Disability Aid to enter/exit Custom

[wild camper]

I now have to use my Custom to transport my disabled Sister and Brother-in-Law
It’s ideal for carrying a wheelchair
In many ways it’s easier for them to get in and out of it rather than a low down saloon car
But they still have to haul themselves up and in and down and out
There are no grab handles to help them
Anyone have a similar situation and able to suggest aids or methods to help?
I’m particularly concerned about them falling off the step when exiting

[dumper]

If they are getting in & out by the sliding door get a pair of grab rails off a Minibus.ive also seen on tv a bit back on one of those tv shopping channels a grab handle that you drop into the door striker plate when door is open then you remove it when you need to shut the door and can you not also get the standard ford fit windscreen pillar grab handel

Car Cane Mobility Aid580/6041This is on Argos’s also some on amazon

[wild camper]

Thanks Dumper
It’s a basic van, we all 3 squeeze into the front seats

So it’s aids for the front seats only

Argos 580/6041 car care mobility aid @ £14.99 looks like it might help, I’ve seen them advertised at about £27 so that’s a bargain

I had a Shogun and fitted a grab handle to the passenger A pillar, I got the handle from a scrapyard off an old Mitsubishi, it fitted perfectly because the bolt centres were the same

Is there hidden captive nuts on the Custom A pillar behind the plastic trim?

Any suggestions where I could get a Ford grab handle that would fit?

Many thanks for your help

[dumper]

My vans a ex 18 seat bus and not a custom maybe the Torino model has them if you can find one in a breakers yard and get handle and the trim the holes maybe their and if you have the right tool it’s easy to fit captive nuts someone on hear may know if the custom and the mk8 share the same trim parts maybe worth price it up the parts at Ford sometimes they do surprise on price but they may know if parts are interchangeable

[Altransit]

If it's the same as the Mk6 & 7, then the threaded holes aren't there on the A pillar

I've needed to fit a grab handle to both of my vans, so I bought a minibus handle, drilled the holes, and fitted threaded rivets, as you can't get to the back of the pillar to fit normal nuts.

PassengerHandle (1).jpg

Hole drilled, there are two flats on the A pillar in the appropriate place

PassengerHandle (2).jpg

You need to measure the appropriate distance between holes on the handle

PassengerHandle (3).jpg

Threaded rivet in place

PassengerHandle (5).jpg

Rivet tool

PassengerHandle (6).jpg

Genuine Ford handle from minibus or Tourneo

PassengerHandle (9).jpg

PassengerHandleFitted.jpg

[wild camper]

Hello dumper and Altransit
That’s very detailed and useful information
I’ll try all your suggestions
I’m always pleasantly surprised how helpful and informative the members of this forum are

[loot]

Sweet, the race is on

[woodbutcherbower]

My old Mum's 89 with correspondingly limited mobility, so I feel your pain. Instead of messing around with handles, I bought a little fold-up set of steps which means that she climbs in quite comfortably using these - they get her high enough to reach the flip-down grab handle on the roof lining above the passenger door. I got them from Wilko or maybe Argos, I can't remember. Might be worth a cheap try-out punt before you go drilling holes everywhere. Good luck.

[wild camper]

Thanks woodbutcherbower
The folding plastic stool is a good idea, I’ve ordered one today off eBay for £4.99, it’s worth a try when it arrives
But the handle in the roof?, I thought “what handle”
I checked today and Dohh, I’ve never noticed it before!, neither have my “aged parents”
I’ll get them to do their acrobatics tomorrow to see if it makes it easier to get in and out
If they still have problems, I’ve found a local scrapyard with a busted 4 x 4 pickup that’s got qty 4, they want £5 each, If I need them I’ll take them off the pickup on Saturday and when I know the bolt diameter I’ll order “rivnuts” as suggested by Altransit
I’ll fit 2 on the drivers side A pillar and B pillar as well as the passenger side because I’ve now got to haul myself in too
Getting in and out of the Custom though is a hell of a lot easier than a Golf
Thanks again for the tip

[dumper]

Just watch them plastic ones used to use them in my old van and I busted two of them so ended up with folding steel one the two step non folding caravan ones are good if you have the room to store them and don’t drive away and leave them behind

[wild camper]

Thanks dumper, after I’d hit the submit button I realised I hadn’t given you the credit for the “rivnuts” solution as well as Altransit, my apologies
Good point about the plastic stool collapsing, it happened to me once, a nasty surprise, I’d forgotten about that too, perhaps because they replaced it FOC
because of my poor memory perhaps I’d better tie a bit of string to it so I can’t drive off without it
I could tie a bit of string to the “aged parents” so I don’t forget them!
Also a good point about the quality of the salvaged grab handles in the scrapyard, I’m fairly confident they’re steel and covered in a “soft” plastic
But I’ll check tomorrow. Thanks

[Altransit]

Rivnuts, and bolts, are M8

[wild camper]

I installed some additional grab handles obtained from a scrapyard, they were secured with M6 Philips head screws so I stayed with M6 rivnuts and fasteners, I initially bought steel rivnuts but found I couldn’t compress the rivnuts with a handheld riveter so changed to Alluminium rivnuts
There’s not much “meat” on the A pillar, so I think M8 fasteners would have been too large
I had to make spacers from 15mm heavy wall plastic pipe to fit between the plastic cover and the steel of the A pillar
Also had to buy M6 x 80mm hex head screws because the screws off the scrapper were too short
They’re a pretty good colour match to the interior, I’ve also fitted a grab handle for the side door and rear doors for my benefit
These rivnuts are clever little buggers!
All the photos are 90deg on their side

[dumper]

Glad you got it sorted m8

[woodbutcherbower]

What dumper said !! All the best.