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If you have limited mobility, you may find yourself using a wheelchair or scooter to aid you in moving around. Not only will you need these aids in your house, but you will find yourself using them outside. You could have errands to run, need to go shopping, doctor visits, or you may just want to get out and enjoy the world. This can pose a problem if you are using a bigger sized wheelchair or scooter to get around. You may find yourself wondering how you can easily transport this large yet necessary piece of equipment? The solution most people find is to use a wheelchair lift. You can simply install them on your vehicle to easily transport your wheelchair or scooter. However, for some this easy solution may not actually be so easy. There are many questions users may discover when shopping for a wheelchair lift. Here are the five most common questions related to wheelchair lifts.
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Which lift will fit my needs the best? You will need to have the make and model of your wheelchair or scooter to find all of the best available options. You will also need to consider the make and model of your vehicle when determining which lift will work best for you. The one you ultimately decide on must be able to work with your wheelchair and your vehicle. You should also consider if you have the necessary strength and coordination to use a manual lift or if you should opt for a fully automatic one. You should decide upon how much space you would like the lift to take up and how much extra space you truly have for it. Then you can take these options into effect with your available budget and do your best to stay within it.
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How do you want to secure the wheelchair lift to your vehicle? Outside wheelchair lifts are normally secured to your vehicle with a trailer hitch, which means that if you opt for this type of wheelchair lift your vehicle must have either a class II or III trailer hitch. If your vehicle does not have a trailer hitch, you may want to opt for an inside mounted wheelchair lift. This type of lift will be secured to the inside of your vehicle by basically bolting it to your floorboard. Unfortunately, you need to remember that this type of lift does take up space in the interior of your vehicle.
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Can I use the existing wiring in my vehicle for the wheelchair lift? Unfortunately, you will find that you are unable to use your pre-existing wiring for your wheelchair lift. Your lift will have to be powered by the electrical harness that will come with the lift. You may also want to look into purchasing a portable battery pack to power it. Luckily, this option means that the wheelchair lift installation is not as invasive on your vehicle, and installing with a portable battery pack this way can actually save you some steps in the installation process.
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Will my trunk, tailgate or hatchback still remain accessible with my wheelchair lift? Unfortunately, most outside wheelchair lift models do not permit you to operate the trunk, tailgate or hatchback. However, you may want to look into purchasing an optional accessory called a “Swing-Away.” This nice little added bonus accessory will allow you to use your trunk, tailgate or hatchback with the lift installed. The “Swing-Away” accessory swings the wheelchair lift away from your vehicle to give you the extra space necessary to use the back end of your vehicle. Keep in mind that this accessory is extra and does not come with the wheelchair lift, but many people do not mind spending a little extra to help maintain the full functionality of their vehicle.
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Is my outside wheelchair lift weather resistant? Outside wheelchair lifts are made specifically to withstand every aspect of outside use. So, yes, for the most part, they are weather resistant. However, you need to keep in mind that your wheelchair lift may come with some accessories, such as remote hand controls that may not be weather resistant. You must remove these types of accessories and store them inside when they are not in use. You should also remember that if you opted for a power mobility device, this kind will not be weather resistant. You must either store this type of lift inside when not in use or purchase the optional weatherproof cover for it if you want to keep it outside on the lift.
It can seem like an overwhelming task trying to maintain your mobility when you are injured or as you age. A wheelchair or scooter may appear to be the perfect fix, but you must remember that even the perfect fix may pose some difficult problems. You may find that mobility aids are easier to use in but not that easy when it comes to transporting them to places that you may need to go outside of your home. A wheelchair lift is the best solution to this problem, but you must put in the time, effort and research needed to purchase the one that will fit you and your needs the best.