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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Apr 2012
    Location
    Healesville
    Posts
    2,129

    Default Wheel chair lift

    Hi fella's, I am hoping to get a 4wd wheel chair soon, NDIS is looking like they are going to cough up for it because I have a few problems that limit my mobility, someone at NDIS told me that it is cheaper to give me a chair than me falling as#$ over head down my steep gravel driveway and then having to go hozzie if don't cark it.
    The wheel chair mob lent me a chair for a week, it was fantastic, I even went for a walk with the missus 3 times and the chair navigated the unpaved paths around here without a problem. Yep it sure was nice to get out into the fresh air, the great thing about joystick control is that you can drive the chair with one hand and suck on your nicotine with the other, I think I am going to need a stubbie holder if the missus expects me to continue doing all this exercise........

    This is the gimpy mobile that I have my eyes on https://www.magicmobility.com.au/whe...ic-wheelchair/

    One problem thing with the 4wd chair is that it is a real bugger of a thing to accurately reverse, I want to be able to get the chair into my car and I don't want to use ramps, not only is the chair a p*%ck to reverse the floor in the back of my car is 850mm from ground level so the ramps would need to be at least 4mtrs long, so 2 ramps folded in half is gunna be a pain to deal with and then you have the problem of where you would have the space to be able to use them, so I thought I would have a go at making a lift.
    I think a lift would solve a few problems, I would only need a metre between the back of my car and the car parked behind me, I could also unload over the gutter if backed in and it could also be used for lifting heavy things in and out of the car.

    So I have made a start on it, it will have 2 sets of parallel arms, one set will connect the lifting arm to the roller carriage, these are needed to get a bit more height to get over the top of the beam and winch pulleys, and the other parallel arms will connect the beam to an axle that will pivot within the tow bar so the whole thing will spin around parallel with the bumper bar while traveling, when in use the tow bar will balance the lift and no weight will be transferred to the tow bar from the load as there will be a fold out foot beneath the load.
    ummmm...... there will be a few folding bits....

    Much more to do but here are some progress pics.....
    Attached Images Attached Images

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Dec 2011
    Location
    Sydney
    Posts
    505

    Default

    Good to see the chair is made here in Aus.
    Bill

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Aug 2008
    Location
    Melbourne
    Age
    34
    Posts
    1,075

    Default

    That's a serious looking chair, don't forget the red one goes faster

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jul 2016
    Location
    Melbourne
    Age
    35
    Posts
    1,522

    Default

    So glad the NDIS is a thing. Real life changer for a lot of people. That is going to be a heel of a lift!

    Sent from my SM-G973F using Tapatalk

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Apr 2012
    Location
    Healesville
    Posts
    2,129

    Default Arms and cable path

    I might have to build my own chair to put on this lifter, yeah NIST are now whinging about the cost and there is a bit of back and forth banter between them and the OT's, I will carry on regardless here because I need it anyway....
    I could have put a high platform on this to get above the column but thought I would try this first and if not successful then I might revisit that.
    The pulley between the parallel arms gives the cable a 2:1 reduction ratio in the same way as a snatch block, I have reduced the cable size to 4mm with bit over 1200kg breaking strain and a safe working load to 295kg, my load should be 150 - 200 kg.
    Here are some pics, the red lines indicate the cable path.
    Attached Images Attached Images

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Sep 2012
    Location
    York, North Yorkshire UK
    Posts
    6,439

    Default

    Hi John,

    Looking good ! Though I'm not sure about the friction on the cable, not having rollers where the cable direction changes.
    Best Regards:
    Baron J.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Apr 2012
    Location
    Healesville
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    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by BaronJ View Post
    Hi John,

    Looking good ! Though I'm not sure about the friction on the cable, not having rollers where the cable direction changes.
    John you would be looking at the end where the cable is fixed/stationary, i had to bring the cable out to the side as there was
    not enough space available to secure it, i also need to keep the top clear and fit a cover plate on top, on the side i can use cable clamps.
    Attached Images Attached Images

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Sep 2012
    Location
    York, North Yorkshire UK
    Posts
    6,439

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by shedhappens View Post
    John you would be looking at the end where the cable is fixed/stationary, I had to bring the cable out to the side as there was
    not enough space available to secure it, I also need to keep the top clear and fit a cover plate on top, on the side I can use cable clamps.
    Ahh, now that makes sense !

    I knew that you wouldn't do something that daft.
    Best Regards:
    Baron J.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Dec 2011
    Location
    Sydney
    Posts
    505

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by shedhappens View Post
    I might have to build my own chair to put on this lifter, yeah NIST are now whinging about the cost ...
    It will indeed be a bummer if they don't fund it, but hang in there and hope the OTs can push it through (I'll be crossing my fingers for you).
    Should NDIS not cough up, it's worthwhile looking for a workable chair second hand - sometimes they can be really cheap - and it's much easier to fix/revise than build a safe and reliable chair from scratch.
    Bill

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Apr 2012
    Location
    Healesville
    Posts
    2,129

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by WCD;1980513 it's worthwhile looking for a workable chair second hand - sometimes they can be really cheap - and it's [I
    much[/I] easier to fix/revise than build a safe and reliable chair from scratch.
    Bill
    G/day Bill, I had a 2 wheel drive chair, it was more trouble than what it was worth. I need a 4 wheel drive chair and as I had one on loan for a week I know what faults it had and I am pretty confident that if I have to I can build a better chair.
    As a bit of a back up plan I have been looking at components and giving it some thought...... not that I need another job

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Apr 2012
    Location
    Healesville
    Posts
    2,129

    Default towbar shaft

    Hi fella's, the idea is this lift will pivot in the car tow bar so that it will be parallel with the bumper when not in use, here is a couple of parts made for that part of the job.

    The axle was from a small toyota dyna truck, now 30mm at the small end.
    Attached Images Attached Images
    Last edited by shedhappens; 4th Feb 2021 at 06:12 PM. Reason: more info

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Apr 2012
    Location
    Healesville
    Posts
    2,129

    Default so this job might not be a waste of time.....if'n it works that is.....

    I got the nooz today that the tight wads (NIST) have come good and coughed up for the 4wd chair, gr8, soon I will not have to struggle and bust my rs getting to and from the shed, aaand I will also be able to go somewhere other than the shed.....
    Attached Images Attached Images

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Apr 2012
    Location
    Healesville
    Posts
    2,129

    Default tow bar fitting

    There is a 2 - 3 mth wait before the chair is delivered, I spoke to the supplier and the manufacturer and the excuse for that is that the chairs are custom made to suit the client and neither have stock of their products.......
    I told them that is bs as it only takes seconds to bolt on a different seat and foot rests, I also suggested that if customer support is lacking from the start what will happen in the future. So much for a gr8 aussie co..
    I wont waffle on about this too much but i will say they are charging more for a wheelchair than most small cars cost.
    Then to spring this extra wait time onto people who are stuck without mobility after an already long wait for funding just stinks......rant off..
    yup....and i reckon my wait will now be 6 mths after the earful i gave them....

    On a more cheery note here are some pics of the towbar fitting.
    Attached Images Attached Images

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Sep 2012
    Location
    York, North Yorkshire UK
    Posts
    6,439

    Default

    Hi John,

    I'm glad that I'm never going to be parked behind you That lump would make a right dent.

    Seriously though, glad to hear that things are at least moving along for you, but I do agree with your comments.
    will you be fitting uprated springs and shocks to your car ?
    Best Regards:
    Baron J.

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Apr 2012
    Location
    Healesville
    Posts
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    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by BaronJ View Post
    will you be fitting uprated springs and shocks to your car ?
    G/day John, my car has a 665kg payload, 3 ton towing capacity and BFG KO2 tyres with 55psi in them so no probs with a little bit of weight.
    I could have used a bit of 50mm shs in the tow bar if I was only driving down the street, but in Aust we have 1000's of kilometers of corrugated dirt roads that punish the hell out of a car and the bits hanging off it.
    The tow bar hole is actually 52.75mm sq so 50mm shs would have needed bushes fitted in it for the axle and would have flogged out in no time rattling down dirt roads unless built up to a better fit, making it 52mm square gave a much better fit and some confidence that the lifter wont drop off down some dusty track.

    Aaaaand i enjoy making swarf

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