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Expertise Wanted: Motorized wheelchair into Westy!
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gpbruce lyons
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PostPosted: Tue Sep 08, 2020 4:33 pm    Post subject: Expertise Wanted: Motorized wheelchair into Westy! Reply with quote

Due to wheelchair confinement, I can't go camping. The Problem: Permobil F3 400LBS (24" wide, 36" long) wheelchair needs to be lifted into the van side door with minimal effort. Ramps are too heavy, can't be installed in old vehicles by regulation. I need another set of eyes to look at the challenge, engineer a solution, supply a build list, installation instructions (including best place to drill the floor) and any other ideas are welcome! If you collaborate, tell me how to split the money! The vehicle is my '89 Tiico Westy, unobstructed floor. Remote push button controls necessary. "Where to Buy" components list at best prices appreciated... I've been driving campers since 1968, almost a million miles; I don't have many trips left. Please help me! 604-732-5674 or [email protected] You tell me how you want to be paid.
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pjn_wyo
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PostPosted: Tue Sep 08, 2020 4:53 pm    Post subject: Re: Expertise Wanted $200, wheelchair into Westy! Price: $200 Reply with quote

This might be a good project for a local university engineering department senior design.

The scale and scope is going to be tough to tackle via a forum but I hope you find a solution!

Can your wheelchair fit between the seat pedestals? Figuring out how to get you behind the wheel seems like the toughest part of this given the non flat floor up behind the wheels with the forward control architecture. Maybe easier to start with a euro or astro van?
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gpbruce lyons
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PostPosted: Tue Sep 08, 2020 5:08 pm    Post subject: Re: Expertise Wanted $200, wheelchair into Westy! Price: $200 Reply with quote

I am guessing you have never worked to solve a problem with universities? I trust shade tree mechanics who happen to be Vanagon Pilots far more...

The chair fits behind the front seats and in front of the zbed. With room to spare!

Getting into the drivers seat is a challenge, but I can still do it! The lift is for only the chair, not me and the chair.

I am using the camper I have, '89 Tiico Westy; I am not buying a Mercedes Sprinter, Astro or any different vehicle.

Good to hear from Bellingham! Do you miss my dollars due to covid? I am 5 months short of US supplies!
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RoryGirl
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PostPosted: Tue Sep 08, 2020 5:31 pm    Post subject: Re: Expertise Wanted $200, wheelchair into Westy! Price: $200 Reply with quote

400lb max limit for this unit, so you're right there...but it's in your area and only $350. Looks like an easy install.

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/1209814809350990/
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DanHoug
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PostPosted: Tue Sep 08, 2020 5:58 pm    Post subject: Re: Expertise Wanted $200, wheelchair into Westy! Price: $200 Reply with quote

in MN, the Medi-Van corporation that was a medical transport business, had a fleet of Vanagons outfitted with chair lifts and lock downs. they used a variety of lifts, some manual, some electric. i ended up with one of the Medi-Vans as a parts van, removed the lift and gave it to a friend in a wheelchair for his application.

it was a spring counter-balanced, bi-fold ramp that could be deployed and retracted by one person in a chair. very robust, could easily handle a heavy person in an electric chair.

the Medi-Van corp has moved away from Vanagons years ago. most of the vans have been scrapped along with the lifts i suppose but it may have been an off-the-shelf item they bought or had tooled up specifically for Vanagons in number.

might be worth a call to Medi Van to see if you can find someone that knew about the van lifts back in the day.
https://www.medi-van.org/
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60% of what you find on the internet is wrong, including this post.

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gpbruce lyons
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PostPosted: Tue Sep 08, 2020 6:12 pm    Post subject: Re: Expertise Wanted $200, wheelchair into Westy! Price: $200 Reply with quote

Rory and Dan! Good leads! Thank you!
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danfromsyr
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PostPosted: Tue Sep 08, 2020 6:46 pm    Post subject: Re: Expertise Wanted $200, wheelchair into Westy! Price: $200 Reply with quote

how you are going to do it for $200Ca.? I don't know..

I'd be willing to pony up some $$ to help in your need/cause




I see lifts all of the time in the local Upull yards.. so maybe one can be bought and adapted to your needs
but you'll need some able bodied muscle and help in that venture.
there are outreach programs out there, good groups of guys looking to help out others.. so possibly ask your therapists/Drs if they know of any supportive groups too.
here's a VW authentic chair lift.
derekdrew wrote:
I put the factory Vanagon OEM wheelchair video up online here:


Link


Be sure to maximize your windows when watching video!


some examples of unit styles/builds that may work.
https://www.vanagonhacks.com/2014/06/wheelchair-lifts-in-the-vanagon/


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gpbruce lyons
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PostPosted: Tue Sep 08, 2020 7:06 pm    Post subject: Re: Expertise Wanted $200, wheelchair into Westy! Price: $200 Reply with quote

Hi DanF! The $200 is a reward for a complete plan, my budget for the work will be allocated based on the plan. I am looking for some brainwork and willing to pay! In my research I came across most of what you found. Those solutions are long gone, there is no current equivalent, and if there were they could not be put into my camper due to rules and regulations. The actual work will be farmed out to my mechanic. But thank you very much! Everything helps! The reason I chose this path is I found out the Vanagon floor is sheet metal like the shell, not strong enough to anchor a hoist with leverage on its own. I am not comfortable with bolts between the floor and gas tank, for example. Thanks again for your interest and ideas, most welcome!
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dobryan
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PostPosted: Tue Sep 08, 2020 7:10 pm    Post subject: Re: Expertise Wanted $200, wheelchair into Westy! Price: $200 Reply with quote

The floor should be strong enough for a hoist if a plate is also bolted to it as well. Sandwich the floor with a plate top and bottom.

The lift could also be bolted thru the frame members under the floor.
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kguarnotta
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PostPosted: Tue Sep 08, 2020 7:15 pm    Post subject: Re: Expertise Wanted $200, wheelchair into Westy! Price: $200 Reply with quote

Hey Gpbruce, I wish I was nearby to help.

I see you wrote that the floor is sheetmetal and can't support the wheelchair lift. That may be true - but the frame is right below the floor. there should be a way to connect any through bolts to some steel that connects/is welded to the frame of your vanagon.
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danfromsyr
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PostPosted: Tue Sep 08, 2020 7:20 pm    Post subject: Re: Expertise Wanted $200, wheelchair into Westy! Price: $200 Reply with quote

the van is plenty sturdy and you can grab more than the floor.
I would go with a single strong post or column behind the pass seat that swings a platform in and out. with a screw lift to raise/lower the platform..
just like the examples above..

to steady the column I would tie into the upper door frame at the seatbelt anchor.

follow methods already employed in the field.
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gpbruce lyons
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PostPosted: Tue Sep 08, 2020 8:17 pm    Post subject: Re: Expertise Wanted $200, wheelchair into Westy! Price: $200 Reply with quote

Hi DOBryan, KQ and Dan F! Thank you!

"follow methods already employed in the field." Sandwiching the floor with plates top and bottom was one solution I considered. I think going through the frame rails is better! But someone may have a more creative idea! As much time as I spent under my campers it never occurred to me to wonder how to drill up through the rails and where that drill would come out (under the cabinets? Drivers seat?) hence the need for a plan.

I am trying to avoid using a platform; when I camp I can't have trip hazards inside the camper, close to the passenger seat and door would work. A platform in the middle of the kitchen/living room would topple me sooner or later.

Let's keep grinding this, everything helps!
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SSWesty
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PostPosted: Tue Sep 08, 2020 9:36 pm    Post subject: Re: Expertise Wanted $200, wheelchair into Westy! Price: $200 Reply with quote

Do you have the option of switching chairs for camping? Something like a Go-Go Elite travel chair that can be broken down for travel. If not does your chair have any "lift points" which would allow it to be lifted with a cable and boom versus needing something to lift from below the wheels.
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gpbruce lyons
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PostPosted: Tue Sep 08, 2020 9:50 pm    Post subject: Re: Expertise Wanted $200, wheelchair into Westy! Price: $200 Reply with quote

Hi SSWesty!

The chair has strong metal security tie down points on each corner. I could attach snap hooks while seated, get up and attach a lift boom.

2 years ago I could carry around a 120 pound Igloo ice chest; since then I have lost 55 pounds of core muscle mass and can not lift 20 pounds of disassembled chair parts... When doing anything I need 3 points of solid contact or I fall.
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SSWesty
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PostPosted: Tue Sep 08, 2020 10:25 pm    Post subject: Re: Expertise Wanted $200, wheelchair into Westy! Price: $200 Reply with quote

That may help simplify what needs to get built if the lift points on the chair will work. My thought is scale up something like an outboard lift for a sailboat or investigate crab pot davits. I am sure a fabricator in the marine industry might have some ideas. At the moment Samba isn't letting me post a link.
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gpbruce lyons
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PostPosted: Tue Sep 08, 2020 10:39 pm    Post subject: Re: Expertise Wanted $200, wheelchair into Westy! Price: $200 Reply with quote

SS! Hold that thought! You can send me the link through email. BREAKTHROUGH Buddy! Nice out of the box thinking! Marine folks eat problems like these for breakfast, right? Have to be careful around boat folks with my money though... So, what kind of person am I looking for? [email protected]
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gpbruce lyons
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PostPosted: Tue Sep 08, 2020 10:53 pm    Post subject: Re: Expertise Wanted $200, wheelchair into Westy! Price: $200 Reply with quote

SS! Sorry, I didn't answer your question though. On the steel frame 3/16" the holes are designed to secure the chair in a car crash. Real rough guestimate 400LBS X 60MPH = 24,000 whatevers of strength endurance. Err, this is why I asked for help, eh? Though I rarely travel at less than 75MPH. I can wheelchair down to 4 marinas in 8 city blocks from my place. And I'll be looking for a marine fabricator? Please tell me more!
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SSWesty
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PostPosted: Tue Sep 08, 2020 11:18 pm    Post subject: Re: Expertise Wanted $200, wheelchair into Westy! Price: $200 Reply with quote

This concept just beefed up, the design is also used to lift dinghies onto boats. The chair is way smaller than a dinghy but similar weight.
Looks like the link is going to work on this post. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pi6Tc0MHHoo&ab_channel=ZakStone

Here is one for a dinghy, the dinghy is under the green cover on the back of the boat. The white boom is the davit and it's anchored at the bottom and part way up. https://au.yachtworld.com/boats/2001/grand-banks-46-classic-3677329/ The first couple pictures of the boat show it then scroll in about 30-40 pictures and there are a few close-ups.

Anything for a boat will cost 10 times the price of something similar so check this out at Harbor Freight. https://www.harborfreight.com/search?q=pickup%20bed%20crane Canadian Tire probably has something similar.
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tjet Premium Member
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PostPosted: Wed Sep 09, 2020 3:42 am    Post subject: Re: Expertise Wanted $200, wheelchair into Westy! Price: $200 Reply with quote

I met a family a few years ago that had a wheelchair lift in their '87. It looked very similar to this one below, and it was German made (they pointed out that feature). It almost looked like a factory install. It tucked in nicely behind the front passenger seat.

https://www.vanagonhacks.com/site/wp-content/uploads/vanagon-wheelchair-4-580x435.jpg

Something like this modified to fit the side door would be pretty cool. You would want to reverse it so the structure and drive system goes to the right. I bet you could send them an email and see if they could modify that model. It's got a decent 650# capacity Cool. It may be a little overkill, but it gives you some ideas anyway.

http://www.tommygate.com/liftgates/cargo-van/650-series/

Another option is this one below. The BraunAbility Under Vehicle Lift would be really nice if it clears underneath.

https://www.mobilityworks.com/wheelchair-lifts/full-size-van-lifts/

Good luck.


Last edited by tjet on Wed Sep 09, 2020 4:25 am; edited 2 times in total
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DuncanS
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PostPosted: Wed Sep 09, 2020 4:06 am    Post subject: Re: Expertise Wanted $200, wheelchair into Westy! Price: $200 Reply with quote

You haven't said if you do this by your self or if you have a companion that I could see while scanning the posts. Maybe you did. I understand that these can't be permanently installed by code. However it there were some studs welded to the underside which could mate up with holes drilled in the slider sill plate they would be secure and safe. Then a companion--if there is one, could put them in a rack which could be mounted to either a receiver hitch or on a Go Westy steel bumper. If the chair couldn't handle the steepness of the incline, then I'm sure a welder could come up with a solution so an extra half length with a support stand could be fabricated.

Of course the B pillar mount unit is the best if you can find one. There must be some of us with German contacts who could do some research for this item.

Good luck and we wish you the best. I'm no spring chicken and yet still camp periodically and the T3 will be my only car until after it's needed to get me to the final campground.

Duncan
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