If you use a wheelchair accessible vehicle every day, the ramp may be used several times a day, every day, for years. This means small differences in ramp design can make a surprisingly big difference to your experience.
So, what makes a good wheelchair accessible vehicle ramp?
There are several important factors to consider:
- Ramp angle
- Grip and slip resistance
- Ramp weight
- Safe Working Load (SWL)
- Ramp width
- Ease of opening and closing
- Noise and rattling when driving
- Visibility through the rear window
1. Ramp angle: how steep is the wheelchair ramp?
The angle of a wheelchair accessible vehicle ramp is one of the most important things to consider. Wheelchairs aren't really designed to travel up ramps into vehicles. It is something that vehicle designers and wheelchair accessible vehicle converters have to engineer carefully. Many wheelchairs have maximum recommended gradients of less than 10 degrees, while some vehicle ramps can be considerably steeper.A steeper ramp can create challenges for both manual wheelchair users and powered wheelchair users.
Why does ramp angle matter for manual wheelchairs?
If you are pushing someone in a manual wheelchair into a WAV, even a relatively small increase in ramp angle can make a noticeable difference to the effort required. Imagine pushing a wheelchair up a ramp at around 10 degrees compared with one at 15 degrees or more. The additional effort can make the wheelchair feel significantly heavier. In fact, pushing a standard adult up a steep ramp can feel around 10–15kg heavier.For someone who is pushing a wheelchair several times a day, this isn't simply a matter of convenience. Over time, the additional physical effort can contribute to fatigue and increase the potential risk of injury. A lower-angle ramp can therefore make getting in and out of a WAV considerably easier.
Why does ramp angle matter for powered wheelchairs?
Powered wheelchair users face a different set of challenges. A steep ramp can affect the traction of a powered wheelchair and can make entering or exiting the vehicle feel less predictable. This can become particularly noticeable with modern six-wheel powered wheelchairs.As the central drive wheel moves from the vehicle floor onto the ramp, the wheelchair can pitch or change its position quite suddenly. When reversing out of a WAV, this movement can be particularly unsettling. Additionally, for someone who has reduced muscle strength, impaired balance or simply lacks confidence when manoeuvring a wheelchair on a ramp, this can have a significant impact on their experience.
Do all WAVs need a winch?
No. A winch can provide additional assistance when loading a wheelchair into a vehicle, but it also adds cost, equipment and another step to the loading process. A winch takes time to connect and operate, occupies space within the vehicle and, like any electrical equipment, introduces additional components that need to work reliably.Where the design of the WAV allows a lower-angle ramp, there can be significant advantages in being able to load a wheelchair without relying on a winch. At McElmeel Mobility, our engineering and vehicle design expertise has allowed us to develop a range of wheelchair accessible vehicles with low-angle wheelchair ramps.
2. How important is the grip of a WAV ramp?
Ramp grip is another critical consideration. A wheelchair ramp needs to provide sufficient traction to help prevent wheels or feet from slipping, particularly when the ramp is wet or you have mud on your wheels. There is a standardised method of assessing slip resistance known as the Pendulum Test Value (PTV). The PTV test provides a measurement of slip resistance. A higher PTV indicates greater slip resistance.For level surfaces, a PTV below 24 is considered to have low slip resistance, while a value above 36 is considered excellent.
However, as the angle of a ramp increases, the required level of slip resistance also increases. This is an important point when comparing wheelchair accessible vehicle ramps. A ramp with excellent grip at a low angle can provide a very different experience from a steep ramp, even if both appear similar at first glance.
The McElmeel SupaGrip ramp
Our SupaGrip ramp has been designed to combine a low ramp angle with high levels of slip resistance. For example, our Ford Custom wheelchair accessible vehicle has a ramp angle of 10.9 degrees, combined with a BS 7976 pendulum test rating of 74. This combination of a low angle and high slip resistance is designed to provide a safer and more confident experience for wheelchair users and their carers.3. How heavy should a wheelchair accessible vehicle ramp be?
A ramp needs to be strong enough to do its job, but that doesn't mean it should be unnecessarily heavy. This is particularly important for carers or family members who may need to deploy and store the ramp several times every day.A heavy or awkward ramp might not seem like a major issue during a short demonstration. But imagine opening and closing it several times a day for five years. That's when good design really starts to matter. The ideal WAV ramp should provide the necessary strength and durability while remaining as easy as possible to operate.
4. What is the Safe Working Load of a WAV ramp?
The Safe Working Load (SWL) tells you how much weight the ramp is designed to safely support. This needs to take into account the combined weight of the wheelchair and its occupant.Modern powered wheelchairs can be surprisingly heavy, so it is important to check the ramp's SWL rather than simply assuming that any wheelchair will be suitable. The McElmeel Mobility SupaGrip ramp has a 350kg Safe Working Load, providing capacity for a wide range of wheelchairs and users. However, the suitability of a WAV should always be considered in relation to the specific wheelchair, user and vehicle.
5. How wide should a wheelchair ramp be?
Ramp width is another feature that can make a big difference in everyday use.A wider ramp provides more room for manoeuvring and gives the wheelchair user a little more margin for error. This can be particularly important when exiting the vehicle.
If a powered wheelchair is being reversed down the ramp, the wheelchair user may not have the same visibility or control they have when travelling forwards.
Having additional space either side of the wheels can provide greater confidence and reduce the likelihood of a wheel moving towards the edge of the ramp.
6. How easy is the ramp to use?
Sometimes in our desire to get out for a test drive, we can rush past things that will become part of our daily routine, like understanding how easy or hard a ramp is to use. You should make sure you take the time to understand how it actually feels to use.- Can it be opened easily?
- Can it be closed without excessive force?
- Is it comfortable for a carer to operate?
- Can the wheelchair user manoeuvre safely?
- What happens when the ramp needs to be used several times in a day?
Someone with excellent upper-body strength may have no difficulty operating a heavier ramp. For another person, that same ramp could become tiring or difficult to use.
A range of McElmeel Mobility wheelchair accessible vehicles use a ramp with recessed support struts to help maximise the available ramp width while keeping the ramp relatively lightweight. This means there is less unnecessary obstruction around the wheelchair wheels and more usable space when entering or exiting the vehicle. It's a small example of something that can make a big difference to everyday usability.
A good WAV ramp shouldn't simply work. It should be easy to live with.
7. What happens to the ramp when you're driving?
The ramp isn't only important when you're getting into or out of the vehicle. It is also part of the vehicle while you're driving. Most wheelchair accessible vehicles require some modification to the vehicle floor to create the necessary wheelchair access. This means the ramp and its associated components have to be securely integrated into the vehicle.Two common complaints with WAV ramps are noise and rattling and reduced visibility through the rear window.
Reducing ramp noise
A poorly designed or poorly fitted ramp can create rattles and unwanted noise while driving. For a short journey, this might be irritating, but for someone spending significant amounts of time in their WAV, it can become a genuine quality-of-life issue.Good engineering should therefore consider what happens to the ramp when it isn't being used — not just how well it performs when loading a wheelchair.
Maintaining rear visibility
A wheelchair ramp can also obstruct the driver's view through the rear window.This is another area where good design can make a difference. At McElmeel Mobility, we have focused on designing our wheelchair accessible vehicles to provide a balance between wheelchair access, ramp functionality, passenger comfort and driver visibility.
So, what makes the best wheelchair accessible vehicle ramp?
There isn't one feature that makes a ramp good. The best wheelchair accessible vehicle ramps bring several things together:- A low ramp angle.
- Excellent slip resistance.
- A suitable Safe Working Load.
- Good usable width.
- Light and straightforward operation.
- Minimal noise and rattling.
- Good visibility when the ramp is stored.
Give us a call and experience the difference a McElmeel Mobility ramp can make for your next WAV.
YOUR needs.
YOUR journey.
YOUR Waav.