Using an Inside Platform Lift

Using an Inside Platform Lift

Super convenience and safety comes with the choice of one of these lifts. If you own a van or SUV, an inside carrier really is ideal. From a safety standpoint, you know your scooter or power chair is safely riding in your vehicle with you, protected from theft and accidents.  From a maintenance standpoint, you are not exposing your vital equipment to bad weather and high winds while driving down the highway. To use one of these lifts, you open your tailgate, pick up your wired remote control and push the button. The platform raises slightly, then travels straight out the back until it has cleared the bumper, then lowers down to the ground. You simply drive your scooter or power chair onto the platform, get off, make whatever small adjustments might be necessary and push the button to raise the platform up. Once it is up to a good working height, there will be a strap you’ll need to fasten to hold your scooter from moving around while you are driving, then push the button again and the lift will bring your scooter the rest of the way in. Close the tailgate and off you go!

Most of the time these lifts fasten to the same hardware that hold your third row of seats in place, so your floorboards do not have to be drilled. They can be powered by direct wire to your cars battery, or some models can be ordered with a rechargeable battery pack so they run on their own power supply. Some of those battery packs even let you charge up your scooter while you are driving! No trailer hitch is needed since they bolt inside your vehicle, but not all vans and SUV’s can be fitted with an inside platform lift due to the way the vehicles are built. If your vehicle has a large number of under-floor storage compartments, or a spare tire well in the back this style of lift may not work. If your scooter is longer than your back hatch is wide, or the folded height of your power chair is too tall to fit in the back door then an inside lift won’t be able to load your equipment. We have software that matches your equipment to your vehicle, so our Product experts can help you decide if an inside platform lift is the answer for your transport needs. Call us at 1-800-850-0335