Ramps for getting a wheelchair into a car

Getting a Wheelchair/Scooter into a Car
i) Ramps
Trifold Ramps
Ramps are a (comparatively) cheap way of getting a wheelchair or mobility scooter into a car, if you
have the dexterity and a large enough vehicle. Portable ramps are carried in the boot and sit on or
over the back of the vehicle. You push the wheelchair or scooter up the ramp, or run it up under its
own power if it's electric.
To make them easier to carry, many ramps fold in half ( EzAccess Suitcase and Trifold Ramps) or
are telescopic. Most ramps have carrying handles so that they can be carried fairly easily by an ablebodied person.
Suitcase Ramps
Unless you have someone to help you at all times, you'll need to be able to get the ramp out and into
position, and put it away afterwards. You also need to be able to make your way round to the driver's
seat once you've stowed your wheelchair.
Check that there's enough room to get the ramp in the car easily once the wheelchair is loaded.
Ramps need to be secure. Also make sure the ramp is secured during the journey or you have a
cargo barrier.
Ramps often need to be quite long, so that they aren't too steep. You need to have enough room
behind your car for the whole length of the ramp, plus the length of your wheelchair.
The height of the rear of the vehicle determines the length of the ramp required.
If the gradient is too steep, there is a danger the equipment may fall back on the person loading it and
may also bottom out at the top of the ramp going into the vehicle.
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ii) Hoists & lifts - to load unoccupied equipment
Scooter and Wheelchair hoists
Bruno Two-way hoist - AWL 150
Bruno Six-way hoist -VSL 6900
You can use a hoist to lift a wheelchair or mobility scooter into a car. The Bruno range of hoists have
models for lighter folding manual wheelchairs and others for powered wheelchairs and scooters.
Hoists for lighter chairs are usually two-way hoists. They lift the chair up and down by power, but you
push the chair by hand to swing it into the car.
Four/six-way hoists use power to swing the wheelchair into the car as well as to lift it up and down
and the Bruno VSL 6900 Curbsider has an extend/retract function to manouevre equipment into a
tighter cargo space. You will need this if your scooter or wheelchair is heavy.
Some hoists can be fitted to almost any vehicle, while others are made for larger vehicles such as
SUV's or MPVs where larger wheelchairs and scooters are to be loaded.
Using a Hoist
You'll probably need to use both hands to use the hoist. You also need to be able to stand 1-2
minutes without much support while you are hooking on and lifting the wheelchair. You may have to
fold or dismantle the chair before you lift it, especially if you have a small car or a large or heavy
wheelchair or scooter.
There are different ways of attaching the hoist to the wheelchair. Some hoists have open hooks and
others have seat belt type attachments.. If you have limited grip or dexterity, check which is better
suited to you.
You need to use both hands for some hoists - one to hold it in the right place to stop the hooks falling
loose, and the other to take up the tension with the control unit. This may be difficult to do standing if
you have poor balance.
All our hoists have hand-held control units. These are attached by curly cords however, there are
cordless remote options. On some hoists, you have to remove the lifting arm when the wheelchair is
stowed in the boot.( Bruno ASL 325 and AWL 150 - Sedan version )
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When you're travelling
without your
wheelchair, some
hoists allow you to
lower the swinging
arm to get it out of the
way , leaving more
room for luggage .
This option is
available with the
Bruno VSL 6900 &
the VSL 570 .
Platform lifts for Scooters and Wheelchairs
As an alternative to hoists, you can also use a platform lift to load an unoccupied wheelchair or
mobility scooter into the cargo area. You bring the platform out of the vehicle under power, push or
drive the wheelchair on and secure it, and then transfer the platform back into the cargo area.
This may be easier than a hoist, because you don't need to fold or dismantle the wheelchair or
scooter. You also don't need the same strength or dexterity to load the wheelchair, and you can
secure the wheelchair to the platform before loading.
Platform lifts are generally used for larger wheelchairs and scooters, and they need a load space to
be at least 112cm wide & deep and a minimum height of 102cm. They are designed to fit in MPVs
and vans and are suitable for vehicles where there are 3 rows of seating. You will need to remove (or
fold in the floor) the third row of seats. You will also need the same amount of room behind the
vehicle to load the wheelchair onto the lift platform.
An example of vehicles suitable for a platform style lift in NZ, include the Mazda MPV, Kia Carnival
and the Chrysler Voyager.
BRUNO VSL4000 JOEY Platform lift
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