Tips & Advice
Based on customer troubleshooting questions we have received.Pushchair Veers
If you have previously been using a lightweight child's pushchair then you may be surprised how different a Trotter Heavy Duty Pushchair is to use. It is not uncommon for customers to suspect that their Trotter pushchair veers.
A pushchair with swivel wheels has to be steered, every step of the way, to go in a straight line.
The Trotter has sealed ball race bearings so it is very free rolling with a heavier occupant.
If the ground slopes away in front of the Trotter then the person pushing it will need to hold back the pushchair to stop it from running away from them. The heavier the occupant the more force will be needed to stop it. The steeper the slope the more force will be needed to stop it. This is as one would expect.
What some people may not automatically anticipate though is that if the ground slopes to the left or right then the Trotter will naturally veer 'downhill' in that direction, and they will need to correct this - to steer 'uphill' in order to move straight forward. This takes effort. Furthermore the steeper the slope and the heavier the occupant then the more effort it takes.
Roads are made with a deliberate camber for drainage and pavements are rarely flat and level. On housing estates with driveways every few yards the pavement will be sloped at each one.
Similarly the weight distribution of the occupant may also affect the steering, a child leaning to the left or right changes the balance. A child leaning forward can make it especially hard work to steer.
For a tall, strong adult pushing the Trotter these variations may not be hugely significant both because of their own strength/weight and because the pushchair handle height works well for them to apply the force required.
At the other extreme a short, petite adult of slight build pushing the Trotter may struggle as they have less strength/weight and their hand position on the higher handle is stressful to easily exert force.
Parents and carers in the middle will have a wide range of experiences varying with the person, the occupant and their local terrain.
Someone or any height with an existing back problem may also struggle.
We regret this is beyond out control, it isn't a fault with the pushchair.
Parking Brake Not Working
It is important to remedy this immediately, the pushchair should not be used until the parking brake is working.
Fortunately this should be an easy one to fix as the brake is adjustable. It is possible that the brake mechanism has been knocked of perhaps 'little fingers' may have been fiddling.
The position of the brake bar can be moved closer to the wheel by turning the long adjusting nut on the mechanism. When the brake lever is operated the brake bar will be pressed more firmly onto the wheel.
Check that the parking brakes on both rear wheels are fully operational before using the pushchair.
Harness Shoulder Strap Nut Comes Off
The height of the harness shoulder straps is adjustable, it is held in place with a hand tightened nut.
If the nut is not tightened sufficiently then it may come off (if it does come off then clearly it wasn't tight enough).
If you are unable to tighten it further by hand then these suggestions may help avoid it coming off again.
- add a spring washer under the nut to absorb vibration or varying tension caused by erratic movements of the occupant
- fix with a washer & nut (which can be done up with a spanner much tighter) then fit the hand tightened nut over them (to make safe the end of the bolt)
Footrests Not Long Enough
The quick release pin holding the footrest in postion is in its lowest hole, it cannot be adjusted any further.
The adjustment range on the Trotter is huge and should be sufficient for all but a giant !
To solve this:
- Check the position of the bracket on the frame which the footrest tube fits into
- If the bracket is above the bolts which fix it to the frame then remove these bolts, and refit the bracket the other way up so that it is below the fixing bolts
You should now have lots more growth room.
Lost Quick Release Pin
Without the quick release pin the footrest cannot be fitted.
The footrests are adjusted by a quick release pin can be quickly adjusted, this is especially useful if the Trotter is to be used by many occupants of varying sizes, e.g. in a school.
The footrests do not have to be removed when the Trotter is folded, they are simply swung away to the sides.
When a Trotter is only used by a single occupant then adjustment is very infrequent...so you may decided it is advantageous to replace the quick release pin with a nut and bolt.
Without a quick release pin to lose then you can't find yourself unable to fit a footrest.
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