TiLite Wheelchairs

[TiLite]

Thanks for getting back to me. I had to wait until my husband was in bed before turning the chair upside down. The frame tubes are not cracked. The wedge and screw are in place.
We just had this adjusted so it will probable stay in place a few months. Like I said its only less than a cm of movement at max. but it's still annoying.
Can this be welded in place?
The chair is 6 years old so we may be looking for a replacement soon. Does TiLite make a chair with fixed vertical bars and footplate ?

We do not make a fixed vertical bar and footplate. We have done them for some customers but we do not have a DU for them so it would have to be done as a custom one-off which would be priced accordingly. We typically do not hear this complaint about the footrest slipping. If you can tell me where you are located we can hook you up with our Rep in your area and see if we can help you that way.

[2drwhofans]

Thanks. I sent you a PM.

[ZEN12many]

Suggested improvement: You should be able to change the hand rims without removing the tires. The bolts should lock in (e.g., into a square hole) so they don't rotate when removing the nuts that hold the hand rims on.

[QTiPi]

Do you have a quote number for this chair? I can have our Engineering Team take a look at it and see if we can help.

Any progress on this? I understand if it's no-go, but I'm in limbo here and so is my poor local TiLite dealer. Once again, the quote number is 254336.

[nonoise]

Suggested improvement: You should be able to change the hand rims without removing the tires. The bolts should lock in (e.g., into a square hole) so they don't rotate when removing the nuts that hold the hand rims on.

I agree. I'd like to swap out push rims on a set of tires, but not interested in removing the tires for something so minor. However your idea has a flaw in that even with the nuts off, the push rim will not come off until the bolts are backed out of the tab slots.
What's the problem with post mounts? Why aren't they popular? They are easy to change with a simple Phillips screwdriver.

[TiLite]

Any progress on this? I understand if it's no-go, but I'm in limbo here and so is my poor local TiLite dealer. Once again, the quote number is 254336.

I'm sorry QTiPi!! We didn't follow up with you. Thanks for checking back in. I've been on vacation and missed this post.....
I checked with our Engineering Team and they indicated things like more seat slope and a larger COG will help in decreasing RSH, but only in certain chairs. In this case, on the ZRA, it will help. If anyone is looking for any extreme measurement, e.g. minimum or maximum of any one thing, they just have to request that. Our team can figure that out and put it on the CAD, rather than you having to request hard numbers and just keep guessing. That is much easier on you, and us. Hope this helps and again I apologize for the delay in the response.

[QTiPi]

I'm considering taking the plunge and going up to the ZR instead of the ZRA. One of the appeals of the ZR is the ability to get a welded back. However, I NEED bolt-on, not integrated, push handles. Is this combination achievable? Bolt-on push handles are "Not available with Ti Back" per the order form. I had assumed that this was simply because the new rounded rigidizer bar that comes standard with a titanium back is not suitable for bolting/clamping things onto. However, it's an option to get the usual 4" deep rigidizer bar on the titanium back, and I suppose you would have said "not available with new rounded rigidizer bar" if that's what you meant. So if the combo of welded (therefore titanium) back with bolt-on push handles (the height-adjustable ones in my case) is not possible, what is the limitation? Is it a bolting problem or a welding problem?

[TiLite]

I'm considering taking the plunge and going up to the ZR instead of the ZRA. One of the appeals of the ZR is the ability to get a welded back. However, I NEED bolt-on, not integrated, push handles. Is this combination achievable? Bolt-on push handles are "Not available with Ti Back" per the order form. I had assumed that this was simply because the new rounded rigidizer bar that comes standard with a titanium back is not suitable for bolting/clamping things onto. However, it's an option to get the usual 4" deep rigidizer bar on the titanium back, and I suppose you would have said "not available with new rounded rigidizer bar" if that's what you meant. So if the combo of welded (therefore titanium) back with bolt-on push handles (the height-adjustable ones in my case) is not possible, what is the limitation? Is it a bolting problem or a welding problem?

The bolt-on push handles are not available on titanium backrest due to the wall thickness of the tubing. The titanium wall thickness is considerably less than the aluminum. You would need to go with a folding aluminum back.

[stephen212]

The bolt-on push handles are not available on titanium backrest due to the wall thickness of the tubing. The titanium wall thickness is considerably less than the aluminum. You would need to go with a folding aluminum back.

Let me throw this idea out as a possible solution. If the back post are fabricated from the larger 1.25" diameter tubing (same as the seat frame), then the same mounting clamps used for the adjustable height footrest can be used on the back posts. This would allow the user to achieve the objective of an adjustable height push handle.

My ZR2 has a fixed back with custom-requested 1.25" diameter back posts, so this can be done.

Problem solved. Next!

[QTiPi]

Let me throw this idea out as a possible solution. If the back post are fabricated from the larger 1.25" diameter tubing (same as the seat frame), then the same mounting clamps used for the adjustable height footrest can be used on the back posts. This would allow the user to achieve the objective of an adjustable height push handle.

My ZR2 has a fixed back with custom-requested 1.25" diameter back posts, so this can be done.

Problem solved. Next!

Unfortunately I don't just need them to be height-adjustable, I also need them safely out of my way so I don't repeatedly bang my arms on the things, which I'd assumed meant attached to the rigidiser bar rather than the backposts. It's my understanding--I could well be wrong--that user TiLite is saying that the tubing they use for the rigidiser bar is too thin-walled to take the pressure of a clamp, and if that's the case they'd have to reinforce it somehow because if they simply used the thicker tubing of the frame then the larger diameter would preclude the push handle clamps fitting. But perhaps I've got it wrong. I suppose your plan might work with a new and wacky design of push handle that bent sharply inwards from the backpost before turning sharply upwards.??

Seems odd that TiLite doesn't have an off-the-shelf solution for this one. I can't be the only one with a need for bolt-on push handles AND a desire for a welded, play-free back. I'd think the difficulty would arise any time someone wanted an extremely low back and the ability to get assistance without making the poor AB bend WAY down.