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Rubber Track Fell out of the Guidance System

In certain rare circumstances, the tracks may fall out of their guidance system and begin to strip off. You will most likely hear a loud grinding sound and climbing stairs no longer works. The reasons for this can be:

  • Track tension is too low

  • Rotating in track mode on ground with very high traction

  • Going up or down the stairs at a high skew angle (not straight)

  • Strong lateral forces are exerted on the track because of the geometry of the staircase

  • Track too worn out

Only do this in a safe environment – crushing hazard!

Only carry out the following steps if the situation allows it and you were able to get out of the wheelchair safely. Seek assistance from others if this is not possible. Do not go up or down stairs if the track is not fitted properly. Be careful of your fingers. The track is under tension and you could trap your limbs.

Always power the wheelchair off if it is tilted or jacked up

If you have to jack up or tilt the wheelchair in order to rethread the tracks, make sure you power the wheelchair off first and never use the joystick to turn the motors. It could be that a main wheel or track accidentally touches the ground and the wheelchair moves in one direction in a jerky and uncontrolled manner.

Proceed as follows to rethread the track:

  1. Stop immediately and do not go up stairs.

  2. Try moving the wheelchair in the opposite direction to pull the track back on using the motors. If this doesn't help, proceed as follows (get off the wheelchair first! An assistant is necessary):

    1. If possible, get out of the wheelchair. If not, get someone to help you and together try to get down the stairs to the next landing. You may need to use the brake release to do so (see also Push Mode on Stairs).

    2. Power the wheelchair off.

    3. Try to lift up the side of the wheelchair where the track has fallen out of the guidance system slightly so that neither the main wheel nor the track touches the ground (jack up the wheelchair). Often, the easiest way is to tilt the wheelchair slightly to the side by the back support.

    4. Ask someone to rotate the wheel by hand (turn the wheelchair off and press the brake release). This makes it easier to lift the track back into the guidance system. Do not use the motors while the wheelchair is jacked up.

  3. Call the technical support if you cannot lift the track back into the guide.

  4. If you were able to rethread the track, continue to proceed with caution and contact your reseller to have the track checked as soon as possible.

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