Do not get a single sided lift such as the Ricon silde-away, they look great but are prone to failure because the lift cylinder only picks up one side..

A UVL (under vehicle lift) is one option that wouldn't block the side doors and as far as people having to wait an extra 2 minutes for the lift to open and lower, well tough shi* for them

The GMC Savana has left side doors, no waiting for anybody..

A lowered-floor van is another option, no lift required and you can just use a ramp that's permanently installed or one that you use to load and unload the wheelchair..

 

UVL hangs down under the van, and can not be used by curbs, they are a poor choice.
You can not use a ramp on a full size van, it's too high, a dropped floor makes no difference.

 

If the van sits low then a UVL is poor choice, if the van sits high then UVL is great choice and has no issues with curbs..


I usually don't call 'bull****' on people but in your case i will make an exception, here's some full size vans with very accessible wheelchair ramps for your viewing pleasure..

 

It is steep, but since you want to play devils advocate I'll bite, have you ever seen the result of what happens when a mini van ramp gets wet, it's nowhere near that steep, not even a power chair can climb it, so I'm guessing you put a winch in the floor to make that **** work.
BTW the room necessary to set that down, I want to know where you are finding it, as I have trouble finding a spot for my lift, my suggestions are for the real world, if you like to make things harder on a person, congratulations, you got it!

 

Here's the type of lift I use on my vans: 1994 Ford Econoline w/ Braun swingaway lift Accessible Vehicles Accessible Vehicles Accessible Vehicles Accessible Vehicles

These lifts have been discontinued in the US for quite a few years now, that's because it's the most reliable, simplest and most compact lift ever made!

 

I have no experience with this, but I seen a guy in a van waiting for a spot for quite some time, because fatsos with a disabled parking permit parked in the van accessible spots. Would a rear lift be better because or this?

 

I use a powerchair that can go about 8 mph so I usually don't even bother with handicap spots, I park in the back forty next to a buffer so I don't get blocked.

Rear entry is a problem for street parking.

 

Very interesting. I saw a video of a Vangater and it looked scary as hell! Looks like it lifts from one side only? The video showed the whole left flexing significantly as the chair wheeled onto it. How does it move if it's not hydraulic?


From what I understand the Slide-Away has a lift cylinder on both sides. Looks like a complex mechanism though, and I can't find much about them.


I looked at lowered floor options, and it looks like they are too tall. Guy from Rollx explained that they still use a body lift that brings the overall height to around 86", so it wouldn't fit in an 84" parking garage.

That was our original thought until we considered seating. I want to preserve as much of the factory seating as possible, and the only way Hannah would be able to come up towards the front of the van is if we removed more than half the rear seats. I can have the mobility dealer take out only a row-and-a-half and leave most of the rear seating in place. Hannah is only 4, so she won't be driving herself for the foreseeable future. If someone parks next to the van we can just pull out to get her loaded up.

 

The vanvater is a screwdrive, they are slow, mine was manufactured in 95, I got it in 2000 and used the hell out of it, got a friend with one, they will pick up a power chair but advise against it, the person is to the rear, putting their weight on the arm, it's heavy steel.
I had a big discussion on a rear lift when working on my 73, watch idiots fly through parking lots without looking, now take into consideration, that is where you are going, I've already had a guy drive by my van, running over the lift while it was down, that was beside the van, so yeah, no rear lift for me.

 

You are very trusting, people don't look behind their vehicle when backing, rolling behind cars in the seated position, down low is suicide, ask buggy wranglers about near misses. I often park sideways, taking 2 spots, everyone has a tag for handicap parking here, and the van spots get filled first.

 

 

Love the video Maples, thanks. That one looks like it works quicker than the one on the school bus she rides.

 

I forgot to mention, a quad friend likes "Strong arm" lifts, it's a bar, it attaches to the chair via straps, it doesn't take up the doorway when not in use.

 

A guy in NJ gave that to me, friends brought it to me, it's old, from 95, but they have very few parts, so they are quite dependable, compared to my other, I get in in 1/2 the time. BTW it's a Ricon S2000, which is what bus companys use, I like old ones due to less safety crap to fail, you have to pay attention to what you're doing, just like when driving.
You should see how slow the other is, but when the foot switch doesn't function, it is strong enough it will lift the van.

 

I'm not trusting, I'm looking, and my chair can accelerate fast enough to get out of the way. Now, rolling in a manual chair is another thing.