F55 Castor fork - do forks from later models fit

[rune]

Hi
I need to fix a snapped fork on a modified F55 ASAP. Does anyone know if forks from a later model (Salsa for example) fit the chair? As the F55 is now so old, spares are getting harder to find!

Thanks!

rune

[Burgerman]

I honestly dont know. They are a different length shaft though.

[rune]

I honestly dont know. They are a different length shaft though.

Thanks Burgerman. So i am guessing maybe they don't fit...

[Burgerman]

They are a bolt on the salsa. Alloy fork. So the length is up to you. And theres several different forks so one way or another they will be fittable!

[thamesmud]

Hi
I need to fix a snapped fork on a modified F55 ASAP. Does anyone know if forks from a later model (Salsa for example) fit the chair? As the F55 is now so old, spares are getting harder to find!
Thanks!
rune

I would think the old fork most likely could be straightened and welded to give you more time to source a replacement.
I struggled to find forks for 10 inch casters that were not thick aluminium which makes the caster more likely to catch on the trim in my van. I made my own from pipe cut in half with plate arms attached. The pivot axles were from scrap Invacare casters. I ended up making a jig to hold all the bits in place whilst welding.

The caster on the left was supplied on a Killmore wheelchair, I'm sure Tom didn't make it but I don't know what chair it came from. It fits the 10 inch tyre fine but sticks out a lot.

[Burgerman]

Salsa

[thamesmud]

Salsa

Thanks, that's good to know. I know Tom fitted custom pivot axles with massively oversize bearings so I don't know if the standard pivot would work on Rune's chair. Unless the pivot is too short for an F55 it would probably fit. I don't like the Salsa forks as they seem to act like door frame and table leg magnates, It might just be that I'm a crap driver

[Burgerman]

Mine are unmarked. On most chairs. Programming?

[thamesmud]

Programming?

Might have been, as it was an Invacare with the old controllers on it. The whole chair was a bit rubbish but I gave it to my brother in law and he loved it and used it until it practically fell apart and then bought another Invacare mid drive to replace it. He swears by them, I swore at it.

[Burgerman]

The short passage from my hallway to my room has two 45 degree bends and a door frame. Its skirting boards next to the floor are 1 inch wider than most of my fat tyre chairs. With my own properly programmed chairs the white paint is always unmarked and I never touch a tyre on either side. Its dead simple to drive through there without ever touching the edges.

This is the exact same with every chair I own.

When I get into any other chair be it borrowed or tested, or belonging to someone else, that has "normal" programming I cannot do that. Even though the chairs are using skinny tyres and are 2 inches narrower. I just cannot get through this short corridor with enough accuracy no matter how slow, or careful I try to be. It isnt possible. Leaving dirty marks on the paintwork. Programming the delay out of them is absolutely essential. After this the steering becomes almost a thought process. The chair just goes exactly where you think it should and in fact you *dont* need to think about it. Its like the chair becomes telepathic and precise.

I fly through this narrow short but bendy corridor 50 times a day. At least. Frequently at silly speed. There's zero marks on the paint. Literally better than inch perfect time after time.