SpinLife's Guide to Boom Interior Lifts

Boom Interior Lifts

Interior vehicle lifts are increasingly popular, allowing a power wheelchair or scooter to be transported inside a station wagon, minivan, or SUV. The foremost benefit of an interior lift is that it protects your mobility product from weather and potential road hazards, a definite plus for those living in severe weather climates. Further, interior lifts can be mounted in the rear cargo section of vehicles, or in the side door of a minivan for easy user transfers and operation.

AL055 Economy Inside Wheelchair and Scooter Lift

Boom interior lifts, resemble a small crane that lifts the scooter or power wheelchair via a reinforced strap, and mount in the rear cargo areas of station wagons, minivans, and SUVs, as well as in a side-entry location on minivans. Further, boom lifts can be used in conjunction with trunks on large sedans via a quick-release base where a compact power wheelchair or scooter lifts into the trunk, then the boom is removed and stowed, allowing the trunk lid to close. (Trunk applications are limited by the size of the mobility product and the trunk, and the seat most often needs to be removed from the mobility product during stowing, so this configuration requires careful assessment for its appropriateness.)

Operating a typical interior boom lift:

1. Manually swing the boom arm outside of vehicle (some models are motorized)
2. Manually connect the lifting strap to the scooter or power wheelchair.
3. Use the lift’s motor to raise the scooter or power wheelchair into the air.
4. Manually swing the boom arm with scooter or power wheelchair into the vehicle (some models are motorized)
5. Lower the scooter or power wheelchair onto the vehicle’s floor using the lift’s motor for transport.

Characteristics of an interior boom lift:

• Mounts inside the vehicle, bolting to the floor.

• Transports scooter or wheelchair inside rear of vehicle, or side entry of minivan.

• Consumes interior room.

• Requires physical ability to secure scooter and power wheelchair, and operate boom.

                                                                                                                                                    By Mark E. Smith