Drive Viper Plus GT Wheelchair

The Drive Viper Plus GT is Drive Medical's PLA4 family with universal armrests, sold here from PLA416FBUARAD-ELR (16 inch, elevating leg rests) through 18, 20, and 22 inch. Westin Healthcare sells it and delivers it for homes in Brampton and the Greater Toronto Area. It is a self-propel aluminum folding wheelchair.

Drive lists 34.5 lb on the current sheet, a 300 lb rating on 16, 18, and 20 inch, and a 350 lb rating on 22 inch. Seat depth adjusts from 16 to 18 inches. The back angle adjusts from 5 to 20 degrees. Arms convert to desk, half, or full length with a button. Colour on Drive's sheet is Deep Green.

Who this chair is for

This chair is for a person who wants an aluminum self-propel wheelchair they can set up at home: width, seat depth, back angle, back height, arm length, and seat-to-floor height. Families usually call us when the Cruiser X4's 20 inch top width is not enough, or when they want universal arms instead of a fixed desk arm.

If 16, 18, or 20 inch and a simpler desk arm are enough, start with the Drive Cruiser X4. If the person needs a 12 inch pediatric seat, see the Drive Pediatric Viper L412DDA. The Viper Plus GT is not a transport chair.

• Self-propel daily use in 16, 18, 20, or 22 inch
• A 300 lb Drive rating on 16 to 20 inch, 350 lb on 22 inch
• Universal arms, adjustable back, and 24 inch quick-release Mag wheels

Design and build

The frame is all aluminum. Drive's over-centre cross brace leaves off seat guides so seating accessories can go on. Upholstery is heavy-gauge flame-retardant nylon with hook-and-loop flaps. Dual axles set seat-to-floor height from 17.5 to 19.5 inches.

Universal armrests flip back, come off, and convert to desk, half, or full length. Height from the seat adjusts from 12 to 15.5 inches in half-inch steps. The back height sets to 17, 18, or 19 inches. Rear wheels are 24 inch composite Mag-style, quick-release, with urethane tires. Caster forks have three heights and angle adjust. Anti-tippers have flip-up wheels and stay on the chair. Wheel locks are push-to-lock.

The chair folds. Drive lists 33 by 12.25 by 36 inches folded. Swing-away footrests or elevating leg rests are tool-free. The owner manual says the chair is not approved as a seat in a motor vehicle.

Drive Viper Plus GT Wheelchair specifications

These figures are for the Westin PLA4 FBUARAD family, default SKU PLA416FBUARAD-ELR. The specification tab holds the stored values. Drive's current sheet lists 34.5 lb, aluminum, Deep Green, 17.5 to 19.5 inch seat to floor, a 33 by 12.25 by 36 inch fold, and Limited Lifetime warranty. The owner manual prints 300 lb on 16, 18, and 20 inch chairs and 350 lb on 22 inch.

Seat depth on this family adjusts from 16 to 18 inches. Drive's overall-width line on the sheet (46 by 24 by 36.3 inches with riggings) is a family card figure. Do not treat 24 inches as the open width of a 20 or 22 inch chair.

Do not mix these numbers with the Pediatric Viper L412DDA. That chair is 12 or 14 inch, carbon steel, 30 or 31 lb, and 250 lb. Do not mix them with the Cruiser X4, which stops at 20 inch and 300 lb.

Warranty for the original purchaser is Drive's Lifetime Limited term: defects in materials and workmanship for the life of that purchaser. It does not cover misuse, negligence, or normal wear, and it does not extend to rubber accessories, casters, and grips.

Size and legrest options

Use Chair Size to set seat width. Drive's codes are PLA416, PLA418, PLA420, and PLA422. Seat depth then adjusts from 16 to 18 inches on the chair.

Chair Size

• 16 inch (PLA416FBUARAD)
• 18 inch (PLA418FBUARAD)
• 20 inch (PLA420FBUARAD)
• 22 inch (PLA422FBUARAD)

Use Legrest to set swing-away footrests or elevating leg rests. That choice is the -SF or -ELR ending on the Drive SKU. The default SKU here is PLA416FBUARAD-ELR (16 inch, elevating).

Funding help for a manual wheelchair in Ontario

Ontario's Assistive Devices Program (ADP) can fund 75% of the cost of a manual wheelchair when the need is long-term and the chair is prescribed through an assessment by an ADP-registered occupational therapist or physiotherapist, and some income-support programs cover the full cost. Not every chair qualifies, so talk to us before you buy. March of Dimes Canada, Veterans Affairs Canada (VAC), and community programs can also help. Westin Healthcare's staff work with these programs every week and will point you to the right route for your situation. Visit our funding page or call (905) 451-7743 to talk it through.

Delivery and setup in Brampton and the GTA

Westin's own team delivers this wheelchair across Brampton and the Greater Toronto Area. We bring it in, unfold it, set the footrests, and show you the wheel locks, the universal arms, and the fold before we leave.

We have three stores in the Brampton and Toronto area if you would rather see a chair first. For a scheduled delivery, call (905) 451-7743 and we will book the next date that works. Same-day delivery is offered through our hospital bed rental service; purchased chairs are delivered on a scheduled date.

This chair folds for a car trunk. If it is going outside the GTA, ask us for a shipping quote. Inside Toronto and the GTA, White-Glove Delivery (bring-in, unwrap, test, take packaging away) is described on the shipping policy. Any charge is confirmed on your order.

Related mobility products from Westin

• Drive Cruiser X4 Wheelchair, 16 to 20 inch with flip-back desk arms
• Drive Rebel Wheelchair 18x16, the one-width steel chair
• Drive Pediatric Viper L412DDA, the 12 inch carbon-steel Viper

Service and warranty

When something on the chair needs work, you call the shop that sold it, not a US parts desk. Westin Healthcare has a service and repairs department. Our technicians come to the home or workplace.

Drive manufacturer warranty

Drive's owner manual for the PLA4 FBUARAD family prints a Lifetime Limited Warranty for the original purchaser: free of defects in materials and workmanship for the lifetime of that purchaser. The warranty does not cover misuse, negligence, or normal wear, and it does not extend to non-durable parts such as rubber accessories, casters, and grips. We handle the warranty claim with you. Ask us if an extended warranty is offered for your order.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between this wheelchair and a transport chair?

A standard wheelchair has large rear wheels so the person can push themselves. A transport chair has small rear wheels and is built for a caregiver to push. The Viper Plus GT has 24 inch Mag wheels and is a self-propel chair.

Who pushes the Viper Plus GT?

The person in the chair, using the hand rims. A companion can also push from the back. Engage both wheel locks before sitting or standing.

Will it fold into a car trunk?

Drive lists 33 by 12.25 by 36 inches folded. The 24 inch wheels are quick-release. We can show you the fold at delivery. It is not approved as a seat inside a moving vehicle.

What seat width do I need?

Use Chair Size for 16, 18, 20, or 22 inch. Measure the seated hip width and leave a little room on each side. Seat depth then adjusts from 16 to 18 inches on the chair.

What is the weight capacity?

Drive's owner manual lists 300 lbs on 16, 18, and 20 inch chairs and 350 lbs on the 22 inch chair. Stay at or under the rating for the width you order.

Why 24 inch rear wheels?

Twenty-four inch Mag wheels with hand rims are how the person self-propels. They roll farther per push than the small rear wheels on a transport chair. They also make the folded pack taller, which is why Drive prints a 36 inch folded height.

What do the universal arms do?

Drive's universal armrests convert to desk, half, or full length with a button and set to eight heights in half-inch steps. Desk length helps at a table. Full length supports the forearm on longer sits.

What is the warranty?

Drive's sheet and owner manual print a Lifetime Limited term for the original purchaser. Wear items such as casters and grips are outside that term. Westin Healthcare processes the claim.

Can funding help with this chair in Ontario?

Some Ontario routes can help with mobility equipment. Eligibility depends on the person's situation and assessment. Call (905) 451-7743 or use the funding page before you buy.

Can I rent a manual wheelchair before I buy?

Westin Healthcare rents some mobility equipment. Ask us whether a manual wheelchair can go out as a rental for your dates. Purchased chairs are delivered on a scheduled date.