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Wanted to start a thread in here because I know some of you guys have experience with wheelchair lifts. Our 4-year-old daughter was born with spina bifida, and she's had very minimal leg function which has kept her from walking. She's been using a manual wheelchair for the last two years, but unfortunately that's not working for her anymore. About four months ago she started losing strength in her arms, and it looks like a power wheelchair is in her near future. These things are quite heavy, so I won't be able to just heave the thing in the back of the minivan, so we need to find something more wheelchair accessible.
Minivans are a bit small for our family, so we're looking harder at a converted full size van with a lift. I don't know a great deal about lifts and modifications, so I figured I'd ask for some perspective from those who do.
1. Side mount or rear mount?
2. Any particular models that are good or bad? Dealers we've talked with have been recommending Ricon lifts, but I don't know much about them other than what's in the brochures.
3. What's the best way to handle seating capacity? I have two other kids, my wife, and mother-in-law that regularly travel with us, so I want the most useful seating arrangement.
4. What made you choose an Econoline over other models?
I use a wheelchair and have a lot of experience with adapted vans. You have a lot of options since your usage will be a passenger vehicle, as opposed to one outfitted for a driver. Ricon and Braun are very good lifts. I think you'd do better with a side entry since you will have quite a few passengers. Your best bets for purchasing, to save a lot of money, would be to keep an eye on eBay, craigslist, and contact all the rehabilitation centers in your area and ask if they have a mailing list for equipment that needs a new owner. Of course I'm biased to the Econolines, I've been driving the same one for the last 15 years and I'm still happy with it!
The problem we are finding is just about everything that's already converted has a raised roof. Hannah goes to the children's hospital in St. Paul frequently, and the only available parking is in the parking garage with a 7' height limit. Anything with a raised roof wouldn't fit, so we are looking for something with a maximum of 7' exterior height.
The state of Minnesota has a waiver program that should pay for modifications, but they won't pay for the vehicle. So we are looking at purchasing a van and having a lift installed. We're mainly looking at the Ford Transit and Nissan NV, but it's tough to find examples of those that have been converted, so I figured this would be a better place to ask.
If we choose something a few years old it seems tough to choose the E-series over the Chevy Express. The Chevy has more power, greater towing capacity, and a 6-speed transmission. For some reason passenger E-350s with the V10 and 5R110 are tough to find.
My Econolines have standard roofs, but I've never seen a Chevy Express without the raised roof, but I don't see why a lift couldn't be installed in one. They are putting lifts in the Transit. I'll post more later, I have to roll out at the moment.
i had a Chevy Express with lift but without raised roof and it was just fine, i couldn't sit up straight while in the chair but my chair is tall and so am i, the little girl and her small chair would fit just fine with standard roof..
There's a lot of Hitch carrier setups for (Adult) wheelchairs and scooters, I wouldn't be in a hurry to trade for half the MPG and comfort. A used late model conversion with a lift runs 30-50 grand around here.............
Been using a wheelchair for fifty years, very much agree with Ford Econoline, have 1993 wheelchair conversion similar to pictures already in this thread. Normal height van can work with children, but one with a lowered floor with make things easier. Agree with recommendations already made. Personally recommend Ricon Lift.
Good luck, would be interested in what route you choose
There's a lot of Hitch carrier setups for (Adult) wheelchairs and scooters, I wouldn't be in a hurry to trade for half the MPG and comfort.
Yep, I'd completely agree with that. Problem is that we're already pushing the limits of our current minivan. Hannah currently has a nurse that takes care of her during the day, so when we go somewhere as a family there are 7 of us in one vehicle. We've looked at minivan conversions, and for the expense we're not sure we would be happy with it. Add all of us to the weight of a 325-lb power chair and we'd probably be pushing the limits of GVWR even if we had enough seating, which I don't think would be possible.
Our current Odyssey has a hitch that's rated for 350 lbs of tongue weight, and we'd be about 60 lbs over that with this chair on a hitch carrier. Beefier hitches exist, but the rear suspension would definitely need more support, and we'd still be pushing the GVWR limit. Hannah is also getting to the size that we don't want to have to lift her in and out of a car seat every time we go somewhere.
We're fortunate to live in a state with a waiver program that should pay for modifications. We're in the process of pursuing that, and if approved they would pay for everything but the cost of the vehicle. Cheapest out-of-pocket option for us would be to have them pay to convert our current minivan. But sinking $23,000 of state money into a van that's currently worth about $15,000 just seems silly to me, and it would still be on the small side.
An extended 15 passenger E350 would do and have enough seats left over after a lift install, but some Insurance companies consider them Commercial Vehicles. So you might want to check on the Insurance rate for it, and maybe rent one for a few one tank trips around your area to see how everybody likes it .....................it's a hungry beast.
I was thinking about the Lift, and if it's on the side...everybody else has to wait to get in until you lower the lift. You might want to consider a rear Lift....
An extended 15 passenger E350 would do and have enough seats left over after a lift install, but some Insurance companies consider them Commercial Vehicles. So you might want to check on the Insurance rate for it, and maybe rent one for a few one tank trips around your area to see how everybody likes it .....................it's a hungry beast.
There's an idea. I'll check into a rental, but I'm guessing they're expensive. Cheaper than buying the wrong van though.
Originally Posted by econolinemanor
I was thinking about the Lift, and if it's on the side...everybody else has to wait to get in until you lower the lift. You might want to consider a rear Lift....
I did some looking into lift types, and we'd be looking for one that folds out of the way if we went side mount. The Ricon slide-away looks like a great option, but they look pricey!
I have a 99 E350 with a Crow River vangater on the side, regular roof, without a lowered floor, just had to duck to miss the door opening. I want to make this perfectly clear, the hydraulic lifts are the way to go, there are less electronics in them, I have a Ricon 2000 in my 73 and it is just as old as my vangater, and less trouble, also uses less electricity.
I am getting ready to sell my 99, I couldn't bring myself to sell it to a wheelchair uses because that lift is worn out and will require replacement, sad part is the power door circuit was serviced last year, it's tied to the lift. Lifts are expensive, but you can find them forsale by people who bought a van with it, and didn't need it, I got one free and had friends sit it in, I wired it myself, it was self contained.
