My Dad has a folding caravan - couldn't tell you what sort... and he stores it in his back garden. Unfortunately my Mum passed away last Sept and he's not been able to use the van since...
1. He had to give up his towing car it was provided by motorbility for my Mum - he is buying himself a new one very shortly cause he wants to start going out in the van again.
2. He can't get the van in and out himself!
The second problem is his main issue. Access to the back garden is up a curb into some gates, which he can litterally just get the van through. Unfortunately the curb is not on a straight line, so when he uses his winch to pull the van up the kurb it hits the kurb one side before the other, twists and hits the gate posts. He's thinking of getting one of those movers that attatch to the A-frame, that winds... I'm not entirely sure it's gonna work myself. Or am I wrong? Does anyone have any other sugestions? Otherwise it doesn't look like he's gonna be a able to join me and mine, unless I swing round to his and help him put it away evertime....
What do you think guys?
------------- from a (not so) complete novice... !
Yep two ramps for the kerb would work with one ramp longer than the other so that it pulls straight, if you're thinking of the purpleline movers, they do work but take a lot of winding to get any distance though it would be ok to get up the kerb and then winch straight.
------------- Doing as little as possible for as much as possible...
A couple of ramps would be ideal, but the land is council owned round the back and I'm not sure they'd agree. They haven't yet said anything about his gates.....
He could keep the van on the front, but worries that when it's not there people will know he's gone away....
Temporary ramps might work though, that he could pull in when not required.... That might save him some money too if he didn't need the mover.
------------- from a (not so) complete novice... !
I reckon a couple of the caravan leveling ramps with a block of wood between the end of one and the kerb to make that one longer would work and would be light to move about and even less effort to get hold of.
------------- Doing as little as possible for as much as possible...
I had the same problem getting my folding camper into a garage over a drainage gully. I made a pair of wooden ramps which I stored in the garage when not in use. You could make them different lengths which would solve your problem
------------- hawk
"Laugh and the world laughs with you, snore and you sleep alone"
I have the body of a greek god - its in my freezer
We thought we would never need or use a mover 'till our new van turned up with one. Best thing ever. Ours is a Powrtouch number and the amount of divorce threats, ground teeth and hissyfits (me - all) it has saved has been amazing. Only 'ickle drawback is that a mover needs a good size battery in good nick. Otherwise - a purchase never regretted.
Removable wooden ramps is the way to go, I don't think you need to have them different lengths though? only wide enough so the van can take a straight line up the ramps and through the gates.
As for those windy thingys your much better off with the winch you already have.
In the 50's councils would never allow drop kerbs as council house tenants were deemed to poor to afford a car?!
Because of this everyone round our way had wooden ramps, I know me Dad made a lot of um!!
The other thing about drop kerbs is that any vehicle using them has to cross the pavement. I remember once adding a drive to the house we lived in and when we asked the local council if we needed any permission, they sent someone round. Through the next post we received their specs for strengthening the pavement.
It was the worst enquiry we ever made. If we had added some drop kerbs they would have been none the wiser. What made their letter even cheekier was their estimate for them doing the work and every week their own bin wagon drove with one set of wheels on that same pavement.
You are probably right Ken..... But I'm not sure he can afford it. I've emailed him this thread (hoping to get him to join!). He will be able to explain in more detail the problems he's been having - I'm not sure I have it exactly right, something to do with another slope going right angles to the slope he has to contend with... I know he is having dificulties and ramps are not the solution by all accounts....
Dad? When are you logging on???
------------- from a (not so) complete novice... !
I have a powered jockey wheel mover that I bought off E-bay. It replaces the jockey and is connected to the leisure battery, and has a long handle that you steer by. I have used it on my Freedom caravan and on my Combi Camp. It is very good for moving them around on the drive, and could be the answer for your Dad. I wouldn't bother with one of the manual types - you have to work pretty hard to power them, and can't concentrate on where you're aiming the trailer.
There are a few different ones, e.g. Big Foot which I believe has it's own battery.
------------- Caz
If you can't see the light at the end of the tunnel, just keep going till you go round the bend.