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I know that the expense will be an issue to consider very seriously, but think of the alternative. e.g. Just think what the insurance company may think..."So what you are telling us is that you and the wife pushed your caravan off the drive and broke the axel?" Check your policy...they may not pay up if the van does fall off the drive. A mover could be cheap in the long run

Phil

There's two questions here - the OP (Yingyag) is trying to reverse a van down a slope, obviously not a steep slope as he and his wife did their previous van by hand. The problem is controlling the van due to the handbrake not working when reversing. It's the same procedure as lowering a boat down a slipway which sailors have been doing for years and have successfully used winches without any problems. If it works for a large boat on a slipway it will work just as well for a caravan on a modestly sloping driveway.

The second question is Meta1mickey who is trying to pull a van into a driveway up a slope, but wants to reverse it in to keep the doorway less vulnerable to villians. That's where most people would use a motor mover as the best solution, but if it isn't possible then it isn't possible. Which has got me thinking have we ever had this problem shifting boats? Answer - not usually!

However, depending on the gradient (ie use some common sense) I have on occasion needed to haul trailers out backwards and have used the large webbing straps attached near the axle. Depending on how safe Meta1mickey judges this to be one option might be to obtain 2 strong webbing tie-down straps and secure them to the chassis near the axle. Easy enough to do without going under the van - then run them to the rear where they can be attached to a winch.

Clearly this is only suitable on a modest gradient, and it would be worth having some chocks tied to the chassis forward of the wheels so they are dragged behind the wheels as an emergency brake. A bit Heath-Robinson, but every problem solved without resorting to a credit card is a problem solved happily.

It has been clearly stated that a motor mover is not an option.  That shouldn't be a problem.  Caravans were being put in tight spaces before movers were ever invented.

I've not heard anything about the caravan being moved up the hill out of the drive.  Is this being done with the car?  If so, there's obviously room for it, and that van should just be reversed down the drive.  I think this must be the case, as the caravan is usually wider than the car, so the car must fit where the caravan has been.

If not, park the car at the top of the drive, attach a good rope to the hitch, and take a couple of turns round the tow ball.  You can then lower the caravan under control down the drive.

As an alternative, just use a storage site.  Initially cheaper than a mover, and the cost can be spread year by year.

Jim

 well thank you all its been a lot of reading,  i have got some realy good feed back , looks like a motor mover , but the motor mover wiil be worth more than the van lol  once again thanks you guys

Wehave a similar problem and have to get a 5 berthup a nrrow drive that has a small slope up from the road. We then get it down the side of the house with 2 inches to spare on either side!

We could not do it without a winch. It's brilliant. It is the type to move boats and pulls the van up the drive and doesn't let it slip away again. We attach a Halfords tow rope to the frame at each side underneath the back of the van and attach them to another one. This then hooks onto the winch cord. The winch hooks onto a steel hook in the ground (or you can also hook the winch over a towbar on the car.)

Our daughters take it in turns to press the button to operate the winch whilst my husband and I guide the van up the drive. It is very easy, takes very little effort on our part and makes the whole process safe. We could not have our caravan on the drive without the winch.

We got ours from Ebay, new.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ELECTRIC-WINCH-12V-HEAVYDUTY-PULL-BOAT-CARAVAN-TRAILER-/400107287074?pt=UK_Trailers_Transporters_Parts&hash=item5d2840b222

p.s

lots cheaper than a motor mover!

Quote: Originally posted by cwdc56768 on 12/7/2010

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Can I suggest that you have asked the wrong question in your circumstances. Take the words "without buying a caravan mover and not killing ourselfs" out of your question.

You have undertaken a risk assessment (although you may not appreciate that that is what you have done) and concluded that there is a risk

1. of the van falling off the drive and causing damage (costs to be incurred in calling someone out with a crane to lift the van onto a trailer to take it to a workshop)

2. Van rolling forward and causing injury to you and/or your wife and damage to the van. Did you read the recent post about a chap who was run over by his van after he tried rolling it up his drive?

So your answer is to invest in a caravan mover. Then you can you move it whilst keeping a safe distance from the van. Saves you repair costs and hospitalisation.

Be safe...caravanning is more enjoyable that way.

many movers will set you back about £1000 but have a look at the new E-GO for about £600

http://www.caravanmoversonline.co.uk/e-go/

Phil

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I will second this as I had a partial dislocation of my shoulder, and now a badly torn muscle trying to manouvre my van by hand onto my drive two weeks ago, I was only trying to move it about a foot (with help) but slipped, and ouch, lots of ouch. Have only just got some movement back, an that was on a level surface, and me being a fairly fit,hefty youngish bloke. So yes, get a motor mover, or perhaps a Mr Shifta or Purpleline hitch drive.

Jon

you could have a towbar fitted to the front of the car

If you can pull it out with the car, you can put it in with the car.  No need to spend any money at all.

Jim