What Is a Wheelchair Gearbox?

Gearboxes on wheelchairs are just as important as gearboxes in cars and serve essentially the same purpose.

The Purpose of a Gearbox

• The gearbox of a car is attached directly to the engine to form the gearmotor. Gears are generally connected to engines via a drive shaft. The gearbox of a motorized wheelchair is attached to the motor via an apparatus which helps to engage and disengage the chair when needed. This make using motorized wheelchairs safer. When a chair is engaged, users can drive it; when it is disengaged, they cannot.

Placement of a Gearbox

• The gearmotor of a car has engager gears, which are controlled by drivers and allow them to decide which gear is in use. Motorized wheelchairs need a gearbox on both sides of a motor in order to connect it to both sides of the chair and keep it secure. Wheelchair gearboxes vary in size depending on the type of chair and motor. They generally come in tube form, which allows them to be easily connected to motors. If one gearbox is malfunctioning in some way, then the wheelchair will not work properly.

Replacing Gearboxes

• Occasionally one or both of the gearboxes on a motorized wheelchair will go bad. It is best to get new gearboxes from a medical equipment dealer or wheelchair manufacturer instead of repairing them.