Remote control trailer movers

[Tatonka]

Does anyone have any experience with the near wheel mounted electric trailer movers / caravan movers ?
(Not the hitch dolly type but the type mounted in front and behind the trailer wheels.)

They look like they'd be quite useful in tight spots.


So far I've found these brands and I think there may be others...

Easi-mover
http://www.easi-move.com/

Dometic powrtouch
http://www.waeco.com.au/products5.asp?catId=160

Enduro
http://www.purpleline.co.uk/products.php

[davidahn]

I know this is an old thread, but I have the same question as OP, and this thread answered some of my questions (thanks, Joshua!).

After looking at Parkit360, Trailer Valet, and the Camper Trolley, I've decided they all have significant weaknesses: 1) they're an extra thing to lug around, attach, and detach; and 2) they can't pull a trailer uphill, they must push it d/t lack of downward force, limiting your placement options. So the Purple Line movers seem to be the way to go assuming I can get an appropriate tough but soft jack wheel. I have an inquiry out to Purple Line regarding the adequacy of their own heavy duty dual wheel caster.

One problem with Joshua's setup ishis 1000-1200 lb tongue weight; that's pretty extreme, possibly due to his application of food truck. Mine is a 19' Bambi, about 350-400 lbs tongue weight (I've moved my batteries to just in front of the axle).

[westend]

I have 0 experience with those moving systems but I have little faith in any small DC motor that handles a lot of weight. The torque involved usually heats the motor up so that in a short time they fail. This is from using them in other applications like lifts, winches, actuators, etc..

If I needed a close quarters solution to moving a trailer, I would use a front mounted receiver on the truck or a small tractor with a bucket.

To Joshua's needs, I would search at aircraft suppliers to see if you can pickup a dolly wheel. I had one around here, years ago, 12" D, wide pneumatic tire (may have been foam filled) and a robust frame that had an attachment opening for handle or tug hitch. It weighed a pretty good bit but looked like it could hold up the front of a 727.

[wmoses]

Tatonka wrote:
Joshua, thanks so much for providing your real world experience! Anything else you could add would be greatly appreciated.

X2. Thanks for the useful post and helping to increase our knowledge on the subject, regardless of whether each of us has a need for it. 🙂

[wmoses]

Tatonka wrote:

JJBIRISH wrote:
They would be great if you have money to burn for something you don’t need and would rarely use…

I know... it's like air conditioning. A total waste. If you have windows and some shade why on earth would anyone blow their money on a/c... Most trailers didn't even have it years ago. 😉

Still, our trailer is loaded with burnt money options ( TV, a/c, oven, microwave...). Camping is all about campfires it seems.

🙂

Love your response to that non-value added response! You asked a simple question about a product and get judgement.

Why stop there - this whole RV lifestyle can be seen as burning money as it sure ain't a good savings plan!.

[Tatonka]

I'm still thinking that these things might be a great solution for getting into tight older campsites. Plus at home.

Anyone with any experience using them?

[69_Avion]

For my use, I can't imagine putting extra weight on a traier to move it a short distance. Maybe in special, limited cases, it may have some use, but it certainly isn't for me. They are just more things to go wrong and more weight to carry. Neither of which, I need.

[Drum]

I like the idea of it if it works, and if somebody's got the money to spend on that particular luxury. The thing that got me about the video was that with all that emphasis on automation and remote control, the guy still had to bend over and manually crank the heck out of the thing to get it into (and I assume back out of) position.

[Tatonka]

Joshua, thanks so much for providing your real world experience! Anything else you could add would be greatly appreciated.

Since several companies and multiple models exist I think there must be a number of users out there. (In Europe). Maybe we're get more postings on these from users and any tricks they've employed.

The tongue wheel problem sounds like something $50 given to a welder would solve. (Maybe random wheels on a second jack?) The safety issues are another concern if you're parking and unhooking on a slope which I do and which makes me very nervous every time. I chock and use a X-chock screw stabilizer. I don't think I'd ever try to use any of these powered units on anything but the mildest of slopes. The power caster looks like a cool solution too. I'd looked at their site but was attracted to the wheel mount model because they are out of the way and don't take up storage space.

[BurbMan]

tatonka wrote:
A few years ago i stupidly got in a tight spot where the way out was blocked and my wife and I were totally alone had to back our trailer out around several curves with inches of clearance between a wall and a sharp drop off, which took several hours.

It likely would have taken as long to unhitch and use the power trailer mover. backing out of a narrow passage is a time consuming process no matter how you slice it. Here's something to think about: assume in this scenario you decide that it's easier to unhitch and use the park assist to maneuver the trailer. What if the rig is on an incline, even a slight one? Do you chock the wheels before you disconnect? How would you simultaneously unchock the wheels and start the TT moving by remote control? My worst fear is not realizing that you're on an incline until you've unhitched.....a rolling trailer of any size would easily overpower the 12v motors, I think i would rather have the truck controlling the trailer until it was chocked and parked.

Josh, you would almost better off keeping one of these in the bed of the F-250:



(Click on image for link)

Costs $1025 and weighs 50 lbs, and will handle the tongue weight of the cargo trailer with oven. If you arrive at a spot where you can't park with the truck, just unhitch, pull this out of the bed, and park the trailer. Or maybe if you're already too deep in system you have contact these guys and see where they get their tires. Notice that the small casters on the back are off the ground when you are moving the TT, the weight is supported by the bigger tire. Google "trailer movers" and there's a bunch of options.

[joshuafinancial]

I'm so glad to see a current post on this topic in the USA. I hope someone can help, and I hope my post is also helpful.

I own a mobile food business - we have a trailer with a large, wood-fired oven and we bake artisan breads, crackers, pizza, and pastries.

Our trailer works city streets, private parties and events. It is a 24-foot enclosed cargo trailer that is towed by an F250 longbed.

In our business, driving a trailer is a non-revenue-generating function. Critical, but the revenue drivers for us are customer service, food preparation and presentation.

Parking in tight spots we must do every day, quickly and flawlessly. And so therefore, the caravan mover products are must-have gear. Otherwise we limit our growth and ability to operate our food business.

After a lot of research, we imported an EGO Quattro system from PurpleLine. It had the power rating for 7500 lb trailer on an incline, and a 5-year warranty.

We've installed it and it works great - EXCEPT - they don't offer the wheels needed on the tongue jack. It appears that in the UK they're using wheeled jacks that aren't strong enough for my application.

I have had great trouble finding a set of solid rubber or pneumatic castor wheels that can handle the 1,000-1,200 lb tongue weight, and that also have a narrow-enough wheel base so that the castor will indeed pivot. The only products we have been able to acquire are polycarbonate wheels - which lock up trying to turn on uneven surface, dig into the turf on soft surface, etc.

The result? The caravan mover easily moves trailer backward and forward, but it can't turn.

The manufacturer (PurpleLine) referred us to a competitor "Easi Mover" by Royal who offers the perfect wheel set. Royal represents itself as having USA dealers. Trust me, they don't. They have drop shippers who apparently I'm the first person trying to buy anything. After 1 month of a USA trailer dealer trying to get responses from Roayal, we still don't have the part. Nor does Royal ever return emails or phone calls from the USA dealer.

So I'm back where I was 1 month ago - without a solution. I've looked at industrial caster manufacturers offerings and there doesn't seem to be a solution there, either.

Does anyone have any suggestions (jokes at my expense are OK - but any serious ones we'd be so grateful)? Here's a link to the part I was after:

[SprinklerMan]

It would be pretty nice , UNTIL my 7 year old son found the remote and wanted to play with the camper because its fun. I can picture my trailer going down the street with 2 boys fighting for the remote .

[drakethib]

Never of heard of it until now, look pretty cool though.

With my luck, mine would short circuit and I would be running after my RV down the road.

[Tatonka]

They do sound very capable...

"The Powrtouch All Wheel Drive Twin axle caravan mover drives all four wheels of the caravan. This allows for it to be used on a steep slope, turning uphill or on uneven ground (where the drive wheels may lift off the ground). This model will fit the majority of all twin axle caravans. The All Wheel Drive unit is comprised of two Powrtouch units which are positioned both in front and behind the caravan wheels and which are wired to work simultaneously."

[Tatonka]

BurbMan wrote:
Very cool, but if I had $2300 to blow it sure wouldn't be on this. I'll bet that system would move a TT up on leveling blocks; the factory tongue jack would be fine for paved areas but I'll bet those casters would get jammed up on a lawn or unpaved area. Those 4 powerful motors must eat the juice though....I wonder how far you could maneuver a TT with 2 12v batteries onboard? And I'll bet the setup adds a lot of weight to the TT also.

I would think you would be better off with a quality set of towing mirrors...with this remote setup, you would constantly be walking back and forth to see both sides of the TT while you are backing. With good mirrors, you can see both sides from the driver's seat and back the TT more efficiently.

Tatonka is there a specific need for where you park your TT that you are considering these?

Yeah the casters look like they'd be useless on lawn or gravel... But that's a easy fix, a larger wheel or tandem casters.

A few years ago i stupidly got in a tight spot where the way out was blocked and my wife and I were totally alone had to back our trailer out around several curves with inches of clearance between a wall and a sharp drop off, which took several hours.

One other time I had great difficulty backing the unit into a smaller site and thought at the time that these things would have made it a snap... And would allow us to regularly choose smaller rustic sites.

A generator is higher on my list, but when the batteries die we do just fine without power so I "really" don't need to spend any more money. ( When my wife and I tented around Alaska we took two tents, a larger tent and a $12 pup tent for quick setup in the rain but ended up using the pup tent numerous times. That's when I realized that anything beyond that is just an unnecessary luxury.)