As a mechanic by hobby, I inherently love to “tinker” with things and my wheelchair would be no exception. I do all my own maintenance and most repairs. On a wheelchair, there are only a few items that require regular maintenance. Pretty much all brands are the same and have the same fundamental parts; barring bolt sizes and bearing diameters. The question of how frequently a wheelchair should be refreshed depends on many different variables, such as how often you use your chair and where you find yourself going in it- water, dirt or strictly pavement. I tend to spend a lot of time in the dirt (Hello, I am a boy!) so I teardown and clean up my chair about once a month or more if needed.

When it is time, I sit down with my chair and tear a few key parts down. I start with the rear tires, making sure that tires are in good shape and still have tread. Then I check all the spokes making sure they are all tight and the rim rolls straight, then the bearings to see if they turn smoothly. Also, I check all the bolts mounting the push rings to see if any are loose or missing and make sure they are not overly scuffed or dented. If any of these items need attention I take care of it.

After the rear wheels are all sorted and cleaned I move to the front wheels or “casters.” These tend to take a lot of abuse and attract a lot of hair- especially from pets and girlfriends. I remove the wheels and spacers and clean them all up also checking the bearings. If all is well I make sure the bearings in the caster housing are turning easily and smoothly from left to right as well. Lastly, I take a look over the frame and upholstery to look for any cracks or tears anywhere.

With a quick wipe down and maybe a little polish for the shiny parts I am ready to rock and roll once again. All in all, it will take me a few hours to tear my chair completely down and put it back together. This time will save so much in the long run.

If you have any questions or maybe some tips of your own, feel free to send them to me at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it