Wanted, small 2nd user motormover for caravan.

[jayjay]

Yes I know it's diddy and lightweight at 650kg max weight, but now both myself and Linda have sustained injuries trying to get it back onto the drive. It's easy to get out, but difficult to get back in again. So I guess I need to bite the bullet.

These things cost a fortune new, so I'm hoping someone sees this and can offer me a bargain second-user one.

I did think about an electric winch and that might still be an option, but I think the motormover is the way to go. Or I'm never going to be independant with it and that won't do!

[Ian.C.S]

Hello jackie,
I havnt anything to sell you ,but a quick look around the web for you suggests that a Bigfoot battery driven mover, may be the thing for you, they are not so popular nowadays so are cheaper on the second hand market, but they are still expensive £400+.
How about getting the phone number of a strong boy scout
Some manufacturers advertise recon units but the price is still high.
or its back to hunting round the breakers yards, but they know what these things are worth, and they may not have the necessary controller, and you are stuffed without it.

Cant advise about a power winch, it depends on the turning circle into your drive.
Not much help I know, but best I can do.

Ian

[jayjay]

Thanks for that, Ian, any help/thoughts/advice appreciated.

The road outside my house is so narrow that it requires a 10 point manoever just to point it in the right direction. My son says I just need practice to reverse it onto the drive. In theory he's right, it comes straight out ok, so in theory it should go back in! However when you return home, you're already out on the street and not actually on the same alignment/angle to reverse it onto the drive.

I was wondering if a winch would do the trick, and I think it would, although I would have to sink a post I think to attach it to - but that would get it up over the dropped kerb and onto the drive.

I'm just waiting for a jocky wheel with a pneumatic tyre I've ordered to turn up, as the drive is soft and the ordinary jockey wheel digs in (it reminds me of a wayward supermarket trolley wheel!) and buries itself! Been told that all will be much easier with a pneumatic blow up tyre on - so that may solve the problem in the short term.

I've been looking at the bigfoots, but as you pointed out, they are expensive - almost as much as the proper motormovers! Towsure do a motormover for £500 with fitting £150, still a lot of money.

[Yamaha]

A few on eBay - 220635087310 - 180531693644

Any good?

Mike

[jayjay]

Thanks Mike, keeping an eye on one of those, not too far away!

[blackpoodle]

Hi Jay Jay
Mum has a powertouch motor mover in her garage which came off her tourer when we swapped for seasonal pitch vans. It's about 8 years old I would think but the van was always kept in the garage her and wasn't heavily used. It's been stored for the last 3 years and is in good condition.
I don't know how much she was thinking of but will ask her tonight and post back on this thread in case it would be suitable for you.
Janet

[Ian.C.S]

Thanks Mike, keeping an eye on one of those, not too far away!

I got my fingers crossed for you Jackie, it looks like blackpoodle may have the answer for you. Good luck girl,you need some luck.
Ian

[jayjay]

Hi Jay Jay
Mum has a powertouch motor mover in her garage which came off her tourer when we swapped for seasonal pitch vans. It's about 8 years old I would think but the van was always kept in the garage her and wasn't heavily used. It's been stored for the last 3 years and is in good condition.
I don't know how much she was thinking of but will ask her tonight and post back on this thread in case it would be suitable for you.
Janet

OOOO please please please!!!!!!

It needs to be from a small touring van though, they come in different sizes depending on the weight they have to move. If your Mum knows the specs, I can make enquiries as to whether it would fit my old thing. All excited now!

[jayjay]

I got my fingers crossed for you Jackie, it looks like blackpoodle may have the answer for you. Good luck girl,you need some luck.
Ian

Keep them crossed Ian! Along with mine... and my toes...

[blackpoodle]

OOOO please please please!!!!!!

It needs to be from a small touring van though, they come in different sizes depending on the weight they have to move. If your Mum knows the specs, I can make enquiries as to whether it would fit my old thing. All excited now!

Hi again,
The Powrwheel motor mover was originally fitted to a Buccaneer Elan 1994 14'6 tourer 7'3 wide. It was used in 2003 &4 season for touring but after Dad died in 2005 the van was only used on the seasonal pitch till we traded it in March2007 for the Hobby caravan. It's been wrapped up in the garage ever since waiting for Mum to get round to putting it up for sale. We were only talking the other day about advertising it in the site office (along with loads of other camping stuff like spare awnings stored in the loft!)
Mum has original paperwork for it and it was fitted in April 03. It's a Powrtouch model 1 (for caravans without shock absorbers or where gap between chassis face and inner surface of wheel is >4 1/8") and it we chose the extra cost option of the power bar which enables you to activate the device from either side of the caravan.It's got the remote control still with it. You'd need a 110amp leisure battery on board to power the main unit.
She was looking on the region of £325 for it. Don't know if that is within your budget? I understand Powrwheel have fitting agents and they'd advise on cost of fitting if suitable but my brother says that most caravan dealers/service agents may be cheaper and if you know someone who is handy in electrical/mechanics then it's fairly straightforward to fit since it comes with full self fitting instructions.
Details are on www.powrwheel.com or the number on the info we have is 01425 623123. We found them a very helpful company and I'm sure they would be able to advise if the one we have would be suitable for your van.

Hope this is helpful

Janet
PS
Am going to Westmorland CP, Tebay (seasonal pitch van) tomorrow am so will take laptop and hope wifi is working on site/in services. If not sorry, will respond to any queries Sunday/Monday when I get back home (weather dependent- pretty wet here tonight despite ongoing hosepipe ban!)


Janet

[jayjay]

Hi Janet! Sounds good to me! Will make enquiries as to whether this will fit with the Powrwheel ppl and get back to you as soon as poss. Thanks ever so much! I'll send you a PM when I've found out anything!

Jacki

[jayjay]

Hi again, Janet!

Powrtouch want £250 to fit!! However, I believe a local fitter would only charge approx half that.

The thing is, I've bought a Mr. Shifta from ebay, like this one:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.d...id=p2761.l1259

and had a great time yesterday moving a caravan which my caravan would have fit inside twice over -with ease!!

However, my parents need the proper thing, so I'm trying to convince them that they should buy yours and get it fitted, as they are both in their '80s! I'll get back to you on that one.... they think everything is too expensive, so I'm having a struggle convincing them that this is an amazing bargain! LOL!

I think the Mr Shifta will work for me as I only need something to get the caravan back on the drive. No problems getting it out, and no problems pitching on sites (so far, touch wood!) so I'm hoping that this and the pneumatic jockey wheel will do the trick.

[Ian.C.S]

Hi again, Janet!

Powrtouch want £250 to fit!! However, I believe a local fitter would only charge approx half that.

The thing is, I've bought a Mr. Shifta from ebay, like this one:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.d...id=p2761.l1259

and had a great time yesterday moving a caravan which my caravan would have fit inside twice over -with ease!!

However, my parents need the proper thing, so I'm trying to convince them that they should buy yours and get it fitted, as they are both in their '80s! I'll get back to you on that one.... they think everything is too expensive, so I'm having a struggle convincing them that this is an amazing bargain! LOL!

I think the Mr Shifta will work for me as I only need something to get the caravan back on the drive. No problems getting it out, and no problems pitching on sites (so far, touch wood!) so I'm hoping that this and the pneumatic jockey wheel will do the trick.

Well done Jackie,
you are amazing,nothing stops you does it.look forward to seeing you at the next meet.

[jayjay]

Well done Jackie,
you are amazing,nothing stops you does it.look forward to seeing you at the next meet.

Thanks Ian!

Not sure yet if this is the answer! (Fingers crossed) I'm waiting for my son to come over and lift it out of the car as it's far too heavy to lift. However, once it's on the floor, it has four wheels and powered forwards/reverse motion, so it's not a problem then - it will live in the shed until I need it.

While my son is here today, I'm hoping he'll give me a hand to change the jockey wheel as well, then we can have a play with the Mr Shifta+caravan and see what's what!

Always been of the opinion that if something needs to be done - i.e., it's something worrying, irritating, etc, then see if something can be done about it/do something about it.

I keep telling myself you only have to do these things/pay for this and that - once and then it's sorted. I've spent a small fortune on that caravan but thankfully I'm almost there now!

[blackpoodle]

Hi again, Janet!

Powrtouch want £250 to fit!! However, I believe a local fitter would only charge approx half that.

The thing is, I've bought a Mr. Shifta from ebay, like this one:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.d...id=p2761.l1259

and had a great time yesterday moving a caravan which my caravan would have fit inside twice over -with ease!!

However, my parents need the proper thing, so I'm trying to convince them that they should buy yours and get it fitted, as they are both in their '80s! I'll get back to you on that one.... they think everything is too expensive, so I'm having a struggle convincing them that this is an amazing bargain! LOL!

I think the Mr Shifta will work for me as I only need something to get the caravan back on the drive. No problems getting it out, and no problems pitching on sites (so far, touch wood!) so I'm hoping that this and the pneumatic jockey wheel will do the trick.

Hi Jackie

Glad you're fixed up OK- jockey wheel one sounds just the ticket. Amazing fitting price from Powrwheel- they charged us £70 in 2003, a family friend had mine a couple of years ago and paid £125 so I think so £250 is excessive though I understand the newer versions have automatic engagement rather than manual so maybe they charge more because of that). According to my brother who has an engineering background and is pretty handy, they are easy to fit with the instructions. In the absence of handy family, mobile caravan engineers usually would fit cheaper than that. If you or any one else on here knows of someone who may be interested in the motormover then just let me know

Janet