Signs It’s Time To Replace Your Wheelchair Bearings

1Signs It’s Time To Replace Your Wheelchair Bearings

Keeping wheelchair wheels and bearings in good condition is crucial for maintaining safe mobility and comfort. Wheelchairs are often used daily, and they undergo wear and tear that can affect their functionality and safety. If you’re having trouble maneuvering or hearing strange noises, it might be time to get your wheel bearings replaced. This blog post will give you some of the signs to look for that suggest it’s time to do so.

Squeaky Wheels

Wheel bearings have little metal balls inside them to keep the wheels from spinning too quickly. They also have a lubricant to help reduce friction between the balls. When they wear out, they may start to squeak or vibrate when you turn your wheels. This is a sign it’s time for wheel bearings to be replaced. This can happen due to normal wear on the balls or rollers, grease leaking out through the seals or water seeping into the bearing. To check for this problem, you can stick your finger into the center hole of a bearing and try to turn it by hand. If it sticks, feels rough or has any metal dust or rust around it, replace it as soon as possible.

Fluttering Wheels

Wheelchairs are a vital assistive device for the disabled and elderly, providing the mobility that they need to remain mobile. However, as is the case with many other types of equipment, they can be susceptible to wear and tear over time. The wheelchair’s drive wheels and caster wheels are the two main parts that the user interacts with to move the chair, both of which are quite susceptible to wear and tear. If a wheelchair’s wheels start to make strange noises, or are a little wobbly, it’s probably time for replacement. Fortunately, changing these wheels is not difficult to do at home with the right tools, or with the help of a wheelchair repair shop.

Difficulty Maneuvering

In the world of wheelchair maintenance, a front caster bearing replacement is at the top of the list. If you’re a proponent of regular wheel and axle rotations, you know how important this is to your drivability. For one, you’ll want to check out our wheel and caster replacement guide. This will help you identify the best fit for your particular model and ensure you aren’t buying a shoddy substitute that will make your chair wobble, flutter and shake like an old pair of socks. It also has a list of recommended replacement parts for your specific model, from rear wheel hubs to front forks.

Tires Going Flat

If you’ve been experiencing the above issues, it may be time to replace your wheelchair bearings. But, before you take out your toolbox and fling bolts, there are a few signs to look for that will tell you it’s time to get them replaced. One significant sign that your wheel bearings are wearing down is that they’re causing your tires to go flat. This can happen for a number of reasons, including physical damage like cracks or weak spots in the tire material that allow air to leak through them or if you hit a curb or other solid object.