Things are looking up

Finally, something seemed to go right in our mountain of tasks requiring achievement in order to make our trip possible. All the ramp makers said it could not be done, but somehow, with lots of brainpower, we were able to figure out a way to install our rear-door entry wheelchair ramp over our stow-and-go van seats. And it’s awesome! I never thought I’d get so excited over a ramp.

Our Dilemma: Wheelchair ramps are meant to be bolted to the car frame and not over stow-and-go seats. Previously there was a wheelchair ramp product produced that fit into a trailer hitch and rested on the outside of a van. This allowed for easy installation and disassembly and more space in the vehicle for cargo, but it did not protect the ramp from the elements. The second problem…this ramp is no longer made. After an exhaustive search we were unable to find this product anywhere. We spoke to a welder who told us converting it into a trailer-hitch application would be a simple modification (of course if you are a welder, but not for anyone else!) if we purchased a pre-built ramp first. Therefore we planned to purchase a pre-made, spring-loaded wheelchair ramp and transform it into a trailer hitch compatible unit it once the wheelchair arrived. When that time came, we had the ramp and returned to the welder, but he was too busy to help us in our short timeframe. This pushed us to seek out four more fabricators and the last was finally able to help us.

The Solution: It took some work, but this guy came up with an elegant solution. He manufactured a steel plate for us that would rest on top of our stowed seats securely and allow us to bolt the ramp down onto it and disallowing the base from flying forward or flipping up when lowering and folding up the wheelchair ramp. This was a breath of fresh air. It’s funny, his company actually produces western entertainment shows. I saw him riding in a toy train and working on a stage coach one day too. I’m not sure where the steel manufacturing business came into play. The knowledge must be necessary in the field of western entertainment!

I know most of you never considered installing a ramp inside your cars, but when it’s necessary, it’s a huge deal and a fiasco getting it right. I’m thrilled that this dilemma is solved and is actually usable.