Hoists for transferring first
If you don't have the ability to load a wheelchair first and then get into the car, you'll either need help loading, or some hoists make it possible to stow a wheelchair without help after you have transferred into the car. They can be used by drivers or passengers.
The idea is that you transfer to the car seat and the hoist puts the wheelchair in the car or on the roof for you. You don't need help to do this, and you don't need to be able to walk round the car. With a rooftop hoist the boot of your car remains free to carry other luggage.
To use a rooftop hoist you use a switch to lower the hoist mechanism from the roof of the car. You hook the wheelchair on by hand. Some rooftop hoists fold the wheelchair for you, with others you have to fold them before you attach them to the lifting hook.
You need to be able to twist into a position where you can attach the hooks to the wheelchair.
The hoist then lifts the chair on to the roof and automatically secures it safely. Most carry the wheelchair in a box. With others the chair is exposed to the weather.
The Roof Spider can pick up a wheelchair from either side of the car, others can be fitted to either the driver's or passenger's side of the car.
You'll need to check the loading limit of your car with its manufacturer to make sure that the combined weight of the hoist, roof rack and wheelchair does not exceed what they recommend.
Autochair Lite (rooftop hoist)
Price including fitting: from around £3,375
Max weight lifted (kg): 30
Max size of folded chair (h x w x d): 96x37x87
Clearance travelling/in use (cm): 44/137
Weight of hoist (kg): 50
Distributed by: Autochair
The Autochair moves to a vertical position, and a hoist inside the unit and lowers a hook. You hook on the folded chair by hand and the motor winches it into the box. The box then moves to its horizontal travelling position.
Braun Chair Topper (rooftop hoist)
Price including fitting: from £3,000
Maximum weight lifted (kg): 20.5
Max size of folded chair (h x w x d): 36x83x93
Clearance travelling/in use (cm): 54/54
Weight of hoist (kg): 55
Distributed by: Autoadapt UK
A motor slides the box across the roof so it is above the car door. A hook is lowered and is attached by hand to the wheelchair. The chair is winched up into the box, which moves back to its travelling position. The footplates do not have to be removed.
Cowal GZ-91 (rooftop hoist)
Price including fitting: £3,400
Max weight lifted (kg): 33
Manufacturers say it will take any folding manual chair
Clearance travelling/in use (cm): 46/71
Weight of hoist (kg): 55
Distributed by: Cowal Mobility Aids
The box lid opens and a frame is lowered to the ground by power. You push the folded chair on to the frame and it is hoisted into the box.
Cowal Robot 200/KC Robostore (boot loading hoist)
Price including fitting: from £5,500+
Lifting capacity (kg): standard 22; heavyweight 27
Distributed by: Cowal Mobility Aids/KC Mobility Solutions
This hoist lets you to transfer and will then put the wheelchair in the boot. The boot opens automatically, and the hoist moves round the car to place a cradle by the front door. You put the folded wheelchair on the cradle and the hoist moves it into the car, and horizontally into the boot. The boot closes. This is reversed to unload. The hoist fits most vehicles with enough boot space. The movement is programmed to suit each vehicle.
The EasyLoader (rear seat loading hoist)
Price including fitting: £3,550
Maximum weight lifted (kg): 50
Distributed by: Autochair
This hoist lifts the folded chair into the rear seat space of the car. It's designed for vehicles with a rear sliding door, but some four-door cars can be converted - the rear door has to be modified. It can also be fitted in the boot. You place the chair on the mechanism and it pivots it into the car. The rear seats (or the larger section of a split seat) have to be removed. Operation is via a hand-held controller.
Gentle Giant Automatic Cartop Wheelchair Hoist (rooftop hoist)
Price plus fitting: £3,207
Maximum weight lifted (kg): 30
Max size of folded chair (h x w x d): 110x120x60
Clearance travelling/in use (cm): 50/50
Weight of hoist (kg): 49
Distributed by: Braiden International
The side of the box moves out horizontally, and two arms are lowered to rest beside the car door. You place a hook under the wheelchair seat (so it folds while being lifted). The hoist then lifts the wheelchair up and into a horizontal position. It then slides into the box, which closes after it.
No extra height is needed to load or unload the wheelchair - you just need enough space beside the car (the edge of the box moves out 96cm). Can be colour matched to your car (£250), standard is silver.
Sliding door and arm (rear seat loading hoist)
Price including fitting: about £2,300
Distributed by: Autoadapt UK
With this you can load a wheelchair into the rear compartment of a 4-door car after transferring to the front seat. It combines kits for changing one of the rear doors of a 4-door car into a sliding door, with a power door opener and an automatic wheelchair loading arm. The rear seats (or the larger section of a split seat) will have to be removed.
Roof Spider (rooftop hoist)
Price including fitting: about £3,400
Maximum weight lifted (kg): 25
Clearance travelling/ in use (cm): 42/112
Weight of hoist (kg): under 50
Distributed by: Autoadapt UK
You press a button on the wired hand control corresponding to the side of the car you want to load the wheelchair from. The box opens and the lifting device lowers. You fold the wheelchair around the device and press another button to load it into the roof box.
Wymo Rooftop Stowage Hoist (rooftop hoist)
Price including fitting: £1,350
Maximum weight lifted (kg): 20
Clearance (cm) travelling/in use: 32/84
Distributed by: Cowal Mobility Aids
You plug the cable into the hoist and into the cigar lighter. The hoist is lowered and you hook on the chair by hand. You winch the chair part way by power, lean out to attach a strap, raise the chair, fix the other end of the strap and hoist up. There is no box so the wheelchair is open to the elements.
next page: Other ways of carrying a wheelchair