21 replies to this topic

[monkeyman]

... i have never done so and performed all basic maintenace myself (on a manual chair). Only thing is that it states in the owners instructions that a service should be performed every year by a qualified technician (i.e wheelchair dealer), does anyone do this and if so how much does it cost roughly?

One thing i was in the local wheelchair dealers the other day and over heard the cost of a service on an powered chair... it cost over £1200 with a new joystick control . Although i don't use a powered chair it made me think (gasp in surprise) at the cost and made me wonder how much a standard service costs on these?

Steve

[Hapahowlee]

Hi Monkeyman,

My husband has always had manual wheelchairs (23 years) and he only had one serviced, which was just last year a few months before he got his new one. The PT at the wheelchair clinic suggested he get it serviced so it would roll correctly and in line, until he got his new chair. Of course the PT had a phone number for a place that services wheelchairs.

He spent about $50.00 to have stuff done that I could have done. There really isn't much to manual chairs. I usually clean, grease and change tires on my husbands chair myself. Unless something breaks, I can't imagine needing service on a manual wheelchair if you don't have many parts to service and if you know what areas need to be greased.

Hope this helps.

[Webwych]

I get mine serviced once a year but it's a problem because my local Wheelchar Repair Service can never get ahold of Kuschall parts (so they say) so my chair is now a bit of a mongrel. I can't wait for the new one!

Edited by Webwych, 16 July 2008 - 06:56 PM.

[KimAndSophie]

monkeyman, on Jul 16 2008, 08:15 AM, said:

... i have never done so and performed all basic maintenace myself (on a manual chair). Only thing is that it states in the owners instructions that a service should be performed every year by a qualified technician (i.e wheelchair dealer), does anyone do this and if so how much does it cost roughly?

One thing i was in the local wheelchair dealers the other day and over heard the cost of a service on an powered chair... it cost over £1200 with a new joystick control . Although i don't use a powered chair it made me think (gasp in surprise) at the cost and made me wonder how much a standard service costs on these?

Steve

I've never had my wheelchairs "serviced". In fact I measured myself for the one I have now and no one else was involved at all. From the experiences I've had I know a LOT more about my chairs than any "seating specialists" or "dealers" or "technicians".

If something comes loose I tighten it, if I need new tires etc I put them on and every so often I go through the whole chair and tighten everything, tighten the seat sling, clean it etc. If you keep up on things like this it should be fine. A "weelchair technician" would only do the same thing andcharge you for it.

It also says in the owner manuals to wear your safety belt at all times and to keep your anti tippers on! Also not to do wheelies. It's just the manufacturers way of making sure you are being "extra safe" so no one can say they injured themselves and are going to sue them.

[nomis]

I think it depends on your own skills and knowledge. The basic maintenance is easy enough but I find it useful to occasionally get someone more skilled to fine-tune my chair - check the wheels are inline and generally give it a critical check over. I don't only want my chair to work but to perform really well. No point in making mobility any more difficult than I can avoid.

[monkeyman]

Thanks for your replies,

As i stated i do all my own maintenance but the only thing that worries me a little about this is could this void any warranties on the chair?

For example, if you don't get it serviced by a "pro" on a yearly basis (or how ever often it states in the manual) would this void the lifetime guarantee on a frame?

Just a thought?

S

[gsp23]

I have never paid to have mine serviced, all done one my own as well. I was told by my local wheelchair place that doing your own maintenance will not void the warrenty, at least on my quickie chair. I assume others have the same policy. I dont know why yearly maintenance would have any affect on a lifetime warrenty on the frame.

[crippledkid]

my chair breaks every 4-6 months its been joystick 3 times and controller now 3 times and batt 2 but it takes 2-9 weeks to fix and dont give loaners my chair is storm tdx 5 SUKS #@!#$

[ems]

I replace my castor bearings about every 6 months, never had to replace my spinergy bearings but I grease them along with all the moving parts. I've never paid anyone to do it! You dont need a huge toolkit to do chair maintenance.

[dancin' johnny]

ems, on Nov 24 2008, 06:48 PM, said:

I replace my castor bearings about every 6 months, never had to replace my spinergy bearings but I grease them along with all the moving parts. I've never paid anyone to do it! You dont need a huge toolkit to do chair maintenance.

Oh Yes.

I treat it like Scrapheap Challenge!

It's almost part of your body, learn to adjust it! Yeah.

I'm sure there are some topics with pictures somewhere, lets start a wiki!

Goes too far>>>>>

We could put the dealers out of business.

Realchairs.com. who's with me comrades?

[Webwych]

dancin' johnny, on Nov 25 2008, 06:22 AM, said:

Realchairs.com. who's with me comrades?

Now that's a good idea! You don't want to be calling out technicians to do simple things if you can get step-by-step directions from real wheelchair users online (I'm sure they think 'wheelchair user = no life' so you can afford to stay in all day to wait for a freakin' technician!). If you think about it you'll actually be helping the technicians by freeing up their time to go to people who don't have the physical ability to 'tweak' their own chairs (I can justify anything, me! haha).

I say 'Aye!'.

[Travelling Blackbird]

I used to do all of my own wheelchair maintenance, and my partner would do the couple of things I couldn't. The only problem was that neither of us really knew how to fiddle with the alignment of the wheels and casters, nor could we do some of the fine maintenance on the axles, and there would come a point when I could tell that there was something wrong. Usually, it was that one of the casters was out of line, and not touching the ground 100% of the time. Once it was a problem with the quick-release mechanism on the wheel.

This year, I took the chair in for a service at the dealership where I bought it, and they really did a great job, even giving it a clean. However, it was quite pricey: $100 for two hours' work. I'd be interested in getting a course in proper maintenance, to be able to do the whole job myself.

Did anyone ever find or write an online maintenance source? When I've done searches, I've only come across commercial sites advertising places where you can take your chair.

[Bob C]

Really, there is little need for servicing a manual chair, especially if it is a rigid frame. I hose mine off (except the upholstry) about once a month. It works much better than a cloth. The wheels are about the only thing that need servicing. Change the tires when they are worn, and tighten spokes and replace them when they break. I take mine to a bicycle shop to get these things done. Sometimes a wheel may get out of shape because of loose spokes, and the bicycle techs can correct this. I find them to be much better at wheel work than the wheelchair dealers and much less expensive. The bicycle shops charge $7.50 for a tire change and the wheelchair places around here charge $25-$35. (That does not include the cost of the tire.)

[Travelling Blackbird]

Bob C, on Jun 10 2009, 05:40 PM, said:

Really, there is little need for servicing a manual chair, especially if it is a rigid frame. I hose mine off (except the upholstry) about once a month. It works much better than a cloth. The wheels are about the only thing that need servicing. Change the tires when they are worn, and tighten spokes and replace them when they break. I take mine to a bicycle shop to get these things done. Sometimes a wheel may get out of shape because of loose spokes, and the bicycle techs can correct this. I find them to be much better at wheel work than the wheelchair dealers and much less expensive. The bicycle shops charge $7.50 for a tire change and the wheelchair places around here charge $25-$35. (That does not include the cost of the tire.)

Spokes were one of the things I couldn't do well myself, so that's good advice to go to a bike shop instead of a wheelchair dealer. Thanks!

[CR_L1]

When I first brought my chair, I thought about it for the frame warranty but after looking at what there is to it, I decided against it. I’m a mechanic & there’s nothing I can’t do myself.
I think it’s criminal what people even charge for wheelchair parts let alone servicing.

[Travelling Blackbird]

CR_L1, on Jun 10 2009, 07:33 PM, said:

I think it’s criminal what people even charge for wheelchair parts let alone servicing.

Seriously: when I had to get the bolt and screws replaced for one of my castors, it came to $15 for the bolt, and $29 for two screws and two washers.

[CR_L1]

Travelling Blackbird, on Jun 10 2009, 07:17 PM, said:

CR_L1, on Jun 10 2009, 07:33 PM, said:

I think it’s criminal what people even charge for wheelchair parts let alone servicing.

Seriously: when I had to get the bolt and screws replaced for one of my castors, it came to $15 for the bolt, and $29 for two screws and two washers.

I know, four castor bearings most suppliers are around £8 each, I got better quality bearings then what were in my chair for £3.16 each, like I said criminal

[wheelywendy]

servicing, come off it not round here. my local wheelchair dealer didnt even manage to get the treads on my marathon plus both running in the same direction. then looked surprised when i asked him if he intended that i should go round and round in circles!!
he then tried to tell me it doesnt make any difference, so i told him either change it imediately or try spending a week in my chair with the treads going in opposite directions, then tell me if it made a difference or not!! needless to say he changed it.
hence i now do all my own wheelchair maintainance, using a cycle shop if needed!!

[Ratticis]

wheelywendy, on Jun 10 2009, 02:17 PM, said:

servicing, come off it not round here. my local wheelchair dealer didnt even manage to get the treads on my marathon plus both running in the same direction. then looked surprised when i asked him if he intended that i should go round and round in circles!!
he then tried to tell me it doesnt make any difference, so i told him either change it imediately or try spending a week in my chair with the treads going in opposite directions, then tell me if it made a difference or not!! needless to say he changed it.
hence i now do all my own wheelchair maintainance, using a cycle shop if needed!!

Wow, what a moron. Don't you just love when people try to tell you how things should affect you
And as soon as anything has to do with any kind of medical application, the price goes up 10x cus they figure you don't have a choice.

[wheelywendy]

hey Ratticis, love your logo

[WetRain]

whats serviceing :s
my last chair I had for about 9 year n the only thing i did was change the tyres n tighten the spokes once in a blue moon
n i found wd40 is brill for stopping the squeaks

n my new chair had for about 3 n half year and basically the same thing apart from tighten the spokes
am goin to swap the back on this one though coz the quickie one is total s*^&t and looks like i got bored and started chewing the corners

hope all is well and looking forwrd to the weekend

Mark

[Ratticis]

wheelywendy, on Jun 26 2009, 04:28 AM, said:

hey Ratticis, love your logo

Thanks