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The W.A.V.E. - Wheelchair Accessible Van for Expeditions

A Wheelchair-Accessible 4x4 Van For Backcountry Expeditions

By Gary Wescott, Photography by Gary Wescott
A solid fixed rooftop option offers better continuous headroom. The van can sleep four, using the upper and lower beds.
A solid fixed rooftop option offers better continuous headroom. The van can sleep four, us

Standard recovery supplies and tools include Off Road Trail Tools wheel chocks and wrench/tool rolls. A Pull Pal 14,000-pound land anchor is mounted up front. Pillow Tracks air bladder sand mats and ramps can be used for lifting a heavy tire onto the hub, among other things. An Extreme Outback Tire repair kit was the most complete, user-friendly kit Lance could find, and the ARB X-Jack provides a disabled person with a safe way to lift a vehicle. A Master Pull Super-Yanker will get the W.A.V.E. out of the muck if there is a second vehicle around. An Expedition Level First Aid Pack was supplied by Adventure Medical Kits. Lance hopes he never needs it.

Spending a morning with Lance on some backroads in the Southern Arizona desert, we were totally impressed at the ease with which he was able to maneuver the W.A.V.E. over some pretty nasty terrain, especially considering that this was a 12,000-pound vehicle you can live in. Working with Disabled Explorers and incorporating the ongoing development of the W.A.V.E. concept, we reflected on a statement Lance had made during an interview with Sagen Media on YouTube, "The only limitations are those in your head. Everything else is just a technical problem." Kind of goes hand in hand with something Henry Ford once said, "Whether you think you can, or you think you can't, you're probably right." Disabled Explorers is ready to assist anyone who has a physical mobility challenge.

  • The Atlas allows the driver to shift into front drive in an emergency without crawling under the vehicle.
    The Atlas allows the driver to shift into front drive in an emergency without crawling und
  • Motors on the B&D Independence driver's powered transfer seat pivot and raise, adjusting to the occupant's needs.
    Motors on the B&D Independence driver's powered transfer seat pivot and raise, adjusting t
  • Pete Nehem shows his off-roading skills with his new all-terrain tracked wheelchair, proving that "The only limitations are those in your head. Everything else is just a technical problem."
    Pete Nehem shows his off-roading skills with his new all-terrain tracked wheelchair, provi
SOURCES
Nitto Tire
6021 Katella Avenue
Suite 250
Cypress
CA  90630
877-565-8448
www.nittotire.com
Equipt Expedition Outfitters
866-703-1026
www.equipt1.com
Transfer Flow
1444 Fortress Street
Chico
CA  95973
800-442-0056
http://www.transferflow.com/
Espar Products, Inc.
800-387-4800
www.espar.com
Hellwig Products Company, Inc.
16237 Avenue 296
Visalia
CA  93292
559-734-7451
www.hellwigproducts.com
Fan-Tastic Vent
2083 S. Almont Avenue
Imlay
MI  48444
800-521-0298
www.fantasticvent.com
Dynatrac
7392 Count Circle
Huntington Beach
CA  92647
714-596-4461
www.dynatrac.com
Pillowtracks
www.pillowtrack.com
ARB 4x4 Products
720 SW 34th Street
Renton
WA  98057
800-761-8192
http://www.arbusa.com
Pull Pal Land Anchor
P.O. BOX 639
Carbondale
CO  81623
800-541-1817
www.pullpal.com
Advance Adapters
4320 Aerotech Center Way
Paso Robles
CA  93446
800-771-6171
www.advanceadapters.com
Q'Straint
5555 Oakbrook Parkway Suite 500
Norcross
GA  30093
888-880-8267
www.aavan.com
Off Road Trails Tools
7099 W Hutchs Pools Place
Tucson
AZ  85743
520-579-2079
offroadtrailtools.com
Rigid Industries
2630 N Ogden Road
Suite 101
Mesa
AZ  85215
480-655-0100
www.rigidindustries.com
Master Pull
725 Sunset Pond Lane Bldg. E Unit 9
Bellingham
WA  98226
360-714-1313
www.masterpull.com
Sportsmobile West
3631 S Bagley Ave
Fresno
CA  93725
800-827-3071
www.sportsmobile.com
Adventure Medical Kits
5555 San Leandro Street
Oakland
CA  94621
800-324-3517
www.adventuremedicalkits.com
Sure Grip Hand Controls
888-370-5050
www.suregrip-hvl.com
Extreme Outback Products
Vacaville
CA
866-447-7711
www.extremeoutback.com
Total Vision Camera Systems
625 W. Plata Street
Tuscon
AZ  85705
520-623-0790
www.totalvisionproducts.com
Aluminess Bumpers & Racks
9402 Wheatlands Ct. #A
Santee
CA  92071
619-449-9930
www.aluminess.com
Viking Winchline
818-506-9789
www.winchline.com
B&D Independence Transfer Seat
1024 Empire St
Mt. Carmel
IL  62863
618-262-7117
www.bdindependence.com
By Gary Wescott
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