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Renault Kangoo - Modified Disabled Kangoo hits speed bumps - Karen_alexandra
Hi everyone, I bought a modified kangoo that allows people on wheelchair to ride it. It has the ramp and the electric cord. The only problem is that it’s too low and it hits speed bumps. I changed the coils and nothing. Any ideas to raise the car?

Thanks
Renault Kangoo - Modified Disabled Kangoo hits speed bumps - badbusdriver

Instead of changing the coils for new standard ones, get extended ones. These may have to be made specially though. I'm not very familiar with wheelchair conversions, but I'd imagine it would require a fair bit of fabrication which, along with the weight of a wheelchair user (especially if quite near the rear of the vehicle) would cause some sagging at the rear. So you may be able to get away with simply getting heavy duty versions of the standard rear coils and dampers. I'm assuming your Kangoo is based on the car version, so maybe the parts for the van is designed to cope with more weight.

Another option would be to change the standard rear tyres for ones which are taller. Not sure what size tyres the Kangoo takes, but I've had a couple of similar sized vans which both used 195/65x15. Using that as an example, changing those tyres to 195/75x15 would give an extra 20mm of sidewall height (the distance from the outer edge of the wheel to the outer edge of the tyre).

Couple of things to bear in mind though, any "modifications" such as non standard coils or tyres, you'd best inform your insurer to keep yourself right. Also, raising the rear of the car will also make the ramp angle steeper (though not necessarily by much depending on the length of ramp) which in turn may make it harder to get a wheelchair user into the back.

Edited by badbusdriver on 01/04/2024 at 08:46

Renault Kangoo - Modified Disabled Kangoo hits speed bumps - mcb100
Or is there anything hanging lower than it should on the underside of the car? An exhaust clamp fitted with the bolts facing down? Undertray that needs fastening back in place?
Renault Kangoo - Modified Disabled Kangoo hits speed bumps - badbusdriver

Depending on just how hard the underside of the car is impacting on the speed humps, may also be worth pumping up the pressure in the rear tyres (50-60psi?. Very unlikely this would stop the problem, but if you are just brushing the speed hump fairly lightly, it would make a difference.

Another option which I thought about were coil spring spacers. Not the most sophisticated solution and I had to check that you still get them (you do), but they are cheap (maybe £25 for a pair).

Edited by badbusdriver on 01/04/2024 at 09:14

Renault Kangoo - Modified Disabled Kangoo hits speed bumps - Andrew-T

Perhaps the downside for most of these suggestions is that the ride will be compromised a bit ?

Renault Kangoo - Modified Disabled Kangoo hits speed bumps - Falkirk Bairn

Larger wheels, increased tyre profile OR both.

Check that this is possible before committing to spend the cash

My last CRV had 18" wheels - 225 60 R18, my current CRV has 18" wheels 235 65 R18 but look so so much bigger as the tyres have greater sidewall depth - adds to the Height the car rides and also adds to the cost of replacements!

Renault Kangoo - Modified Disabled Kangoo hits speed bumps - mcb100
And have a chat with the company that did the conversion - they may have come across this before and have a solution.
Renault Kangoo - Modified Disabled Kangoo hits speed bumps - skidpan

Whatever you do make sure you inform your insurers. If they don't know you may find yourself with no cover.

Renault Kangoo - Modified Disabled Kangoo hits speed bumps - elekie&a/c doctor
A laden Kangoo van works perfectly well when driven over speed humps carefully. These wheel chair access variants are heavily modified at the rear with a lowered floor. This means a different fuel tank and exhaust system which can alter the rear end clearance .