threads are reverse on the pedal once you have the pedal off you will have to unscrew the two nuts that hold the crank in the frame of the bike the inner nut is easiest to get off with a flathead screw driver once you have those two out you can pull the crank out of the frame and then you may want to put it in a vice because the crank will turn off the pedal unit but you usually have to pry up on the crank a little to get the alignment pin out of the crank enough to turn it

I am suspecting that the tire has come loose on the wheel itself. Try and see if you can get the tire off and using a glue like contact cement; glue the tire on the rim so it won't spin when he is pedalling.Hope this helps.

You have to take off the tire, pull back the red cap along the pedal post and then pop the white plate off (small flathead screwdriver) to expose the inner hub off the wheel. There is a small metal plate with four screws...maybe the older kids snapped off the screws. You'll need a small flathead screwdriver, pliers or adjustable wrench and regular sized phillips screwdriver.

Take off the wheel and slide the red metal cap along the pedal post. Pop off the white plate with a small flathead screwdriver. This will expose the inner hub of the wheel. There should be a small metal plate held to the hub of the wheel with four screws...check the screws...did they snap off? You can also call the Radio Flyer customer service line (8-5) and get some help if you need a new wheel.

My husband and I just put this trike together and had a similar problem - the front wheel always turned the pedals and we couldn't figure out how to stop this. The manual for the trike is awful and very hard to understand. After spending a LOT of time analyzing the pictures and doing all sorts of weird things to the pedals, I found a posting on a website that said they'd had the same problem, but had removed and re-attached the front wheel and the problem was suddenly fixed. Sounds too good to be true, right? Well, we noticed that in one of the manual's pictures that the air valve for the front tire was facing the other direction - we'd actually put the tire on backwards. I took the tire off, put it back on facing the other way, and suddenly it all works as it's supposed to.

The thing is, you actually don't have to "do" anything to change from free to fixed and keep the pedals stable. If my daughter pushes the pedals around, they move around, and if she keeps her feet steady on them, the wheel continues to go around while the pedals stay put. It truly is automatic, which the diagram in the manual does a terrible job of conveying.

Hope this helps someone. We like this trike, but the directions are beastly!