4x4 wheelchair van camper

mestude · 07-09-2009, 02:24 PM

newbie here. i was on the web searching for handicap ready campers...My daughter is wheel chair bound and in a non fold down wheel chair, her and her chair abourt 135lbs..anyway stumbled accross these sportsmobiles and thought what a great f'ing concept. so does anyone have one that wheelchair accessible...would love to know and see some pictures....if anyone has one of these rigs near se michigan, would love to just ck out this machine even if not wheelchair ready
THANKS,. MIKE....

**daveb** · 07-09-2009, 03:04 PM

Here is one built at SMB west.

Jwhitbread might be able to answer specific questions for you Mike. You might PM him.

winvest · 07-10-2009, 04:54 PM

Mine is totally accessible, including an accessible bathroom, Braun wheelchair lift, and room to maneuver my wheelchair in the van (although it's tight). Sportsmobile was exceptionally helpful in designing my floorplan, and the online design tool was great. I have some pictures in my gallery and can add more if you would like to see something specific. I looked at alot of RV's but settled on the Sportsmobile because of the 4 wheel drive option and customizing, which was not available from the Winnebago View, which can also be ordered for a wheelchair.

winvest · 07-10-2009, 04:56 PM

Oh, and that's my van in the picture!

**daveb** · 07-10-2009, 08:25 PM

I watched it being built. Beautiful van.

j.whitbread · 07-14-2009, 07:06 PM

Check out my gallery. I have a wish list if I bought a new SMB today. Mine is a Quigley 4x4 V10 with my own stuff inside.

yvrr · 07-14-2009, 08:55 PM

I just have to share that when we went down to pick up our SMB in 2001 from Fresno, they had an SMB in the factory that had been built for a fly fisherman in Alaska who needed a wheelchair to get around. It was dark green in color to absorb more heat and thus be warmer in the Alaskan outback. I don't think that it included a penthouse (it was to be used by just the owner) and was fairly limited inside...a single-width bed, possibly no passenger seat, a refrigerator, maybe a stove, some storage, and a wheelchair lift. But is was 4WD since the owner wanted to be able to drive directly down onto river banks in Alaska, get into his wheelchair and roll straight out onto a riverbank to fly fish. Very cool....

DisabledExplorers · 07-16-2009, 04:40 AM

I would really like to hear from owners as to what they would do differenet after having had their van for a while.
The reason I ask is I am looking to get a SMB as the primary vehicle for Disabled Explorers as my current rig can't handle someone in a powerchair or larger wheelchair or someone heavier than I can carry if they can't boost into the seat.
One of the things we do is take folks out for a taste of what backcountry travel & camping is like. Not a tour company but as a non-profit we are here to help folks get themselves out there.
I am an amputee but I would like the rig setup for almost any handicapped person who shows interest.

Also for all you guys that already have a rig it would be super cool to hear your stories and get some pics to put up on our site so that newly disabled or disabled folks new to backcountry travel can have some inspiration.

I am thinking about an extended body with the standard layout & a chair lift.
I would also like to hear thoughts on a removeable passenger seat vs transfering someone from a chair into the seat once in cab.
I was planning on the penthouse top for lower trail clearance, or does it need to be the hi-top for powerchair/large wheelchair users?
Also I was figuring on keeping the standard porta-potty but placing a folding commode setup over it (cath's can drain into the standard potty).
What kind of extra seatbelts/harnesses are any of you using to help with trail induced wobble?

j.whitbread · 07-16-2009, 05:38 AM

Everyone is different. In my van I sit in the driver's seat, since I'm driving it's the best place to sit.

I don't have any additional seat belts yet.

Full seat belt harnesses for passengers without full muscle control would be a good idea. If you are leaving people in their wheelchairs then a good tie down system should be used to make sure the w/c does not move. Accessible taxis, airport shuttles use them. If someone wants to sit in a fixed seat, you could use a super comfy suspension seat to smooth out the bumps, and some hand holds.

When sitting in a wheelchair in a van your center of gravity is very high. When off road these vans can really rock back and forth, and side to side. Make sure side head room is adequate. When I ride in buses, taxis, I've always wanted a strap mounted to the ceiling to hang on to like people standing in a bus or subway. It's a lot better than hanging on to your chair.

Environmental control is a consideration too. Too hot or too cold can quickly become a life threatening situation. (For everyone, ask UFC fighter Evan Tanner). But for someone who is disabled it can get serious quick if you break down and lose cooling or heat. You might want a generator to make sure you can cool and heat people.

Or do it like this....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uuvZuFyxKNE

winvest · 07-23-2009, 04:08 PM

I have to say that I've been very disappointed with my Braun wheelchair lift. It was definitely not designed for the rugged use that it gets in my Sportsmobile. In fact when I took it in for some maintenance the tech told me that I should really not open it onto anything but a flat surface! Which in my case is almost never, unless I'm in town filling up with diesel and supplies. That said, I don't think that there are any alternatives, since the Sportsmobile is so tall and most wheelchair lifts don't have long enough arms to reach the ground from our rigs.