A unique chair in the Australian AT sector, it’s Australian made! To that end, we’ve consulted with Daedalus Technologies and have designed a frame clamp specifically for the Centro by Glide. The clamp may be made in Canada but it’s especially for Aussies.
(image source: Active Rehab website, www.activerehab.net.au)
Type of frame
Squared powder-coated box tube is used for the seat-base frame which is where the Clamp is to be attached.
A regular square tube clamp CAN’T be used as there is no access to the top of the tube, the clamp must be bolted on using the holes that exist in the seat-base frame work
The Frame Clamp Required on Centro
We have had a specific clamp made for Glide Centro.
It uses two or all three of any run of three holes that are on the seat-base frame of the Centro (pictured below) and is designed to allow the Inner Piece Adapter to be attached in the best place required, like the other MultiHole Adapters in the DAESSY suite of frame clamps
It comes with all the fixing hardware needed, all that is required is a run of three unobstraucted hole along the length of the Centro’s seat-base frame, as far foward as possible.
There is a catch with Centro, which we’ll explain shortly.
Where It Is Attached
There is a tilting seat mechanism built into these chairs so attachment is usually onto the seat-base frame – see our article Mounting Onto Tilting Seat Wheelchairs for more details.
How WE Do It
OK, here’s the trick with Centro – you need to look at how the foot-plate hangers are installed as it will affect your Frame Clamp attachment and other parts that are needed to successfully complete the mount.
There are three variants of footplate or legrests atatched to Centros:
- Flush Mounted (as seen in the green Centro image below)
- Centre Mounted (as seen in the blue Centro image below)
- Offset Mounted (as seen in the red Centro image below)
The “Flush Mounted” versions are the ones we have come across most regularly.
They simply require moving the Centro Adapter further backwards on the seat-base frame at times. Sometimes one of the bolts locating the foot-plate hangers can be removed and the fixing hardware that comes with the Centro Adapter used to bolt through both the hanger and the Frame Clamp in one go.
The easiest to work with is the “Centre Mounted” version.
This is because ALL of the bolt-holes along the seat base are available so you simply start as far forward as allowed. Usually, that is right at the very front of the chair, which is ideal
The hardest to work with are “Offset Mounted” versions.
They have a double-up of frame competing for Frame Clamp space. Treat them the same as “Flush Mounted”. Be prepared to be frustrated somewhat and have a Spacer or two at the ready (as seen in the image above/right)
Getting Your Mount Kit Forward On The Seat-base
When mounting the Frame Clamp further back on the seat-base, you may need to add in an Offset Link (or two). You may need to adjust the start of the mount kit vertical section to be further forward than the attachment point of the clamp.
See our article addressing fitting and Offset Links in “Fitting A Mount Kit – Part 2” for more information.
With Centros, the centre drive-wheel configuration can also create a challenge. The mid-drive wheel’s mud guard is often just below where the clamp might attach.
This can affect the amount of vertical tube we can “tail” out through the clamp for future growth or re-fitting and so Offset Links help with that adjustment (see image below).
An Offset Link or Spacer may also make it easier to turn the blue-lock on the Removable Frame Clamp receiver in your kit. As we’ve mentioned above, you can only attach your clamp where there is room enough (or shared room) to do so. Existing hardware might make it hard to turn that blue lock when attached, which is another place where Offset Links and Spacers can help out
Lastly, the bolt holes along a Centro seat-base frame can have other equipment using those holes, like seat straps and harness attachment points or even head lights! Again, some “out of the box” thinking might be needed in those situations which, quite literally, might need other parts out of a box – your tool box!
Items like M8 sized washers, like the two included in the Glide Centro Adapter, are VERY handy when these hardwares exists on your Centro and it’s worth having a box of them in your toolkit.
Installation of your Mount Kit to your Glide Centro
Once the Frame Clamp is installed to your Centro, the rest of the Mount Kit is installed as per the requirements of the kit being used.
The frame clamp is the anchor of the mount kit and the part that connects your mounted technology to your chair. Making sure the best method is used, attached in the right way is very important to the stability of the kit, access to that mounted technology and safety of the person using it.
