From Me To You

You dont have to, but its interesting!

MAIN WEBSITE: www.wheelchairdriver.com

From Me To You

Postby Chairman » 31 Mar 2021, 10:57

Hi, guys.

I found myself reading a couple of topics online after a search for answers to my 'new' difficulties when choosing my latest chair. Someone keeps changing the goalposts making one thing or another incompatible with what you already have meaning something has to give.

I reside in middle England, 38 years post injury resulting in a C4,5 and 6 paralysis.

I shall enjoy reading through the site.
Chairman
 
Posts: 76
Joined: 30 Mar 2021, 09:23

Re: From Me To You

Postby Burgerman » 31 Mar 2021, 11:08

Hi! Which goalposts moved?
User avatar
Burgerman
Site Admin
 
Posts: 65050
Joined: 27 May 2008, 21:24
Location: United Kingdom

Re: From Me To You

Postby Chairman » 31 Mar 2021, 12:27

Burgerman wrote:Hi! Which goalposts moved?

Hi, Burgerman.

It's a long and laborious tale but in a nutshell my next 'favoured' chair, Q500R coupled with my choice of docking system isn't compatible with my van layout as it stands. So it looks like the favoured Dahl system is a no go or change the van, which isn't going to happen. I could change chair choice effectively having a new old model like I'm in. However, the chair I'm in, Salsa(R) is bottoming out on the lockdown pin and gets progressively worse with tyre wear and worn suspension and is the reason for trying the less intrusive Dahl lockdown 'disc' that I now find isn't compatible with my side lift layout.

It looks like a new Salsa with bigger wheels is the easy route and would satisfy the apathetic Wheelchair Services. My chairs, like most full-time, outdoors liking individual users get a hammering and I've decided it probably is best just to get 2 chairs, 1 solely for outdoors and 1 half decent indoor/outdoor chair.
Chairman
 
Posts: 76
Joined: 30 Mar 2021, 09:23

Re: From Me To You

Postby Burgerman » 31 Mar 2021, 12:42

You should really have more than 1 anyway. They fail and leave you with no alternatives.

But this has me facinated.

Salsa(R) is bottoming out on the lockdown pin and gets progressively worse with tyre wear and worn suspension and is the reason for trying the less intrusive Dahl lockdown 'disc' that I now find isn't compatible with my side lift layout.


Dahl lockdown being incompatible. I can think if no reason why that could possibly be?

And the salsa problem is easy to fix.
Shorten the BOLT! And raise the tie down in the van by 35mm or 1.5 inches on simple spacers. As I have. I have a Q700 and a Salsa. Both mildly modified with bigger drive wheels by around an inch. But that doesent change anything.

Also same on my other chairs. The bolt is nowhere near the ground on my chairs. Around 50mm to 55mm above the deck.
User avatar
Burgerman
Site Admin
 
Posts: 65050
Joined: 27 May 2008, 21:24
Location: United Kingdom

Re: From Me To You

Postby Chairman » 31 Mar 2021, 13:07

Burgerman wrote:You should really have more than 1 anyway. They fail and leave you with no alternatives.

I do have more than one for the home in case of emergencies, I also have my Batec and lightweight for frustration relief.

Burgerman wrote: But this has me facinated.


Salsa(R) is bottoming out on the lockdown pin and gets progressively worse with tyre wear and worn suspension and is the reason for trying the less intrusive Dahl lockdown 'disc' that I now find isn't compatible with my side lift layout.


Burgerman wrote: Dahl lockdown being incompatible. I can think if no reason why that could possibly be?

Dahl haven't crash tested the chair's in the docking station backwards like Q'Straint have. I guess you could argue docking systems are designed primarily for rear entry vans or drive from chair conversions where you have the room to wheel into the docking station. Side entry poses a space problem and currently I reverse off the ramp and lock-in backwards.

Burgerman wrote: And the salsa problem is easy to fix.
Shorten the BOLT! And raise the tie down in the van by 35mm or 1.5 inches on simple spacers. As I have. I have a Q700 and a Salsa. Both mildly modified with bigger drive wheels by around an inch. But that doesent change anything.

Also same on my other chairs. The bolt is nowhere near the ground on my chairs. Around 50mm to 55mm above the deck.

If it was easy, believe me it'd been done. To give the room to lock in and allow for transfers to the drivers seat my pin isn't in the best position on the chair being forward of the driveline. I guess yours is central giving that bit more leeway.

The docking station has been lifted and the bolt shortened. Anymore and I won't be able to get over the docking station reversing in, especially with the tip wheels on the Salsa that act more like an emergency brake.
Chairman
 
Posts: 76
Joined: 30 Mar 2021, 09:23

Re: From Me To You

Postby Burgerman » 31 Mar 2021, 19:34

Van. And dock. Side entry. Plenty room. All my chairs.

And my salsa...
Attachments
810_2237.JPG
810_2236.jpg
810_2236.jpg (48.25 KiB) Viewed 2946 times
810_2234.JPG
810_2358small.JPG
810_2330.JPG
User avatar
Burgerman
Site Admin
 
Posts: 65050
Joined: 27 May 2008, 21:24
Location: United Kingdom

Re: From Me To You

Postby Burgerman » 31 Mar 2021, 19:38

Can you see why I am finding it hard to imagine how its not possible to use absolutely any tie down? A little confused. What van is it?
User avatar
Burgerman
Site Admin
 
Posts: 65050
Joined: 27 May 2008, 21:24
Location: United Kingdom

Re: From Me To You

Postby Burgerman » 31 Mar 2021, 19:46

This shows the bolt sticking down. On all my chairs it is 55mm off the tiled floor. Thats the correct height to sit in the slightly raised tie down. Its a simple M16 bolt.

Image
User avatar
Burgerman
Site Admin
 
Posts: 65050
Joined: 27 May 2008, 21:24
Location: United Kingdom

Re: From Me To You

Postby Chairman » 31 Mar 2021, 21:08

Burgerman wrote:Van. And dock. Side entry. Plenty room. All my chairs.

That's not a van! It's a feckin' car with no driver's seat, no wonder you have the room. I use a VW Transporter, get in from the nearside (left) and park the chair directly behind the passenger seat and to my right is a six-way drivers seat that I transfer into then take that forward to the steering wheel. If I drove from the chair I too would have the room.
Chairman
 
Posts: 76
Joined: 30 Mar 2021, 09:23

Re: From Me To You

Postby Chairman » 31 Mar 2021, 21:15

Burgerman wrote:Can you see why I am finding it hard to imagine how its not possible to use absolutely any tie down? A little confused. What van is it?

No, if you read what I said I can't see you having any difficulty understanding at all. I reverse into a lock and not forward. Dahl haven't crash tested their docking stations locked in backwards. Fitters won't touch it without certification.

I will more than likely stick with my Q'Straint system which works well, it's just the pin can be an arsé just when you don't need it to be. My next chair will have bigger wheels at the very least. The pin height works with too many variables, tyres wear and so does suspension move.

The Salsa pictured looks great too.
Chairman
 
Posts: 76
Joined: 30 Mar 2021, 09:23

Re: From Me To You

Postby Chairman » 31 Mar 2021, 21:17

Burgerman wrote:This shows the bolt sticking down. On all my chairs it is 55mm off the tiled floor. Thats the correct height to sit in the slightly raised tie down. Its a simple M16 bolt.

Image

That ground clearance looks good but of course it will with circus wheels on. That's what I need to prevent intermittent scraping.
Chairman
 
Posts: 76
Joined: 30 Mar 2021, 09:23

Re: From Me To You

Postby Burgerman » 31 Mar 2021, 21:31

No!

The wheels are irrelivant. It does not matter what wheels you use.
The bolt height is the same 55mm from the ground on every chair regardless of wheels or tyre size because thats the correct height for my tie down. You adjust the bolt length by screwing in or out to get a 55mm gap to the ground, regardless. Or by shortening a longer bolt. You AIM for 55mm floor/bolt head and then I know it will fit the tie down perfectly.

That chair with the "circus" wheels above is as narrow as your Salsa at 25 inches. The whole chair is also shorter than a salsa. Its has a better ride because of the low pressure, large cross section tubeless tyres, and doesent sink on soft stuff. The wheels are the opposite to a styletto heel. Like snow shoes. Why would you think that the wheels are "circus"?

Heres another pic.

Its narrow. I designed it with the motors inboard and battery north/south so the fat tyres did not make the chair wider than the usual skinny tyres chair.
http://www.wheelchairdriver.com/images- ... mp-car.jpg
User avatar
Burgerman
Site Admin
 
Posts: 65050
Joined: 27 May 2008, 21:24
Location: United Kingdom

Re: From Me To You

Postby Chairman » 31 Mar 2021, 21:38

Burgerman wrote:No!

The wheels are irrelivant. The bolt height is the same 55mm from the ground on every chair regardless of wheels because thats the correct height for my tie down. You adjust the bolt length by screwing in or out to get a 55mm gap, regardless. Or by shortening a longer bolt. You AIM for 55mm floor/bolt head and then I know it will fit the tie down.

Correct height for YOUR docking station, tie downs are different, you aren't using straps. My docking station, as explained earlier as been altered to allow me access over it when reversing and to allow the pin on the chair to be higher. It has to be quite a precise reverse manoeuvre to clear it with my right rear wheel to then go forwards, straighten up and reverse into the lock.
Chairman
 
Posts: 76
Joined: 30 Mar 2021, 09:23

Re: From Me To You

Postby Burgerman » 31 Mar 2021, 21:40

Do you have a picture?
User avatar
Burgerman
Site Admin
 
Posts: 65050
Joined: 27 May 2008, 21:24
Location: United Kingdom

Re: From Me To You

Postby Chairman » 31 Mar 2021, 21:46

Burgerman wrote:That chair with the "circus" wheels above is as narrow as your Salsa at 25 inches. The whole chair is also shorter than a salsa. Its has a better ride because of the low pressure, large cross section tubeless tyres, and doesent sink on soft stuff. The wheels are the opposite to a styletto heel. Like snow shoes. Why would you think that the wheels are "circus"?

Its narrow. I designed it with the motors inboard and battery north/south so the fat tyres did not make the chair wider than the usual skinny tyres chair.

I'm not comparing chair widths though, it's clear to see how much wheel is inboard gaining the benefit of big wheels with no disadvantages except maybe looking a bit like the circus is in town. That's not a bad thing unless you have to wear the suit and wig of course. To make something work properly it'll always mean stepping out of the norm.
Chairman
 
Posts: 76
Joined: 30 Mar 2021, 09:23

Re: From Me To You

Postby Burgerman » 31 Mar 2021, 23:34

Well the off-road fat tyres are smaller / same diameter than the stock salsa 3.00 x 8 are...

And the fatter tyres on my salsa are only 1/2 inch bigger diameter, but 5 inches wide in place of 3. (actually 120 mm) which is why the stock mudguard/fender fits. But the height of the bolt is alway set the same 55mm regardless.

Do you have a pic so I can see what you are talking about? Because I cant imagine what you are trying to describe. What is the van/conversion?
User avatar
Burgerman
Site Admin
 
Posts: 65050
Joined: 27 May 2008, 21:24
Location: United Kingdom


Return to Introduce Yourself!

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 85 guests

cron

 

  eXTReMe Tracker