I want to be able to make a normal manual wheelchair go easily on sand any ideas??

Question

Ioften go to beaches with friends but they are always having to pull the chair through the sand...I kno they make those chair for sand but it just ends up being a bigger pain...does anyone have any ideas on modifications that can be made to the chair so it will roll on sand or have you ever heard of anything being done to a normal manual chair to make it go on sand. any information is appreciated.

Answer 1

Those looking for optimal performance roll up a notch complete off-road wheel sets, where bigger is better. Based on mountain bike wheels - but with recessed wheelchair hubs and handrims - off-road wheel sets offer full-profile mountain bike rims and tires, providing widths of 2" or more. Going from a 1-3/8"-wide wheelchair wheel assembly to a 2"-wide mountain bike wheel assembly may not read as impressive - but, the performance enhancement is striking. The 2"-wide tires float over soft surfaces into which wheelchair wheels commonly sink; the wider footprint increases stability and traction on uneven terrain; the beefy rims and heavy-guage spokes dramatically increase wheel durability; and, the large, low-pressure tires provide a shock-absorbing ride. From sand to snow to street, off-road wheels simply provide a wider, higher-traction footprint that noticeably improves a wheelchair's ability to negotiate the rough stuff, and stay atop softer surfaces.http://www.wheelchairjunkie.com/offroadwheels.html Read the drawbacks, you may need to change the wheels {width in house} or have 2 chairs. I would get a used chair, class it up with neoprene and put the wheels on it. Be good for the yard too.

Answer 2

Off Road Manual Wheelchair

Answer 3

Off Road Wheelchair Tires

Answer 4

If you go often, you would probably be best off buying one of the PVC-framed beach chairs. By the time you do the mods and undo the mods on your regular chair, the day would be over!

You can make your chair easier for your friends to pull by strapping skis or a toboggan under the wheels, but that won't help your independence.

If you have quick-release axles and front casters, you can set yourself up with a set of custom-made beach tires for both... but even then, the friction of free-wheeling on sand will tire even a superman out quickly.

Depending on your situation, you MIGHT want to look at an adapted ATV instead!

Answer 5

You may be able to get oversize tires, something at least 3 inches wide for the wheel chair.
If that is not an option, you could have someone cut 3 inch wide tread sections from used car tires.
Make sure they are long enough to fit around the outside of the regular wheel chair wheels and attach them to the wheels with Velcro strips, wire, tie wraps or whatever.
I know they won't look pretty but they should work.
Good luck.

Answer 6

Here are a bunch of pics of beach wheelchairs. It looks like they are all specially made for sand, except maybe the one in the upper right corner.

http://images.google.com/images?um=1&tab=wi&ie=UTF-8&rlz=1T4GGLR_enUS208US208&q=sand%20wheelchair

That one looks like it just has an extended axle with another regular wheel on it.

What about this. I know it will still be a pain, and you'd have to have a friend's help, but they make really inexpensive flexible carpet runners that come in long rolls. You could get two of these and your friend could keep picking up the back one and putting it in front of you.

Answer 7

I like the water ski idea. You need more surface area. Try getting a set of balloon tires for bicycles on the rear wheels, and miniature skies on the front wheels.

Answer 8

I doubt there is something you can do to a manual wheelchair for it to go on sand... if there was then why would they make a special WC for sand?

Answer 9

Attach a pair of water skis to the wheels (locked). They should slide across the sand.
;)

Answer 10

Its difficult enough just to walk on sand. But my best advice is probably put treads on them, like tanks? That doesnt gaurentee the same movement as on hard surface but its something.