My "fully loaded" 08 FEH doesn't have a factory pull handle. I don't expect they are a factory option on the 08.

Maybe something like this would work? http://www.thehoffmangroup.com/autol...inearactuators

You would need to talk to a custom automotive shop but I think there's something to work with here.

 

Hmmm. Still what I would like most of all (grin). THANK YOU!

So if I can find someone who would know what to do with something like that (and I probably have a lead on that...a neighbor's kid is a huge custom car fan and he and his friend all have those pimped out cars), it IS a possibility. COOL!

SO...although I've decided that a "hitch step" wouldn't work (the hitch is right next to the back of the car, but the part of the lift gate that you push out is a good 3 or 4 feet out from the car. My arms aren't that long), I still have the possibilities of a simple "strap" method (assuming I can find someone to put one on securely) or get the power door of my dreams (which, with moving parts could eventually break somewhere down the line...especially when I'd be using it at least 2 or 3 times a day). Definitely stuff to think about and definitely help me reailze that SOMETHING can be done.

Thanks again everyone!

 

I saw a custom Ford Crown Vic just this past weekend where the doors and trunk lid could be lifted/closed by some type of automated cylinder. I wish I would have taken a closer look so I would have more info for you. In any case, creating an automated lift gate can be done and probably fairly reasonably.

Good luck...

 

Thank-you, MyPart.

Maybe it's time I start talking to the car-crazed kids down the block and see what they can teach me (grin).

I'm very excited about this...to think that I'll actually be able to USE the back of my car, instead of piling everything into the back seats. Wow! (grin)

 

Don't forget that the rear seats fold down (60/40 split) on the Escape and give you full access to the rear cargo area from the second row doors. We have a dog that we carry around most of the time (almost daily in the summer to go to the park or beach) so we keep them down unless we have human passengers (once or twice a week). Cargo area access from the side is great once the seats are down.

Putting the seats up and down is a simple process and doesn't require much effort.

 

(I replied to this earlier today...don't know why it's not showing up now? So this is a re-write)

Yup, I know, thanks. Saw that at the car show and I always figured if there was NO WAY I could adapt to use the lift gate, I'd access the back through the way you described. But I'd really much rather use it the "normal" way, even if my way of accessing it isn't exactly conventional. Us short people are pretty darn stubborn, y'know (grin).

 

You might be able to get a sort of "prop rod" fashioned, something like underneath the hood. But instead of supporting the liftgate, it would be there just as a handle for you to use to pull the liftgate down. It could fasten to one inside corner of the hatch, and have a clip to hold the other end in place when the hatch is closed. By fastening to the lower part of the hatch, the leverage you need to pull the hatch down is reduced compared to a strap that fastens up near the middle of the hatch. The trade-off is that you'd need to remember to "unhook" the rod as you opened the hatch so it could hang down where you could reach it, and then also "rehook" it prior to completely closing the hatch. However, done right, it could be a lot more durable and easier to use than a leather strap.

 

Another idea would be to check out a customizer that specializes in lowriders and other heavily customized cars. They use a lot of these electric actuators that look a lot like a hydraulic strut, to open and close doors, hoods, trunk lids, etc.

Another option would be to look at a mobility van place, the ones that get customized for wheelchairs and such. They also use these electric actuators to open the van doors, fold down the wheelchair ramps and such.

 

Oh good, even more ideas! Thanks! With all of this brainstorming and leads, SOMETHING'LL work out for me, I'm sure.

Thanks again!