Q500 Tire/castor options?

[Potty]

Hi all,

I'm very happy with how the Q500 changes are coming along, the 100ah lithium "drop-ins" seem to be doing well and I'm getting I guess 3x the range of my previous chair(maybe more).

I've changed the leg rests for a manual center mounted footplate and set the CG a lot further back(though the seat could go 1 hole further back, but due to castor position, it seems better without).

I've got all the bits to make the programming cable now, but have yet to solder that together, though to my surprise, the steering is actually a lot more responsive than I was expecting, so this will only be fairly minor tweeks I guess, my previous chair was a total hovercraft

I'm now stuck on what to do about the tires/castors. It currently has 13 inch solids, and pneumatic castors(not sure on size, need to measure).

I go off-road a lot and like the idea of tubeless tires, the current castors seem really good(we have some really dodgy "drop" curbs in this area), but I am concerned about how easily they may puncture? I drive over a lot of course jagged gravel at our local park path.

I've read that with a pair of altered Jive wheels, i could fit wider tires, I'm quite happy with the current width of the chair and would not really want to go much wider than an inch or so.

Any suggestions please?

Thank you

[shirley_hkg]

https://www.wheelchairdriver.com/board/ ... 1&start=60

Going tubeless is the best investment in tweaking your power chair, next to lithium.

[Burgerman]

I've got all the bits to make the programming cable now, but have yet to solder that together, though to my surprise, the steering is actually a lot more responsive than I was expecting, so this will only be fairly minor tweeks I guess, my previous chair was a total hovercraft

So is that one.
Have a read of this thread...
Another Q500
https://www.wheelchairdriver.com/board/ ... =2&t=12707

I'm now stuck on what to do about the tires/castors. It currently has 13 inch solids, and pneumatic castors(not sure on size, need to measure).

I go off-road a lot and like the idea of tubeless tires, the current castors seem really good(we have some really dodgy "drop" curbs in this area), but I am concerned about how easily they may puncture? I drive over a lot of course jagged gravel at our local park path.

It doesent matter.
All my chairs are rear drive. Once you move the seat back to sort out the CG issues, then a totally flat front tyre can be ignored...
This is an example. I ran this until the tyre popped! Right through to the tube... I still went o the pub for a day or two.
https://www.wheelchairdriver.com/gopro/puncture.mp4

However thats almost impossible on the Q500 and Q700 chairs because they moved the front arms too close together...

[Potty]

Thanks both, I'll have a better read through those links later when I get home

[Potty]

Hmm did not realise I would need to make adaptors to fit the rims to go tubeless.

The Jive wheel method it seems was for wider tube tires, oops! Guess this could be the better option for me?

[Burgerman]

The main reason to swap tyres (and rims) is to be able to use tubeless tyres. For reliability, strength, as well as better quality. Yes that means some type of adapter.

[Potty]

Did you ever make adaptors for tubeless for your q700 BM? If so, do you happen to have any pictures of the adaptor please? I'm wondering if it is basically a large thick waster with 3 bolt holes for the existing mounting and 4 more holes for the new rims, or like a totally new flange to go on the drive shaft.

Thanks

[Burgerman]

The SALSA chair has adapters that allow me to fit 3.5J x 8 alloy rims. And tubeless 120/70-8 Duro Kitaco tubeless tyres.

The Q700 R is basically the same I made a flat "ring" of metal (actually I ordered it to my specs online to be laser cut). It was driled and tapped with a hand drill for the new wheel. And it was drilled AND COUNTERSUNK for some countersunk allen screws to bolt the adapter to the chairs hub.

That only works with the wider 3.5J rims though at least easily. The Q700 has not got tubeless rims. I wasnt going to keep it as I dont like it.

MY spacers are made from several thinner parts. Because the laser cutter guy said he couldnt cut the thickness I needED. So look carefully! Theres 2 halves, bolted together. Theres countersunk plain holes for the countersunk bolts to fit the adapters. Theres threaded holes for the rims to bolt on.
Theres a smaller "ring" that bolts on, to centralise the wheel while I fit the bolts... Theres a thin alloy plate, as a cover plate. I changed that to stainless and removed the 2 holes... Not needed as the load spread washers that hold the wheel on also hold that on...

Dont ask for measurements as its fitted to a chair! And I cant get to it!

[Potty]

Thanks, I was looking at the 2.75 rims and 3.5 inch or maybe 100mm tubeless "knobby" tyres that I think Shirley sells, as I dont want the chair to go past 700mm wide (to go on trains), it's already at 640mm stock.

But I think the adaptors may be beyond me skill wise, as I assume if they are even slightly off i'll either feel or damage my chair.

[ex-Gooserider]

Thanks, I was looking at the 2.75 rims and 3.5 inch or maybe 100mm tubeless "knobby" tyres that I think Shirley sells, as I dont want the chair to go past 700mm wide (to go on trains), it's already at 640mm stock.

But I think the adaptors may be beyond me skill wise, as I assume if they are even slightly off i'll either feel or damage my chair.

If you can use a CAD package to draw up the adapters, (which can be a challenge as most have "near vertical" learning curves) then there are plenty of services that will machine them for you... The key dimensions (which must be EXACT) are the bolt circle diameters of both wheels, and the dimensions of any parts of the OEM hub you need to fit over. You will also need the sizes of the bolts and the number of bolts in each circle, and any other dimensions that constrain the fit...

If you know someone that can help with the CAD drawing, they can do a simple part like BM's adapters quite quickly, it will take a lot longer to actually do the measurements that will be used in the drawing...

ex-Gooserider

[Potty]

Thanks, I was looking at the 2.75 rims and 3.5 inch or maybe 100mm tubeless "knobby" tyres that I think Shirley sells, as I dont want the chair to go past 700mm wide (to go on trains), it's already at 640mm stock.

But I think the adaptors may be beyond me skill wise, as I assume if they are even slightly off i'll either feel or damage my chair.

If you can use a CAD package to draw up the adapters, (which can be a challenge as most have "near vertical" learning curves) then there are plenty of services that will machine them for you... The key dimensions (which must be EXACT) are the bolt circle diameters of both wheels, and the dimensions of any parts of the OEM hub you need to fit over. You will also need the sizes of the bolts and the number of bolts in each circle, and any other dimensions that constrain the fit...

If you know someone that can help with the CAD drawing, they can do a simple part like BM's adapters quite quickly, it will take a lot longer to actually do the measurements that will be used in the drawing...

ex-Gooserider

Thanks, I'll see if anyone I know can use CAD.

Issue is, I would need the wheels to take measurements, but if I buy those and am unable to make the adaptors/have them made, then it's rather a waste of money, so I need to be fairly sure

[Burgerman]

I used a tape measure and ordered the disks online laser cut. And a drill...

Quite painless really!

[Potty]

I used a tape measure and ordered the disks online laser cut. And a drill...

Quite painless really!

Well re-reading your previous post, it actually is more simple than I thought reading late at night the other day

I assume yours were cut in mild steel? Seems they can do upto 15mm, so for 2.75 rims and max 100mm tyres, I maybe could get away with just one piece.

[Burgerman]

With narrower rims (why?) you end up with awquard measurements from what I remember.

In any case 3.5 rims or even 4 inch rims are fine for both the 110/80 and the 120/70 by 8 tyres.

Heres a set of 110/80 Duro tyres on some widened rims. There are 4.25 inches between beads (so called 4.25J) on my invacare chair.

[Potty]

With narrower rims (why?) you end up with awquard measurements from what I remember.

In any case 3.5 rims or even 4 inch rims are fine for both the 110/80 and the 120/70 by 8 tyres.

Heres a set of 110/80 Duro tyres on some widened rims. There are 4.25 inches between beads (so called 4.25J) on my invacare chair.

The issue is my chair is already 640mm wide and I want it to be 700 or under, so that I can use trains.

[Burgerman]

Those are terrible things! Communist run tools of the devil...


OK.
This chair has 6 inch wide tyres. Actually a little more. (15"x6.00"-6" tubeless) It has big fat puncture resistant kevlar reinforced "K-Shield" tubeless tyres. Thats over a foot of rubber. So it can run at a very low pressure like 5 to 7 psi and so a nicer ride.

And its still only 27 inch wide. So you are not really trying!
Scroll down to the tape measure...

https://www.wheelchairdriver.com/BM-MK3 ... rchair.htm

Or look here!

[Burgerman]

This one has 130/60 tyres on larger rims.

Thats 5 inches of rubber each side, same chair otherwise. So now even with super low profile fat tyres, its 25 inches wide.


https://www.wheelchairdriver.com/board/ ... &start=270

[Burgerman]

Many ways to skin a cat!