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Whirlwind RoughRider User Manual

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USER MANUAL

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Summary of Contents for Whirlwind RoughRider

  • Page 1 USER MANUAL...

  • Page 2: User Manual

    Whirlwind welcomes your ideas and suggestions for improving our wheelchairs and manuals. The best information we get is from you, the rider. Please feel free to contact us. Whirlwind Wheelchair International, San Francisco State University, 1600 Holloway Avenue, SCI 251, San Francisco, CA 94132-4163 USA Phone: 415.338.6277, Fax: 415.338.1290, E-mail: info@whirlwindwheelchair.org...

  • Page 3: Table Of Contents

    Your RoughRider™ Basic Riding Skills Maintenance and Repair Table of Contents Your RoughRider Who is the RoughRider for? And RoughRider Specifications RoughRider Components RoughRider Features Common Modifications Basic Riding Skills Know your Capabilities and Limits Pressure Relief Pressure Relief Techniques...

  • Page 4: Your Roughrider

    The RoughRider was also designed for easy repair and maintenance using commonly available parts and tools. The RoughRider’s design is the culmination of ideas and innovations of wheelchair builders, users, and experts from around the world who promote the independence of wheelchair riders.
  • Page 5 USER MANUAL Who is the RoughRider for? To avoid potential injury, the RoughRider should only be used by someone who can meet the following criterion: Pressure Management - The single most important criterion. If you have limited or no sensation (feeling) you must be able to manage the pressure on your body to use the RoughRider safely (e.g., proper techniques for self care, pressure relief, skin care).

  • Page 6: Roughrider Components

    Caster Fork and Caster Wheel Upon receiving your RoughRider, please make a note of how the components are adjusted so that you can easily adjust them in the future. It is recommend that you write down the following critical measurements and refer to them when performing inspections or maintenance on your...

  • Page 7: Roughrider Features

    USER MANUAL RoughRider™ Features Long Wheelbase Small diameter caster wheels fit under the footrests, resulting in a longer distance between the rear wheels and caster wheels without making the chair longer overall. The small wheels also allow you to maintain a low knee height, so that your knees can fit under tables.

  • Page 8: Wheel Locks

    • The wide wheel “floats” over soft ground without getting stuck. • The V-tire profile reduces the sticky contact area of the tire so that it swivels easily on hard surfaces. page 5 of 57 Whirlwind RoughRider™ User Manual...
  • Page 9 USER MANUAL Adjustable Rear Wheel Position The RoughRider’s rear wheels have five positions. Why have an adjustable rear wheel position? An adjustable rear wheel position optimizes stability and performance for riders of differing abilities. With your rear wheels further forward: •...

  • Page 10: Seat Angle

    Your RoughRider™ Basic Riding Skills Maintenance and Repair Seat Angle The RoughRider was designed with 12 degrees of seat tilt. Why does the RoughRider have seat tilt? • Seat tilt makes sitting feel more natural and comfortable; the back-tilted position helps keep your trunk upright.

  • Page 11: Common Modifications

    USER MANUAL Common Modifications For Shorter Riders Shorter Seat Depth - If your upper legs are shorter than 40.7mm (16 in.), as measured from back of pelvis to back of lower leg, you can shorten the effective seat length by: •...

  • Page 12: Basic Riding Skills

    Heel Strap and Lap Belt You may want to add a calf strap to your RoughRider to keep your feet from slipping backward off the footrests. You can add a calf strap by wrapping a piece of material, such as webbing or heavy cloth, around the footrest tubes.

  • Page 13: Maintenance And Repair

    After reading this section of the manual it is a good idea to discuss anything that is not clear with the manufacturer, distributor, or an experienced Whirlwind RoughRider user. They should be able to show you how to perform different maintenance and repair tasks.

  • Page 14: Maintenance Schedule

    Every other month OR when spokes are broken or Spokes Page 43 loose OR if wheels wobble when spinning. Clean, lubricate, and inspect your RoughRider for Cleaning and damage every 2 – 3 months if living in rough rural Routine...

  • Page 15: Cushion

    Cushion The cushion protects your skin from pressure sores. It is important to keep it clean and dry so it will last longer. Your cushion will not last as long as your chair. You should replace your cushion every year or as needed. Dirt and moisture that is in contact with your skin can cause pressure sores.
  • Page 16 Repair or Replace your Cushion Compared to new cushion: You should replace your cushion every year or as needed. If the top foam is worn out, is misshapen, or doesn’t spring back when compressed, it should be replaced with the same type of foam. If well cared for, the base of a cushion will last longer than the top foam.

  • Page 17: Bearings

    Bearings Maintaining your bearings will make them last longer and will help your chair roll more easily. How to Make Your New Bearings Last Longer • Pack bearings with as much bearing grease as possible. See Thorough Bearing Maintenance section for how to pack bearings with grease.
  • Page 18 Maintaining your Bearings Basic Maintenance (every month OR when you feel your chair slowing down and you don’t have time to do more): • Lubricate our caster wheel caster barrel, and rear wheel bearin gs with oil*. *Recommended bearing grease for thorough maintenance: One of the best types of bearing grease is water resistant boat trailer ball bearing grease.
  • Page 19 Thorough maintenance for rear hub and caster barrel bearings (2-3 times / year if in rough environment; 1 time / year otherwise) • To remove the bearings from the hub, remove the wheel from the wheelchair and take the axle Formatted: Justified bolt out.
  • Page 20 Cone Axle Thorough maintenance for front wheel bearings Formatted: Justified Cup and balls (2-3 times / year if in rough environment; 1 time / year otherwise) • If caster fork has slots: Take the wheel out of the caster fork by loosening nuts until the wheel drops out of the fork.

  • Page 21: Upholstery

    Repair or Replace your Bearings If after being cleaned and repacked the bearings still do not move easily, you will have to replace either the balls or the whole bearing. Sealed bearings in rear wheel hub and caster barrel: If the bearing still does not move easily after being thoroughly cleaned, replace the entire bearing.
  • Page 22 If your seat width is wider, you will have to work harder to push your RoughRider since you will have to reach farther out to grab the push rims. If your seat is more than 40mm (1.6 in.) wider than the original seat width you may be able to adjust your seat fabric back to the original size by sewing new seams along the edges to make it narrower or by moving the holes inward.

  • Page 23: Wheel Locks

    Wheel Locks Loose wheel locks or wheel locks that aren’t adjusted correctly may not fully lock the wheels and can cause you to fall while getting into or out of your chair, resulting in injury to you or damage to the chair.

  • Page 24: Spokes

    Spokes Loose or broken spokes can cause a wheel rim to bend. A few loose spokes will not necessarily make riding more difficult; however, they may allow a wheel to collapse when going over a curb or a big bump and can also make other spokes break more easily since there will be more tension on them.
  • Page 25 Replacing Broken Spokes • Remove tire and tube. • Remove broken spoke and insert the new spoke in the same direction as the broken spoke (spokes on the same side of the hub should alternate directions). • Weave the new spoke in the same pattern as the other spokes (look very carefully at the existing pattern to make sure you are doing it the same way).

  • Page 26: Lubricating Your Roughrider

    ZWAdobeF, 1 pt, Not Bold, Font color: Auto, Superscript Consistently lubricating your RoughRider will keep all the moving parts operating smoothly and efficiently. Use medium- to heavy-weight oil. Do not use common penetrating lubricants like WD40 because they can damage the seals and remove grease. Bearing life will be significantly shortened if you use your chair with ungreased bearings.

  • Page 27: Tires

    If the tire pressure is not the same in both wheels, your RoughRider will turn toward the side of the lower pressure tire.
  • Page 28 Repairing or Replacing Tires and Tubes When tire tread gets very worn, or the tire is brittle or cracked, it is more likely to go flat, so be ready to replace it. If tire is not damaged and only the tube needs repairing: •...

  • Page 29: Cleaning Your Roughrider

    USER MANUAL Cleaning your RoughRider ™ Keeping the chair clean and dry helps keep the metal parts from rusting and the upholstery from rotting. Cleaning also prevents damage caused by dirt or sand scraping against the chair’s moving parts. Clean the frame and upholstery as needed using water with a little mild soap, making sure to rinse and dry it completely afterward.

  • Page 30: Routine Inspections

    Cracks in the wheelchair’s tubes or joints are indications of where the wheelchair may break completely and should be repaired as soon as possible. To do routine inspections, look over your RoughRider while not sitting in it to make sure there are no holes in...

  • Page 31: Nuts And Bolts

    Although your RoughRider has been designed with a minimum number of nuts and bolts, over time and miles of travel, your RoughRider will experience vibrations and torque that can cause the nuts and bolts to loosen. Loose fasteners allow unwanted extra movement in the chair and this movement makes pushing your chair more difficult.
  • Page 32 A nylock is a nut with a nylon ring on the inside. If the nylock is easy to turn it has lost most of its locking capacity and should be replaced. A Whirlwind split nut is a lock nut that can be easily made with the correct size standard nut and basic tools (hacksaw and clamp/vise).

  • Page 33: Footrests

    Move the footrest to the correct position and tighten. You will have to adjust your footrests while not in your chair or get someone else to help you. page 35 of 57 Whirlwind RoughRider™ User Manual...

  • Page 34: Handgrips

    USER MANUAL Handgrips Loose handgrips can cause serious injury if they slip off while someone is pulling the chair; especially pulling up stairs or curbs. Check to make sure your handgrips are tight by pulling on them as if you are trying to remove them. If you can pull the handgrips off, they must be re-glued using strong glue.
  • Page 35 Roll your RoughRider at a medium speed while trying to push equally on each wheel. Let go without shifting your weight and see if your RoughRider drifts to one side. If it does, this is usually the side that is affected by one of the problems below. After trying any of the solutions below, check to see if your chair rolls in a straight line.
  • Page 36 USER MANUAL Rear Axle Out of Alignment A chair will roll with much greater resistance due to the scuffing on the ground caused by one wheel pointing in or out (toe-in or toe-out). Toe-in Toe-out Solution: Measure the distance between the rear wheels at their front and rear edges.
  • Page 37 A chair will veer to one side if the caster wheel rubs against the fork; friction will act like a brake on the wheel and your RoughRider will pull to that side. The caster wheel could be rubbing on the fork for two reasons: the caster fork could be bent or the caster wheel is not centered in the fork.
  • Page 38 Rear Wheel Rubs on the Side Frame Cause 1: Your RoughRider will pull to one side if the axle bolt is loose. If the axle bolt is loose in the axle block, the weight of the rider on the seat will cause the wheels to lean in at the top. If they lean far enough, the wheel might rub against the side frame, friction will act like a brake on the wheel and cause your RoughRider to turn toward that side.

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