Why not place caravan on pitch with motormover

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  • Navigateur
    Navigateur Club Member Posts: 3,880 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited October 2016 #62

     the MM is often the only way of placing the van other than using several people to manually push & pull!

    For quite a few years now caravans have been constructed in such a way the only safe place for people to pull (or push) in on the teeny grab handles.  This is a dificult concept to explain to over eager volunteers.

  • Wildwood
    Wildwood Club Member Posts: 3,585
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    edited October 2016 #63

    Having just pit hed a couple of hours ago I have to admit to not using the motor mover. In this case I had the pitch to the drivers side and could get tge cara van on resonably quickly. Using the mover would have ment going into the caravan getg out the
    lever to set it, getting the control unit, opening the battery box to switch it on and then moving it. I had the caravan on the pitch far quicker than going through all that so the people waiting had less of a wait.

    Possibly it is not always the quickest option and picking when you use it makes more sense.

  • KjellNN
    KjellNN Club Member Posts: 8,673 ✭✭✭
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    edited October 2016 #64

    Like many others, I generally, when access to the pitch is easy, quickly reverse the van to roughly the correct place to get it out of the way of other arrivals, then unhitched and do the precise positioning with the mover while OH moves the car off the road.

    Our mover is quick to engage.....unplug from car and plug into socket on van hitch, push button to engage rollers and off we go.

    For hitching up I always use the mover  to take the van to the towball, much safer for the car!!

  • Fysherman
    Fysherman Forum Participant Posts: 1,570
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    edited October 2016 #65

    Thats a good point K.

    There is only a few mm between the hitch and the rear bumper. I don't know what a repair cost would be if you punctured it with the hitch but it would be substantial so I use the mover to hitch up.

  • JVB66
    JVB66 Forum Participant Posts: 22,892
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    edited October 2016 #66

    Thats a good point K.

    There is only a few mm between the hitch and the rear bumper. I don't know what a repair cost would be if you punctured it with the hitch but it would be substantial so I use the mover to hitch up.

    ...No reversing camera on the car? how not cool is thatCoolWinkSurprised

  • EasyT
    EasyT Forum Participant Posts: 16,194
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    edited October 2016 #67

    Thats a good point K.

    There is only a few mm between the hitch and the rear bumper. I don't know what a repair cost would be if you punctured it with the hitch but it would be substantial so I use the mover to hitch up.

    Probably less than £200

  • madhouse4
    madhouse4 Forum Participant Posts: 129
    edited October 2016 #68

    I'm tempted to get a mover, but I keep thinking about the best part of 1000 pound, I do think it is good to only use them when necessary, I'd like to think reveresing keeps me in practice, if you have to turn round in a lane, but they are a brilliant thing
    to watch work!

  • rayjsj
    rayjsj Forum Participant Posts: 930
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    edited October 2016 #69

    Wait until a claims management company sees a front mounted towbar which is non standard and non complient with NACAP pedestrian safety no matter who fit it.

     

    Write your comments here..what about a front mounted winch ? I have seen many on Landrover Defenders and front mounted tow hooks, very useful things, and as long as your Insurer is informed.

     I towed my car behind my motorhome on an A-frame,  Insurer was CC for both Car and Motorhome, CC was told that both had been modified to do so, and would be used together as an outfit. No problems. Still think motor movers are the best way of posistioning a caravan though, no more pushing and straining. 

  • G Cherokee
    G Cherokee Forum Participant Posts: 402
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    edited October 2016 #70

    Most front hitches uses a replacement cross member with a built in towball socket ( like the removable towballs at the back, on some vehicles you may have to cut a 50mm x 50mm hole in your bumper cover and a plastic cap is provided to use when the towball
    is removed.

    They are designed to have no impact on the structure of the vehicle. The only downside is they are only rated to 350kgs and thats on largeish 4x4s, so a heavy single axle caravan may lead to damaging front suspension.

    And as for the comments on ooooh I hope you've told your insurers etc etc, c'mon people we're just talking about moving your caravan in ways that suit us, lets not get into legal mumbo jumbo and make another thread as boring as many others.

    Be happy Cool

     

  • Cornersteady
    Cornersteady Club Member Posts: 14,436 ✭✭✭
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    edited October 2016 #71

    Come to this quite late, so apologies if this has been said before.

    We unhitch on the site 'road' and use the mover to put the van onto the pitch. As soon as we can we move the car onto the pitch out of the way. When leaving  we use the mover to get the van onto the car, usually by moving the van onto the site road rather than hitch up on the HS gravel.

  • Unknown
    Unknown Forum Participant
    edited October 2016 #72
    The user and all related content has been Deleted User
  • huskydog
    huskydog Club Member Posts: 5,460 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited October 2016 #73

    It's probably to get out of the way of the speedersSurprised,don't want to hold them up !!!!!

  • AstralRanger12
    AstralRanger12 Forum Participant Posts: 27
    edited October 2016 #74

    I am interested  in the frequent mention here about the pressure to get on pitch as quickly  as possible  to get out of  the way of following  outfits.  Is life on club sites so frantic? I thought they were  supposed  to be an oasis of peace and calm

    Isn't this rush to get off the road compounded by the one way system - if our local street is blocked I just go the other way!

  • huskydog
    huskydog Club Member Posts: 5,460 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited October 2016 #75

    What, caravans going both ways on a club site !Surprised how would members cope !!!Undecided

  • Tinwheeler
    Tinwheeler Forum Participant Posts: 23,155 ✭✭✭
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    edited October 2016 #76

    Most front hitches uses a replacement cross member with a built in towball socket ( like the removable towballs at the back, on some vehicles you may have to cut a 50mm x 50mm hole in your bumper cover and a plastic cap is provided to use when the towball
    is removed.

    They are designed to have no impact on the structure of the vehicle. The only downside is they are only rated to 350kgs and thats on largeish 4x4s, so a heavy single axle caravan may lead to damaging front suspension.

    And as for the comments on ooooh I hope you've told your insurers etc etc, c'mon people we're just talking about moving your caravan in ways that suit us, lets not get into legal mumbo jumbo and make another thread as boring as many others.

    Be happy Cool

     

    GK, the insurance angle is certainly worth a mention as some people will not realise the need to tell the company about the modification and the previous poster was being helpful. I agree that we don't need to hold a debate about it. 

  • JVB66
    JVB66 Forum Participant Posts: 22,892
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    edited October 2016 #77

    If I happen to be pitching up or leaving a pitch and hold some one up ,   that is what is to be expected  ,so I just acknowledge their presence and carry on  ,whats the rush we are on holidayUndecided

  • moulesy
    moulesy Forum Participant Posts: 9,403 ✭✭✭
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    edited October 2016 #78

    Assuming there's room, I normally reverse on to the pitch, as close to the peg as possible (can't claim to get it spot on every time! Wink. Use left and right arrows to navigate.  ). Then unhitch, move car and do final positioning with motor mover. But only very rarely use the mover when leaving; just reverse up as near as possible to the hitch and then we manhandle (or should that be personhandle?) the van into the right position. Occasionally may have held a couple of folk up for a couple of minutes or so - that's life I'm afraid!  Happy. Use left and right arrows to navigate.

  • JD6620
    JD6620 Forum Participant Posts: 202
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    edited October 2016 #79

    How many people actually check they have sufficient payload to fit a motor mover?  When I put our last caravan on a weighbridge loaded for holiday I was shocked to find it was well over the mtplm.  It wasn't excessively loaded either as the awning and chairs
    were all in the car.  I had the caravan replated but even then a motor mover would've been a no no.  I often wonder when I see all the gear being unloaded from caravans on a site if they are within the legal weight limit.

  • Fysherman
    Fysherman Forum Participant Posts: 1,570
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    edited October 2016 #80

    Thats a good point K.

    There is only a few mm between the hitch and the rear bumper. I don't know what a repair cost would be if you punctured it with the hitch but it would be substantial so I use the mover to hitch up.

    Probably less than £200

    Don't know but on a Land Rover nothing is cheap and who needs the hassle?

  • Fysherman
    Fysherman Forum Participant Posts: 1,570
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    edited October 2016 #81

    Thats a good point K.

    There is only a few mm between the hitch and the rear bumper. I don't know what a repair cost would be if you punctured it with the hitch but it would be substantial so I use the mover to hitch up.

    ...No reversing camera on the car? how not cool is thatCoolWinkSurprised

    No reversing sensors either JVB, just a fixed flange towball that does the same job for nowt.

  • EmilysDad
    EmilysDad Forum Participant Posts: 8,973
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    edited October 2016 #82

    If I happen to be pitching up or leaving a pitch and hold some one up ,   that is what is to be expected  ,so I just acknowledge their presence and carry on  ,whats the rush we are on holidayUndecided

    It's not that long back that we heard of someone blocking the road for 45 mins while they faffed about hitching up. On holiday or not, they might have somewhere to go & be there on time. 

  • Kennine
    Kennine Forum Participant Posts: 3,472
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    edited October 2016 #83

    People have been successfully hitching up caravans for decades. I was surprised to read that there are those nowadays who are unable to reverse their towcar safely to the caravan hitch without crashing into it. 

    Good driving involves driving backwards safely as well as driving forwards.  IMO.

    K Cool

     

  • Unknown
    Unknown Forum Participant
    edited October 2016 #84
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  • Unknown
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    edited October 2016 #85
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  • SteveL
    SteveL Club Member Posts: 12,311 ✭✭✭
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    edited October 2016 #86

    Assuming there's room, I normally reverse on to the pitch, as close to the peg as possible (can't claim to get it spot on every time! Wink. Use left and right arrows to navigate.  ).
    Then unhitch, move car and do final positioning with motor mover. But only very rarely use the mover when leaving; just reverse up as near as possible to the hitch and then we manhandle (or should that be personhandle?) the van into the right position. Occasionally
    may have held a couple of folk up for a couple of minutes or so - that's life I'm afraid! 

    Happy. Use left and right arrows to navigate.

    If in a busy area of the site and there is room to do so, I use the mover to move the caravan wheels to the back of the hardstanding, so the back end is overhanging the grass. This then allows hitching up on the pitch and we can take our time. I find no
    matter how much I try not to be affected by it, I am conscious of holding folk up and possibly rush / miss things.

  • Boff
    Boff Forum Participant Posts: 1,742
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    edited October 2016 #87

    I haven't read all nine pages because life is too short.  A motor mover is a great tool. However there are plenty on here who can't reverse  and use the mover as an excuse.  There are many many times when reversing is simply quicker.  So if you prefer to
    use a mover then fine but don't try a belittle those that can reverse because you can't. 

    Ps I would class my reversing skills as barely adequate. 

  • EasyT
    EasyT Forum Participant Posts: 16,194
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    edited October 2016 #88

    I have cameras all over the car and one even gives a "birds eye" view but even so I cant be sure just how close I am to a very expensive bump into the "bumper" that I think would be hugely expensive.

    I backed X-Trail into an unseen end rail on a fence and stoved in just under rear reflected on radiused plastic section. A bit like it had been hit with a lump nammer. Local Chips away guy sorted it about 3 years ago for £180

  • JVB66
    JVB66 Forum Participant Posts: 22,892
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    edited October 2016 #89

    I have cameras all over the car and one even gives a "birds eye" view but even so I cant be sure just how close I am to a very expensive bump into the "bumper" that I think would be hugely expensive.

    ...If you are unable to judge your distance when a reverse camera is fitted and could still damage your car ,I think i would consider whether i should be driving?Wink

  • JVB66
    JVB66 Forum Participant Posts: 22,892
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    edited October 2016 #90

    Thats a good point K.

    There is only a few mm between the hitch and the rear bumper. I don't know what a repair cost would be if you punctured it with the hitch but it would be substantial so I use the mover to hitch up.

    ...No reversing camera on the car? how not cool is thatCoolWinkSurprised

    No reversing sensors either JVB, just a fixed flange towball that does the same job for nowt.

    ..Oh you mean when you feel the bump ,you know you are somewhere nearWink

  • DSB
    DSB Club Member Posts: 5,696 ✭✭✭
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    edited October 2016 #91

    Quite often on sites I see a caravan being positioned onto pitch using a motormover. Often the driver has several attempts to position close to the peg. Often when reversing to his nearside he cannot see the peg which makes it harder even if OH is 'guiding'.
    I have seen drivers sometimes making 8+ attempts and taking well over 5 minutes. Then often the driver puts on the motormover to line up the Alko Wheel lock or to level across etc.

    Given they are going to engage it anyway why not just use it to pitch? 

    I always use the mover!

    David