WheelchairDriver

Wrote a short review that didnt appear for some reason. Its late but i will rewrite it again. Sorry guys. for now just enjoy the pic

Congrats on the new ride. Is the color silver? Never saw one that color, looks good.

rustyjames wrote:Congrats on the new ride. Is the color silver? Never saw one that color, looks good.

Thanks! Im thrilled. Thing runs like a champ. Really happy with it. Yeah its metallic silver looks awesome!

Are those tipper wheels in constant contact with the ground, or is there some clearance?

I think they are sprung.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iyc1sJAQ-DI

I wish they would show more of the chairs in action rather than boring talking heads giving their sales schtick.

Jennifer Lawrence they ain't.

LC

rustyjames wrote:Are those tipper wheels in constant contact with the ground, or is there some clearance?

Off the ground about an inch and half and they flex. Ive tested them a bit and they really work well. You can raise the front wheels pretty high off the ground on wheelies without feeling like your going to fall backwards. ive done wheelies on steep inclines and the chair stayed pretty sturdy. This chair has really lived up to all the good things i read. I made the right choice. Ill gladly answer any questions anyone has the best i can.

Lord Chatterley wrote:I wish they would show more of the chairs in action rather than boring talking heads giving their sales schtick.

Jennifer Lawrence they ain't.

LC

Yeah those company drones are a joke! The chair performs awesome on road and off. I took a trip to a local resevoir which has a walking trail thats pretty ruggid which my first two chairs had trouble with. My quantum 600 couldnt handle the terrain at all so after a bad first experience i never tried again. My invacare rwd ranger powerstorm did ok but it was a brutal teeth rattling trip and id get stuck in certain spots and id need someone to give me a push and i was only able to get around 20% through the trail before id have to turn back. with the 636 i got to explore about 70% of the trail and never got stuck. The tree roots are pretty brutal on parts of the trail but the chair got over pretty easily actually. i was blown away.

Yes, the Quickie 6-6 series do pretty well off pavement right out of the box.

Burgerman wrote:I think they are sprung.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iyc1sJAQ-DI

3.41secs seems...um...interesting.

LC

Lord Chatterley wrote:

Burgerman wrote:I think they are sprung.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iyc1sJAQ-DI

3.41secs seems...um...interesting.

LC

Probably because it's a woman driver.

Well ive had my Q6 for about 3 months now and im happy to say that i havent had any issues with it other than some squeeking coming from the front castors. A little dw40 and the issue was resolved. Ive really put the chair through the ringer and it runs very quietly still as i hear no rattling or odd noises coming from the chair. It hasnt turned off or needed any repairs of any kind thus far. The back and head rest are fantastic and comfortable. The seat cushion was a bit tricky but its been finally resolved as i just couldnt find the right comfort level as i am extremely picky when it comes to seating understandably.

With Woodys and BM help i was able to program the chair to drive the way i want it to and it feels great! I no longer worry about leaving my house and having my chair get stuck,turn off,start making strange sounds or a part break leaving me stranded as my piece of shit quantum 600 did on countless occasions from day 1. If you are in the market for a RWD chair that is covered by medicare do yourself a favor and get a Q636 you will not be disappointed.

I think the only reason people are unhappy with Pride (Quantum) chairs is actually the manufacturer. The chairs themselves are all much the same as each other whatever the manufacturer. Mostly built from standardised industry off the shelf p[arts common to many manufacturers.

But Pride seem to keep everything away from the end user. From parts to programmers. They seem to want to involve you in a lot of officialdom, dealers (providers) etc. Making is as hard as possible to fix or sort out any issues yourself. And there's a lot of marketing and hype with lots of models brought out to take best advantage of the way chairs are "allowed" to be funded by the US insurance system.

The Q6 edge being a case to point. Its basically a cheaper slower and narrower Q6000 with lower cost slower motors, smaller batteries (making chair narrower), lower cost weaker controller. So it can fit the criteria and be funded...

They "sell" or market this as narrower (pointless if YOU are not narrow too) and more efficient more modern chair... Well its slower (so lower geared) so it can get away with smaller cheaper batteries, cheaper weaker controller, etc. And still get same range. Except in reality it doesn't quite manage that. Its all marketing and no substance. But that's what pride/quantum are really good at. And it seems to piss off users that do know what they want really well.

Burgerman wrote:I think the only reason people are unhappy with Pride (Quantum) chairs is actually the manufacturer. The chairs themselves are all much the same as each other whatever the manufacturer. Mostly built from standardised industry off the shelf p[arts common to many manufacturers.

But Pride seem to keep everything away from the end user. From parts to programmers. They seem to want to involve you in a lot of officialdom, dealers (providers) etc. Making is as hard as possible to fix or sort out any issues yourself. And there's a lot of marketing and hype with lots of models brought out to take best advantage of the way chairs are "allowed" to be funded by the US insurance system.

The Q6 edge being a case to point. Its basically a cheaper slower and narrower Q6000 with lower cost slower motors, smaller batteries (making chair narrower), lower cost weaker controller. So it can fit the criteria and be funded...

They "sell" or market this as narrower (pointless if YOU are not narrow too) and more efficient more modern chair... Well its slower (so lower geared) so it can get away with smaller cheaper batteries, cheaper weaker controller, etc. And still get same range. Except in reality it doesn't quite manage that. Its all marketing and no substance. But that's what pride/quantum are really good at. And it seems to piss off users that do know what they want really well.

Thats all true but the chairs are pieces of shit also. I had a Powerstorm/ranger for 9 years and had very little trouble with it and it NEVER shut off on me. It also never spent any time not working at all. That chair always worked even when i was having battery issues and when one of the motors started to go in year 9. thus far my 636 has run flawlessly and appears to be very reliable. The Q600 had problems within the first days i had and it continued right throughout the 7 years i had it. the quality of the back,arm and headrest seemed cheap in comparison to my 636 which seems solidly built. Pride and their products and services are trash! i know several people that have quantums and hate them because of the same issues.

Forgive the possibly dumb newbie question, but why is the Q636 only $4k, when something like the Frontier V4 is closer to $18k (once equipped with a seat and other "options")? I can't see a fourfold difference in quality and features, based on a reading of the specs, but then I've ceased expecting rationality in wheelchair pricing. That said, I'm tapping the wisdom of the hive mind here to learn if there's something obvious I'm missing.

Thanks.

Because in the US it seems they can charge whatever the insurance will pay and so add in the date etc.

Burgerman wrote:Because in the US it seems they can charge whatever the insurance will pay and so add in the date etc.

That certainly explains the overall high cost of chairs here, but not the differential between two seemingly equivalent products (the numbers I quoted were US market prices). I can't believe that Quickie are too stupid to pull the same scam as everyone else. If so, the 636 is the (relative) bargain of the century.

Wait till you start adding a few "custom" essentials...

And a fancy seating system. (a bunch of steel brackets and some 100 dollar actuators) And a controller upgrade etc...

Burgerman wrote:Wait till you start adding a few "custom" essentials...

And a fancy seating system. (a bunch of steel brackets and some 100 dollar actuators) And a controller upgrade etc...

Oh, I know how those add up (I've got the price lists for both). It's absurd what they charge for two bits of pipe and a metal plate.

That said, for $4k you get a 'complete' S636 (to which you can easily add expensive options, granted), but the base of the Frontier alone is $14k. Seating can easily run another $5k+, and options push it well over $20k.

I suppose what I am asking is: does anyone know if the Frontier is so clearly superior to the s636 that It justifies the huge price gap? If so, how (durability? performance? comes with a nubile and willing attendant?)? It seems to me that buying three Quickies would yield far greater utility across a range of use cases than a single Frontier. Or is it just that the Frontier is a "luxury" brand that can command premium prices for its "snob appeal"?

So I joined this site as I found a ton of information useful. I totally agree that we are living 20 to 30 years behind technology when it comes to helping individuals with disabilities live more independently. And what is a bigger deal than a power chair. I'm a C-4 C-5 complete for 18 years and it is time for a new chair!!

I came on this thread first because I have a Quickie 646 (not 636) and I'm not sure what the differences are. To cut to the chase, over 18 years and three chairs I absolutely hate this one and cannot wait to get a new one!! I do have to admit that I have not had that many problems with the chair. It runs hot which causes the battery to drain faster than other chairs, it is my heaviest chair, but most of the problems are related to the Motion Concepts seating system not so much the base and frame. There was a time when fuses were blowing left and right, wires were smoking. I almost thought I was going to catch on fire. Not joking. I was tilting back with the power tilt and it compressed the wire and a fuse and shot out a bright light and smelled like electrical fire. Weirdest thing ever because it still worked. But I had it fixed. One nice thing about living in a city environment is there are hopefully a lot of "good" technicians.

Anyway, I had a Quickie P-320 as my first chair that had no power tilt just recline because I was younger and did not really need gadgets. Power tilts were for older people. I got older and went to an Invacare Ranger X. I swear I wish I had the chair back. Had it for over 7 1/2 years but I think the key was I worked with an OT to make sure it fit me like a glove and that every switch was reachable and everything was comfortable. Down to the wedge underneath my cushion. So this douche bag of an OT (can you say douche bag?)back in 2010 just took the measurements off of my evaluation in 2003 and ordered the 646 SE. I have had three pressure sores on my feet, never had one before, he had me switch cushions to a Jay which created issues. The chair was too small as I had developed the "quad belly" like everyone else eventually does. And most importantly, it robbed me of comfort of things I took for granted like going down my driveway without worrying about falling out. My center of gravity was completely messed up. After he made his sale he wanted nothing to do with seating and positioning and sent me somewhere else.

So I have no beef with any particular chair, but the new guy working with seems to understand that for 18 years I have been in a rear wheel drive chair and that switching now to a mid-wheel is a huge difference. I have no need for mid-wheel, the only thing that I could possibly think I would benefit by having a mid-wheel is maybe going up and down small curbs. I know that the turning radius is smaller. Everybody tells me that like I don't know it. But I can get everywhere I need to with rearwheel. The biggest area of concern is driving. I finally got my drivers license after 17 years of being in a chair, so I do have an easy lock box in my Van along with all the other gadgets. I know that they can all be moved around and that the chair comes first. But would driving in a mid-wheel or a rearwheel be any different? My seat height is 19 inches. Looking around it seems that mid-wheel is lower. I don't want to go lower.

So what are the main differences between the 636 and the 646? And what would you say to someone who has been in a rear wheel drive chair and is looking for the best chair out there whether it be mid-wheel or rearwheel? He seems to think that Sunrise (by he I mean the OT) is on its way out and back Permobil and Pride (Quantum) are the two best right now in the business. With the hardware edge to one, and the software edge to the other. The three models that he recommended are:

Permobil M. 300
Quantum Q6 Edge
Sunrise (Quickie) 710

So I look at all of these and they are all mid-wheel. He is not pushing, just suggesting that I try them out for a weekend and see what it feels like. A good salesperson should allow you to test drive. It's just I probably won't have everything adjusted the way I need it to really make a difference, plus it is one or two years down the road that big problems pop up. By reputation alone the Q6 edge seems to get trashed. My buddy who is a higher quad tried the Permobil and he did not like the controls at all. Said there were way too many things going on when all he wanted to do was drive the stupid thing and do a weight shift. This is a long post! I will stop and introduce myself on another thread. Thanks all!

Kyle

Almost all hi end chairs are available with a multitude of options, different programming, footrests, seating, control systems, tyre and caster types and sizes, and can all be set up and programmed differently. And just one small change makes such a huge difference. As such its debatable how much a test can really tell you.

The Quickie 6x6 chairs are all very similar, with relatively minor changes between the 626, 646 and 636, with the latest 636 being in some ways a down-grade because of Medicare regs on just what they will cover. IIRC, one of the big differences is the speed of the stock motors.

It sounds like a lot of your current problems are not so much with the chair itself as they are with the way the chair was set up, which is arguably more critical than the chassis that is used...

Most of the folks here are big fans of rear-wheel drive, and have little good to say about MWD chairs. If you set up an RWD chair close to the way that Burgerman suggests - namely moving the seating (and thus center of gravity) as far back as possible, you get nearly as good a turning radius as an MWD, and that is the ONLY thing an MWD is any good at - otherwise it offers no real advantages.

Largely because of their lack of programming tool access, I wouldn't touch a Pride / Quantum product with a 20' pole. Similarly, while Permobile has a pretty good reputation for being well built, judging from posts here, they seem to be harder / more expensive to get fixed when they do break....

As a person that can and does work on my own chairs, I will probably never purchase a new chair, but if were to do so, I'd personally put Sunrise near the top of my list...

ex-Gooserider

Thank you Gooserider For all of the concise and valuable information. I find your thoughts to be in line with mine. Curious how I got the 646, unless those rules for Medicare were changed since 2010. If so why would I be downgrading, or should say why what I want to downgrade. Also very astute of you to realize that the OT had lost his therapy part of his description and became more of a salesman. I will not make the same mistake. I know that vendors get paid by how much they can bill Medicare. The hardest part of the Permobil is the fact the they foreign, and you also hit the nail on the head with Pride on more than one board .

As I mentioned turning radius is not a big deal. 20 inches, the 23 inches that this is supposed to get, I hardly notice very much of a difference. I am skeptical why vendors want to push those recently injured as well as the old-timers like us into mid-wheel drive chairs. I have told many people of what I have read here, when I think of the world the way it was the time my accident, Cell phones were a rarity, you might have to e-mail it nowhere near Internet browsing, the models of cars look laughable, and yet the same quickie chair that I sit in looks just like the first quickie with the exception of the base being rounded instead of square to look aesthetically better. But the motors are still using brushes, the batteries still weigh 50 pounds,A charge at night may get you through the day depending on how far you go, and every year the front wheels and rear wheels have to be replaced.

No, without being able to afford a chair out-of-pocket, or make one is awesomely designed as the one here, I almost wonder if it's even worth going through the process of getting another chair. At the same time just like a car I know the older it is the more things will continue to break down. Nothing impresses me about being able to go over a 2 inch curb with those mid-wheel drive videos that are put out. And to sit there for two minutes while the base of the chair raises me 1 foot seems pointless. I was hoping there might be a chair or two worth at least looking at. I do know that at 42 years old my skin tolerance and edema in my ankles and feet are not going to get better. Regardless of how many weight shifts I do, some type of a power leg raising feature would be nice. From 24 to 30 all it needed was recline, from 30 to 38 all I needed was tilt and recline, now it seems like the same base of the chair with tilt, recline, and leg rests. I'm fine with the rear wheel drive and I actually feel much more comfortable. That doesn't mean I won't try one out for the weekend as long as I still have my other one. But setting it up from the beginning the way they did have a quality rehab hospital like Craig makes all the difference.

Thank you all for listening replies. If there any words of advice and other suggestions you would recommend as I start this process, please share. Otherwise I look forward to continuing to learn from all of your experiences. And Passing along to OT and other wheelers the same info.

Dblshotz wrote:Wrote a short review that didnt appear for some reason. Its late but i will rewrite it again. Sorry guys. for now just enjoy the pic

Sorry for reviving this old thread, but I was wondering how you're liking you S-636 after nearly a year? Has it been reliable? How are the batteries holding up?

Also, do you know if you can get a fold-down backrest? I'd like to get a reasonably tall backrest, but the ceiling of my van has other ideas. If I can fold the backrest down when the chair is on the van lift, that would solve my problem.

Thanks!

With appropriate application of power tools, I can make ANY backrest fold.... (Amazing what you can do with a sawzall and a cutting torch )

More seriously, that is mostly a question for the sales droids, but I'd be surprised if you couldn't get a folding backrest, with or without power, as it's a fairly easy thing to do, and the chair makers aren't going to let any of their competitors offer something that they can't match, or at least pretend to....

ex-Gooserider

Mencallmegimpy;

You may be on to something with that last sentence. Hmmmmm !

MenCallMeGimpy wrote:

Dblshotz wrote:Wrote a short review that didnt appear for some reason. Its late but i will rewrite it again. Sorry guys. for now just enjoy the pic

Sorry for reviving this old thread, but I was wondering how you're liking you S-636 after nearly a year? Has it been reliable? How are the batteries holding up?

Also, do you know if you can get a fold-down backrest? I'd like to get a reasonably tall backrest, but the ceiling of my van has other ideas. If I can fold the backrest down when the chair is on the van lift, that would solve my problem.

Thanks!

Sorry to all for not keeping this thread up to date as my life with a new baby boy and job keep me very busy. Let me just start off by saying that its been a year since i got my S636 and i couldnt be happier! The thing runs like a champ and has not needed a single major repair since ive gotten it and i have not had a single issue as far as losing power from any number of issues like my old Quantum from pride. The only work ive had on the chair is having the front casters replaced,big wheels replaced and one battery change as the batteries that originally came with the chair were some generic brand for some odd reason. I got a set of mk`s and its been running great since. I had some squeeking (solved with some teflon spray) coming from the rear casters and they seem to sag after a while and are barely off the ground which im not a fan of.The only real issue ive been having that i might have recently resolved is the seating issues. ive gone through several seat cushions and countless back and headrest adjustments. Its funny because its been a year since i got the chair and ive had the repair guy come out twice i believe. This chair has lived up to everything i read about it and i highly recommend it. Im not sure about the back rest folding but im sure some of the guys on here who really know their stuff should be able to help you out with that.

Thanks for the update Dblshotz. And congratulations on the new baby!

Sounds like a good chair and a strong candidate for BM-style modifications.

MenCallMeGimpy wrote:Thanks for the update Dblshotz. And congratulations on the new baby!

Sounds like a good chair and a strong candidate for BM-style modifications.

The Quickie 6x6 series chairs are only a mixed bag for the BM conversion.... The frames are aluminum (the F55 is steel) and the shape of the front crossmember is more of a V, so the only conversion that would work is the BM3 (not enough room to slide the battery box over the top BM2 style)

Because it's aluminum, welding on it is a problem, and the shape of the frame is such that the cuts for a BM-3 box would be more difficult...

ex-Gooserider