Remove Lift and Wires

[awilder]

Hi there, I have someone interested in buying my wheelchair lift and I'd like to to advise him on how to get it out safely so it will work for him and without hurting my bus.

I am concerned about the wires. Do I cut them? Where? Is there something that I should not do that could hurt my batteries/starter? That would make it unusable to the buyer?

Also, any tips on the best way to get these bolts out?

Thank you.

 

[Danjo-SKO]

You’ll probably just have the ground that you show in the photo and the positive that goes to a breaker, probably under the hood.

Take photos before you begin.

It’s easier to remove the lift if it’s already extended to the ground. So do this first.

Remove the positive terminal from the batteries. Take a photos beforehand.

The negative that’s connected the to the chassis is easily removed. It can be cut if you want.

Trace the positive cable. It will go to a breaker. Disconnect the cable. There will be mounting clips and probably some zip ties. Remove all these.

Remove the positive cable from the lift.

Unbolt the lift from the floor.

After all the bolts are removed, the side that was connected to the bus can be lowered to the ground.

Replace the positive terminals at the batteries.

Confirm the bus starts

 

[awilder]

You’ll probably just have the ground that you show in the photo and the positive that goes to a breaker, probably under the hood.

Take photos before you begin.

It’s easier to remove the lift if it’s already extended to the ground. So do this first.

Remove the positive terminal from the batteries. Take a photos beforehand.

The negative that’s connected the to the chassis is easily removed. It can be cut if you want.

Trace the positive cable. It will go to a breaker. Disconnect the cable. There will be mounting clips and probably some zip ties. Remove all these.

Remove the positive cable from the lift.

Unbolt the lift from the floor.

After all the bolts are removed, the side that was connected to the bus can be lowered to the ground.

Replace the positive terminals at the batteries.

Confirm the bus starts

Thanks so much, Danjo. This looks to be exactly what I need to know.
I will report back my progress (when not playing lemonade stand with my daughter).

 

[Simplicity-SKO]

You asked a good question about if removing the lift can wreck your bus in some way.

The answer is, kind of. Dan already gave you great instructions on how to safely remove your lift.

The part I want to address is that school buses have safety wiring integrated into the bus operational wiring.

Many times, especially with doors and things where someone can get hurt, like a wheelchair lift, there are safety checks installed.

At our school district, depending on the brand and age of the bus, a wheelchair lift could simply work even if a door was closed. In newer buses, you may have to have the door open and seatbelt strap engaged. In really new buses you can't have the engine running, have to flip a power switch in the drivers area and maybe more before the lift will work.

Sometimes, removing a safety check (could be a buzzer indicating a door is open, or locked, or no buzzer because the buzzer isn't connected for some reason) and boom....your engine will not only not start...it won't even crank over.

Point being, make sure you know how your bus operates with all the safety integration. This way, you can determine if you may or may not have an problem if you monkey with it.

At the same time, you can use these as a benefit. For example, if my emergency doors slide locks are engaged, a buzzer will sound and the bus won't crank. This is a good anti-theft device in my opinion, so it stays. The slide locks also secure the doors, so when I leave the bus, I'm not worried about people getting in.

Hope this helps.

 

[awilder]

You asked a good question about if removing the lift can wreck your bus in some way.

The answer is, kind of. Dan already gave you great instructions on how to safely remove your lift.

The part I want to address is that school buses have safety wiring integrated into the bus operational wiring.

Many times, especially with doors and things where someone can get hurt, like a wheelchair lift, there are safety checks installed.

At our school district, depending on the brand and age of the bus, a wheelchair lift could simply work even if a door was closed. In newer buses, you may have to have the door open and seatbelt strap engaged. In really new buses you can't have the engine running, have to flip a power switch in the drivers area and maybe more before the lift will work.

Sometimes, removing a safety check (could be a buzzer indicating a door is open, or locked, or no buzzer because the buzzer isn't connected for some reason) and boom....your engine will not only not start...it won't even crank over.

Point being, make sure you know how your bus operates with all the safety integration. This way, you can determine if you may or may not have an problem if you monkey with it.

At the same time, you can use these as a benefit. For example, if my emergency doors slide locks are engaged, a buzzer will sound and the bus won't crank. This is a good anti-theft device in my opinion, so it stays. The slide locks also secure the doors, so when I leave the bus, I'm not worried about people getting in.

Hope this helps.

Very good to know, thanks Simplicity. I wonder how to figure out how my bus operates with all the safety integration. I can't find anything about it in the 2002 e450 manual.
This is the breaker (I think?!), which is located above the driver seat in a cubbie. Would I unhook all to do with the lift? 'Lift Power Relay' and 'Lift Door Light'? And I'm not sure the difference between the first set in the first picture and the second in the second and third pictures, the silver ones, for which there are two 'Lift' labels.

Thank you.

 

[Danjo-SKO]

Very good to know, thanks Simplicity. I wonder how to figure out how my bus operates with all the safety integration. I can't find anything about it in the 2002 e450 manual.
This is the breaker (I think?!), which is located above the driver seat in a cubbie. Would I unhook all to do with the lift? 'Lift Power Relay' and 'Lift Door Light'? And I'm not sure the difference between the first set in the first picture and the second in the second and third pictures, the silver ones, for which there are two 'Lift' labels.

Thank you.

Not every bus is the same. When I did mine I had no problems. The only thing my bus had was a latch buzzer. Before you proceed, disconnect the positive and negative connections to the lift and see if it starts. Try to start it with the door open and closed. Try to start it with the lift switch turned on.

 

[Simplicity-SKO]

Dan has the right plan!

You may also want one of these. It will help you trace the wires connected at the lift to where they go in the panels...or wherever.

https://www.amazon.com/Fluke-Networks-26000900-Pro3000-Generator/dp/B000FTADX0?scrlybrkr=de1ea914

 

[Ducati Jay]

You asked a good question about if removing the lift can wreck your bus in some way.

The answer is, kind of. Dan already gave you great instructions on how to safely remove your lift.

The part I want to address is that school buses have safety wiring integrated into the bus operational wiring.

Many times, especially with doors and things where someone can get hurt, like a wheelchair lift, there are safety checks installed.

At our school district, depending on the brand and age of the bus, a wheelchair lift could simply work even if a door was closed. In newer buses, you may have to have the door open and seatbelt strap engaged. In really new buses you can't have the engine running, have to flip a power switch in the drivers area and maybe more before the lift will work.

Sometimes, removing a safety check (could be a buzzer indicating a door is open, or locked, or no buzzer because the buzzer isn't connected for some reason) and boom....your engine will not only not start...it won't even crank over.

Point being, make sure you know how your bus operates with all the safety integration. This way, you can determine if you may or may not have an problem if you monkey with it.

At the same time, you can use these as a benefit. For example, if my emergency doors slide locks are engaged, a buzzer will sound and the bus won't crank. This is a good anti-theft device in my opinion, so it stays. The slide locks also secure the doors, so when I leave the bus, I'm not worried about people getting in.

Hope this helps.

I just opened the doors and to load in Supplies and now have no crank no start. Dang thing started and ran fine with just the regular door open.. and buzzing.
All 3 batteries are at 12.6v. lights are bright, interior lights with key on. Just a click in the outside panel.
There's an extra cable coming in the battery box. Connected to a square lug of some type and lands on the securing brackets J bolt.. By a wing nut..

 

[ewo1]

re-open and close the door...there is a safety switch on the door that is designed to no start the bus if the door is not properly closed.

 

[Rock-N-Ruth]

Hi there, I have someone interested in buying my wheelchair lift and I'd like to to advise him on how to get it out safely so it will work for him and without hurting my bus.

I am concerned about the wires. Do I cut them? Where? Is there something that I should not do that could hurt my batteries/starter? That would make it unusable to the buyer?

Also, any tips on the best way to get these bolts out?

Thank you.

The very best way to avoid hurting your batteries or electrical system when removing the lift, is to disconnect the batteries first. Take pictures of the battery connections and label things so that you can put them back where they were.

Do not just cut the power cables leading to the lift. remove them and the lift solenoids. They should go with the lift anyways.