Scooter lifts?

[RNMOM]

I have a heavy duty scooter and we now have a 2007 Sienna minivan and would like to have a lift installed. Has anyone done this? Do you like it? Which brand? I really appreciate any advice/comments.

We are looking at a Harmar lift that fits on a hitch. It comes apart so you put the motor part in the van. When you use it, you attach the motor arm and lift the scooter then remove it again.

I was considering a ramp but it would need to be 6-7 feet long and that is just to difficult for me to handle. I want something to help me so I can take the scooter out on my own. Now I have to have someone with me..even if I dismantle it cause I just can't handle it all.

 

[SueM in MN]

I am going to move this to the disABILITIES Community Board where it will be more on topic and hopefully get more replies.
You might want to take a look at Cheshire Figment's thread about his new mobility equipment on that board for a different option.

I was considering a ramp but it would need to be 6-7 feet long and that is just to difficult for me to handle. I want something to help me so I can take the scooter out on my own. Now I have to have someone with me..even if I dismantle it cause I just can't handle it all.

Besides that, a ramp up to a regular minivan would be fairly steep to try to push your ECV up and down. We have a lowered floor minivan with a 'kneeling' feature that pushes the ramp side of the van toward the ground, which makes the ramp less steep. It is noticably steeper when we have the kneeling feature engaged than when we don't.

 

[Cheshire Figment]

I would suggest contact your local mobility dealer(s) to find out what brands of lifts they carry. Let them know what it is you need to carry and what kind of minivan they have. They can check with the lift manufacturer to see what is compatible with your van.

The three major manufacturers are Harmar, Bruno and Pride (Silver Star Brand).

The key number you need to find is how much weight the hitch will be able to carry on your van. Note that the hitch capacity is usually 10% of the towing capacity. My Edge has a 350 pound capacity with the factory installed Class 2 hitch; my Harmar lift with swing-away and ECV is 328.5 pounds. It cannot take a Class 3 hitch.

I noticed, for example, that Silver Star in their literature says that their scooter lift will carry 190 pounds with a Class 2 but will carry 358 pounds with a Class 3 hitch.

In my situation the swing-away was effectively mandatory, as there is no way that I could open the rear gate on the Edge (which is a small SUV) with the lift in place. Again, your mobility deal will be able to help you.

BTW, if you have bought the van new and owned it for less than a year you may be eligible for a special $1,000 rebate direct from the manufacturer; your mobility dealer will have information on that.