Serious Question: Motorizing a WHEELCHAIR

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As someone that has experience in a wheelchair, for over 20 years after 6 months in a wheelchair and the rest of my life with a walker.. Wheels on wheelchairs are not design to go on the street.

My suggestion would be to start from scratch, build a trike, using bicycle wheels, or better yet, some decent import dirt bike wheels. Look at the tricycle conversion kits rear end for build ideas. Find a couple of wrecked chinese junk dirt bikes for wheels, they are not the best choice but they BRAKES that will be better than wheelchair brakes. There is a lot on info on the Internet

Now for the bad, there are reasons that Honda quit making trikes, they are suicide machines. Top heavy and easy to turn over.
 
I would defiantly use a gas powered engine either 2 or 4 stroke, That way as long as you got a couple of buck's in your pocket you know you will make it home with a two stroke you would need some oil but (everyone carries a couple OZ's of oil stashed somewhere on your bike if you got a two stroke AM I RIGHT)

Other consideration are if you want it removable for example if you only have one wheelchair and need to get in a public building you probably wont get very far with a half gallon of gas strapped to your chair.
1. How awkward is it to lift even 20~40 would be difficult to lift if you don't consider adding handles in the right spot to make it easier.
2. Once you do get it off you would need to make a way for it to stay in place without gas spilling out of the cap or the carb.
The reason I said use a small 4 stroke is due to the exhaust fumes since the engine would be in front of the operator
 
As someone that has experience in a wheelchair, for over 20 years after 6 months in a wheelchair and the rest of my life with a walker.. Wheels on wheelchairs are not design to go on the street.

My suggestion would be to start from scratch, build a trike, using bicycle wheels, or better yet, some decent import dirt bike wheels. Look at the tricycle conversion kits rear end for build ideas. Find a couple of wrecked chinese junk dirt bikes for wheels, they are not the best choice but they BRAKES that will be better than wheelchair brakes. There is a lot on info on the Internet

Now for the bad, there are reasons that Honda quit making trikes, they are suicide machines. Top heavy and easy to turn over.
Wheels can be beefed up, still I wouldn't recommend going over 20 mph on level ground.
 
Wheels on wheelchairs are not design to go on the street.
This was my thought too, then I thought that would force you to stay below 10 MPH due to bone jarring bumps that even the smoothest road would still feel hard on your a**.

The reason I said use a small 4 stroke is due to the exhaust fumes since the engine would be in front of the operator
Did not think of that, But if I was in a wheelchair and had a motor on my wheelchair I would have absolutely no problem coming home looking like the stoker of a coal fire train. hell even my teeth would be black from smiling the whole trip.
 
This was my thought too, then I thought that would force you to stay below 10 MPH due to bone jarring bumps that even the smoothest road would still feel hard on your ass.


Did not think of that, But if I was in a wheelchair and had a motor on my wheelchair I would have absolutely no problem coming home looking like the stoker of a coal fire train.
I live in the mountains, am a large person and have had 5 heart surgeries. I just this week got approved for lower back surgery from my cardiologist. So I feel for your friend. I want him to know our joys.
 
I would defiantly use a gas powered engine either 2 or 4 stroke, That way as long as you got a couple of buck's in your pocket you know you will make it home with a two stroke you would need some oil but (everyone carries a couple OZ's of oil stashed somewhere on your bike if you got a two stroke AM I RIGHT)

Other consideration are if you want it removable for example if you only have one wheelchair and need to get in a public building you probably wont get very far with a half gallon of gas strapped to your chair.
1. How awkward is it to lift even 20~40 would be difficult to lift if you don't consider adding handles in the right spot to make it easier.
2. Once you do get it off you would need to make a way for it to stay in place without gas spilling out of the cap or the carb.
sealed tank with a ball vent tube like we have on our trucks and cars gas tanks. one that if the gas splashes to high the ball blocks the hole for a sec to keep it in.
 
M/C gas tanks with air tight gas caps (non venting gas cap) use whats called a roll over valve in line on the vent tube.
The vent tube is inside the tank and runs up to the filler neck (highest point in gas tank)
A rubber hose is hooked to the vent tube where it exits the bottom of the tank and runs down to the bottom of the bike
The roll over valve is gravity operated and in case the bike falls over it blocks the vent tube and prevents gas from leaking out
 
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