Wheelchair Maintenance

Looking after a wheelchair is very similar to looking after a car - there are basic maintenance things that you can do yourself and other things that should be checked by a trained wheelchair technician. If your wheelchair is owned by Enable New Zealand, ACC or accessAble, they will have contracted technicians who will be able to assist you with your maintenance requirements. (To find out how to contact them, click here.

Regular maintenance at home will make sure that the wheelchair remains in a safe and good working order.

Never make modifications to your wheelchair. This should only be done by a wheelchair technician or an authorised and qualified dealer - otherwise warranties on the wheelchair will no longer apply.

Most models of wheelchairs come with manuals on how to look after that particular model - if you do not have this and you have one of our wheelchairs, please contact us and we will send you one.

The following are some general ideas you may wish to consider on how to maintain your wheelchair. Remember all models of wheelchairs differ!

Tyres
We recommend the tyre pressure gets checked each week. This can easily be done by using a tyre pressure gauge and by pumping air into the tyre until it reaches the correct pressure (this is marked on the side of the tyre).

The following parts only need to be checked once a month or so.

Wheels
Check that these spin freely. Sometimes hairs and dust get caught in the axle and by releasing the wheel (using the quick release button) you can easily remove any build up that may have developed on the axle.

Pushrims
Check these for any rough edges. They can be sanded or filed down if necessary to smooth them out.

Frame
Look over all nuts, bolts and attaching hardware for proper tightness. The frame can be wiped with a damp cloth to remove any dirt that may have built up. Check for any cracks or dents in the frame - these can weaken the strength of the frame.

Brakes
Check that they are still tight and holding the wheels in place. They may require tightening a little using an Allen key, screwdriver or a spanner. Always check these after you have checked the tyre pressure and inflated the tyres to the correct pressure.

Footplates
Make sure that these haven't loosened or moved during the wheelchair's use. Loosening the bolt at the bottom of the legrest and moving to the correct position, before retightening, can easily straighten them.

And one last really important point to note. if the correct wheelchair is prescribed and selected in the first place to best meet the user's needs and it is adjusted properly, then the maintenance should be minimal!