Introducing myself and Rail against the Industry

[Kannonball81]

Greetings from South Dakota. Man, have you saved me a lot of work! As a C7 quad I used a Quadra manual chair for 26 years until my shoulder dislocated. Quadra was the first functional lightweight commercially available wheelchair ever seen and drove the revolution in lightweight manual wheelchairs. It was designed and built by a landscape architect who fell out of a tree and became a quadraplegic and knew he could do better than what the "Industry" had to offer. Then Quickie, an Industry player, bought Quadra and utterly destroyed the design. I broke my leg trying to use an "identical" quickie replacement chair.

Anyway, after my shoulder went, I settled on an Invacare Storm primarily because of the brushless motors. Time for a new chair and guess what, they no longer offer brushless motors! I am NOT going back to solenoid drive brushed motors and decided I'm going to have to build my own and now I found a site that can help me do that! (Although I'd rather just buy a chair, life is short)

In addition to everything you've stated to and about the manufacturers, I would like to point out that their "One size fits all, three adjustments only, we know what's best for you" manner of doing business is as incomprehensible to me as using lead acid batteries is to you. Since you are a paraplegic you might not appreciate the difference that a 3/8" adjustment makes to EVERYTHING that it does to a quad, but it does. Quadra used a tube-in-tube with high pressure crimp clamps to provide "infinite adjustment". The Industry uses bolt holes because "it never needs to be readjusted".

I'm not a conspiracy theorist, but I'd like to know why at 5' 10" plumb average I had to manufacture my own footrest hangers (the Industry doesn't make any long enough) to keep from getting isch pressure sores because of all the weight being shifted to my rear? And why after my second spiral fracture of tibia I had to manufacture my own footrests that didn't use my toes as bumpers and catch hooks because the Industry doesn't sell sensible footrests?

Who are these people? You're not going to shame them into changing. They don't care. I say pool our money, make your chair (after you design the suspension), and drive them out of business.

And by the way, you have one of the first FAQ I've ever seen which actually addresses questions that a reasonably intelligent human being might actually ask. Salute

[Burgerman]

Anyway, after my shoulder went, I settled on an Invacare Storm primarily because of the brushless motors. Time for a new chair and guess what, they no longer offer brushless motors! I am NOT going back to solenoid drive brushed motors and decided I'm going to have to build my own and now I found a site that can help me do that! (Although I'd rather just buy a chair, life is short)

Err...
http://www.invacare.co.uk/storm-4-x-plo ... sto4xttpen

Brochure:
http://www.invacare.co.uk/sites/uk/file ... 8b45b2.pdf

Order form:
http://www.invacare.co.uk/sites/uk/file ... n_2017.pdf

True Track 2 (Brushless)
http://www.invacare.co.uk/sites/uk/file ... 8b45b3.pdf

Owner Manual:
http://www.invacare.co.uk/sites/uk/file ... 91c334.pdf

Service manual:
http://www.invacare.co.uk/sites/uk/file ... 91c334.pdf

Parts:
http://www.invacare.co.uk/sites/uk/file ... _51_09.pdf



59 km or 37 miles range, brushless, 8.5MPH, inc charger, batts, modulite seating etc etc, delivered to my door for £7074 less 35% discount = £4598 UK, or at todays rate, $5653 US...

That 37 miles can be increased to 3x that much, (over 100) with 120Ah of more efficient LiFePO4 as I intend to fit to my new Storm 4 currently ordered with central footplate...

[Burgerman]

Ordering one today, with every possible expensive power seating option added, inc central footplate, and a REM 550 fancy colour joystick (not listed on the spec sheet), extra, inc delivery and still well under £7k.

Add my £1.1k 3.2kwh lithium battery and will have 3x the 59km /37 mile range. So about 112 miles per charge ISO standard rating. About 70 to 80 miles in reality.

[Burgerman]

Ordering one today, with every possible expensive power seating option added, inc central footplate, and a REM 550 fancy colour joystick (not listed on the spec sheet), extra, inc delivery and still well under £7k.

Add my £1.1k 3.2kwh lithium battery and will have 3x the 59km /37 mile range. So about 112 miles per charge ISO standard rating. About 70 to 80 miles in reality.