Suggestions on a scooter ramp

[wisbucky]

My DH and I go to Florida 4-5 times a year. We have a house in Florida which I keep my mobility scooter at. I would love to buy a van with a ramp in it, but for the cost I just don't think it would be worth the hassle. We rent a van each time. In order to get the scooter in and out we both take an end and lift it out. This is getting to hard for me with two bad knees and DH is having difficulty holding it the scooter at all. So we thought we may check into purchasing a ramp to use in a van or suv ( just in case we don't get a van). Does anyone have a suggestion on ramps to avoid or ones that work great.

 

[Bete]

From the way it sounds you may need to consider getting a power lift. This attaches to your car at the back. You lift and lower it with a remote. There is a small ramp that allows you to get the scooter off the lift. These are a little expensive, but you would not have to make such an effort with your scooter. I've even seen one that somehow goes into your trunk. I'm sure you need a large trunk. The downside there is you don't have much use of the trunk other than your scooter.

 

[wisbucky]

I have seen ramps that just fold up. They are used either in the back of the SUV or on the side door of a van. I have never used one but see there are different types. Some with small sides rails and others that are in two seperate pieces.

 

[Cheshire Figment]

From the way it sounds you may need to consider getting a power lift. This attaches to your car at the back. You lift and lower it with a remote. There is a small ramp that allows you to get the scooter off the lift. These are a little expensive, but you would not have to make such an effort with your scooter. I've even seen one that somehow goes into your trunk. I'm sure you need a large trunk. The downside there is you don't have much use of the trunk other than your scooter.

But this would not work as they rent a car/van/SUV when visiting Florida.

 

[TinkELGEE]

Hi,
Both dh and I are in power chairs. We have a normal Odyssey minivan that we bought a portable 8 foot foldable ramp for. It folds in half and half again. It is actually 2 pieces that fold in half. I spent less than $200 on it and bought it directly from PVI. They manufacture them. Many dme companies and online sellers just resell the same item usually marked up. We used this for over ten years until my dh qualified for a lift with the VA. We could not afford the $50-80,000 dealers want for pre-handicap ready new vehicles. The lift was set up so that both of our chairs, a Q600 and Q6000z can be hoisted in the rear hatch and one chair must be moved towards the front so as to fit the second one. Not a problem at this time.

The suitcase ramp has its downsides, but can be used for home/hotel room ramps, or for a rental van. Can be hard on the back, which is what finally got to dh, but are not very heavy, depending on which length you get. Watch for pinched fingers, too....

We used the side door and would open both sliding doors to help manoever the two chairs into the van, side by side.

Hope that helped. Feel free to ask more if needed.
BTW, the hoist retails for about $3000.

 

[cobright]

Find a harbor freight store and look into something like:
http://www.harborfreight.com/aluminum-mobility-wheelchair-and-scooter-carrier-67599.html

or

http://www.harborfreight.com/1000-lb-steel-loading-ramps-set-of-two-60397.html

Often a van or suv rental will have the reciever hitch needed for the first option.

 

[peemagg]

For use in a rental vehicle like you use, your only real option is folding ramps. The only issue with this is that you have to get one the right length. If you buy a short one (say between 3-4 ft), it may be too steep to work to get your scooter in. You are better erroring on the longer side. At least with one too long, it just makes the steepness less. I would probably stay with on around 6-8 ft to be safe.

Like someone else pointed out, is these are not without their downsides. They can be heavy and cumbersome to move in and out of a car. You also need to make sure that the ramp is wide enough for your scooter and has no rail in the center of the ramp. Some that are made for wheelchairs will have this center rail.

If your personal vehicle is able to have a hitch mounted lift put on it, that that would be a good option for you with the least amount of lifting by anyone or anything. They are electric powered by your vehicles battery and you press a button and they go up and down. You could probably get one of them bought and installed for around $1000 or less.

 

[wisbucky]

I was looking at something like this.

http://orlando.craigslist.org/hab/4003394049.html

He I don't get in trouble for posting this ad, as it is not mine.

 

[WheeledTraveler]

That ramp off CL would probably be fine with a minivan, but very steep for an SUV. We used the second set of ramps that were linked from Harbor Freight (the one that was 2 narrow ramps) to get a powerchair in and out of a cargo van (about the same height as an SUV) and it was very steep. Trying to get into an SUV with that ramp, you'd probably have to stick the scooter into freewheel mode so it would still have to deal with the weight. Into a mini-van, it shouldn't be nearly as steep, especially because you could probably use the side door (so no lip to get over). With a scooter I think you are limited to a ramp that is one piece, by the way. The sets of loading ramps work only if all the wheels are in alignment and are far enough apart for them. So they wouldn't work with a three-wheeled scooter at all, nor most of the four-wheeled scooters I've seen.

 

[I Love Pluto]

We have a lift in our van - after using a ramp rather unsuccessfully.

We found the ramp to be heavy to move and very clumsy to handle. We had so many scratches on our SUV from it - that it became ridiculous to even think of using it. We traded in the SUV, bought a van, and are satisfied with a lift in the rear of the van. We don't know how we did without the lift. It's a good choice.

The only downside of the lift in the rear is that it cuts out the rear seat.

Good luck to you. I think it's a matter of how you want to be inconvenienced as to which ramp or lift you choose.

 

[peemagg]

I have a lift on the outside of our van. It works well. It slips into our hitch an then is wired to the battery, it is also mounted on a swing away arm that allows for us to open the back doors of the van without it being in the way.

Most of these are hard wired to the battery of the vehicle. Ours was put in with a quick disconnect since we use the van to pull trailers with once and a while. With a bit of effort my Mom and I can take the lift off the van and put it back on when needed.

The one that I have is made by Bruno, and is called the Bruno Out-Sider.