Has anyone had any problems using any of the powermovers,i.e.Bigfoot or similair?I am in two minds as wether to purchase one to get my van off my drive.I have a ABI Ace Airstream 1000kg.I tried a manual turn one.the purple one,and it was not that good.I could do with a hitch mount one.So,are they any good?Please tell me good or bad!
caravan movers
- Thread starter Jeff_374239906
- Start date
They rely on the ability to get traction. If there is not enough weight to the front and its a hard pull the drive wheel will slip on some surfaces as it will generate lift to the tow hitch rather than drive. Or they can break through grass or loose surfaces and slip.
If it just to get the van off the drive. Would a simple inexpensive winch not do the job maybe.
If it just to get the van off the drive. Would a simple inexpensive winch not do the job maybe.
Hello Jeff,
Cris has highlighted probably the most important factor, the potential for the A frame type movers to loose grip.
Its one thing for the mover to hold a caravan in position on a slope, but does it have the grip to stop it if it is already coming down a slope? As a guide, if you could not stop it by hand, it is highly likely that the mover would also have difficulty.
I would like to add a few further points to consider:
If you are having some difficulty moving your caravan at home, it is quite possible that you may find a similar situation on site where some assistance would be helpful, or perhaps you arrive on site when it is dry but need to move the caravan off in the wet. At these times a mover would be advantageous.
The A frame type movers usually need to be removed when towing, so if you were to take it with you, you need to consider where it will be stored, and how easy it is to fit and remove.
The chassis type movers always have better grip because they have virtually the whole weight of the caravan on the driven wheels. They are always there ready to be used, and don't need to be carried or stored elsewhere.
Chassis type movers do tend to be heavier than A frame type, so they detract from the payload of the caravan, but a A frame drive with its own battery could be heavier than one o the chassis mounted ones!
Look through this forum, use the search facility, and I think that you will find that almost universally those caravanners who have a chassis mount one swear by their effectiveness, and there are several instances where contributors have told how they have replaced A frame drive units with chassis mount ones for the reasons above.
A frame drives are fine on smooth hard level surfaces, but they can struggle on slopes, sometimes with dangerous consequences.
Cris has highlighted probably the most important factor, the potential for the A frame type movers to loose grip.
Its one thing for the mover to hold a caravan in position on a slope, but does it have the grip to stop it if it is already coming down a slope? As a guide, if you could not stop it by hand, it is highly likely that the mover would also have difficulty.
I would like to add a few further points to consider:
If you are having some difficulty moving your caravan at home, it is quite possible that you may find a similar situation on site where some assistance would be helpful, or perhaps you arrive on site when it is dry but need to move the caravan off in the wet. At these times a mover would be advantageous.
The A frame type movers usually need to be removed when towing, so if you were to take it with you, you need to consider where it will be stored, and how easy it is to fit and remove.
The chassis type movers always have better grip because they have virtually the whole weight of the caravan on the driven wheels. They are always there ready to be used, and don't need to be carried or stored elsewhere.
Chassis type movers do tend to be heavier than A frame type, so they detract from the payload of the caravan, but a A frame drive with its own battery could be heavier than one o the chassis mounted ones!
Look through this forum, use the search facility, and I think that you will find that almost universally those caravanners who have a chassis mount one swear by their effectiveness, and there are several instances where contributors have told how they have replaced A frame drive units with chassis mount ones for the reasons above.
A frame drives are fine on smooth hard level surfaces, but they can struggle on slopes, sometimes with dangerous consequences.
Hi Jeff.
I use a Motormover ET to move our twenty foot twin axle van. It does this very well and for the princely sum of
I use a Motormover ET to move our twenty foot twin axle van. It does this very well and for the princely sum of
Jeff,
I use a Big Foot motor mover to push my Bailey Ranger 550/6 up my drive. Our drive is of a gravel type and on a slight gradient. For the wheel to drive on I have laid paving slabs up the middle and where it levels out the motor mover wheel then drives over the gravel, this seems to grip ok and then it pushes the caravan out through the gates accross the pavement and onto the road.
I have tried both types of tyre, the tractor type and the smooth one and there was not much difference between the two.
In response to the weight issue I have found that as long as the front of the caravan is towards the ground, so that the weight is more forward, the driven wheel grips ok both in dry and wet conditions. Also I made a battery carrier that fits on the motor mover so even more weight is on the driven wheel.
Put it this way, without the Big Foot I could not get my caravan on / off the drive.
I use a Big Foot motor mover to push my Bailey Ranger 550/6 up my drive. Our drive is of a gravel type and on a slight gradient. For the wheel to drive on I have laid paving slabs up the middle and where it levels out the motor mover wheel then drives over the gravel, this seems to grip ok and then it pushes the caravan out through the gates accross the pavement and onto the road.
I have tried both types of tyre, the tractor type and the smooth one and there was not much difference between the two.
In response to the weight issue I have found that as long as the front of the caravan is towards the ground, so that the weight is more forward, the driven wheel grips ok both in dry and wet conditions. Also I made a battery carrier that fits on the motor mover so even more weight is on the driven wheel.
Put it this way, without the Big Foot I could not get my caravan on / off the drive.
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