The Problem

Is that motorized wheelchairs are not designed to tool around in the soft alkaline dust of the Black Rock Desert. Sidewalks and hallways, fine. But not shallow puddles of quicksand. So I need to replace the little twelve-inch wheels with something larger, say about twice as big in diameter, but the new wheel also has to fit the existing motor shaft and accommodate locking hubs.

Shaft comes out of the gearbox.  I am NOT messing with that.

I've looked at bicycle wheels, motorcycle wheels, trailer wheels, ATV wheels, cart wheels, I mean, I've searched the web for anything that looks like it might be modifiable to work with the existing motor shaft and either lock to it or spin freely (so I can push my invention back to camp in the event the batteries go dead), and so far, nothing. Nothing until a couple hours ago when I got an idea. Will expand on that idea when I figure out whether or not it's a good idea.

The hub comes apart with disconcerting ease.

Meanwhile, my self-indulgent attempt to make a mutant vehicle has led me to research what paraplegics do when their wheelchair just doesn't quite make the cut for where they want to go. Turns out they have to make their own, and if they cannot, or cannot afford to have one made, then they are stuck. Literally. I am told that taking a wheelchair to Burning Man sucks. It only sucks less than not going at all.

So I'm thinking that whatever I learn from this project just might fold back into helping people whose legs don't work to get more out of the event than their cheesy little small-wheeled chairs will allow. We'll see. Meanwhile I have myriad engineering problems to solve for mine. It won't resemble a wheelchair. More like a mobile divan of some sort, with lights and music. Details to be determined (hopefully by the application deadline).