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Subject Topic: How easy is it to manouver 1000kg `van?
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16/3/2009 at 4:20pm
 Location: Gloucestershie
 Outfit:  Fiat Ducato campervan
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Buy 4 wheel chocks and you can move a caravan on wet grass Put rope on each chock and you can move the caravan one side at a time


16/3/2009 at 5:04pm
 Location: West Midlands
 Outfit:  Karsten
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Have a look at Freedom caravans, they are really light, we have towed ours with a focus 1.4 over 1000 miles in one go, with no probs! They are also made of fibre glass so dont go damp! They have just won an award from caravan club so no doubt be in the mags soon?!

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~*MZZY*~


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16/3/2009 at 5:54pm
 Location: Cheshire
 Outfit: Compass Connoiseur 490 5 + Volvo V70
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My 1st van weighed in at 1000kg max, and like other posters I can move it around single handedly on the flat - even in the grass is a bit wet, but any kind of gradient causes all sorts of problems. If it's me & hubby or son, no problem, but I can't do it on my own - Hubby can, he laughs and says it's just because I'm one of the 'weaker' sex, it's a good job I know he's only joking!

Reversing isn't impossible, you just have to take your time and stay calm - sometimes easier said than done. I usually try to have a go, but if I'm really tired with the kids moaning in the back of the car I have been known to ask the wardens/site owners to site it for me, so far no one I've asked has refused.

On sites where there is no wardens around, the neighbours are usually willing to lend a hand.

I wouldn't choose just one the weight issue, go for the one you love.

Oh and which ever you do decide on Have Lots of Fun!


16/3/2009 at 6:45pm
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It's been said before, but I will say it again. The safest wat to learn to reverse a trailer is to get a toy and practice on the kitchen table. The worst that will happen is it'll fall on the floor. You might feel a bit of a muppet at the time, but you will keep your dignity when you have to do it for real. The first time I reversed a caravan I knew which way to steer, I just needed to work out how much; I put this down to the hours I spent playing with toy lorries and cars with trailers as a kid. I was always facinated by toy trailers. Once you have understood the physics of the task, find an empty car park and practice there for an hour or two until you feel confident. It gets easier and easier.


16/3/2009 at 7:21pm
 Location: Norf
 Outfit: Elddis
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I can push 1600kgs of van up a small kerb to my drive.. its a struggle but I can. Use the caravans balance and its not too hard. 



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17/3/2009 at 8:01am
 Location: Nottingham
 Outfit:  Swift Freestyle S2
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Quote: Originally posted by LobeyDosser on 16/3/2009

I was recently washing the caravan outside the garage and a crowd of young kids were playing on their bikes close by. They had not seen me bring the van out, on its motor mover!

When I finished cleaning the van I said to it, in a loud enough voice to be heard by the kids, "Right you, get back into that garage".
Nothing.
"Right, I won't tell you again. Get into that garage at once".

The van gave a shake and then trundled back into the garage all by itself.

2 seconds later all the kids had vanished, no doubt to tell their Mums of the strange guy that orders caravans about <G>.


           LOVE IT!!!


17/3/2009 at 7:12pm
 Location: Walsall
 Outfit: Unicorn Barcelona 2 & Kia Sorento
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if I can't use the car to push it, it's not moving!!

why push when you have a car to manouver it

learn to reverse, it's quite easy

My van is far too heavy to push so we just use the car.

have a go

Steve


17/3/2009 at 8:30pm
 Location: Brigg North Lincolnshire
 Outfit: Outwell Montana 6P
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Ours is around 1000Kg unladen.   It's easy to push with one hand on our flat tarmac drive, but is very difficult on any other surface.

If you're worried about manoeuvering on site, why not do one of the club's courses - they're brilliant, with lots of practical time to practice reversing around corners and into spaces.   It's really not that tricky when you've had a few goes with someone there to give you advice.... and also a few people having a go too. Ours was great fun!


19/3/2009 at 5:06pm
 Location: preston
 Outfit: abi ambassador
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I loved lobeys reply!!!!!!!!!!

yep i did forget muddy wet grass issue but i find there you usualyy have a bit of space what can you carry in the boot to slip under tyres to stop wheel spin?

the advice to have a go is good if you in open field maybe go to a quiet c.l . and practice

my hubby had a trailer for work that has given him some confidence

wardens may have 4 x 4 ti help you kendal c and c will whip it off you and site easily no prob. ask ask ask



19/3/2009 at 5:08pm
 Location: preston
 Outfit: abi ambassador
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how much is a course for my hubby or me?


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19/3/2009 at 6:31pm
 Location: Near Alton Towers
 Outfit: Bailey Burgundy S7 H
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The Caravan Club charge per person, £95 for a one & a half day beginners course or £80 for one day course that is biased more on maneuvering. I have just sent the forms off to enroll on one today.

Dave.



22/3/2009 at 5:14pm
 Location: Southwest
 Outfit: Mondeo 2.2 Titanium X
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Quote: Originally posted by brianconwy on 16/3/2009

We have a problem in that our drive is so steep that the van has to be taken in nose down or it will tip over.  I suppose I could reverse it in and wind down the back legs, but it is far easier to use a mover and it makes it a bit more secure.  The horse trailer has to be reversed in though.377

Before we had the land rover or mover, we had a rover 45 and you could smell the clutch burning every time we moved the van from the drive.

Brian


Will your mover handle a steep drive like that with no problem Brian? What sort have you got? We're going to have to get one fitted because we nose our van into the drive & hitch it to a big RSJ concreted into the flower border & I can't quite get out from in front of it if I drive in still hitched which is a bit of a pain.

We had a Powertouch on our last van which did the job with no problems but I want to make sure I get the right one this time as I don't intend changing the van in a hurry. Famous last words!

BB



22/3/2009 at 5:41pm
 Location: north wales
 Outfit: Sprite Quattro FB
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Our mover (rhyno) has a gear ratio of 60:1 which makes it a bit slower but hasn't presented any problems moving the van.  Because the drive is reasonably narrow its a tight turn at the entrance.  Our van only weighs 1000kg laden.

We would never have been able to push the van and it used to make the clutch burn on our previous car.  I would think any normal powered mover will do the job, but personally I would avoid one with nylon gearing as it can wear and lead to slippage.

They certainly make life easier.

Good luck

Brian



30/3/2009 at 2:02pm
 Location: Norf
 Outfit: Elddis
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Quote: Originally posted by rushallmanor on 17/3/2009
if I can't use the car to push it, it's not moving!!

why push when you have a car to manouver it

learn to reverse, it's quite easy

My van is far too heavy to push so we just use the car.

have a go

Steve


I am quite adept at reversing, however if you saw my drive and the entrance to it, you would know why I push it on!


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*:)



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