If you or your loved one use a wheelchair but are not able to lift it into the van, it may be time to look for a proper wheelchair lift. A proven wheelchair lift for van will ease your back and your frustration when it becomes much easier for you. However, you have choices of different types of wheelchair lifts so hopefully this buyers guide will be helpful in making your decision on which one to buy.
Different Types of Wheelchair Lifts for a Van
There are built-in electrical wheelchair lifts that are used to raise the wheelchair while occupied and are permanent that you would need to buy the van with it already installed or pay a huge amount of money to have your van customized with a wheelchair lift.
We will not be discussing that type.
This buyers guide will cover the type that can be installed by you or a technician in your area. There are basically two types of wheelchair lifts for a van that are normally used for manual wheelchairs. One type is placed on the outside of the rear of the van, also known as platform lifts, and the other is electrical that moves the wheelchair to the inside of the van through the rear door (also known as rotary or boom arm lifts). All are to be used while the user of the wheelchair rides in a seat of the van and it is fortunate that you have a van because they are one of the easiest to climb into or to be transferred into when you have mobility problems.
The electric and manual lifts that are on the outside and the inside of the van are described below:
Examples of Wheelchair Lifts for a Van
The below examples include one for each of the four different types of wheelchair lift for van that is for sale on Amazon.
Outside of Van Installation:
Electric Wheelchair Lifts
Harmar Mobility Upgraded AL010 Micro Power Wheelchair Lift Outside Fully Automatic Carrier with Hitch Adapter & Wiring Harness
This wheelchair lift is compact and lightweight for even a Class I hitch and is designed to carry lighter weight wheelchairs and scooters easily and securely. It automatically folds up when not occupied and has AL 123/HD Class III hitch adapter. It has a generous platform and an adjustable rear wheel cradle to make fitting the device to it easy to do. The electric motor has a cover with a key lock, toggle switch, license plate holder, and light with a Stars-N-Stripes design facing the rear. There are four secure tie-downs to ensure safety and stability. It is also available with the optional swing-away so that you can have access to the cargo area through the rear door without the lift being in the way.
- Designed to carry lighter travel power wheelchairs and scooters.
- No Wheelchair/Scooter Modifications
- Motor cover with key lock, toggle switch, license plate holder and light
- Power Lifting; Manual folding when unoccupied
- AL123/HD Class lll hitch adapter
Freedom Mobility CGM-350S Universal Scooter Lift Fully Automatic Platform Carrier
This Freedom wheelchair lift for van easily installs on vehicles with a Class III hitch receiver to hold scooters or wheelchairs and automatically folds up when lifted without anything loaded. It has the lifting capacity of 350 pounds and has an optional swing-away from your vehicle for access to the rear door at an additional charge. It comes standard with a vehicle hard wire kit and license plate mount. It measures 39 inches by 37 inches by 10 inches with the platform being 44 inches wide and 30 inches deep and weighing 83 pounds. If you have questions about if your vehicle is compatible or anything else you can contact the Freedom Sales Department.
- Weight-sensitive platform, automatically folds when lifted without a scooter on the platform
- Easy to install and adjust, can also be reinstalled if you purchase a new vehicle
- License plate mount included - made in the USA weight capacity 350 lbs.
- Adjustable, adapts to a three or four-wheel scooter without scooter modifications
Manual Wheelchair Lifts
Hitch Mounted Wheelchair Scooter Mobility Carrier Medical Rack Ramp MC500 SC500
The MC500 carrier wheelchair lift for van can be vertically folded up flat against the back of your van to save space when not in use. There are quick action spring pull pins that secure the ramp for transport and the weight capacity is 500 pounds. To be used with a two inch Class III or IV trailer hitch but cannot be used with 1-1/4 inch hitch. The total weight of the lift is 86 pounds and made of durable steel.
- TRANSPORTS MOST SCOOTERS & WHEELCHAIRS: Maneuvering a wheelchair can be difficult enough on its own. Transporting it shouldnt bring you extra stress. Our medical rack can support most power scooters and electric wheelchairs. Just load your wheelchair onto this mobile ramp and youre ready to go! Experience it for yourself. Order today.
- EASY USE: This mobility ramp is for use with 2" class III or IV trailer hitches. It is not for use with 1 1/4inch hitches. It can fold up flat and vertically against the rear of the vehicle when not in use. The ramp features a quick action spring pull pin that secures the ramp for transport, making travel more convenient for you.
- HEAVYDUTY STEEL: Steel is a metal that is renowned for its ability to bear heavy loads. Our mobile ramp is constructed from heavyduty steel, giving it an impressive weight capacity of 500 pounds. Because its made of steel, it will resist corrosion, bending, and bowing. This foldable carrier can give you several years of use.
- MEASUREMENTS: The MC500 carrier weighs approximately 86 pounds. It measures at 46.5 inches in length and 28 inches in width. It has a tray depth of 4 1/4 inches. Your mobile scooter or wheelchair will fit nicely on the tray. The ramps compact size is perfect for travel and transportation. It wont feel bulky or overbearing whenever you drive.
Harmar Mobility Upgraded AL003 Wheelchair Lift Outside Manual Carrier with Hitch Adapter and Wiring Harness
The Harmar’s AL003 Tilt-N-Tote is lightweight but yet a wheelchair lift for van that is very capable of loading a wheelchair on and off fast and easy. It features a hold-down arm that is adjustable and keeps the wheelchair safe and secure while being carried. It’s compact size and efficient design allows this lift to fold up when not in use and fold down for tailgate access. This lift is to be used for manual wheelchairs only. A cover for the wheelchair can be purchased separately.
- Carries manual wheelchairs and Tilting joint for roll-on ease
- No Chair/device modifications required
- Folds When Not In Use
- Unique, adjustable hold-down arm
- Standard Ball Mount - NON-Electric Device
Inside the Wheelchair Lift For Van Installation of Electric Lifts:
Harmar Mobility Upgraded AL215 Scooter and Wheelchair Inside Carrier with Mounting Kit and Wiring Harness
Harmar’s AL215 is an efficient and economical solution for transporting smaller, lighter wheelchairs, power chairs, and scooters. Powerlifting and manual rotation help make loading the mobility device an effortless task. Other features include an adjustable base and arm height with a boom arm strap, weather-resistant hand control, easy-turn handles, weight-distributing handle bar for easy removal and replacement. An offset post allows the mobility device to be unloaded safely to the side of the vehicle. If the space in your vehicle isn’t large enough the EZ-Detach Seatback accessory easily converts your wheelchair to a lower profile to fit better into the cargo area. Also, it is compatible with truck lift applications and has an installed weight of 55 pounds. It has the power lifting capacity of 250 pounds with adjustable boom height of 30 to 40 inches and an adjustable boom strap length of 22 to 34 inches.
- Light duty, economical yet effective solution with Manual rotation with lockout pin
- Weather-resistant design and hand control
- Offset post allows mobility device to be safely loaded/unloaded curbside
- Universal base adapter
- Choice of docking device
Harmar AL065 Micro Inside-Out Lift
Harmar’s AL065 power-scooter and wheelchair lift for van mounts into the van’s hatch or rear van door using a two inch Class III or IV vehicle hitch receiver. This lift can lift a wheelchair up to 44 inches off the ground and up to a maximum of 200 pounds using the hand control with two buttons. It has a rotation arm with a range of 100 degrees that enables the wheelchair to be swung into and out of the rear door. This lift can be taken apart between uses and stored inside the van if desired.
Conclusion
Most types of wheelchair lift for van can usually be installed by you or someone that is able to do this kind of work. If you have any doubt as to installing it, you can call the manufacturer to find someone in your area to install it for whatever they charge for installation. Once it’s installed, make sure it operates properly. For the ones that require a hitch receiver, check that your van has a hitch with the proper size of hitch ball and if there isn’t a hitch, it may be worth having one installed by someone such as U-Haul. This would depend on what your budget is for this project and beware that most insurance companies do not help with the cost of a wheelchair lift but it would be worth calling your insurance company to make sure.
Before buying you will need to know what the weight and the height of the wheelchair are that you plan on lifting inside your van or carrying on the outside of the van to make sure the one you pick is within the weight capacity.