Bucky Posted February 19, 2014 Share Posted February 19, 2014 Bit of an unusual one, my mates in a wheelchair and we've discovered that defender seats are to high for him to transfer into. We have a couple of ideas, finding a high curb, or building a ramp. The other is removing the bulkhead replacing it with a bar and transferring from the back to the front as he can manage getting into the back. Has anyone got any ideas? Or experienced the same situation? Cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simonr Posted February 19, 2014 Share Posted February 19, 2014 Years ago, I was involved in a project as a volunteer to allow a wheelchair user to drive his Defender. He had been in an accident (not in the Defender) and left wheelchair bound. The approach was to remove half the seat box (on the drivers side) and replace the floor with a flat panel with a semi-circular trough into which the wheels would sit. The chair was modified to add a hitch, consisting of a block with two holes bored through it attached behind the seat. A lift mechanism consisting of an L shaped arm pivoted at one end level with the floor and attached to the B post. The arm was moved by an electric linear actuator (made by Linak). The other end had a pin which engaged with one hole on the chair. Another pin was attached to the circumference of a chain sprocket centred on the first pin and the chain connected via a couple of pulleys to another sprocket centred on the pivot at the end of the arm but fixed so it did not rotate with the arm. When the arm was folded out, he just reversed the chair such that both pins engaged with the two holes. As it lifted, the chain / sprockets ensured the two pins and thus the chair remained horizontal. The arm moved just over 180 degrees which lifted the chair through the door and down on to the floor - pushing the wheels in to the trough to receive them, effectively clamping it in place. There were a couple of over-centre catches to secure the chair which then became the drivers seat. He had to duck as the chair moved through the door - and the door may have been widened (I cant remember). But it worked pretty well. You could make something similar just as a lift which folds out of the door opening and normally tucks behind the door frame. Use it to lift the chair to a point where he can move himself across. It then makes the chair easier to reach & fold up. Sadly, I don't have any photos or drawings - though I could probably come up with a sketch! Si Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bucky Posted February 19, 2014 Author Share Posted February 19, 2014 I get were your coming from, I've seen similar systems were the drivers chair will extend out and down, cheers for the suggestions all food for thought Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FridgeFreezer Posted February 19, 2014 Share Posted February 19, 2014 Saw a Disco at Billing that had a winch on the roofrack, an arm (or possibly arms) extended out from under the rack, much like a lifting beam found on the roof of a building, so he could winch himself up and in. Could easily apply to a Defender, and quite simple to build. Unfortunately I can't remember any great details about it other than I think it was a black Disco 2. Failing that, if it's a 110 you could make a decent length ramp(s) that pivots and tucks up under the sill, and either transfer across or go with the flat floor idea and just wheel on in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bucky Posted February 19, 2014 Author Share Posted February 19, 2014 Yeah a beam would work well, unfortunately its a soft top 90 so no where to mount it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FridgeFreezer Posted February 19, 2014 Share Posted February 19, 2014 A basic roll hoop isn't very much money. Or go for a telescopic/folding ramp that tucks up under - a bit tighter on a 90 but potentially doable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
honitonhobbit Posted February 19, 2014 Share Posted February 19, 2014 What's his upper body strength like? A good friend was clumsy enough to lose his legs in Helmand a few years back - he drives a 110. He has good upper body strength, but I'll ask him how he manages Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poohbear Posted February 19, 2014 Share Posted February 19, 2014 How about replacing coil springs with air bags - like The P38 EAS. It would be a pretty straight forward swap, or look at the hot rod scene as they have some nifty hydraulic stuff. Dave. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pat_pending Posted February 19, 2014 Share Posted February 19, 2014 Speak to SDL, http://www.steeringdevelopments.com They supply and fit equipment for motability vehicles. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bucky Posted February 19, 2014 Author Share Posted February 19, 2014 He's very strong, the issue he has is his legs acting as dead weight throwing him off balance. Some great ideas though guys cheers, it'll only once every few months or so, he wants to come out on some greenlanes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve King Posted February 19, 2014 Share Posted February 19, 2014 What's his upper body strength like? A good friend was clumsy enough to lose his legs in Helmand a few years back - he drives a 110. He has good upper body strength, but I'll ask him how he manages I have witnessed a wheelchair bound lady access the front passenger seat of a Defender by grabbing onto the gutters and swinging herself in! Quite impressive but I suspect her upper body strength is above average! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FridgeFreezer Posted February 20, 2014 Share Posted February 20, 2014 One of our club members built a basic wooden ramp for her 110 so a friend in a wheelchair could get up it. Nothing fancy at all, just a sloping wooden ramp that packed away into the back. If it's only for occasional use it's simple and cheap. I'll see if I can find a photo, it was years ago now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simonr Posted February 20, 2014 Share Posted February 20, 2014 I had a conversation with a chap who's father is chair-bound and drives a Volvo. His solution is to mount a small ATV winch on in the middle of the roof above the front seats fitted with synthetic winch cable. The hook for the winch is clipped on inside the door somewhere he can reach it. He uses a sling under his bottom (apparently used for lowering people into the bath) which is clipped on to the hook. He winches himself to a point where he can pull himself over into the seat. Lean out the door to collapse the chair then attach the winch to the chair to pull it up on to the roof. He used a tether attached to the inside of the roof hooked on to a wheel so the winch cable pulls the chair on the tether, pinning it to the roof. Close door (tether stays trapped in the door seal) and drive away. This gives him the independence to get in & out of the vehicle at will without having to worry about getting help or sowing the chair somewhere. I guess it might need some sort of receiver for the chair on the roof to stop it moving around as well as something to protect the roof surface and cable as it passes over the gutter. Si Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bucky Posted February 20, 2014 Author Share Posted February 20, 2014 One of our club members built a basic wooden ramp for her 110 so a friend in a wheelchair could get up it. Nothing fancy at all, just a sloping wooden ramp that packed away into the back. If it's only for occasional use it's simple and cheap. I'll see if I can find a photo, it was years ago now. Think this is probably what we will end up going for, wish my engineering skills were better and could knock something fancier up. However with the infrequency of use something simple and basic makes sense. Cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FridgeFreezer Posted February 20, 2014 Share Posted February 20, 2014 There's quite a selection of folding/extending doggy ramps out there, may give inspiration... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happyoldgit Posted February 20, 2014 Share Posted February 20, 2014 Disabled ramps from Fairway taxi's [London cabs] are often to be found on the bay of E. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tacr2man Posted February 20, 2014 Share Posted February 20, 2014 Knew a chap in Australia who had a roof rack on his L/crsr which had a couple of little winches , the first hoisted him up to swing in and the second pulled the chair up into a reciever which folded down onto roof rack , then he shut the door and drove it with hand controls . HTSH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
muddy Posted February 20, 2014 Share Posted February 20, 2014 This is for a wheelchair IIRC ( Bucky you might recognise the place! ) I'm sure you could make a ramp out of two bits of plywood that would sit on top of each other on the rear floor, I can trembler if you have rocksliders or tree sliders but you could make one side of the level bit hook onto them and have a fold down metal leg to support the other side, get a harness eye bolt and screw it onto the windscreen bracket bolts so your mate can have a bit of knotted rope with a carbinna to clip on to haul himself up with. Hell even add some bits of string to the two bits of wood I'm sure your mate could lift them up and chuck them over his shoulder! Will. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bucky Posted February 20, 2014 Author Share Posted February 20, 2014 Guessing it's up near Cullingworth don't recognise it though. Hadn't considered using the sliders though, tis a good idea. We were at one point considering me picking him up and dumping him in so if all else fails we can do that aha. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gordonendersby Posted February 21, 2014 Share Posted February 21, 2014 There was a defender in one of the mags a few years ago, where the owner had fitted air suspension so he could get in and out easier. I'm sure you could find help in the landy community to find a solution. It sounds like an interesting challenge. You could also have a look at the hacker and maker space communites. They like a challenge. Gordon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonylandy Posted July 20, 2016 Share Posted July 20, 2016 does any one no were i can get a wheel chair lift to fit the back of my defender 110 as ramps to get my little lad in is getting abit hard now and he loves the landy so dont wont to get rid of it thanks any one Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pat_pending Posted July 20, 2016 Share Posted July 20, 2016 does any one no were i can get a wheel chair lift to fit the back of my defender 110 as ramps to get my little lad in is getting abit hard now and he loves the landy so dont wont to get rid of it thanks any one See my earlier post. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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