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Getting in my gate!

B

BigRedsCaravan

Hi there,

We are looking to buy a caravan and get into this community. My concern is getting a caravan in my gate. The width of the gate is 290cm off a left hand turn on a secondary road (nearly a 90 degree turn)…. I can keep to the right (wrong) side of the road while turning. But I’m just concerned that it’s very tight and won’t make it in. The road I’m turning in from is busy but I could potentially exit/enter very early in the morning when the road is quiet. What do people think. Are there people out there with similar gate widths and turning angles??
Thanks in advance
 
I'm sure there are others who have equally difficult access issues. If you cannot manage the manoeuvre, then you there may be options.

The first and increasingly common solution is to fit a caravan mover to the caravan. If yours is a single axle van then a mover will literally allow you to turn on a "sixpence". Twin axles need a bit of a radius because of the tyre scrub the second axle creates.

The second is to take a caravanning course to teach you how to manoeuvre in more difficult situations.

A third common solution is to find a storage site

A fourth solution is to see if there is any modification you can make to ease the access, or to move house.

Something to also bear in mind is that some properties have enduring covenants that say you cant keep a caravan on the property, Check you deeds.
 
Wrt the above comments the width of the road will also be a factor in how easy it is tob manoeuvre the caravan onto the drive. Certainly single axles are easier to turn and with a mover they turn pretty well as a rotation. So I would advise a mover anyway. They also help in pitching on site in some circumstances.

Don’t know the age of your house but unless it is very new and in an area where new builds are still being constructed it’s highly unlikely any covenant would be enforced. Are there caravans, motor homes, camper vans or works vans parked on drives. However a van parked on the drive can upset neighbours. My last one seemed to upset our neighbours wife mainly I think because I installed a three foot fence to stop their wheelie bins blowing into the caravan. Prior to that caravans were kept in storage and only on the drive for shortish periods.
 
If you are buying from a dealer then you may be able to barter a deal on a motor mover. Otherwise there are mobile companies who will fit at home. Activation of a manual system (wind on or sprung) will activate both sides at once, or opt for a more expensive auto engage where the remote control does it all.
 
I used to have a difficult access at my old house, the road was 27ft from the gate to the fence on the other side, just 5ft wider than the length of the caravan. Plus the gate had only a few inches either side.
Got it in there a couple of times but after I clipped the rear end I gave up and put it in a local storage site when not in use.
Not had a van at home since as the new van is longer than my present drive.
Moral is consider keeping it at a local storage site.
 
Think of all the things the other lads, have mentioned, but with a motor movers you can get your caravan into " almost" any place. I have used my motor movers for moving the caravan , 1645 kg, for over 100 metres without aproblem
 
Our drive is very narrow at the top, slopes down from the road and the road itself is quite steep and until recently had a lamp post on the edge of the kerb opposite, right where the car might get very close to it. The only real answer was a motor mover and that is probably what you need. If the drive is narrow then I doubt a course will give you the expertise to get the caravan in easily for some time. This needs experience as well as training and if you are on a busy road I doubt you will earn quickly enough.
 
If the gate is only 2.9m wide and the caravan is 2.5m wide that leaves about 20cm on each side. I have been towing for over 20 years and that is not something I would attempt as even leaving may create issues as you swing out into the road, then rear end swings out and may catch the gate posts.

Maybe a solution is to find a caravan storage place near to your location and use it instead of trying to get through the gate. Not much point in going away to relax and then been stressed about entering the property again.
 
BigRedsCaravan said:
Hi there,

We are looking to buy a caravan and get into this community. My concern is getting a caravan in my gate. The width of the gate is 290cm off a left hand turn on a secondary road (nearly a 90 degree turn)…. I can keep to the right (wrong) side of the road while turning. But I’m just concerned that it’s very tight and won’t make it in. The road I’m turning in from is busy but I could potentially exit/enter very early in the morning when the road is quiet. What do people think. Are there people out there with similar gate widths and turning angles??
Thanks in advance
Click to expand...
Can you widen the entrance?
 
For me it's a storage site every time.
Easier access and not giving clues to low-lifes that you're away as the van is not on the drive.
 
Dustydog said:
Can you widen the entrance?
Click to expand...
Our daughter widened our drive entrance for us recently when she misjudged the turn from the narrow lane. To be fair the wall was in need of repair anyway, she just moved the end of it sideways. 😀
I can send her round to the OPs?
Mel
 
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