Electric Trailer Mover Gizmo??

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wipe_out

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Hi,

Since it looks like we might be getting a new boat I am now looking at the driveway which at the narrow point is 3m wide and the boat is 2.55m wide so not a lot of room to play with.. I am thinking that one of those electric trailer mover gizmos will be the better option which will make it all much easier.. Problem is they all seem to be in the US or Australia..

Are there any of these things available in the UK? If so please point me to them..
 
I've got 4 on a twin axle caravan, Powrtouch I think they're called ... Make a huge difference for positioning a 26ft caravan ... wouldn't want to get them anywhere near salt water though! Pal of mine had a mover gizmo which fitted to the trailer hitch and had a handle and a couple of wheels but it was pretty useless and wouldn't work on anything that wasn't hard .. gravel, sand etc.
 
Kingfisher 2 said:
I've got 4 on a twin axle caravan, Powrtouch I think they're called ... Make a huge difference for positioning a 26ft caravan ... wouldn't want to get them anywhere near salt water though! Pal of mine had a mover gizmo which fitted to the trailer hitch and had a handle and a couple of wheels but it was pretty useless and wouldn't work on anything that wasn't hard .. gravel, sand etc.
Click to expand...

Yes, I have found the ones that go on the wheels but agree they won't last long after a bath in the water..

Do you know the name of the one that goes in the hitch?
 
mlines said:
A member on another forum where we discuss "boat banter" mounted a 12 volt 4x4 recovery winch on a plinth at the rear of his garage and can winch his trailer backwards on the drive and into the garage.
Click to expand...

That's an interesting idea.. Might look at that as an option.. It may also be a lot cheaper than the mover things..
 
The generic name for these things is a powered trailer dolly. There is a British made one called "British Tug", and also used Mr Shifta units, plus this one from Germany

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/3-WHEEL-M...577?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item541bca15e9

We had a similar problem, with the added issue of a dog leg in the drive. In the end I had a detachable front tow bar fitted, and it's now a breeze to push the trailer up the drive.
 
Nick_H said:
We had a similar problem, with the added issue of a dog leg in the drive. In the end I had a detachable front tow bar fitted, and it's now a breeze to push the trailer up the drive.
Click to expand...

That was my other option, a front tow bar.. Would you recommend the front tow bar over the trailer dolly?
 
wipe_out said:
That was my other option, a front tow bar.. Would you recommend the front tow bar over the trailer dolly?
Click to expand...

Well I didn't buy a dolly in the end, so I can't really compare. The front tow bar works very well though, and it's a doddle to steer a trailer using one, because of the geometry of having the steerable wheels so close to the hitch, and being able to see exactly what you're doing. Even with professional fitting it also worked out quite a bit cheaper than buying a powered dolly.
 
wipe_out said:
That's an interesting idea.. Might look at that as an option.. It may also be a lot cheaper than the mover things..
Click to expand...

My cuddy I have to get up a 20 degree slope that winds and is has one foot clearance either side of the boat

I use a winch with a remote control and a dolly like this with a wheel change to proper rimed inflatable tyres on (commercial grade wheelbarrow affairs).

mTIU-uLJ9hZa71SJm4fvskA.jpg


What is an impossible tow job becomes really rather simple.



20131225_151230_1.jpg
 
btw. The winch is a 6 tonne affair 4x4 affair and mounts to a ground post just outside the garage and takes power from a large CCrank battery and a 220volt supplied 80 AMP battery start assist charger .

51BVJCVUd2L._SX300_.jpg

The bedrock is only 2 foot below the soil. It was a helluva job to get the ground posts in.
 
BruceK said:
btw. The winch is a 6 tonne affair 4x4 affair and mounts to a ground post just outside the garage and takes power from a large CCrank battery and a 220volt supplied 80 AMP battery start assist charger .

View attachment 51750

The bedrock is only 2 foot below the soil. It was a helluva job to get the ground posts in.
Click to expand...

Thanks.. Seems the two possible answers are the winch with some form of ground anchor or the front two bar.. Fortunately both these solutions together are way cheaper than the dolly mover thing so I could easily do both and use a combination of the two is needed.. :)
 
it is common around here to see 4X4 vehicles witha tow hitch on the front. This for moving caravans into tight spots. That may be a solution.
From comments on letting the load down the drive it seems like an electric winch would be best. Unless slope is very mild. 12v winches come in all sorts of sizes and can be quite cheap. If the winch proves to be under powered you might fix a block to the trailer such that you can 2 to 1 pull it up at least the first part of the drive. This would then need trailer chocked and winch cable rearranged. Here is one in Oz. 50 squid less 10% tax plus import what evers.
https://www.whitworths.com.au/main_itemdetail.asp?item=90033&search123=90033&intAbsolutePage=1
You would have to be able to provide 12v DC at some current (a battery perhaps). Some of the cheap winches do not have power reverse however this can be acheived by reversing the +ve and -ve supplies. I imagine the motor would provide enough braking when going down if not try shorting out the pwer leads. Electrodynamic braking. Cable is described as 9.14metres so may need a few bites to get your length. good luck
 
William_H said:
it is common around here to see 4X4 vehicles witha tow hitch on the front. This for moving caravans into tight spots. That may be a solution.
From comments on letting the load down the drive it seems like an electric winch would be best. Unless slope is very mild. 12v winches come in all sorts of sizes and can be quite cheap. If the winch proves to be under powered you might fix a block to the trailer such that you can 2 to 1 pull it up at least the first part of the drive. This would then need trailer chocked and winch cable rearranged. Here is one in Oz. 50 squid less 10% tax plus import what evers.
https://www.whitworths.com.au/main_itemdetail.asp?item=90033&search123=90033&intAbsolutePage=1
You would have to be able to provide 12v DC at some current (a battery perhaps). Some of the cheap winches do not have power reverse however this can be acheived by reversing the +ve and -ve supplies. I imagine the motor would provide enough braking when going down if not try shorting out the pwer leads. Electrodynamic braking. Cable is described as 9.14metres so may need a few bites to get your length. good luck
Click to expand...

Yes, the front tow bar seemed like the answer but after measuring it's too close each side and the rails around the bow need the jockey dropped right to the floor to "hopefully" get under the roof and gutters on the house.. If it can't get low enough it will be even tighter with about 20mm clearance each side.. Don't think anyone can push with a car that accurately.. :) So the winch and a slow and easy pull through the gap is definitely the best option..
 
A few people have mentioned 12V winches, but if it's permanently installed on or near the house I'd have thought it would be easier and cheaper to use a 240V winch and simply plug it into the mains?
 
Nick_H said:
A few people have mentioned 12V winches, but if it's permanently installed on or near the house I'd have thought it would be easier and cheaper to use a 240V winch and simply plug it into the mains?
Click to expand...

To get one with a long enough line gets expensive. I use a 220v driven 80 Amp start assist with a 12v battery as ballast.
 
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