why do wheelchair accessible minivans ride so high?

[grove rat]

i have always noticed that the rear suspension on them was around a foot higher than normal ones. i saw one at a red light the other day and it looked like the front was raised as well. i know electric wheel chairs are heavy but didn't think they were that heavy
<-----random thought of the day

[VaderTT]

Some of the people in them are very heavy!

[grove rat]

i thought that too but they usually have some siding or running boards to hide the underside since it's lifted so high. if the chair/people were so heavy it would sag down and crush them

[Geor!]

Is this a wheelchair accessible minivan down by the river?

[grove rat]

negative... but there was a fat guy in a cheap suit driving it

[Lason]

Never been inside one but maybe the body is lifted and the floor lowered so people in wheelchairs can have more room to manuver?

[BP]

The under chassis ramps are about 6" thick, with stock ride height that'd leave vans with only a couple of inches of ground clearance.

[CexMashean]

I've always wondered why the handicapped stalls in public places have toilets so far off the ground compared to their non-gimp intended counterparts.

[txsr20de]

In addition to carrying the extra weight, it allows for more flexibility when loading/unloading at different curb heights, some of which can be very tall.

[78X]

i have always noticed that the rear suspension on them was around a foot higher than normal ones. i saw one at a red light the other day and it looked like the front was raised as well. i know electric wheel chairs are heavy but didn't think they were that heavy
<-----random thought of the day

Mad donk yo!

[8mpg]

dropped floor

[stephen4785]

It's because the have to drop the floor around 10"-12" so in order to accomplish it they raise the body and section the van/frame.

[Pooter]

Yep, dropped floor, and many of the higher end models also have the kneeling feature(air bags) to raise/lower to help loading/unloading.

The rear-entry vans are almost always higher as well, if they have the lowered floor/rear-entry.
The side-entry with lowered floors have the entire center dropped down whereas the rear-entry are raised so that the rear lowered floor clears the dead axle in the rear.

[Baba Ganoush]

I saw a handicapped guy park in a regular spot at the store the other day. I promptly gave him shit for taking a spot that some poor able bodied person could use, then I slashed his tires.

[ToRqUeTwIsTeR]

It's because the have to drop the floor around 10"-12" so in order to accomplish it they raise the body and section the van/frame.

This plus suspension modifications to handle the extra weight.