Motor mover or not.....
Hallo. We've just bought our first ever caravan, a Swift Challenger 480 (single axle, twin-berth), and are facing the prospect of bringing it home as soon as the towbar is fitted to the car (BMW X3). We have space to store it OK, its just how we get the van into it, as there's not enough space to reverse it in while hooked up, so it means we will have to unhitch on a 1 in 15 slope, spin around through 180 degrees and run it 6-7 metres down the slope onto the flat apron that it will sit on.
I think we should be OK getting it out as there is just about room enough to hook it up to the car.
The van is just over 1000kg - is that sort of manoeuvre on that slope do-able by a couple of able bodied people, or should I invest in a motor mover? Bit worried by the "on or off" handbrake as it means I can't control the rate of descent. The thoughts of you experienced people would be gratefully received.
Thanks
Comments
-
A M/M would get my vote every time. Relying on brute strength is not a great idea.
3 -
Get a mover it’s so much easier. And don’t take any notice of the I can reverse it anywhere brigade. As an ex artic driver, many years ago I will admit, I consider myself proficient at reversing with the caravan on but with a mover you gave that much more control.
6 -
I would get a mover. We couldn't have got ours in or out of its storage space without one. Agree re controlling its descent, it could end in tears. One point I would make is that of getting it off the tow ball on a slope. The few times I tried that it was quite difficult, as the ball would not disengage from the hitch.
2 -
after driving 96 seater double decker bus with rear wheel steer and a luggage trailer attached, i thought i was a professional driver, but never have been able to master reversing a caravan, mover every time for me and not a bit embarrassed when using it, and yes trying to unhitch on a slope could be quite difficult. It also saves burning out the clutch, if you have to use the car.
3 -
Another vote for a MM, allows pitching to be so much easier, unhitch on road, but also in hitching up which is more important for me anyway.
1 -
+1
1 -
Be very sure that the mover you buy is specified to hold the caravan on such a slope.
1 -
Absolutely agree with the comments ,get a motor mover it’s a must have addition ,especially if like me you have a bad back 😊
Brian & Jo
1 -
I couldn't do without my motor mover, these days, I'm afraid! It enables me to get the van in exactly the right position. Being able to reverse a caravan is one thing.... having eyes in the back of your head is another. For me reversing the van isn't a problem..... seeing where I'm reversing it is something else!!!
Go for it....
David
1 -
Motor mover every time. Best bit of kit I’ve bought. Now had 2 vans fitted with a mover and wouldn’t be without it.
1 -
I live on a narrow road with narrow footways. 17 years ago with the cars that I used I could drive the caravan in, unhitch and pull the caravan past the car and put on a parking spot alongside the garage. I could also pull it from the parking spot and spin it around to hitch. 15 years ago with a car with a bigger turning circle, despite s 3 foot wider gateway with a 1.1 metre longer caravan that was not possible.
In 2015 as Left Dornaifeld one of my old motors fell off the offside of the caravan and was run over and destroyed by the caravan. It would have been impossible to get onto the driveway at home. I had two options. Get it replaced when staying at one of the remaining 5 sites over the next 3 weeks or book a CL near home until it could be fixed. The next site was Looe. Called at a small dealership nearby who could do it in 10 days time. I said that I would have to look at dealer or mobile companies at the next 5 sites to to find one that could fit me in s I could not return home without.
He phoned a regular customer booked in for a service a few days later (obviously regular as on first name terms) Told him of my predicament and asked if he could delay his service for a week.
He agreed and I was sorted
2 -
OK, thanks everybody, totally unequivocal in your support for the motor mover then!
The weight of the van I quoted was just a figure I remembered from reading the manual - probably a dry weight or something like that? Not up to speed with stuff like that yet but will need to get there quickly!
I'm not unhitching on the slope - I have to haul up our drive, then there is a flat area where I can unhitch and spin the van round, but then I have to lower it 8-9 metres down the 1 in 15 gradient to its parking spot beside the garage.
I shall follow your advice, thanks again.
2 -
We've recently returned to caravanning after a long break, where we didn't previously have the experience of a motor mover. Our new caravan came with a motor mover fitted and where I wasn't bothered either way, having now had a few journeys out and having to also negotiate the caravan into and out of its space within the storage facility, I wouldn't be without it - an absolute must in my eyes
0 -
As I said in reply to your post on another thread, definitely go for a motor mover, especially if you have to get into a difficult space. Getting onto a pitch can be enough of a challenge if you’re a novice, let alone a tight space on a slope.
0 -
Definitly think of your car clutch. You do not want to be in a position of having the clutch part out to keep the speed down when manoeuvering. Full out and engaged can be quite fast in a tricky position!
As for hitching up we drive up close and then just a small amount on the motor mover aligns
0 -
When we had a caravan we lived on a reasonable slope and I dreaded arriving home after the usually long drive home, however DH managed it ok for many years. What finally did for us was reversing the van onto a small pitch from a small site road in a crowded Italian campsite after a horrendous journey from the Mont Blanc tunnel in pouring rain. All made worse by being watched! DH said 'never again'.............we got the mover and never looked back. (just to say movers are not just useful for parking at home)
0 -
We had a problem with the clutch on our car when my OH got in an awkward situation back at the storage yard after our maiden voyage with our caravan. He pulled into an area down a slope where the road got progressively narrower because of the impatience of a fellow site owner in the statics area, and couldn’t get back up again. Had to be rescued and the van towed around a very narrow track by site staff. That hastened our fitting of a motor mover. A couple of months later, one Saturday afternoon in December, we were on our way to a site and the clutch went near jct 10 of the M25. Not a pleasant experience hanging around on the hard shoulder for a couple of hours before having the car put on a low loader and the caravan towed back home, fortunately via the storage site, by the RAC.
0 -
We almost always used to hitch up in that manner, except at the storage site, unless the van alongside was out. However, although I used to like to reverse it onto the pitch if it was quiet, as the practice is always useful. If the site was busy, particularly kids about on bikes, I always used the mover. Needed it on to line up the Alko wheel lock in any event.
0
