There are millions of people who use mobility vehicles, like the wheelchair and the mobility scooter, everyday. For those who use their mobility vehicles on a regular basis, it is necessary to find a way to make transporting these devices easy and practical. Many people choose to install a hitch mounted lift on their automobile to solve this problem.
A hitch mounted wheelchair lift offers the advantage of quick and easy installation. They are attached to a standard square hitch and there are models available for Class I, Class II, or Class III hitches, although to get the highest weight capacity, it is necessary to use a Class III hitch.
There are a few different ways that a hitch mounted lift can be installed. It can of course simply be lifted off of the ground and slid onto the hitch, but this will typically require at least two people, not so much because of weight factors, but because often the wheelchair lift itself is a little bulky.
There is, however, another easier way of installing a hitch mounted wheelchair lift that will work with most models that offer an electronically operated lifting platform.
The first step is to position the wheelchair lift so that it is behind the car and the mounting is relatively lined up with the automobile’s hitch. Then, turn the wheelchair lift on and push the down button. This will actually cause the wheelchair lift to raise into the air. Continue raising the hitch until it is level with the automobile’s hitch. At this point, the wheelchair lift can be slid backwards into the receiver. Most wheelchair lifts are powerful enough to cause the automobile’s rear end to actually raise.
The advantage of installing the wheelchair lift in this manner is that there is very little lifting required. It might be necessary to apply a little bit of pressure, but most of the weight will still be supported by the wheelchair lift platform.
In cases where the distance that the wheelchair lift can raise and the ground is very tight, the wheelchair lift can first be placed onto a curb or other elevated area. Then, just back the vehicle up to the curb. Placing the wheelchair lift onto the curb can provide an extra six inches of wiggle room.
When removing the wheelchair lift, the above process is simply reversed. Remember that most hitch mounted wheelchair lifts are strong enough to raise the back end of the vehicle, so make sure that you are paying attention when raising or lowering the lift.
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