When I was in the RAF we used to always reverse the aircraft tug and push aircraft back! Easier and safer. We sometimes used to push trailors with a front hook on Land Rovers or trucks.
------------- DS-There's more to life than football!!!
I cant see how you would fit a towbar to the front of a car, theres nowhere to attach it to, a Landrover is a bit different as it has a separate chassis.
Your best bet could be to tow your caravan to a nice big empty car park & practise reversing.
------------- Sell my camper? I'd rather eat school semolina!
There are companies who specialise in front tow balls,I suppose it's not too difficult to engineer something that mounts to the front towing eye - that's a really strong point on the car.
------------- Obsessed with German engineering - proud owner of a Hymer, a Mercedes, and a Radius recumbent bicycle.
In the July issue of Practical caravan there is an advert for a company doing the front mount tow bars. The website in the ad is for www.watling-towbars.co.uk
Watling towbars had a stand at the CC Centenary rally at Blenheim Palace back in '07. They had a Jeep fitted with a front mounted towball and you were invited to manouvre a single axle caravan into a 'garage' (set of cones). Fantastically easy! Granted it was a single axle mind, but I'm sure that a twin wouldn't make that much difference? Apparently, you cannot 'jack-knife' with a front mounted towball (so the salesman said) Not so sure about a landie though, what with their poor turning circles. I'm getting a mate to manufacture a QD bracket for my defender that i will be able to fix either near or offside. I'm sure that you'll not regret having one fitted.
My S3 had the ball fitted near where the bumper fits onto the chassis, so it was to the left of centre, it was easy to push the van with it.The guy who owned it befrore me used to have a trailer with motobikes on, which was apparantly heavy!
Of course on series LRs and defenders the bumper is pretty substantial so it is easy to fit a hitch with a reinforcing plate behind! The lock may be poor but you don't need a lot of steering movement to move the van!
------------- DS-There's more to life than football!!!
Some site owners,especially those with small storage compounds, use diddy tractors with front towballs to move vans in and out.Impressive speed and accuracy.
I used to drive a Tugmaster,Same principle but rather more massive.
I've moved all sorts of trailers, boats, static vans with a front mount. If you put the hitch over to the nearside so you can see down the side of the "pushee" it really is very easy.
Not got round to fitting one to my current Rangie, but I will.
I would recommend one to anyone who has to move a trailer into a tightish spot.
------------- best cheers
Frank
Range Rover Vogue SE LPG TAZ
I had a front towbar on a Ssangyong musso. Sorry to be negative but I found the following problems:
1. You can jack-knife if you're not careful - and I came pretty close at times getting on to my drive.
2. You can only see down one side of the van - what's happening on the offside you would have to keep getting out of the car to see. I found myself leaving a lot to chance when parking on storage pitches
3. No good for German vans - particularly if you have to pitch up nose first.
I have a German van and a front hitch on my Honda CRV and I also have a mover on the van,I rarely use the mover and have not experienced any problems with jack-knifeing.I wish I had had it fitted before the mover I would have saved £900!