The Great Wheelchair Hack and Cathouse Thursday

[67Dart273]

As my health and arthritis is to the point that I can no longer be on my feet for long periods, car shows, gun shows, air shows, etc, I've decided it's time to get a "scooter." BUT, I realized that there will be times that I want to take one of my cars (perhaps with friends) and want to be able to carry the device in the car, WITHOUT having a big ugly platform on the rear, making a huge hitch receiver a necessity.

"Thanks" to the A-holes at the "Good Guys" carshow, who refused to allow my trike in the door, --and there would've been PLENTY of room!!-- I had already acquired an Invacar "Ranger II",

BUT IT does not break down, only folds "flat" and is heavy as hell. NO WAY am I gonna get it into the trunk of any car, and the "chair" (a canvas sling) is uncomfortable as 'ell

So the other day, I got one of these for less than a hundred bucks

and it DOES break down into pieces I could toss in the trunk. In fact, I brought it home in the Dart!!

But it turns out to be a REAL POS in a few ways

So this afternoon, I started "planning" the "big hack."

The problems with the Jazzy is, no ground clearance, and front wheel drive is no traction in grass and low traction terrain.

Only real problem I'll be able to solve on the Jazzy, I think, is the ground clearance, observe:

What you are looking at is the bottom of the battery support cage, just over 1 1/2" ground clearance!!

Turns out there is lots of clearance between the top of the battery boxes and the bottom of the chair seat, so I'll rebuild the battery box cage to raise the bottom some.

I may experiment with reversing the motors so that they are in the rear of the machine, and turn the seat around. We'll see

The project with the Jazzy is meant to be temporary, and I believe the Invacare machines will eventually be a "better deal"

The "first" chair I had was the clumsy, uncomfortable, Invacare "Ranger." Similar to this one below:

This chair has MUCH more ground clearance, and with the motors in the rear has more traction, plus it has larger tires and wheels, which roll easier over rough terrain. So the plan is to make it "break down" more like the Jazzy, by heavily hacking the frame, and then adapting the Jazzy chair seat to the frame.

When reality hit, and I realized how incredibly expensive this crap is, I bought a twin to it just the other day. I have a grand total of about 350 invested in all three chairs. These damn things run over 5 grand new!!!

More to follow, this is going to be a gut wrenching, long term, horribly backyard engineered massacre

 

[BrianT]

And when you're done, you'll end up with something like this. Good luck!!

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i2D2fP6yBzU"]WORLDS FASTEST MOBILITY SCOOTER - YouTube[/ame]

 

[RedFish]

I think the space between battery top and seat bottom is for ventilation. Batteries do generate a lot of heat , especially when charging. Low center of gravity is probably a factor too
I'm not saying I wouldn't or you shouldn't re-engineer the thing but I would definately study it for a time and try to figure out what factors the engineers were considering in their design.
Good luck with it.

 

[67Dart273]

And when you're done, you'll end up with something like this. Good luck!!

WORLDS FASTEST MOBILITY SCOOTER - YouTube

Only one thing to say!! That guy is nuts!!!

......... the space between battery top and seat bottom is for ventilation.. .....................Low center of gravity is probably a factor too.

The batteries are pretty well enclosed in plastic boxes. These can't possible radiate much heat, but there is plenty of airflow along the sides, and there still will be space above. So far as center of gravity, the Invacare chair is MUCH higher to start with, and when I get done -- if successful, it will be lower

I certainly don't intend to go "off roading" in the thing, but with the really poor ground clearance of the Jazzy, you almost cannot negotiate everyday sidewalks and parking lots. IF you aren't careful, the thing gets high centered on a transition ramp up onto a sidewalk.

Makes me wonder if anybody REALLY actually engineered the thing to start with.

The good news is, I have one chair that will remain "unmolested", just in case!!!

Pouring rain out here this morning, doubtful I'll get anything done.

 

[412 Stroker]

My father-in-law has a Jazzy, and a crane to go with it, they have a Chyrsler, town and country that it is hooked (the crane assy.) to and I usually have to help him get that thing out, so I know exactly what your going through, where did you get one for 100 bucks though?? like you said new they are ridiculasly expensive.

 

[67Dart273]

My father-in-law has a Jazzy, and a crane to go with it, they have a Chyrsler, town and country that it is hooked (the crane assy.) to and I usually have to help him get that thing out, so I know exactly what your going through, where did you get one for 100 bucks though?? like you said new they are ridiculasly expensive.

These came from local thrift stores. They always need batteries, and the stores can't/ don't spend much time or money testing them, so "as is." We "did" have GREAT stuff in our local thrifts, until the economy fell. Every piece of stereo, DVD player, VHS, TV set in the house, the big chair I "live" in and many books, ALL of my clothing comes from thrift stores.

Microwave, convection oven, pots and pans, the list is endless.

Same day I bought the second Invacare Ranger chair, I bought 3 prs of used Jeans for 4 bucks apiece.

 

[inkjunkie]

This one is even better....[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zy5rkw4SeP4&feature=relmfu"]70MPH Mobility Scooter in the SNOW - YouTube[/ame]

 

[blue missile]

I have now instructed my family on the acquisition of one of these for my slower years.
Andrew

 

[67Dart273]

Made some "excellent" progress today, and it wasn't all that difficult, either.

1 First, I swapped the larger diameter wheels and tires of one of the Invacare Rangers onto the Jazzy chassis:

2 Then I added the handyman's second best friend (right behind duct tape) "nut spacers" to the rear casters:

Last, I cut apart the battery cage and moved it UP 1 1/2". This combo of tires and raising the battery cage now gives me this WHOPPING FOUR INCHES of clearance, about even with the bottom of the motor gearboxes!!

A photo of the assembled chassis. I have yet to add the front "anti tip" wheels, which must also be modified, and adding footrests, both which the chair came WITHOUT, and which I'll adapt from a "free" pair I got with the chair.

 

[67Dart273]

OK, I've decided to go a different route. The Jazzy, being "originally" front wheel drive, is just a POS Maybe, later, I'll try to convert it to RWD, where they BELONG

So for now I'm concentrating on making one of the Invacare chairs into a "break apart" device so I can throw IT in the trunk. The plan is to make it come apart, no tools needed, and use the SEAT / armrest assembly off the Jazzy, which is very comfortable

Below we have the Invacare frame, less the seat back which won't be used. The "X" frame will be retained only for now to align the frame until the new "cage" is built, then it will be gone. The small wheels will not be used, the larger dia tires which I was going to swap to the Jazzy will go back on this one. This thing will have MUCH more ground clearance, and the "proper" rear wheel drive. Batteries will be tucked up further -- the stock location means that the battery box hits before the rear tires going in reverse!!! this means that you cannot go up/ down stairs with the front facing down.

I thought I was gonna run out of clamps!!

A good start on the new "cage." The battery box will be reworked, one more brace added on bottom rear, and X braces added to the front. I found some spring "quick pins" -- don't know the exact name -- at the local fasteners store that will work great. Like these:

 

[67Dart273]

Well, since the Invacare chair is gonna need a lot more work to "make it work", I finished up the Jazzy chair, and it's at least usable. So the jist of the mods for the Jazzy are:

Increased ground clearance by modifying the battery box/ cage

Temporarily used the larger tires off Invacare, plus spacers in the rear casters

Remounted the front caster springs inboard to allow for the large tires

"wedged" the chair seat up in front, and moved back on screw mounts in the seat

Modified footrests out of the thrift store -- it had none with it.

So for now, it's at least useable if I decide to go to some show, and can carry it in either car trunk.

The handyman's favorite spacer, "nuts"

FINALLY some decent ground clearance!!

Seat wedgies

Are we there yet?

 

[bigall]

Now that loooks cooool.

 

[67Dart273]

Well got some more done on the "more desirable chair today, hopefully tomorrow I can work on getting a seat assembly installed

Object of the new frame structure is to allow more room for battery location, and knocks apart easily for loading into a car trunk.

Here's the basic pieces of the new configuration, the left/ right sides, and the new frame structure, and the battery box propped up in the rear, which does add some structure

Starting to assemble one frame side to the new center structure

The basic frame pinned together with the battery box on it's new mount

Sawed off the old seat back supports to provide a flat surface for the new seat

I decided to go a different way with the seat. Instead of using the Jazzy seat, I decided to leave it alone, in case I decide to sell it. This is an aftermarket seat --bought a pair of 'em and then bought a pair a little different for the Dart. They are very comfortable, not all that heavy. This is just sitting on top, I'll have to make mounts for the seat, and new armrests

 

[inkjunkie]

I am going to start bugging my buddy that builds offroad trucks about building something based off of this.....knowing him he probably already has......

 

[67Dart273]

I'd LOVE to build a 4x4 chair later on. If I don't die of some damn thing, I'm sure I'm gonna need one more and more. My hands, elbows, shoulders, etc hurt so bad, that walkers, canes, crutches are simply not an option.

So far, I don't have all that much money invested in this whole big mess. Three chairs, and parts of a 4th, for an average of a hundred bucks apiece.

 

[67Dart273]

All--- RIGHTY then. Got the Invacare chair "functional" and pretty much configured to be useful, an something I can handle in and out of the trunk of the car

So here's the rough idea. The major parts of the machine, I forgot to lay out the foot rests in the photo

Below we see the main frame pinned together, with the battery tray Still have finish work to to, sand/ grind the rough edges, etc, and tie up the wireing. Wiring/ controls will all remain on the left side. Only things I have to disconnect for breakdown is one motor connector, the joystick on the left armrest, adn the two battery connectors

Below we see the seat frame. The front/ rear channel was made by cutting one side off the larger dimension square tube I bought, which fits over the top of the smaller size, same tube I used for the sockets on the frame

Below we see the seat, armrests and batteries installed. The seat/ armrests are off the "formerly known as Jazzy" chair, which essentially has become "parts is parts."

And with the footrests on, the master stroke of engineering genius is about ready

 

[67Dart273]

Got this antique almost-uses-vacuum-tubes it is so old E&J fer parts and fer free. I LOVE those huge back wheels, hope I can figure out a way to use them. The chair is old, some rust, and the upholstry is all cracked/ dirty, water damaged. If you think that controller looks HUGE, you would be correct. The battery box would hold a battery large enough to start a Ford Powerstroke on the coldest day in Havre, Montana

Unfortunately, the charger regulator board has a problem, so I don't know "what", there. The transformer is good, and I replaced the rectifier bridge, so it DOES charge with the board bypassed.

E&J "premier"

"Relay logic" and LOTS of transistors, on the boards at top and bottom. The bundled wiring ath left and right are evidently low resistance bias / equalizer resistance for the transistors hidden under the heat sink.

Inside the antique joystick

I wonder who "Ana Maria" is. Controller is NOT waterproof!!!

 

[blue missile]

I really like the racing seat. The addition of a short wheely bar and chute would be cool as well. Have you ever thought about finding an avionics shop that services Gyros and see if they have some extra motors? They spin at a very high speed.
Andrew

 

[67Dart273]

I really like the racing seat. The addition of a short wheely bar and chute would be cool as well. Have you ever thought about finding an avionics shop that services Gyros and see if they have some extra motors? They spin at a very high speed.
Andrew

HA!! That seat IS comfortable, but it is much more bulky and heavier than the Jazzy chair seat. Lord. Gyros. All I want to do is be able to peddle around the carshow!!

 

[Brad426]

NICE! Brother I hear you loud and clear. Nice project. I up graded to a SEGWAY because I can stand up a bit. I found most places, including to Hoover Dam ver accomidating. Some places on the Las Vag. strip do not allow SEGWAYS even if you have a MV disability pass. Go figure

 

[67Dart273]

Wow, Brad with the stuff I've seen you do on here, I'd never known you have some problems.

I'd bet that Las Vegas is one of those places that would just as soon sweep anybody who isn't rich and upright right under the rug.

Fortunately, for now, I'm able to do short errands on my legs. I don't "shop" much, and the two grocery stores I frequent usually get me in and out in 15min -- 1/2 hour.