Has anyone ever driven off with the mover rollers engaged?

[mlj26]

I used the
motor mover in my driveway and then packed it all up and hitched the caravan on.
I drove about 5 miles down the road for it’s annual service and was going to
use the mover to park the van up but the rollers would not engage. (They
manually engage – Truma SE mover) I am
now doubting myself that I disengaged the rollers before driving off. Has
anyone ever done this and if so what damage am I likely to have done?? My
dealer will obviously check it out when he does the service but I was just
curious If anyone else had done this before??

 

[mlj26]

Correction - It's a Truma SR mover

 

[Gabsgrandad]

In the past 10 years I've had a motor mover, I've tried to drive off once or twice with the mover still engaged, only to find it is nearly impossible to pull through them. I doubt very much that you've had the mover engaged. You can tell instantly. Or at least we could.
PS all been Carver/Truma.

 

[Gabsgrandad]

In the past 10 years I've had a motor mover, I've tried to drive off once or twice with the mover still engaged, only to find it is nearly impossible to pull through them. I doubt very much that you've had the mover engaged. You can tell instantly. Or at least we could.
PS all been Carver/Truma.

 

[mlj26]

Thanks for that. Am pretty sure I did disengage and thought I would have felt the resistence so that is piece of mind. I'll maybe be able to claim under warranty then!! Cheers.

 

[WatsonJohnG]

My friend keeps his caravan on a farm and last week went to collect it
He had wheel spin on the car and faithful wife had to paddle through mud to the farmhouse for tractor assistance
It wasn't needed as the mover was found to still be on the wheels and once removed wheelspin disappeared

 

[mucky pup]

Hi John. To my horror i drove off with the mover engaged on a trip last year, i only got about 200 yards and found it was like the handbrake was engaged. There was no damage done only the tyres got a bit warm, i think you would have noticed if you left it engaged and would not have made 5 miles without blowing your tyres. I wouldn't worry about it.

 

[WatsonJohnG]

A few years ago we had to negotiate steep hill with hairpin bend at the top where the hill joined the main road
We heard a bang and stopped but could see no marks on the caravan side
We stopped again where the road was wider and discovered that the mover had been knocked onto the tyre
The friction material was completely worn off and the roller was shiny but there was no damage to the tyre
Now the rollers are a different construction

 

[birdman101]

I cannot leave mine on as i always fit a micro switch on van so that when mover is wound fully off it breaks circuit to a buzzer.This buzzer is powered up from feed from car.When caravan plug is connected to car, buzzer sounds untill the mover is wound fully off.I first done this years ago after a friend left his on and ripped coating off his rollers(carver) and did not do a lot of good to both tyres,after driving several miles.

 

[WatsonJohnG]

I cannot leave mine on as i always fit a micro switch on van so that when mover is wound fully off it breaks circuit to a buzzer.This buzzer is powered up from feed from car.When caravan plug is connected to car, buzzer sounds untill the mover is wound fully off.I first done this years ago after a friend left his on and ripped coating off his rollers(carver) and did not do a lot of good to both tyres,after driving several miles.

That sounds good idea
Did you use a reed switch or how did you mount a push switch etc ?
I have 2 reed switches on the garage door so that the same magnet works them both
When the roller door is opened and the magnet rises it allows one reed switch to close at the bottom of the door frame and disarms the alarm PIR so that I can drive in/out
The same magnet then operates a reed switch at the top of the door frame and lights a red warning light at the top of the garage steps so that the door can be seen to be open
I suppose a similar set up could be used on the mover

 

[Surfer]

I always select drive and let the engine idling pull the caravan. If it doesn't then I check handbrake and mover.

 

[Bri2]

No, but I drove off and left the remote on the A frame. I found it on the pavement near home when I returned. It had been cliped by a vehicle and damaged. I got it working but it was erratic so it cost me £70 for a new one. I now have it around my neck on a landyard and only take it off when back in the car!!!!!!!!
Bri

 

[Beehpee]

I've only had a caravan for approaching 4 years so luckily I've not done it (yet) and hopefully never will, I don't know where I read the tip and may well have been on here but I ALWAYS engage the rollers and then put the socket wrench on the drivers seat so that when you get in to the car unless you are happy to sit on a rather large wrench it will prompt you to disengage the rollers, works for me, as I say not my bright idea but one I think is well worth passing on to others.

BP

 

[Dustydog]

As mine is a manual engagement I always put the wrench on the car driver's seat once the mover is engaged. Just an aide memoire.

 

[Martin24]

Not done that one but tried to pull away at services last year with the bulldog max still on!! Realised before any damage done thankfully!!!

 

[Marilou]

We have never driven away with the mover still on but we have pulled away with the handbrake still on. We were slowly pulling off site to get our ferry when there was a loud bang and the car stalled. We looked back to find the caravan nose down having come off the tow ball. The breakaway cable had done its job and applied the caravan brakes. A couple of nice caravanners came to help my husband jack up the caravan and put down the jockey wheel. Luckily there was no damage done to the caravan, we just had to get a new breakway cable and then we were on our way. Needless to say since then we do a thorough double check before we pull away.
My husband did leave the mover remote control on the tailboard of the car once and it was still there when we reached our destination about 50 miles away. How lucky was that!!

 

[DerekBrad]

I've done both!. I left a site in Bude and thought that the car wasn't pulling all that well. Stopped 25 miles up the road for a call to the wc. As I walked back across the road I saw that the rollers were still engaged. They had worn right down to the metal spindle but only made a slight groove in the centre of the tread. £60 mistake! I then realised why a car had been hooting as it overtook me! I left my remote set on the A frame and it slid off about half a mile from home and had been completely flattened! Got a replacement from E Bay and saved myself £112. One tends to learn from one's mistakes, or so they tell me! (It's an age thing)
Regards to all and happy caravanning for the coming season.
Derek

 

[mlj26]

Thanks to everyone for all the replies. Got the caravan back this week and it would appear to have been nothing at all. They found it to be working and when I tried I couldn't get the manual engagement to engage from the nearside but then I tried the offside and it worked fine. Tried the nearside again which worked. Confused but happy that nothing was wrong and I hadn't had a blonde/senior moment and left them engaged.
Thanks folks!

 

[trucker]

A few years ago we had a freelander, not had the mover long and lost the remote. Looked high and low for the thing, couldnt find it. 6 months later whilst removing the spare wheel from the car what did I find inside, yep the remote, must have left it on the wheel and it fell inside, £75 for a reconditioned hand set not needed, still got it as a spare now.

No, but I drove off and left the remote on the A frame. I found it on the pavement near home when I returned. It had been cliped by a vehicle and damaged. I got it working but it was erratic so it cost me £70 for a new one. I now have it around my neck on a landyard and only take it off when back in the car!!!!!!!!
Bri

 

[Marilou]

It certainly is an age thing. We are having a lot of senior moments lately. That is why we double check everything now just to be on the safe side. Can't wait for our first outing!!

 

[xtrailman]

Even though we have a check list for leaving i have still tried to drive of with the Reich manual mover engaged, perhaps 5 times over 8 years.
I've noticed immediately that something was wrong, with in a few yards of towing.
Never caused any damage to the mover, or the tyres.