Getting in and out of a vehicle can be challenging if you have mobility issues. That’s why installing the best car lift for your wheelchair or scooter is an excellent choice because it simultaneously provides convenience and safety.
Since there are different car lifts available on the market, you might have trouble determining the right fit. Follow these guidelines to learn how to select the wheelchair or scooter lift that is best for you.
Determine the Type of Your Vehicle
When choosing a car lift for your wheelchair or scooter, you should know the exact make and model of your vehicle. This factor will determine the compatibility of your hoisting device. A lift designed for an SUV might not necessarily fit a smaller automobile.
Know the Weight of Your Mobility Device
When selecting your car lift, you should always consider the weight of your heaviest wheelchair or scooter. When you have a heavier mobility device or own more than one, you need to select a lift that can handle the maximum weight of your heaviest device. Weight incompatibility can pose issues such as vehicular damage and safety risks.
Familiarize Yourself with the Types of Lifts
Researching and understanding the various types of wheelchair and scooter lifts can be advantageous when choosing. This way you can accurately assess which car lift best fits your needs. To start, you should know the three main types of lifts.
Inside Auto Lift
As the name suggests, this type of car lift is located in your vehicle’s interior. An extended arm mechanism will swing from within your automobile to hoist your mobility device.
An inside auto lift is perfect for keeping your wheelchair or scooter safe from bad weather, which causes rusting or corrosion. Additionally, this mechanism is ideal for compact vehicles since it’s lightweight. You can save fuel because your car will require less energy to move.
Outside Lift
An outside lift is attached to the hitch of your vehicle. The mechanism will raise and hold your mobility device as you travel. These are also often referred to as ‘hitch mounted lifts’. A major benefit of this type of car lift is that it maintains space on the inside of your vehicle, which is perfect for a person who tends to use all or most of the cargo space in their vehicle.
You should consider this lift if you always carry many items with you. After all, this mechanism can maintain your interior’s wide storage capacity. More than that, your vehicle will not require heavy modifications because outside lifts can fit on all types of makes.
Hybrid Lift
This type of car lift is mounted inside your vehicle’s cargo area and will therefore require a larger vehicle. It moves your mobility device outside of your SUV or van and down to the ground. Additionally, like the inside lift, you should consider a hybrid mechanism if you want to protect your mobility device from harsh weather conditions.
Since the hybrid lift is installed on the inside of your vehicle, you should also be able to continue to utilize the backup camera of your vehicle. They also provide the benefit of saving space if you park your scooter or wheelchair in your garage. Our lifts are able to hoist up to 275 pounds, which is plenty for most lightweight electric scooters and most electric and manual wheelchairs.
Contact Professionals for Assistance
Ultimately, you will want to work with an expert who understands the nuances of different lifts and can recommend which option is best for you, your vehicle, and your budget. We pride ourselves on our ‘ customer-focused’ approach to any of the many individual problems we work to solve for the people we serve. At Coulee Region Mobility, we offer innovative solutions to enhance vehicle accessibility. Give us a call so we can help select the best car lift for you