Avoiding Problems With Your Wheelchair Lift
Posted by Justin on Tuesday, November 25th, 2008
Almost all wheelchair lift problems can be attributed to three main things. I would like to talk a little about each one and what you can do to be proactive in preventing problems that could stop your lift from operating.
Reason Number 1: Operator Error. It may not be P.C. to bring it up, but many issues are caused by the user hurrying, not taking the proper precautions, or simply attempting to operate the lift in a situation it is not designed for. Let me expand on this a little.
We all know the obvious things an operator can do wrong. Lowering a lift on to extremely uneven ground or folding a platform into a van door that is not fully opened, if you have manual doors. The things that you need to think about are the issues that aren’t so obvious, but can still cause damage. Things like making sure you fully fold the platform when you are putting it in the stowed position. A lot of times people tend to release the fold switch too soon because the lift makes excessive noise when it cinches tight. Far from being a problem, that noise is a good thing! What you’re hearing is the electric actuator “ratcheting,” which tells you that the lift is fully stowed and will not rattle as much while you’re driving. A tightly stowed platform will prevent certain lift components from wearing out prematurely, so be sure to keep the fold button pressed!
Another not-so-obvious issue is to make sure the outer roll stop deploys fully before you exit the platform. Think about it. If you are in a hurry and the roll stop is not completely down on the ground, your weight when rolling off of it is going to put excessive stress on those parts and you could cause problems that are easily avoidable. Even if the tip of the roll stop is up just a little bit, take the time to lower it completely before you exit the platform.
Reason Number 2: Lack of Maintenance. Maintenance, maintenance, maintenance - I can’t say those words enough! Your dealer should set up a maintenance program for you and your lift should be in their shop for a regular check up at least twice a year. Every lift built after 2005 has a cycle counter on it that will tell us the total number of times you’ve used your lift, and all lifts should be maintained every 750 cycles. This is a short point. All you need to know is that if you don’t maintain your lift, something will eventually stop working!
Reason Number 3: Broken Parts. No matter what the product, we’ve all encountered that unexpected broken part that seems to go bad for no apparent reason. This actually represents a small percentage of wheelchair lift failures, and it can usually be avoided if the lift is maintained on a regular basis (see reason #2 above!). A typical situation might be a wiring harness that gets cut by a lift component. This type of issue rarely happens out-of-the-blue, and with routine maintenance your dealer should be able to see the problem starting to occur and fix it before it gets worse.
That about sums it up! The bottom line is that a properly operated and maintained wheelchair lift should give you years of reliable service. Read your manual and work closely with your dealer to make sure your lift is ready to go whenever you are. If you have any question or are having an issue with your lift, please feel free to comment below!
Tags: service, Wheelchair Lifts
November 27th, 2008 at 9:33 pm
I would like information on service for a Crow River lift. It’s old and I think the Crow River company has gone out of business. I’ve had my lift for about 20 years, do not want to place it, just need to know which company is now servicing Crow River products. I hope you can help.
November 30th, 2008 at 7:47 am
Hi Cheryl, BraunAbility purchased Crow River in the late 90’s, and we still manufacture their line of Vangater wheelchair lifts. I’ll pass your question onto one of our resident lift experts when I’m back in the office tomorrow, but in the meantime if you could post the model and serial number of your lift that will give us a head start. Thanks, Jack
December 1st, 2008 at 11:44 am
Cheryl, any of our dealers who sell and service the current versions of the older Crow River lifts are qualified to service the older lifts also. In order to get specific information, we would need to know the model and serial number off of the I.D. tag on the lift as Jack said. With that information I can get a lot more specific information for you.
Hope that helps!
December 2nd, 2008 at 9:26 am
I have a Vangater series lift - the wired remote is not operating, and I need to find service in the Northern NJ and/or Upstate NY area.
December 2nd, 2008 at 9:32 am
Hi Larry, the easiest way to locate your nearest dealer is by ZIP code search. You can do this on braunability.com in the “Where to Buy” tab, or you can post your ZIP here and I’ll get you a name and phone number. - Jack
December 4th, 2008 at 4:42 pm
Wow!!! You guys make it difficult to find info on you lifts. I need to know which mini-vans the, Braun Mini Vangater II Wheelchair Lift, will work with. I am looking to buy a new mini-van and have the lift installed. I do not need a lowered floor, or other equipment.
Thanks
December 4th, 2008 at 7:55 pm
Hello Al, Sorry you’ve had trouble tracking down information on the MiniVangater lift. We do not advertise this particular lift widely, as it serves a very small population of users due to the lack of space and headroom a minivan offers. Typically, it is only suited for pediatric users, and many parents find that it is a very short term solution with a growing child. If you’d like to continue this conversation here on the blog, please let me know a little more about your situation - particularly what type of chair you use and how tall you sit in your chair. Please understand I’m not trying to steer you away from this lift or talk you into something else, I just want to make sure that it will indeed work for your situation before you make an investment. Above all, I would definitely recommend talking more with us, or talking to and/or visiting your local dealer BEFORE you purchase a van! A little homework now may save you from potential frustration down the road. Please let me know if I can answer any questions you may have about this lift - thanks! - Jack
December 7th, 2008 at 12:13 am
I am on my third full size van and my third Braun UVL. The first one was made by a company you bought out in the late 90’s Mobile Tech I believe. I enjoy the lift it’s reliable and no rattle rattle when your driving
One thing that is new is the problems I have had with the remote controls. I purchased this van and lift in September of 2007. It came with a Cresent remote - as the others had. A problem occurred where occasionally right after the lift stowed and as I pushed the door close button the lift would pop back out 6 inches and the lift would not respond to any commands. I was told it needed a Braun remote control system. So now that fixed the problem, however a new issue happens. The remote needs to be no more than2-3 ft away from the ramp to work. I need to move my arm around as the lift moves up or down to maintain a close enough distance. I do not think this is the way it is supposed to be. The van dealer is at a loss as to how to fix this. I am hoping that by talking directly to Braun you can help me. I love the lift it works great other than that. The Chicago winters don’t bother it too much. What I miss is being able to deploy and stow the lift from inside a warm house or office vs. right on top of the lift. E mail me if you can help. mcvic55@sbcglobal.net
December 7th, 2008 at 8:47 am
Hello Vic, Thanks for your comment. I will pass this on to the UVL guru in the Product Support Department when we’re back in the office tomorrow. Jack
December 10th, 2008 at 11:17 am
Thank you for submission and for your loyalty through the years.
First let me say, 2 or 3 feet is not enough to satisfy me. We should be able to come up with something that will give you more range than that. With some remotes that are on the market today, the range is less than previous years. Some of this is because there are a finite number of frequencies available and the more there are out there the more likelihood, there is that one will interfere with another. Reducing the range is one way the regulators have to minimize interference from one transmitter to another.
There are many other factors that can affect the range. For example, where the receiver is located will have a tremendous effect on range. A lot of things can block or degrade a signal. Glass, metal, especially electric motors, & other generators of radio waves in the area of the receiver, can effect range. Even the motors that operate the various functions of the lift can cause interference. It can even vary from one motor to another even if it is manufactured with the same specifications.
There are so many factors to consider that it is difficult to explore all of them in an email. If you would like, please feel free to contact me directly at 574-946-4139 Ext 3275. I would offer to call you but you may not want to publish your phone number on the internet. An alternative is for you to supply me the name of the dealer and the contact person you have dealt with. I would be happy to contact him and see if we can come up with a solution to your problem.
Again, Thanks for allowing us the opportunity to help you achieve the independence you deserve
Burnie Blackmon
December 11th, 2008 at 2:35 pm
Vic, just to add to Burnie’s comments, here’s a very low-tech solution to increasing your remote’s range: when activating the remote, place it underneath and in contact with your chin! This effectively turns your body into an antenna. I thought it sounded crazy when I first heard it, but I’ve tried it on my car and it increases the range by at least 30 feet. While I encourage you to explore the real solution to the problem, this might help you out in the meantime - let us know if it works!
December 27th, 2008 at 4:01 pm
We have a family member that has a Crow River Wheel Chair Lift Model # 7688LA that is having issues when the lift it will go out but will not go back in without hitting the override button, the door will not open or shut (electric door) does anyone have any ideas of what could be causing this? Also does anyone know who can service thsi in the East Tennessee area?
Thanks
December 29th, 2008 at 1:31 pm
Hello Mrs. Byrd, I will pass your comments on to Product Support and we will be in touch. You can also contact your local dealer to try and solve the problem directly. You can do a ZIP code search on our website, or if you prefer, post your ZIP here and I will email you your closest dealers. Thanks, Jack
December 30th, 2008 at 5:49 pm
Our local zip code is 37862
December 30th, 2008 at 6:00 pm
Mrs. Byrd, your closest dealer is:
Accessible Mobility
1810 N. Broadway
Knoxville, TN 37917
Tel: (865) 687-5601
Distance: 22.97 miles
Please let us know if you need anything else!
January 14th, 2009 at 8:24 am
I have a vangater lift in my van, 1992 gmc, I am having a problem with the lift moving by itself or wil not fold or unfold, some time will not rise or lower. the problem seams to occure during or after rain, or melting snow. The shop I go to thinks it is either a moisture or short, but I have never been able to get it to them when it is not working. It may not be working at home, but until I get to the shop, everything is ok, The shop wants to disconnect the rear outside switches, but I very much need them. I am looking for a wiring deagram for this unit. the lift is avangater. not a minie or II, could you email me a copy or tell me where I can find a copy.
I am to the place I am afraid to go anywhere, afraid of being left set. the shop has even came to my work, only to find that everyghing is working when they get there.
please note, your nearest dealer is over 60 miles away.
but the local shopsells and works on all make and models of van, controls including custom built equipment.
Thank you,
Norman Oster
January 14th, 2009 at 10:27 am
Hello Norman,
Thank you for your post. Sorry to hear about your problems.
I don’t suppose it is news to anyone that electrical problems, especially intermittent ones can be the most difficult to track down and correct.
It sounds like the dealer is doing his best to solve the problem. That is always good to hear. The problem certainly does sound like moisture could be a contributing factor. Was the dealer suggesting that the rear outside controls be permanently disconnected of just disconnected for a short period of time to try to isolate the problem?
To be of very much more assistance I will need the Model #, Series #, & Serial #, that should be on a data plate attached to the front of the main post supporting the lift and also on the inside of the motor cover. If you can locate the original Owners Manual there should be a wiring diagram just inside the back cover. If you are unable to locate your original manual I can supply one as soon as I have the lift details.
While I am waiting for your response I will talk to the Product Support Techs to see if any of them have dealt with a similar problem. I will need your address to send the manual. You may not want to post that on the blog. You can respond directly to my email address or if you like by telephone.
Sincerely,
Burnie B Blackmon, Jr.
Director, Special Vehicle Sales
Voice: 574-946-4139 x 3275
Fax: 574-946-3143
January 24th, 2009 at 5:01 pm
I just received my brand new van, a 2008 Ford E-250 with a Vangater 2 lift in it December 15th and have had nothing but intermittent problems with it.
First of all, when it arrived in Missoula, MT it was -20 degrees out. Inside the shop the lift worked fine and for about a day outside as well. The next day it would unwrap and only deploy about 1/2 level to the floor. Deploy back up and down a few times usually solved that problem. Then when it would get floor level and I would get on it, it would not move. I have had to use the override system a lot. I thought maybe it was the cold but even when it is in the 30-40’s I still have problems sometimes.
If someone shuts the van off before I am done with the lift, or if the doors get locked and then unlocked, or sometimes for no reason the remotes or the dash mounted switch will not work and the override system has to be used.
Now, Jan 23, I tried to get in my van and the raise and lower will not work at all. Not even the override will work. It will deploy down level but after that it will not lower. The only way to get up or down is to do it manually.
When it works I love it but it is so unpredictable it is driving me crazy. My old van, a 1987 Chevy had an old Crow River in it and I had no problems for the last 5 years. I am in touch with RONAN AUTO BODY SALES RONAN, MT 59864 (406) 676-3961 the nearest Braun dealer for the first time so maybe they can help.
I love my new van but this lift has been causing me problems from the very start. Here are the model and serial numbers if interested. NV05FSW/02-00253 GATOR 2 If you have any suggestions please help.
Thank you,
Mark Cash
January 27th, 2009 at 3:58 pm
Hello Mark
Thanks for the post.
I’m sorry you are having problems with your lift. I believe we can get to bottom of the cause of your problems and get it to operating properly.
Let me first confirm that I have the correct lift. The Lift NV05FSW-02-00253 comes back to a customer in Fresno CA., from a dealer in Chico, CA. Are you the second owner? That makes no difference so far as my ability to help correct the problems you are having with your lift. We want it to work properly no matter where it is or who owns it. I just want to make sure I have the correct lift, so that I can look at the history to see if we have ever had a problem with this lift in the past. I did check this lift NV05FSW-02-00253 and it has no history after it was first installed 7/7/08.
There are a few other things that I need, to be able to effectively troubleshoot the lift. What is the brand of the remote control? Is the lift operated through an interlock system, and if so which brand is it. If the lift operates through an interlock, shutting off the van while the lift is in operation could definitely cause the lift to lose track of which function is in operation, and just shut down. Another Problem could be with the remote. We have had problems with compatibility between our lift and some brands of remote controls. There is the possibility that there is a problem somewhere in the wiring harness. It is unlikely that the cold is the problem.
I think the best thing would be for you to continue with your plan to get it to our dealer in Ronan MT. Hopefully the problem will be obvious, and easily corrected, but if not please feel free to ask the dealer contact our Product Support Department. The dealer should be able to answer the questions I asked earlier and that will help our technicians troubleshoot.
Please keep in touch. I would like to know the outcome for future reference.
January 28th, 2009 at 10:31 am
Hello Burnie,
I have just read the above post from Mark Cash and I am going through the very same problem as Mr Cash is with my Vangater II lift. I have been unable to resolve this problem with my installer.
I purchased a 2007 Chevy Explorer Conversion Van new in 2007 and had New England Wheels of Billerica, MA install a Vangater II lift with power door openers and remote. (Serial #NV05SSW 02-00574). From the time I took delivery of the van until this day I have had problems with the remote. The remote would work intermittently sometimes taking multiples presses of the remote to open the doors. We finally disconnected the OEM lock on the lift doors to try to fix this, it helps some but still takes multiple tries to get thr doors open. The lift also has been stopping in the middle of deploying sometimes while using the remote, sometimes using the controls on the lift in the van. I have got around the problem sometimes by using the manual override. It is very unreliable at this point and would not trust the vehicle to travel myself. The other thing I noticed with the remote is that I carry a Blackberry and when I use the remote too close to the Blackberry it works erractically When I hold the remote away from the Blackberry it works better. Could this be an inteferrence problem? The only name on the remote is on the back with the FCC ID JAUSE IQ-160. I also have an Intermotive Guardian Interlock installed in the van. I also use a Code Alarm remote starter in the cold months to start the van. I have taken the van back to the installer several times but they have not be able to recreate the lift problem, so at this point I am lost for answers. I am hoping you may be able to help me out and steer me in the right direction to get this problem resolved because I love the van but with the lift not being reliable I don’t trust it after being stuck inside in 92 degree weather and stuck outside in 10 degree weather.
I would appreciate any help you can provide.
Thanks,
Gene Latwas
January 28th, 2009 at 2:45 pm
Hello Gene;
I really appreciate your post. I hate to hear when someone is having a problem with one of our lift, but knowing about it is the first step in solving the problem. A lift is useless if it is not dependable.
I had a lift in Kentucky a few months ago that had a similar problem. I just talked to the customer (lucky dog is vacationing in Key West while we are up here freezing to death). He said his problems had been solved but he was not sure what the dealer had done to repair it. I have been trying to reach the dealer but Northern Kentucky is socked in by an ice storm, that I hear, has left a layer of around of 3 inches of ice. Apparently the phone lines are down because I can’t get through.
I also need to contact New England Wheels. I need to eliminate a few possible causes like the interlock and the remote. They should be able to give me a history of the lift and accessories. In our system I cannot find where we have replaced any parts on your lift but I need to confirm that with New England Wheels, and find out what repairs they have already tried.
I assure you I will not rest until I get to the bottom of these problems whether the problems are related or not. Whatever I find I will post on the Blog, so that everyone can benefit. We have a lot of customers and dealers who follow the Blog.
Thanks,
Burnie
January 31st, 2009 at 7:00 pm
Burnie
Thank you for replying back.
Yes it is the right lift. I got a hold of the service guy in Chico and he
informed me that it was probably the 60 amp fuse in the control tower. I had a
friend remove the cover and replace the fuse and now the lift is working. The
van is set up with a no limits sylniod to save drain of the batteries and if
the functon is interrupted then the sylniod shuts down and needs to be reset.
Thank you for getting back to me. Mark
February 2nd, 2009 at 3:28 pm
Hello Mark
Thanks for keeping me in the loop. I am very familiar with the 60 amp fuse that you mention. That fuse controls the up/down motor only and if blown would definitely disable the lift, even the electric override, which would leave you with only the manual backup. The two most common causes of the 60 amp fuse blowing is that the foot on the inboard end of the lift is out of adjustment or that foot is not being activated. That could be caused by letting the lift down on a curb that doesn’t allow the foot to make solid contact with the ground. It is possible on soft, uneven, or snow covered ground for the foot to fail to make solid contact with the ground. The purpose for the foot is to stop lift operation on the down cycle when the lift reaches the ground. If the foot did not exist, or if it malfunctions, and you continued to depress the down switch the lift would start to jack up the side of the van. The fuse is a final limit to keep from doing permanent damage to the lift or van if the foot fails to shut off the lift. If the lift is being lowered a surface unable to support the foot the only answer is to park in an area where you have a more suitable surface. If the limit switch is simply out of adjustment the local dealer could take care of that.
So far as the solenoid is concerned, we spoke to the installing dealer; they stated that if you were operating the lift and accidentally hit the remote for the van that would shut the lift down. As with shutting the van off while operating the lift. In each case the lift would lose power, if only for a second. When power is restored the lift would have lost track of where it is and would have to be recycled to full open or full closed with the override. The installing dealer suggests, as do I that you continue with your plan to take it to a local dealer. The local dealer will need to contact the installing dealer to learn more about the dealer installed the item. I think that between the two of them they will determine whether the problem is in the lift or the limit solenoid. Once that is determined I believe they will be able to correct the problem. Additionally the local dealer will have the ability to contact our Product Support Department for assistance.
Please keep me informed. Whatever you find could help me better other users.
Thank you,
Burnie
March 6th, 2009 at 6:54 am
HOW CAN I GET INFO FOR INSTALLING A BELT ON MY CROW RIVER VANGATER LIFT
THANKS JUSTIN
March 9th, 2009 at 11:10 am
Dear Justin,
Thank you for your post.
I do not believe we have ever put a belt on a Vangater lift. I have never had a request to put do so. I don’t see any reason why it could not be done . I suggest taking it to a local dealer. They could see what the possibilities are an quote a price. You can find a dealer near you at http://www.braunability.com/where-to-buy.cfm or by calling 800-THE-LIFT.
Sincerely,
Burnie
March 10th, 2009 at 6:57 am
THANKS
March 19th, 2009 at 4:01 pm
Dear Burnie
I have 92 Chev Van with a Crow Vangater lift, Serial no. 9305015, Model 768 4LA. I could not find any “Series no.” I need a wiring diagram and Owner’s Manual if available.
Also, I ned to know the nearest Dealer for servicing this unit. I am in the Portland OR area several times a year so, a Dealer in that area would be okay.
Many thanks for your help!
Walt Jones
March 23rd, 2009 at 2:39 pm
Hello Walt,
Sorry for the late response - Burnie and I got our wires crossed!
I have a PDF file of the manual I am sending you via email. Look for a notice from youload.com with download instructions soon.
Your nearest dealer is Performance Mobility, 4347 N.W. Yeon Ave. Portland, OR 97210 phone 503-243-2940.
Let us know if you have any more questions!
Jack
March 25th, 2009 at 12:39 pm
Dear Jack
Thanks for the info!
Walt
March 25th, 2009 at 12:40 pm
You bet Walt - we’re here if you need anything else! -Jack
April 8th, 2009 at 9:04 pm
Good evening, I just happened to get lucky and stumbled onto this Q&A section for the Braun lifts as with many others.
My question is there is a circuit breaker that once reset will allow the lift to work, and the only reason I know this is my wife took the 2000 Ford E150 with a Braun UVL-603A down for the 3rd time to get the lift to operate. The problem is that for some unknown reason wether stowing or lifting or bringing the lift down it will rev up for approx. 3-5 seconds and quit operating.
Each time we take it to the dealer who has it for anywhere from 5-15 minutes and 85.00-150.00 dollars later, I ask him what the problem is and his response is that there is a bad board on it. Well back to my wife taking it down there and she asked him why this keeps happening and what causes the problem. He confessed and told her that it is nothing more than the circuit breaker that trips and it needs to be reset. She asked him where is it located and he told her that he couldn’t tell her because if it is something worse then it will cost a lot of dollars to fix more than 150.00.
This last time I took it down and he broughtit out after 10 minutes and 100.00 dollars later I was getting upset and told him that in the past 2 years we have brought it down and it is the same problem each time and I was getting tired of having to pay for the same problem. I asked him toshow me how to reset it so I could do it but he wouldn’t.
I went onto Brauns wiring schematics to locate it myself and can’t seem to find it, is there anyway you can lead me to to location of this infamous circuit breaker?
We are just about ready to purchase another van for my daughter who has Muscular Dystrophy and without the van she is stuck, she had to take a bus to college which is an hour and a half just to get there and in the afternoon it can be up to 2 hours.
Also when we are ready to go out and spend another 60,000.00$ on a new van is there any out there that are more reliable?
sincerly
dazed and confused
April 13th, 2009 at 9:07 am
“Dazed and Confused”,
I am assuming the breaker you are talking about is the main breaker that supplied power to the entire lift. It is generally located next to the power source, which is typically the vehicle battery. Bottom line is that this is a component that rarely fails and if it does, it is doing it for a reason. Let me just say that I can’t say with 100% certanty that this is the component they are resetting, but if it is there should be a good reason why it is doing it and fairly easy to diagnose. If this happens again, I would insist that they diagnose it and give you the exact reasons for the failure. Feel free to contact me directly at justin.riendeau@braunlift.com and we can point you in the right direction. Justin.
April 13th, 2009 at 11:13 am
I have a swing out lift. My new chair does not push out the slide the front wheels ride over the lip on the tray. it had a hiher lip when I got it but the dealer tuck it of so I could get on with my old chair. do you still have the parts for the swing out lifts.
April 13th, 2009 at 11:49 am
Hello Tom.
Thank you for your post.
We do have parts for most Braun Swing lifts. To know, if we have the inboard roll stop for your lift, I need the Model-Series-Serial #. If we have the part, I can supply a part number, but you will need to contact a Braun dealer to actually purchase the item. You can find a dealer by calling 800-THE-Lift, or from our web site, http://www.braunability.com/find-a-dealer.cfm, or by emailing me
Sincerely,
Burnie Blackmon
April 15th, 2009 at 12:09 pm
Dear Dazed and Confused
Thank you for your post.
Everything that Jason said in his response is absolutely correct. As he stated the main power breaker rarely blows and even less often on this lift. If it does blow then there is a serious short. The cause needs to be determined and repaired. This breaker is generally mounted under the hood near the battery, unless the lift is wired to an aux. battery. In any case it is generally located near the battery that powers the lift.
There is another circuit breaker on the lift, but unless it has been changed since it left the factory, it is an automatic reset breaker. To view that breaker, requires removing the pump/motor cover. The breaker is located just below and to the left of the lift pump motor and is attached by a white 14 g wire to the motor solenoid located directly in front of the motor and a red 16g wire that goes into the harness. If the automatic breaker has been replaced by a manual reset breaker there will be a small switch, probably on the top of the breaker.
Please supply the model-series-serial # for your lift as well as the name of the dealer. I would like to look into this further. There can be many legitimate reasons that a lift might need service however having to reset a breaker repeatedly is not normal.
If you like you may respond directly by phone or to my email address, below.
Sincerely,
Burnie B Blackmon, Jr.
Assistive Technology Specialist
Voice: 574-946-4139 x 3275
Fax: 574-946-3143
email: burnie.blackmon@braunlift.com
May 8th, 2009 at 10:06 am
FIRST TIME I’VE HAD A CHANCE TO READ ABILITY VOICE- GREAT POSTS! IN REGARDS TO THE TWO PEOPLE WITH PROBLEMS WITH THEIR VANGATER LIFTS NOT WORKING . I’VE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM WITH A UNIT IN OUR SHOP. AFTER TWO WEEKS AND A NEW INTERLOCK, NEW BOARD, MANY HEADACHES LATER WE FOUND A FAULTY FULL OPEN DOOR SWITCH THAT TESTED GOOD WITH A METER. REPLACED THE SWITCH ABOUT TWO MONTHS AGO LIFT IS STILL WORKING. HOPE THIS HELPS
June 2nd, 2009 at 5:03 pm
Burnie or Jack, we have a crow River lift Ser # 9503125 and model # 7684LAFF. The problem is that the fold and unfold worked fine but to get the unit to go down or up you had to put it in override mode and it worked. I got to looking and noticed the cam actuaters on the bottom rotating shaft. After adjusting the inside one I got the unit to lift but it still would not go down without using the override. Also now the folding operation will only fold up until the limit switch that it makes contact with the small bracket to end the fold down stroke disengages, The only way to get the lift to continue folding up is to take the mercury switch loose and let it hand down and then it folds fine. Is there a service manual that shows the timing of those cams and is there an electrical diagram for this lift. I think that the problem might be in the selenoids that are on the circuit board. Thanks, Randy
June 3rd, 2009 at 8:36 am
Dear Randy,
Thank you for the post.
I will send an Owner’s Manual directly to your email.
I would first try adjusting the limit switch cams, located on page 25. If the lift will go up and down in override, the solenoid and motor are performing correctly.
Perhaps Justin will also have an opinion. He is a far better tech than I.
Burnie
June 9th, 2009 at 4:24 pm
Hi Randy,
give us a call if you still have trouble after going over the manual. It sounds like it is something with the micro switches that may be causing the problem, but it may be easier for us to talk you through it if you call 1-800-THE-LIFT. If you ask for Justin in Product Support I can help you. Just might be easier than trying to do it via email. Hope things work out!
July 4th, 2009 at 8:49 pm
Good Evening,
I have given my mom and dad my 1992 Chevy Astro conversion van for their use in helping to make my mother more mobile. A close family friend gave us a Crow River Model 7688LA chair lift, serial number 9709083 that came out of another Chevy Astro van and we are extremely grateful. Here’s the rub. I cannot seem to find any installation instructions for installing the lift and my friend does not remember how it came out of the other van. Can you point me in the right direction? The sooner we can get this unit rigged up for mom, the better.
I need an installation guide and a parts list if possible so that I can be sure that I have everything I need to install this correctly.
Thanks!
July 6th, 2009 at 10:41 am
Hello Barry,
It is our recommendation that lifts, only be installed, by someone trained to do so. All of our dealers have the appropriate training and experience necessary to install and instruct in the proper operation and maintenance of our wheelchair lifts. You may obtain the name and contact information for dealers in your area at http://www.braunability.com or by calling 1-800 THE LIFT.
Burnie
July 7th, 2009 at 2:24 pm
POSSIBLE SOLUTION INSIDE! (stow/deploy override failing, stow/deploy operation failing, lift getting in a “confused state” etc… check the wiring! read below)
My wife has a 2003 Chevrolet Express van with a Vangater II lift. Her lift would intermittently stop working properly, we’d take it in to be serviced and they would “reset” it and it would magically work, paying $80+/hr. We’d get it home, it would mess up again.
The problem it had most recently was it would seem to work fine, then when it hit the ground it wouldn’t level off/fold out the outboard ramp unless using the manual crank. Up/down operation worked fine. After 3-4 trips to get the lift fixed I decided to do it myself. It was consistently messing up, and in override mode stow/deploy would not work at all. Thinking a part was defective/shorting out, I didn’t jar the lift much, I just left it in a position where stow/deploy should have worked but wouldn’t, and I started troubleshooting.
I got a multimeter to measure voltage (take note you must connect the other end to GROUND for this usage), and it had a feature where I can put one probe at one end of a wire and place it further down, and if that creates a complete circuit (read: there’s no break in the wire/path) it makes an audible sound. I followed the troubleshooting guide for “stow/deploy override” failure, everything it said to check was fine (likely why the repair man didn’t fix anything… other than him jarring things around until it happened to work then calling it fixed).
At the upper left part of the board of the vangater II (also referenced in the manual) there’s a plastic connector that connects two pins and has wires coming out of the connector. Above it, it says “stow/deploy override”. While in override mode, and while pressing the stow/deploy switch, 12V is sent to these pins. So, that means we have 12v there like we should. Coming out of the plastic connector is a yellow wire and a red wire.
The red wire goes directly into a heatshrinked collection of cables, and the yellow wire goes to the “brake release” lever/switch that’s just to the right of the override controls (no idea why it goes there) and then comes back out of that switch and enters into the same collection of cables. These wires, in part of the lift’s assembly (the vertical pole of the lift) come out of the collection and another plastic connector is present. So, I knew the wires from the stow/deploy override on the board led to that other connector.
Thinking I have a short, I unplugged the plastic connector from the board, stuck one of the probes into the side of the connector to which the yellow wire was attached, and then started checking if placing the other probe further down the wire completed a circuit (it made the audible beep). The yellow wire had a circuit all the way to the other connector (and into the connector itself too; don’t forget, internals of the connector could fail/short out too, not just the wire itself), but when I went to check the red wire, within about 5-6 inches away from the connector on the lift’s assembly, I had no circuit. So, I knew there was a break in the red wire somewhere inside that heatshrink.
I looked at the heatshrink, no marks AT ALL on it, perfect, not pinched. I cut open the heat shrink, all wires in there completely unscathed, no pinches… and then I see the red wire, surrounded by all these perfect wires that were surrounded by a perfect heatshrink bundle, with what looks like a nearly clean cut all the way through. I can only guess that the wire got messed up during installation and wasn’t noticed, and over time with weather, expanding/contracting of the wires with temperature, etc, caused the short to become a real problem. So, I just severed the wire the rest of the way, put a simple coupler to connect the ends back together, and the lift worked perfectly fine.
Moral of the story, once you follow the basic troubleshooting it mentions in the manual, check your wiring. Don’t assume what’s inside that heatshrink is unscathed. Use a multimeter, and check all of your voltage paths for the affected functions of the lift. Apparently, none of the places that charge $80+/hr to work on these lifts have the motivation to properly check for shorts with a multimeter. So, even if you get nothing else from this post and have no desire to really whip out a multimeter and track down a problem like I was forced to in order to maintain my wife’s independence, at the very least you know now that if you use the stow/deploy override on a vangater II, while it’s engaged you should check continuity(if a circuit is completed) between the yellow/red wires coming out of the pins on the board labeled “stow/deploy override” and the connector at the other end that’s on the lift assembly.
October 19th, 2009 at 7:23 pm
I am driving my back-up van to get me by until I have a new truck converted for me. This van I am driving is pretty old and I believe the lift was put installed in 1990. I am not sure what type it is but there probably werent too many styles back then. It is a Braun lift. Anyhow it worked for awhile but every time I used it it would raise slower and slower to the point where it stopped halfway up and now just clicks…….would you have any idea as to what that may be?
October 20th, 2009 at 10:26 am
Hi Toby,
it sounds like you have a main power/ground issue. It might be a simple as a dirty battery connection or electrical connection at the lift or van frame. Something like that should be pretty easy to fix. Worst case scenario it might be a electrical solenoid or motor that has failed in the lift, but it dont think that is the case considering your description. A dealer should be able to find the source of the problem quickly.
October 20th, 2009 at 11:17 am
Toby: Sounds like the problem could be low voltage. If the issue goes away when the lift is operated while the van engine is running, then I would suspect that the problem is with the battery. If the problem persist even when the engine is running, it could still be a bad battery but I doubt that you would be able to start the engine, so I am going to assume that if the engine is running and you still have an issue, it is something other than the battery. I would next suspect a bad ground. I believe in 1990 all our lifts were grounded by the mounting hardware for the lift. Occasionally, especially on older vehicles, the grounding can be diminished by corrosion. If that is the case, it can probably be corrected, by removing the mounting bolts, and clean the corrosion from bolts, lift structure, and the part of the floor where it comes in contact with the bolts. Another, probably better way is to use a separate grounding strap from the lift pump housing to a known good chassis ground. It could also be a bad ground on the battery. If you eliminate all of those areas, I would next go to the solenoid that operates the lift pump motor. You can use a jumper to bypass the solenoid. If that corrects the problem you can assume that the solenoid is defective, and should be replaced. It is also a possibility, especially on a lift as old as yours that the lift pump motor could be near the end of its life. The only thing to do there is to replace motor or motor and pump. You can locate the nearest dealer to your location at our web site http://www.braunability.com or by calling 1-800 THE LIFT. The dealer may have additional troubleshooting techniques that I haven’t thought of. In any case if none of this information is helpful, please contact me again. Burnie
October 21st, 2009 at 10:30 am
I HAVE A VANGATER2 INSTALLED 5/21/07 I ALSO HAVE PROBLEM WHEN STOWING IT GETS STUCK IN HORIZONTAL POSITION MOSTLY WHEN IT’S COLD I ACTUALLY HAVE TO HELP IT UP MYSELF. I NOTICE I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE WITH THIS PROBLEM I BENT THE LINK ARM NEAR THE AREA WHERE YOU HAVE TO DISCONNECT THE HAIR PIN TO STOW IT MANUALLY. WARRANTY IS ONE YEAR OR 36.000 MILES OFF WARRANTY. SO I ASKED DEALER IF I COULD BUY PART SAID THEY DON”T SUPPLY PARTS THIS SEEMS LIKE A RECALL PROBLEM BUT YOU KNOW HOW THAT IS. COULD YOU TELL ME HOW I CAN FIND OR AT LEAST GET THE PART THANKS JOE
October 22nd, 2009 at 7:31 am
Joe,
Vangater 2 lifts built after 2006 are designed with a safety feature that prevents weight from being stowed. It sounds to me like this is out of adjustment and that is the reason for it not stowing. I would recommend bringing it to a dealer to take care of it due to the nature of the adjustment. If that is the problem, it should only take a couple of minutes. As far as the parts, all parts for that lift and older lifts are still available. It is up to the dealers discretion whether or not they sell parts directly to the customers. A lot of them prefer to install the parts themselves due to liability. Hope that helps. Justin.
October 30th, 2009 at 11:31 am
I have my third full size van 06 f-350, custom ,sweet looking & running van, I have the tri fold lift same as the picture on the upper top right of the page here.
problem : my lift is stopping half way during the closing stage, as the platform is trying to stow up, the weather has dropped into the 40’s to 50’s in the mornings the past two day and that is when the lift stops completely.
what I do is cycle it back all the way to the ground the try it again . after two or three try’s it has folded up.
if I explained this poorly just ask for the details you want. By the way my last Braun lift lasted 17 years. So I do baby them and use common sense .
thank you , Doug
October 30th, 2009 at 12:46 pm
Hello Doug;
Not having the Model-Series-Serial number it is difficult to say with absolute certainty, but my bet is that the fold potentiometer needs adjustment. The lift incorporates a feature that allows it to detect weight on the platform. Obviously this is so that the lift will not fold with someone sitting in their wheelchair or standing on the platform. As the weather gets colder the operation of all functions become, at least, slightly more labored. This can be interpreted by the lift as weight on the platform; therefore it stops, as it should
A dealer can make a minor adjustment to correct the problem. This is a good reminder to all of us that this is a good time of the year for a thorough inspection, if it has not been preformed recently. Winter, in any climate, is a bad time to have a break down, and in some areas it can critical
November 11th, 2009 at 10:06 am
I sent a question yesterday and looked for an answer today, but my question isn’t here today?!? Anyway, my mom uses a Crow River lift, model 7684 DL, serial D8804048. The platform will not go up or down. It was lifting very slowly then stopped. My dad then realized the switch was not up in the normal operation mode but in override. If anyone could please help, we would greatly appreciate it!
Thanks, Debbie
November 11th, 2009 at 11:13 am
Hello Debbie; Sorry I was unable to respond yesterday. At this point I have more questions than answers. If you do not mind sending your phone number to my email address, burnie.blackmon@braunlift.com, I would be happy to call to see if we can correct the issue over the phone. From the information you provided I have my doubts that we can solve the problem without a visit to a dealer, because it sounds like there are multiple issues. You can also locate a dealer from our web site. Burnie
November 12th, 2009 at 9:25 am
I got a 2002 Dodge Entervan that at this time the door, the ramp and the van will not squat down when you press the buttons on van or the remote. Is there a reset or do I have to it to a dealer?
November 12th, 2009 at 10:21 am
Hello Jim,
I’d take it to a dealer. There is no reset for the ramp or kneel. There are several things that could create the symptom, and a dealer will know how to diagnose. Thanks, Burnie
February 10th, 2010 at 2:37 pm
I have a 2008 E150 Ford Conversion Van with the Braun Millenium Lift. I have had many problems with it going into safe mode while I am stuck on the lift. This seems to happen mainly when it is cold out. It mainly happens when I first get in it in the mornings, and it happens whether I drive it down the road for hours and keep the battery well charged or I don’t drive it at all. My final question is why don’t they put an overide for the safe mode out on the lift for people that drive themselves like me. I have been stuck on my lift so many times for hours before someone has come by to help.
Thank You
Matt Edwards
February 11th, 2010 at 11:24 am
Matt;
I’m confused about which lift you have. Please supply me the Model-Series-Serial number. You may respond directly to my email burnie.blackmon@braunlift.com if you like. If you respond to my email and would like you could also send a phone number and a convenient time to call.
Thank you,
Burnie
February 24th, 2010 at 2:51 pm
i have vangater trifold that will not unfold.can you help?thanks
February 25th, 2010 at 11:29 am
Dear Larry;
Please send me the model-serial # for your lift and if possible email (burnie.blackmon@braunlift.com) your phone number and a time when we can talk. Some things can be handled more efficiently by phone. Thanks, Burnie
March 24th, 2010 at 11:40 pm
I have a Vangator II, purchased originally around 1999, and it works good in override mode from inside the van other than the plate that folds onto the van floor when the lift is raised, and the power fold and unfold does not work. The wire remote is not working though. It clicks a solenoid when the toggle is moved but nothing on th elift works. Checked ground and that appeared to be fine. Any ideas. Also I checked online to find a near dealer service shop but I could not get it to work, my zip is 53147. Thanks you.
March 25th, 2010 at 1:28 pm
Hello Gary; There is not enough information to determine the cause of your problem. I suggest taking it to a BraunAbility dealer: Nearest dealers to you are:
Mobility Work, N 8 W 22195 Johnson Dr, Ste. 130, Waukesha, WI 53186, Tel: (800) 649-3434,
Caravans Inc. 1525 N. Fourth St., Milwaukee, WI 53212-3820, Tel: (414) 264-3900
Illinois Bus*, 1216 Rand Rd, Des Plaines, IL 60016, Tel: (847) 297-3177.
Please let me know if I can help further.
Burnie burnie.blackmon@braunlift.com
April 29th, 2010 at 4:49 pm
I have a Vangator 11 lift that does not come up from the down position. The outer barrier comes up but the lift will not rise. After repeated attempts to make it rise it will work. I have come to reality that the magnetic proximity switch is defective. I contacted the Braun dealer for a replacement and was told that comes with a $400 wiring harness. I can find the switch for under $10 but I need to know if its normally open or closed the wiring diagram doesn’t indicate which way.
April 30th, 2010 at 10:05 am
Keith;
The switch is normally open.
Burnie
May 2nd, 2010 at 5:20 pm
I have a 2000 Vangater II. Ihave experienced most of the above problems with no dealer being ab le to fix it. It is a Model 9684PS s/n20000090271. As with the others the cold does make the problem worse. It has now stopped working except for in override
May 3rd, 2010 at 2:39 pm
Hello Terrie;
If you would supply me the name of the dealer you would prefer to work with, I would be happy to coordinate with that dealer and our Product Support Lift Group Technician to get your lift operating properly. You may respond directly to my personal email burnie.blackmon@braunlift.com, or call our Customer Experience Group at 1-800-488-0359. Anyone in the CEG can assist or will transfer your call to me.
Thank you,
Burnie
May 5th, 2010 at 11:07 am
I have done as you requested and am now awaiting a solution. As I am without transportation would appreciate a quick response.
May 7th, 2010 at 3:08 pm
Terrie;
I have spoken with the service manager at Ride-Away in Richmond. By now he should have already made contact and will soon have your lift operating properly. If that turns out not to be the case, you have my email address & phone #, please do not hesitate to contact me. Burnie
May 10th, 2010 at 7:20 am
I have heard nothing from Ride-Away and its been 5 days. As I told you before, I don’t think they are interested in troubleshooting the lift. They either want something quick and easy or to sell me a new vehicle which I can’t afford.
May 12th, 2010 at 7:26 am
According to Ride-Away, they spoke to someone at your home on May 6, 2010 and scheduled an appointment for May 12, 2010 to repair your lift. I will call you shortly to confirm, just in case you don’t see the blog. Burnie
May 13th, 2010 at 8:11 am
Burnie,
I did not hear from Ride-Away until you called them for the second time on the 10th and yes then they scheduled an appointment for the 12th at 11. I suggested that we drop the van off and they could have it to diagnose and fix it. Brandon insisted it would take no more than 2 hours to pinpoint the problem. We got there at 11 and at 5:30 they told us they would have to order a wiring harness and some mini switches to try. He gave us a price of $832.00 and wanted to know if we wanted to proceed. When we asked did they guarantee that to fix the problem, he said no. All they could do was return the parts and start over trying to diagnose the problem. As we have no choice we scheduled a time to leave it for them to fix. I told him what you said about calling you and he assured me that they had been on the phone with your department during their quest. At this point it seems it is a trial and error process that is costing us a fortune. We have no choice but to proceed. As you can surmise, I am not a Braun fan.
June 10th, 2010 at 10:30 am
Well after $2000 and 4 days of experimenting the lift is working. They fixed the intermittent problem by replacing all micro switches and a wiring harness. Now the level switch won’t work but hey i’m just glad the lift is working.
June 12th, 2010 at 3:17 pm
I was able to replace the magnetic switch for the outer gate to work and the lift to rise. Now the next problem while lowering the lift a sudden drop of about 6 inches to the ground and now the lift will not rise. The Motor runs for a few seconds and then stops,it can be cycled this way in the override position but will not rise above the ground. I can’t move the van as the lift is in contact with ground. I was wondering if there is a built in week point like a shear pin. Just before this happened the lift would not rise all the way to the stop block but the rest worked OK.