subject: Used Wheel Chair Van: What You Need To Know [print this page] A Used Wheel Chair Vans is a specially built or customized work utility vehicle that can accommodate wheelchairs by providing access in the form of ramps or lifts. The next most popular "mobility motoring" option involves electric and manual tie-down systems for physically securing the wheelchair. But of all the modifications performed on a used wheel chair van, the ramp installation is the most common. An ambulance stretcher, for instance, is not as common. The Ford Freestar is one popular model that accepts ramp-based conversions, which can be folding or sliding, motorized or manual. Full-sized vans will probably need the kind of lift that is a platform which can be raised and lowered from within the vehicle outwards and downwards to the ground outside. Some even more elaborate options involve the use of cranes.
In order to provide for extra headroom, a used wheel chair van may have its floor lowered, which may in turn require some specially modified gas tanks to ensure operational safety on the road. The floor is not usually lowered for rear-entry configurations, but removed altogether and replaced with a tub of steel or a composite material. The precise steps involved in modifying a used wheel chair van will vary depending on the model, but the general process consists of taking a regular vehicle and customizing it. This customization or conversion will likely include removing the floor, installing a ramp and/or hydraulic lift, and stiffening the suspension to allow for the extra weight incurred.
Upper torso restraints are usually employed for those passengers with weak upper body muscle strength or poor overall balance. An ambulance stretcher has been an addition before but it is rather rare. Manual systems require assistance to operate as they are inaccessible from the wheelchair. However, electric options require modification of various degrees to both vehicle and chair. For those able to drive, the front seat can be specially adjusted for wheelchair access, swiveling around and lowering itself for easy ingress and egress. On account of all the changes involved, extensive testing should be conducted to ensure full operational safety and reliability.
Rear-entry conversions are intended for cases where the wheelchair-bound person is necessarily a passenger; if the person in the wheelchair is able to drive, side-entry conversions are not only preferred but absolutely necessary. While making for great convenience, rear-entry conversions are by far the simpler ones to carry out, with no complicated engineering or electronics, which is not the case involving side-entry configurations. For this reason, rear-entry wheelchair vans are typically favored for deployment with paratransit companies and dial-a-ride services.
