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Busted Bearings: 4 Signs It's Time To Get Your Wheelchair Bearings Replaced
Busted Bearings: 4 Signs It's Time To Get Your Wheelchair Bearings Replaced


 

With over 2 million new wheelchair users popping up in the U.S. each year, it's important that rigid wheelchair (or folding wheelchair) owners understand the basic care and maintenance required for owning this important piece of equipment. The wheels are unquestionably the most vital aspect of the entire unit; the seat may be sagging and the footrest may be busted, but if anything happens to those wheels (or the wheelchair tires), the chair becomes useless.


Wheelchair bearings are responsible for holding the components of the wheels -- such as the wheelchair castors -- together. This makes them extremely important in regards to maintenance: if the bearings become worn or rusted, mobility will become increasingly difficult. Here are four ways to tell it's time to swap them out.

  • The wheelchair becomes harder to push. Nobody knows your chair better than you. If your daily routine is becoming more and more arduous despite the lack of any change in habit, it's a good sign your wheelchair bearings have reached the end of their lifespan.

  • The wheelchair is noticeably less agile. Maneuvering using only your upper body strength is already a difficult feat. However, after months (or even years) of practice, your body adjusts to handle the extra effort. If your wheelchair
    suddenly isn't able to do what you've been doing in it for ages -- such as turning tight corners or handling multiple types of terrain -- it could be due to the breakdown of your wheelchair bearings.

  • You can hear squeaks and groans. Anytime a mobile anything starts sounding like a dying cat, the suspect is usually the wheels. Since bearings play an integral role in wheel health and function, those screeching noises are most likely your chair telling you something needs to get fixed, and ASAP!

  • The bearing breaks apart. You probably don't need to be told that the actual crumbling of a wheelchair bearing means you need a new one, but the fact is true nonetheless. Be vigilant in your care, especially when subjecting your wheels to some mobile abuse.

Wheelchair bearings play a huge role in keeping you mobile; without the proper care, your active lifestyle will slow down significantly. Be sure to keep an eye on the health of your chair and you'll be rewarded with years of use.




Product Code: -976-POST-01-07-2019
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Product Summary
 
With over 2 million new wheelchair users popping up in the U.S. each year, it's important that rigid wheelchair (or folding wheelchair) owners understand the basic care and maintenance required for owning this important piece of equipment. The wheels are unquestionably the most vital aspect of the entire unit; the seat may be sagging and the footrest may be busted, but if anything happens to those wheels (or the wheelchair tires), the chair becomes useless.

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