4.8
What carries a mobility scooter behind a car
When a scooter is too heavy or too big to lift into the trunk, it rides outside the car on one of two things. A hitch lift holds the scooter on a platform behind the bumper and raises it off the road with an electric motor. A trailer tows behind the car, and the scooter drives up a ramp into it. We sell one of each, the EZ-Carrier Electric Lift and the ScootaTrailer.
The lift stays on the car, so there is nothing to hitch up before a trip and nothing extra to park. The trailer takes scooters up to 600 lb, which covers many heavy duty and all terrain models that are too heavy for the lift, and with its aluminum top the scooter rides covered from rain and road grit.
Hitch class and tongue weight
A hitch lift hangs all of its weight on the hitch, so the hitch rating is the number that matters most. Every receiver hitch has a class stamped on its label, and every vehicle has a tongue weight limit in its owner’s manual. Tongue weight is the downward load the hitch can hold.
| Hitch | Receiver opening | What the EZ-Carrier Electric Lift carries on it |
|---|---|---|
| Class II | 1.25 in | 185 lb scooter |
| Class III | 2 in | 330 lb scooter |
| Class IV | 2 in | 600 lb scooter |
The lift itself weighs 92 lb. A 200 lb scooter on the lift puts about 292 lb on the hitch, so your vehicle and hitch both need a tongue weight rating of at least that much. The finder above works that number out for you. Adding the swing away option, which lets you open the rear hatch with the scooter on board, lowers each rating by 50 lb.
A trailer rolls on its own wheels, so only a small share of its weight presses on the hitch. ScootaTrailer says any vehicle that can be fitted with a hitch can tow it with a scooter of up to 600 lb inside. It needs a 2 in ball set 17 to 19 in off the ground.
Picking a platform size
The lift comes with a 28 by 42 in platform, and you can order it 28 or 32 in wide and 42, 50 or 60 in long. What has to fit is the scooter’s wheels, not its tiller, seat or basket, which can hang past the edge. Most scooters list only their overall size, so the finder takes about 82 percent of the overall length and 90 percent of the width as the wheel footprint and leaves a little room around it. When the scooter fits, the finder names the smallest platform that holds it.
To check it yourself, measure from the front of the front tire to the back of the rear tire, and across the outside of the rear tires. Add 4 in to the length and 2 in to the width, and pick the platform that covers both.
Travel and folding scooters
A folding or travel scooter that weighs 100 lb or less is made to come apart or fold into the trunk, so the finder never pairs one with a trailer. You can still put one on the lift if you would rather not take it apart at every stop. The lift only cares about what the scooter weighs and how big it is when it is set up to ride.
Scooters with a canopy or armrests
The trailer walls sit under the armrests, so measure from the floor of your scooter to the underside of its armrests before you order. It must be more than 20.5 in. A canopy or full cabin adds height and weight, so use the weight and size with the canopy fitted when you check a model that is not in the finder.
Before you order
- Find the tongue weight limit in your vehicle’s owner’s manual and the class on your hitch label.
- Measure the height of the hitch receiver from the ground. The lift fits receivers from 10.25 to 35.25 in high.
- Check your state’s rules on a covered license plate. A plate relocation kit is sold as an option on the lift.
- If your scooter is not in the finder, use the weight with batteries and the overall size from its manual, or call us.
Every new EZ-Carrier lift comes with the maker’s 1 year limited factory warranty, and the ScootaTrailer with a 1 year limited warranty. Call 1-888-233-5563 with your vehicle, your hitch and your scooter, and we will tell you which one to order before you pay anything.
