Well now, let me tell ya somethin’ about these here wheelchair lift thingamajigs for them transit vans. You know, the kinda vans that haul folks around. I ain’t no fancy expert or nothin’, but I’ve seen a thing or two, and I can tell ya what’s what in plain speak.
First off, you got them automatic and semi-automatic lifts. Automatic ones, they do all the work themselves, foldin’ and unfoldin’ like a fancy napkin at a Sunday dinner. Semi-automatic, well, they need a little help, you gotta push a button or somethin’. It’s like churnin’ butter, some folks like the electric churn, some folks stick to the old-fashioned way.
Now, I heard tell of a fella tryin’ to put one of them platform lifts in his Transit van. But the roof was too low, wouldn’t fit! Imagine that, like tryin’ to squeeze a fat hog into a chicken coop. He ended up gettin’ one of them crane thingies instead. Works alright, I guess, but not the same as a platform.
Then you got these transit wheelchairs themselves. They got bigger wheels than them little travel ones. Good for pushin’ around, indoors or out. Some of ’em even got fancy padded armrests, like a comfy armchair. And brakes, too, so you don’t go rollin’ down a hill like a runaway wagon.
- Lifts that go inside the van, they call ’em internal mounts. Saves space, but takes up room in the back where you might wanna put yer groceries or feed sacks.
- Then there’s the ones that go underneath, under vehicle mounts, they call ’em. Keeps the inside clear, but they cost more, hang lower to the ground, and can be a pain in the neck to fix if somethin’ breaks. Like tryin’ to change a tire on a muddy road, not a fun job.
Now, how big of a lift do ya need? Well, that depends on yer wheelchair, don’t it? It’s like buyin’ shoes, gotta get the right size or they ain’t gonna fit. For a house lift, they say you need somethin’ like 1000 by 1300 millimeters, whatever that is in real measurements. Sounds big enough to haul a calf up to the hayloft, I reckon.
See, some of these lifts, they lift straight up and down, others swing out. The swing-out kind, they need more space on the side, so ya gotta make sure you got room. Like parkin’ a tractor, gotta have enough room to maneuver.
And you gotta think about how much weight it can hold. Them electric wheelchairs, they’re heavy as a sack of potatoes, so you need a lift that can handle it. Don’t wanna overload it, or you’ll be in a heap of trouble, like a mule stuck in the mud.
Safety is important too, you know. You want a lift that’s got all the safety features, like belts and straps and whatnot, to keep that wheelchair from rollin’ off. Don’t want nobody gettin’ hurt, that’s for sure.
And don’t forget about upkeep. Just like a truck or a tractor, these lifts need to be checked and oiled and greased every now and then. Keeps ’em runnin’ smooth, like a well-oiled plow. If you don’t take care of ’em, they’ll break down on ya, and then you’re stuck.
So, if you’re lookin’ for a wheelchair lift for a transit van, you gotta think about all this stuff. Automatic or semi-automatic? Inside or underneath? How big? How heavy? And safety first, always. It ain’t rocket science, but it ain’t like pickin’ apples neither. Do yer homework, ask around, and you’ll find somethin’ that works for ya.
And one more thing, don’t be afraid to ask for help. There’s folks out there who know more about this stuff than I do. They can help you figure out what you need and get it installed right. It’s like buildin’ a barn, sometimes you need a few extra hands to get the job done.
Anyways, that’s all I know about these here wheelchair lifts. Hope it helps ya some. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I gotta go check on my chickens.
Tags: [wheelchair lift, transit van, accessibility, platform lift, automatic lift, semi-automatic lift, mobility, transportation, wheelchair ramp, van lift, disabled access]
