My Beloved PWC is in the Wheelchair Hospital Again

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swalker

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Joined
Dec 11, 2014
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1,576
Reason
DX MND
Diagnosis
07/2014
Country
US
State
CO
City
Vail
I reported in another thread that on Sunday my wheelchair started misbehaving.

It developed a mind of its own. I would have to hold the joystick to the left to go straight. When I slowed down, it would suddenly turn to the left, sometimes doing a complete 360 degree turn. When I let go of the joystick, it would keep going for a few seconds and then turn. Other times, I would be going straight and it would suddenly turn to the left. Sometimes, it would refuse to turn right. I could not discern the pattern completely, but it was a wild ride:(

I was in the middle of an adventurous ride when this behavior suddenly developed. It was pretty scary (and I don't think I scare easily). Of course, I was by myself on the ride.

I had ridden one of the gondolas to the top of the Vail ski area and was taking the dirt road down (about 5 miles, 2,000 ft vertical). There are many cambered switchbacks which are exciting when the chair is behaving well. Fortunately, I pass another gondola on this ride. I was able to abort the ride and take the other gondola to the bottom.

I delivered the wheelchair to the wheelchair shop yesterday (Monday). They don't know what is wrong, but are investigating. They now have the wheelchair and don't know how long it will take to diagnose/repair.

They have me a loaner wheelchair, but that one would not go into my van. So, I am without a wheelchair.

I really need to get moving on procuring a backup wheelchair!

Steve
 
Steve, respectfully you have probably scared the sh!t out of your chair with your adventures! :lol:
 
So, Tillie, are you saying it is just trying to get back at me? It sure did a good job:):)

Steve
 
Steve I hope they get it sorted quickly. We don't realise how much we rely on something until it's not there!

All the best with finding a great backup chair.

God bless, Janelle x
 
Maybe your chair needs an exorcist. That sucks! Hope that you find something soon.
Paulette
 
Steve, those sudden turns are what tipped my husband's chair over completely. He wound up in a ditch once and in the street another time (he was on a hill when it happened)--both times trapped under the chair. The motor was going out and apparently power was only being distributed to one side--causing the spin. His is a Permobile C300. What brand is yours?

If the company has a backup, why don't they deliver it to you? Ask. It's the least they can do!

Becky
 
steve, Frontier V 6, it's great off road! are a vet? va got me this cause i live so far out and it's really good. good luck happy trails chally
 
Thanks to everyone for sharing your thoughts. I am looking forward to getting it back sooner rather than later.

Becky, my chair is a Permobil C500 VS. It is the same style as the C300, but is quite a bit larger, heavier, and more stable. I strongly believe I would have taken a tumble if this happened on a C300. The mechanic's first thought was that it was a motor that was failing. However, there were many things in the control system to check, so he wanted some time to diagnose it. I hope to know what is wrong by the end of today.

Chally, I sure like the capabilities of the X6, but am even more drawn to the X8. I have looked diligently for a used X8, but have not found a one for my backup chair. I am leaning heavily toward another C500. It is a great chair and I have high confidence in it. I am waiting to hear the diagnosis on the current failure before I get to excited about my chair's reliability. The other 3 failures seem like one-off events and only one made the chair unusable.

Steve
 
I saw a X8 (I really don't know if it was new or used, but it looked new) when we picked the C300 up. It's a sturdy looking machine, but I don't think it would be very manuverable in the house.

The motor is fixed on Matt's chair, but we still have an ICS Seat Lift Error that they haven't been able to get to the bottom of yet. Love the chair, but I'm beginning lose confidence. :(
 
hey steve do you have a van to haul you and chair around in? i am looking . mostly i just ride on the farm w/ pwc and take manual when going out but that may start to change soon. later chally
 
hey steve do you have a van to haul you and chair around in?

I have a 2004 Chevy Express 1500 van with a Braun Vangater II lift. The van is a conversion van (with a raised roof), an Explorer SE. I have a full-size van because it is big enough for the chair, has (theoretical) cargo capacity for our trips, and was much less money and has more ground clearance than a minivan conversion.

I bought this van well used for a reasonable price. I like the van because it gives me the ability to go where I need to go. There are some things I wish I could change:

  1. It is a 1/2 ton van (1500). The rear sags. I wish I had a 3/4 or 1 ton van (2500 or 3500).
  2. The side doors do not extend into the raised roof. This causes me to have to recline my wheelchair to get in. That is currently just an inconvenience.
  3. The lift is rated at 600 lbs. The chair and I weigh about 515 lbs. The lift has a single support arm. When the left raises or lowers, it tilts to one side. When it tilts, it does not line up with the floor of the van, making it more challenging to back the wheelchair into the van. It all works fine, but I would prefer a solution without these issues.
  4. The wheelchair has to go where the middle row of seats would normally be. I can still transfer to the front seats, so I don't have to ride in back. When I can no longer transfer, we will get a different vehicle. I can safely ride in the wheelchair (it has easylock and seatbelt), but I would not be able to see out the windows.

Overall, I like the van a lot. It is a more than adequate solution with a few things I have had to figure out. Once I figured them out, they are not a problem for now. One thing I really like about the van is that it has rear side doors on the driver's side. Those get used a lot.

While the van works, I regard it as an interim solution. We call it our starter van. We eventually plan to replace it with a Sprinter or Traverse style van or with a pickup.

My dream vehicle is 4x4 with a transfer case, good ground clearance, and ability to tow a trailer. We are seriously looking at an All Terrain Conversion pickup or SUV. The GM 2500 4x4 product might be able to accommodate my wheelchair. At first they said no. They now say maybe. We are actively pursuing this option. If it does not work, we will likely wind up with a Sprinter.

Good luck. I find having the van has opened up my world!

Steve
 
Here is an update on my wheelchair.

  1. I took it to the wheelchair place on Monday a week ago.
  2. We talked on Wednesday and they said they had diagnosed it and were ordering parts.
  3. I called yesterday and they said they were still diagnosing it and might order parts today.
  4. I called today and found out they did indeed order parts today. I need a new motor, gear, and brake assembly. They have requested expedited shipping on the parts and the wheelchair might be ready for me in another week.

I miss my wheelchair. It is soooo comfortable.

Steve
 
Your wheelchair needed a vacation! ;^)
 
Don't want to be a killjoy, but maybe it is wise to take someone with you on these wild adventures! Without a doubt, you are the bravest PALS on the forum! You must keep your family awake nights wondering what you will do next! You are surely living life to its fullest!
 
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