Swing away Joystick arm

[expresso]

https://retract4.com/components.html


has anyone used one these above - ?

my stock bullshit sunrise swing away a few weeks ago something went wrong and my whole arm gave out when i was out - the mounting hardware that holds it to the armpost somehow the screws got loose - almost lost it - i was close to home and i locktite the screws back - only two i had - not sure i am missing a 3rd screw

but now i noticed the swing away part in the front where the Joystick sits on - the tension doesnt seem to hold the positions inward - not sure if something went wrong there or lost a screw -

i was thinking of asking my vendor for the Joystick above - seems more sturdy to me -

anyone used it before or had some experience - if you like to share it - what you though of it pros and cons -

i had the tech order the mounting brackets etc, that failed but now i may ask him to order a new swing away part once he comes to take a look - have to start a new order then - in the meantime i can use some velcro to hold it where i want - just wont be able to swing it away if i did that

[Burgerman]

I have used many types of swingaways. And many ARM types.

I only ever found ONE arm style that was solis and not flexy, and that was the all steel Salsa ones. But not the normal salsa arms that hinge upwards off the seat back as those are also wobbly and weak. Only the so called SINGLE POST REMOVABLE ARMS. Those salsa ones are really good and completely rigid.

The Q chairs are not. All their arms are frankly shit. So I fitted TWO single post lift off uprights to each arm to make the arms rigid. Thats still not as good as the salsa ones. But at least decently solid.

So thats the first part.... NEXT!

As for swingaways, I tried the fully encapsulated ones, the invacare ones, and the paralellogram sunrise ones. All 3 are rubbish. Not rigid enough, and allow the joystick to be flexed in every direction or moved about.

The one in your link is another one that I ordered to look at. I sent that back too. Its got way too much movement in it. Even when tightened up as tight as is practical. The materials are too small or too flexible.

So on the Salsa chair I kept the solid rigid single post arms and then used a crappy wobbly loose feeling stock parallelogram one.
Like this.

s-l400.jpg (12.78 KiB) Viewed 446 times

But I drilled out all its parallel arm mount holes and reamed them out to allow me to fit the next sized bolt up. As a really tight sliding fit. So that there was non of the free play that the original one had. That, once mounted PROPERLY has no flex, no movment and is about 10x better than any stock swingaway ever was! Albeit considerably stiffer to operate.

Theres a video of that complete with the INBOARD MOUNTING position, and the spacers I used to bring the joystick up to the correct position and height.
In the video martin is forcing the joystick outward hard in a circle. As it rotates you can see the full remaining flex (movement) in the ARM and the SWING AWAY combined. It still moves a fraction. But is a million times better than every other stock chair/swingaway I ever saw. Its the first half of this video. http://www.wheelchairdriver.com/gopro/JStypes.mp4


On the Q700 R stock encapsulated swing away. But I dismantled it, made a number of internal changes to remove movement (think shims, loctite, and tightening of the belt inside), and also mounted it with some large rubber washers and forced it up under the arm before tightening... Also did the same on the actual joystick end. So 2x arm uprights, modified swingaway.

So in both cases on both these chairs I fine tuned and lightly modified the stock swingaways. Much work for what seems invisible. Until you actually drive the chairs! Then with lively programming you understand why its essential to have rigid arms, and a rigid Joystick mount.

[Burgerman]

Just looked closer. The one you ordered is a different brand. Looks very very similar though. So you may have better luck. I cant find the brand I ordered. I actually got it on eBay, about 5 years or 6 ago.

[expresso]

i never had any issues with swing aways before on my sunrise chairs - i still have my old P222se with same original swingarm works fine and strong

almost 15 years - its there new version if they still make it - maybe on the 710 - 720 chairs from sunrise MWD - all i know is its not holding up - will have the tech check it when he arrives with hardware to hold it - which i think i fixed that part with the locktite - now its just front part swing away -

tension doesnt keep it inward to me - going out ward works better but still dosnt hold its position as good - i may have a fix i though about yesterday

small velcro to hold it inward - there is some hardware that i can use - to do that - and will be fine then - but wont be able to swing it away - because of the velcro

the link i posted about - i didnt get that one - i was thinking about it - seems more sturdy - but i have one of those 5 button boxes to control the functions there also - not sure how its mounted - if its on the arm post arm or the swing away part

i let the tech tell me if its doable - and see if i can get it ordered from insurance - sometimes they can just reorder the same part that came with the chair - but maybe a swing arm is different -

i found one on ebay then i canceled the order when i realized its not as long the arm as the one on my chair - i need the JS 400 model with the Rnet adapter

ebay had the JS200 which can work for some chairs - its just short - and no adapter - not sure where i would find one -

i just dont want that thing to fall off on me - the whole arm dropped down - i used some velcro straps to reinforce it in case the hardware gives up -

it shouldnt now that i used locktite but cant hurt - dosnt look bad so i left it - i used the chair yesterday first time since - and i noticed the JS was off a bit and swing away part not holding its location -

was too late for my tech to add it on the order - so maybe a new order will get done for the whole unit - i should have done that from the start - all well

i can use it -

the swing away on the bounder isnt bad - only a few times it gave out over some rough bumps over a period - the JS moved out - maybe 2 or 3 times over the 4 years -

when i get a chance i will take a few pictures of the arm and the straps i used - as backup - just not to make it fall off completely - would still be wobbly with just the straps but should stay at least

i dont trust it now - till i use it all summer first

[Burgerman]

i never had any issues with swing aways before on my sunrise chairs

Then you must be easily pleased and using the sort of programming I refer to as "hovercraft"... I had to modify all of the arm moutings, and the swingaways.


When you say whole arm gave up, collapsing not holding up etc then thats just bad maintainance. Nuts and bolts stuff. Thats just a case of proper maintainance unless some part actually broke.

My issues are a lot different. Almost all powerchair arms are too fragile, flex around etc. So do almost all swingaway mounts and often the non swingaway ones too! The combination of wobbluy or flexi arms or/and swingaways means you never get good control. At least good ENOUGH that you can use programming the way you actually can on a GOOD SOLID MOUNT in the correct position. Without this, the best you can hope for is moderately "better" control and ""moderate" progrmming... And thats just no good to me. I cant live that way.

[expresso]

stock quickie arm with swing away for the pilot JS - its been original on my older chair - that works fine - never had an issue its solid - i mean i dont lean on it or put weight on it - the swing away is fine also - the only issue with that one was - the JS position - i had the vendor make sunrise make a little adapter to make it sit up higher and inside to me more -

just a minor bracket - which costed $500 for sunrise to make it - rip off - but other than that - its solid - its the older chrome looking arm -didnt like that chrome finish but still there working

its the newer ones that are crappy plastic with more adjustments to swing both ways inward and out - and thats where the issues are - the hardware that holds it to the arm post - thats what failed somehow - either the bolts were never on good or they just got loose - that never happened to me before in all my time using a chair

i heard something fall i think so not sure if i lost one screw - i dont recall how many screws it had to start with - i find out when tech comes by with new hardware that i wont replace and keep as back up now - i locktite the two screws that were almost coming off - and two velcro straps - it will stay put now

its just the swing away part now - tomorrow night i will velcro that part to stay inward - most likely just leave it then - and see if he can order a new one or try the different one i posted - i let him decide - i need the 5 button box to control the functions there - if it can be done - i ask him to order the other kind - if not i think i solved it with the Velcro

[expresso]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vXKqv5ldmgY

first i seen of a powered swing away -

[fishinjunky]

I wonder who makes Bounders swing away joystick mount? Its the only one ive used that was somewhat stiff. Every other swing away mount ive tried was super flimsy needed modified.

[expresso]

good question - i cant even find the same swing arm i have on my sunrise chair either - can try asking bounder but they may not tell you since they sell it

i will take a look at my order invoice - maybe it will show it - most likely just say swing away etc, like my sunrise order invoice from the vendor

i have to check how much that thing costs from bounder - curious

i found a swing away arm ebay - cheap - and i can find the adapter for Rnet JS - its not 100% if it will line up to the mounting holes on the JS i have

only thing is - its a bit too short the whole arm - the one i need would be the longer arm and i cant find it - only new from company for over $300

retract 4 JS400 is the one i cant find - only new at a cost - i wrapped a velcro loop around it now to keep it in ward - will see next time i use it - how it feels

i just cant swing it away now - i usually dont anyway - but now that i cant - i bet i will have a need to do so

[Burgerman]

Get a picture of it uploaded.

[Burgerman]

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/166031262861
or
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/265450693973

This is whats on my Salsa chair. But crappy and wobbly as it comes. Re-drill the 4 holes accurately to fit 4 new slightly bigger properly fitting bolts and nylocs and it works as the designer originally intended. With zero wobble.

Half an hours work with a cordless drill and some new bolts turns a mass produced bit of loose wobbly junk into a hand fettled properly working swingaway. Then respray black with rattlecan. And grease and fit

1000 dollars?

More: https://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_from ... +&_sacat=0

[expresso]

i can find used arms swing aways on ebay here also -

i was looking for the specific one to try - the one i linked on the first post

i have found them just they are shorter - my hardware that holds it would need to be moved forward enough if i wanted to try that one - can get it cheap and adapter from the manufacter also - it does or may interfer with my recline arm - cant say it will unless i really check it in recline mode -

since i have a bar holding my armpost that reclines also - i went with this style to be more sturdy the arm itself which is fine -

i did find the longer arm also but brand new from factory - i see i can all i need for about $150 brand new - not sure if adapter is sized for the JS hole spacing - that would be just taking a chance and see -

i wait till i use the chair again and have the tech take a look first - maybe he can order one for me instead -

if i try anything i want a simple replace thats it - not looking to do anything else -

if i remember i take a pic of my current arm swingaway -

[Burgerman]

i did find the longer arm also but brand new from factory - i see i can all i need for about $150 brand new - not sure if adapter is sized for the JS hole spacing - that would be just taking a chance and see -

Doesent matter. If you have a drill...

[fishinjunky]

I forgot to add that the bounder swing away mount is stiff BUT it also needs to be modified. Because it doesnt come inboard far enough and it doesent adjust high enough. I made metal spacers and brackets to adjust it more inboard and higher (the same positioning BM recommends for joystick placement).

I think if it were me I would get a couple cheap swing aways and modify them if you can.

[expresso]

in my case on the bounder - i got an adapter from bounder or it just came with the JS theres - which allows the JS box to sit inward a bit more-

if i wanted - i am not sure if i did or i just left it as i was - in my case it worked as it was for me - the way my arm hand reaches and sits on the box is a plus

the old school box JS turned out to be very good for me and how i rest my hand on it - i be using the bounder today for a quick little run

still a bit brezzy -- in your case you have the Linx JS - if you wanted - they have a box cover that fits over your JS making it look like my box JS

for users who got used to the box style and still wanted it on there newer JS - it dosnt fit Rnet -

time to make the donuts -