Wheelchair Platform above trailer hitch

[RickHeck]

My wife requires a powered wheelchair. With a trailer (not 5th wheel), we could put the chair platform (has a Class4 hitch) at the back of a trailer (properly equipped with a hitch). (An example: https://amzn.to/3iV2T5f ; manual fold-down ramp)

But if we want to leave the trailer at the RV park, and drive the truck somewhere, I have to remove the chair platform from the back of the trailer and move it to the truck. (And put it back again.)

So was wondering if there is a way to mount the chair platform *between* the truck and trailer. Maybe with an elongated hitch extension, although I don't think they would be long enough, or maybe strong enough for the load of a trailer. (Trailer weight 4-5K.)

Maybe modify the trailer tongue/hitch to be longer to allow a platform to be mounted on top of the trailer hitch area? Don't want to have a truck-bed mounted lift. (And the trailer is not a 5th wheel.)

Any idea on how to position a chair platform between the truck and the trailer? Most trailer don't even have enough room to completely fold down the tailgate when the trailer is attached.

 

[HueyPilotVN]

Here is one way,

New Project "Trailer Toad"

Now some of you guys know that I like to do projects, (it keeps me out of trouble) I have a new project. After upgrading my tires to handle the load of my Stacker, I started to wonder about the load on the rear of my DP from the tongue weight of the trailer. I have already reinforced the...

www.rvforum.net

 

[Lou Schneider]

I like the idea of extending the trailer A-frame to accommodate the wheelchair platform. That leaves the hitch at the same point on the truck so you aren't extending the leverage on it. If you extend the hitch rearward you'll increase the leverage on the truck with possible adverse effects on handling.

Make sure the truck won't hit the wheelchair platform in a turn. If the platform is longer than the propane tanks maybe move the tanks forward and put the wheelchair platform behind them. And make sure the hitch can handle the additional tongue weight - all of the wheelchair and platform weight will be on the hitch.

 

[ChasA]

I had a neighbor in my winter campground a few years who had a mobility scooter and a small travel trailer. He pulled with a Honda SUV. The Honda had a platform on the back that the scooter could drive onto. The platform pulled the trailer. When the platform wasn't carrying the scooter it folded up.

 

[RickHeck]

Thanks. I have a lift/platform for the chair that fits in the Class 4 hitch reciever. But then I can't pull a trailer - no place for the trailer hitch connector.

And there's not enough room on a standard trailer hitch in the front to mount a platform for the power chair. All that space is taken up by the propane tanks and batteries - and the crank for the wheel thing to support the trailer when off the vehicle.

Plus, the clearance between trunk lift-gate and trailer doesn't allow the truck lift-gate to fold flat....at least on most of the truck/trailers I pass by on the highway. (Another issue that is inconvenient - you can't open the truck lift-gate all the way if you have a trailer connected.)

I figure someone around here has already figured out the problem of how to store a power chair between the truck and trailer. Or even how to have enough clearance to fold down the truck lift-gate when the trailer is attached.

Hopefully...

 

[Henry J Fate]

Tough problem to solve.

My idea....

Use two lift platforms. One dedicated to the back of the trailer and the second one on the back of the truck. Mount the one on the truck so that the trailer hook up is still available. The lift platform on the truck would not be used when pulling the trailer. This will allow the platform to be in the folded up position until you drop the trailer.

Some costs involved with that method but there are some platforms out there that are not overly priced. I occasionally see used ones well under 1k

 

[RickHeck]

I was thinking that the electric lift attached to the back of the trailer, then a manual ramp and tie-downs for the truck bed. Although that negates the use of a canopy on the truck, which is handy for secure storage.

What would be nice is a 25' trailer body on a 29' trailer frame. There should be some available platform-type area on the front of a trailer that doesn't require repositioning propane tanks / batteries / and the hitch-lifty-thing.