Guide To Mobility Scooter Parts
Important Parts Of Handicap Mobility Scooter
Mobility scooters are fairly rugged and require little maintenance because they are electric scooters with minimal moving parts. They also run at comparatively slow speeds over reasonably good surfaces. Nonetheless, the tires and battery are the two major parts which fail and would need to be replaced in time. Tires tend to wear after some use while batteries have a limited life even though you can extend it with careful routine maintenance.
Types Of Tires For Mobility Scooters
Portable mobility scooters use a variety of tires, the most common being pneumatic (air-filled), foam filled (flat free) and solid rubber. Pneumatic or air-filled tires offer the most comfortable ride, but these develop flats when punctured with nails, or when the inner tube develops small leaks. At such times they have to be repaired. Foam filled tires are rubber tires filled with an expanding urethane foam. While foam-filled tires do not develop flats, the downside is that they are heavy and difficult to manoeuver. Also, because they are solid, the rubber outer tire tends to wear more rapidly than pneumatic tires. Solid rubber tires are stable, puncture-proof and maintenance free, but have the same disadvantages as foam filled tires. Mobility scooter tires are available in a wide range of tread patterns, the most common being ribbed and knobby. Ribbed tires are typically used for the front wheels because they are stable and hold the surface better. Knobby tires are perfect for rear wheels.
Batteries For Mobility Scooters
The other major component that requires to be replaced is the battery. Battery packs for mobility scooters come in a huge range beginning with 7 amp-hour battery packs for traveling mobility scooters, up to 110 aH for large capacity, long range vehicles. Most mobility products work on a 24 volt system. This means that if you use 12 volt batteries, your pack will consist of 2 units. The most common size is the U1 where the physical dimensions remain the same but the capacity in amp-hours varies. The amp-hour rating is what determines the range of the scooter and the length of time the battery holds the charge. It has no impact on the top speed of the scooter.
When you are purchasing batteries, make sure that you also have the corresponding chargers for the mobility scooter batteries. You can check the ratings of the chargers to see if it matches against that required by the batteries. Major mobility scooter manufacturers like Pride, Rascal and Hoveround are compatible with most battery brands in the market.
How To Replace Your Mobility Scooter Parts
The best way to replace mobility scooter parts is to follow the instructions in the manufacturer’s manual. But if you are not familiar with mobility scooter installation and repair, you are advised to take the scooter to an expert or you might damage your mobility scooter.
If budget is your concern, you can buy used parts for mobility scooters which may cost less. However, you are advised to beware of the quality of these secondhand replacement parts as they may compromise the performance of your disabled mobility scooter. These used components can be purchased as spare parts that you can use while awaiting the proper replacement parts to be installed.