Chair/scooter lift alternatives

[scootntootn]

I hear from several women that lifting a collapsible chair or scooter in and out of the car alone is an issue. I did some researxh on it, and Bruno AWL-150 was a good fit for the Travelscoot and probably several other lightweight scooters and chairs. It's not on their website any longer. The next step up is AWL-250. Not available in Europe, as far as I know, and what IS available is overpriced. Is it possible to make some DIY solution? Even a manual winch should be workable for a very lightweight unit. And electric ones are available easily. What would you need in addition to a winch?

Here's one of the Bruno ones installed. I've seen pics of AWL-150 installed even in sedans, which is good news for keeping an existing car. How about installing something for getting it into the back seat of a 4 door car?

http://mytravelscoot.blogspot.no/2010/1 ... ation.html

[Burgerman]

Well anything is possible DIY style if you have the skills. I know I could do it easily enough. But I wouldn't. It would end up being a development job, and about 3rd time on you would get it right. And it would end up costing the same as buying one.

But the real solution is a better vehicle that is more suited to a powerchair for the majority of users.

[scootntootn]

I don't know what it costs in the US, but the only price I've found for a similar unit in my country was about 1000 dollar plus tax. That's a bit much...

[Burgerman]

Is it?
Well I can build anything. Fix anything.

It would cost me more even if I ignore the time and effort to build a one off, plus the 2 or 3 that came later when I knew what was wrong with the first 2.

[scootntootn]

You're talking about a production quality hoist for use with something heavier. I'm talking about minimum functionality DIY that doesn't look pretty but works, and in my case for use with the Travelscoot. Maybe I can lift it myself, that remains to be seen. But I have an acquaintance with a Travelscoot who hasn't lifted hers in and out of the car herself so far.

[Burgerman]

I'm talking about minimum functionality DIY that doesn't look pretty but works,

I wouldn't have thought many would want to drill and bolt anything to an expensive car that is as you describe though.

Wouldn't a portable folding ramp be easier?

[scootntootn]

If I can find ramps that are foldable enough and light weight enough, yes. Any ideas of material I could use? Travelscoot isn't that heavy, so I bet I could get creative with the type of ramp. But my car isn't so expensive I'd be stopped by that either.

[scootntootn]

Somebody did a DIY hoist:
http://youtu.be/RPwZSqsm9As

[scootntootn]

Less elegant, but I bet he appreciated it!
http://youtu.be/W4K-qUsxb3c

[Pierrick]

Hello Scootntootn,

In France it's possible to buy 2nd hand telescopic wheelchair hoist like Carolift for 800-1000 Euros on specialized web sites.

Me and my wife are using folding ramps for lightweight powerchairs (500 Euros).

But for the heavyer powerchair we bought an adapted car like Burgerman said at the top of your post.

P.

[scootntootn]

Yes, we can get Carolift here too. I don't like the price, if I have to pay for it myself. I think I'd only get a Carolift or similar if I had a car that could hold a heavy scooter and needed a heavy one. A smaller hoist can lift a smaller scooter into the boot of a sedan (saloon for those in the UK). But then you're pretty much limited to that car unless you also have a lightweight ramp.

There are so many compromises. A tiny scooter or power assist wheelchair you may be able to lift into a small car by yourself. It's also ideal for travel without wheelchair taxis. But if you want to traverse rouch terrain, they may not do very well. A heavy scooter or power wheelchair may do rough terrain, but requires at the very least a bigger car with a lift, and if you can't walk, it may require an adapted car.

[Pierrick]

When my daughter can use her lightweight powerchair (like alber e-fix) we use folding ramps to lift it on the car (Grand Scenic).
When folded they measure 1.05 m long and fit into the trunk of our car under the chair or on its side. Each ramp weighs 3 or 4 kg, not so much.
it would just equip the car with a small electrified winch to make it perfect.

[Burgerman]

Those look really light and well made.

[scootntootn]

Really nice ramps, and I could handle that weight myself. What are they called?

I don't have a car that would work well with a ramp right now, but maybe some day.

[Pierrick]

In French : Foldi Rampes

"Folding Ramps" work also fine on Google.

It's work very well with our E-fix and Solo Wheel chair (60 Kg) but it's more difficult with our customized Invacare Kite (120 kg).

[scootntootn]

A list of hoists in the UK: http://www.rica.org.uk/content/wheelcha ... ter-hoists

[scootntootn]

Here's a DIY thing with bungee straps. They don't say how heavy the wheelchair is.

http://youtu.be/_EpLdLUaS4s

[Pierrick]

A standard manual wheelchair weights 15 kg.

Bungee straps idea is excellent, my father make something like that for his electrical bicycle (23 kg) with pulleys.

P.