Invacare Aviva Storm RX20

[Flagmax]

The most shocking discovery I made about my Invacare Aviva Storm RX20 made my eye twitch

The chair has been lightly driven about 25 miles mostly indoors over tile and laminate flooring. From day one the chair just does not like to turn. It felt jerky and like the front caster too tight. Its making crunchy noise coming from the stems and not the wheels.

Now it makes sense. There are NO ball bearing in the stems. They rely on one bronze washer. This washer already developed grooves on both sized as its being grinded down as fork rotate. You can see the amount of dust fell out. I am in disbelieve of how such a design continued into production.

Any recommendations what to do?

Thank you in advance.

[Flagmax]

more pics 2

[Flagmax]

more pics 3

[Flagmax]

Here are drawings from the service manual. In the last picture they mention "bearings" but there are no bearings in the stems!

[Burgerman]

Even if that was true, if it was GREASED correctly on assembly then it would still be fine. Plain bearings are used all over the place.

But what I see here, and the pic of the bottom one below the C clip, look just like bearings to me... With a spacer/sleeve in between top and bottom.

https://www.wheelchairdriver.com/board/ ... &mode=view

It LOOKS llike polyurethane bush inside a bearing.

[Flagmax]

Are you talking about something like this? https://hvhindustrial.com/sub-category/plain-bearings

Nothing spins inside the headtubes. Perhaps it seized up. All the load is on that bottom small bronze washer and a thin wave washer on top of it. All the rotation is happing here. The bronze washer is being destroyed.

Depending on user weight this can go bad quick. This might be the problem Jay is having. https://www.wheelchairdriver.com/board/ ... ilit=aviva

[Flagmax]

Another picture from underside. Nothing is rotating inside the headtube. The bronze washer does the job of the bearing. To make the problem worse, the fork stem is able to move in the headtube, so the washer has to also flex under load.

[Burgerman]

That pic appears to show a rubber bush as used in a car suspension, like you can buy from any motor parts store, or a replacement better polybush. And no bearing. Even with the vertical load being a phosphor bronze washer, if it was greased when assembled it should still work. The bronze bit doesent see any flexing or angles as the whole centre part moves in that bush.

But its still a crappy way to do it. And with no lubrication (grease) it will not work.
Take out the C clip. Remove bush by using puller or whatever from the bottom or a drift and hammer from the top. Then replace with proper bearings that fit the casing and the caster stem. Use a taper roller on the bottom one. Or an angular contact one. Use STAINLESS bearings, Grease, assemble, forget future troubles. And while apart fit a GREASE NIPPLE!!! Couple of strokes every year will make it work indefinitely. You will lose the marketing "suspension" it never really had though... And will never be able to tell.

[martin007]

You have two options.

1º- Apply lithium grease.
2º- Replace the current one with bearings.

I would start with 1º.

[Burgerman]

I would replace rubber bushing wih bearings.

These are used in lots of places. Like they locate the axle on a car. But a useless way to add "suspension" on the cheap!
Looks like 2 short ones and a spacer were used.

Remove, bin, add 2 bearings.

[Jay_x]

Hello, I have the same chair and guess what...? Exact same issue. Or at least I had the same issue. FINALLY they replaced the entire arm on both sides, under warranty. Apparantly this is a known issue and they have a fix for it. I would contact Invacare and demand they replace it, its new it should work great.

My chair now...FINALLY...is working great, turns smooth, casters flip properly, etc.

Seriously, call Invacare and demand they replace this UNDER WARRANTY, no charge to you. They are well aware this is an issue and they have a fix for it.

[Jay_x]

By the way I can't see myself ever getting another Invacare chair, too many issue right from the gate.

[BCrip71]

Choice is limited if you want a RWD in North America.

Does anyone have the 7.5 MPH motors? Do the casters flutter at high speed?

[Jay_x]

Choice is limited if you want a RWD in North America.

Does anyone have the 7.5 MPH motors? Do the casters flutter at high speed?

Yes I have the high speed motors, no flutter at all so thats good

[Jay_x]

Choice is limited if you want a RWD in North America.

Does anyone have the 7.5 MPH motors? Do the casters flutter at high speed?

this will likely be my next chair, the suspension looks really good

https://www.quantumrehab.com/quantum-po ... r-trak.asp

[Burgerman]

They are unlikely to flutter if they dont have any proper bearings as they will be stiff. So it will definitely steer badly and be really stiff if theres a lot of weight over them as in a typical rear drive stock stupid configuration setup.

It has no front suspension. Just these rubber bushes. With close to zero (marketing only) travel. So it wont do anything useful.

[BCrip71]

Choice is limited if you want a RWD in North America.

Does anyone have the 7.5 MPH motors? Do the casters flutter at high speed?

Yes I have the high speed motors, no flutter at all so thats good

Thanks!

[Flagmax]

Hello, I have the same chair and guess what...? Exact same issue. Or at least I had the same issue. FINALLY they replaced the entire arm on both sides, under warranty. Apparantly this is a known issue and they have a fix for it. I would contact Invacare and demand they replace it, its new it should work great.

Thank you posting an update. Can you give a little more info what "arm " you're referring to? I posted some drawings above in a post that shows the H frame and the single sided forks. The headtubes are part of the H frame. Not sure what "arm"?

Did they do the repair at your house or took the chair away?

[Jay_x]

Hello, I have the same chair and guess what...? Exact same issue. Or at least I had the same issue. FINALLY they replaced the entire arm on both sides, under warranty. Apparantly this is a known issue and they have a fix for it. I would contact Invacare and demand they replace it, its new it should work great.

Thank you posting an update. Can you give a little more info what "arm " you're referring to? I posted some drawings above in a post that shows the H frame and the single sided forks. The headtubes are part of the H frame. Not sure what "arm"?

Did they do the repair at your house or took the chair away?

They took the chair away and did it in the shop. I will private message you someone you can call and they can give you the technical details.

[BCrip71]

I would appreciate the details as well. I am demoing this chair soon and would like to know the proper questions to ask, although I am in Canada.

[Flagmax]

I would appreciate the details as well. I am demoing this chair soon and would like to know the proper questions to ask, although I am in Canada.

I will share them as soon as I get them.

Are you finding it a bit jerky or aggressive when you turning around or doing stop and go into a turn, or crab walk? If yes, please get "Modules > Power Module","Power Module - Load Compensation","Load Compensation Percentage","70%", turned down. I personally set it at 35%. The rest of speed settings can be default or even turned up a bit. This one setting made my chair smooth, predictable and quick. Once the casters issue is resolved I feel like I am going to enjoy using it.

If you hear crunching noise from casters when the rotate, they are disintegrating. It takes about 20 miles indoor usage for noise to appear.

[BCrip71]

I would appreciate the details as well. I am demoing this chair soon and would like to know the proper questions to ask, although I am in Canada.

I will share them as soon as I get them.

Are you finding it a bit jerky or aggressive when you turning around or doing stop and go into a turn, or crab walk? If yes, please get "Modules > Power Module","Power Module - Load Compensation","Load Compensation Percentage","70%", turned down. I personally set it at 35%. The rest of speed settings can be default or even turned up a bit. This one setting made my chair smooth, predictable and quick. Once the casters issue is resolved I feel like I am going to enjoy using it.

If you hear crunching noise from casters when the rotate, they are disintegrating. It takes about 20 miles indoor usage for noise to appear.

I am just looking into this chair as a replacement for my Amylior Alltrack R3. I am debating the Aviva or the Bounder.

[Flagmax]

I am just looking into this chair as a replacement for my Amylior Alltrack R3. I am debating the Aviva or the Bounder.

I never owned the Bounder M300 but its a proven design backed by a following. Its geared more for outdoor use which I believe makes it more rugged. Its like a little beast in its own class.

The Aviva is defiantly lighter and cheaper build and because of the casters issues many are having I think it should be recalled. They should at least implement one bearing at the bottom. Come one , even shopping carts use bearings.

Have a read https://www.reddit.com/r/wheelchairs/co ... 20_issues/

[Jay_x]

.

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I am just looking into this chair as a replacement for my Amylior Alltrack R3. I am debating the Aviva or the Bounder.

what about the Quantum r trak?

[Jay_x]

.

The Aviva is defiantly lighter and cheaper build and because of the casters issues many are having I think it should be recalled. They should at least implement one bearing at the bottom. Come one , even shopping carts use bearings.

Have a read https://www.reddit.com/r/wheelchairs/co ... 20_issues/

thanks interesting reddit thread. I will say that now that I have had both front casters replaced the chair handles very smoothly, all the jerkiness is gone.

[Flagmax]

.

The Aviva is defiantly lighter and cheaper build and because of the casters issues many are having I think it should be recalled. They should at least implement one bearing at the bottom. Come one , even shopping carts use bearings.

Have a read https://www.reddit.com/r/wheelchairs/co ... 20_issues/

thanks interesting reddit thread. I will say that now that I have had both front casters replaced the chair handles very smoothly, all the jerkiness is gone.

I hope your tech will call me back tomorrow and shares the details of the fix and if the design changed. But your feedback gives me hope. I am also noticing the motors makes weird clicks likely from shafts movements or gears inside under load. They sound clunky. I am not use to the noise. I am afraid to thrash on this chair. On the Torque 3 I jumped up 3in curbs with ease and confidence. Same motors lasted 11 years and still fine mechanically except leaky seals. I dare not try that with Aviva.

[Jay_x]

the overall quality of Invacare chairs has dropped, I think that is undeniable

[Flagmax]

Aviva owners, Keep and eye on the forks for bronze shavings and listen for crunchy noise from casters.

[BCrip71]

[/quote]

I am just looking into this chair as a replacement for my Amylior Alltrack R3. I am debating the Aviva or the Bounder.[/quote]

what about the Quantum r trak?[/quote]

I want lithium batteries and the Quantum rep recommended against them.

[Jay_x]

I am just looking into this chair as a replacement for my Amylior Alltrack R3. I am debating the Aviva or the Bounder.[/quote]

what about the Quantum r trak?[/quote]

I want lithium batteries and the Quantum rep recommended against them.[/quote]

Hold on, Amylior offers lithium batteries? Bounder does? Quantum does? what?

I didn't know any of these manufacturers offered that.