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We have changed vans.  Our last van was a single axle, 6m long with a mover.  It was easy to get on and off our drive, which slopes down to the house.

Our new van is a twin axle which is 7.9m long without a mover.  If money was no object I would get a mover.  I can reverse it onto the drive but only so far, because the rear steadies would ground beyond a certain point.  I have two ideas ;

The first is to get a front towball and try to get it mounted lower.

The second is to attach a tow rope to the car and van and reverse down with the front end lowered.  Where on the van chassis could I most securely attach the rope.

Surely the simple answer is to get a mover, or perhaps look around for a secondand hitch fitted mover. If you are going to the expense of fitting a front towball you are part way to the mover. You second option does not seem very sound to me as I am not sure vans are meant to be attached to ropes.

David

Mover £1500 for about an hours use per year.  Getting on and off drive  at the most ten times.

Front towbar £140.

Tow rope £0.

Caravan thieves tie up the front end of vans to save removing hitchlock.  There has been posts on here about winching vans and they would have had to attach the winch somehow.  I could leave it at the top of drive but I would feel happier with it away from pavement. 

I think David missed the point about the mover. Yes it would be ideal but they are blo**y expensive - especially for a big van. I think the front mounted ball works very well if you have a suitable tow vehicle i.e. 4x4 and the width to operate. they are usually used offset to the side although could presumably be used centrally. I don't know if you could get a front ball on an ordinary saloon type car.

Not convinced you would have the control you need with the rope.

What about looking out for a lawn  tractor/mower. There are lots about with knackered cutting decks but ideal for your purpose and not a lot of money. Often on ebay and regularly at our local auction clearance.

Quote: Originally posted by millermicm on 30/10/2010

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What about looking out for a lawn  tractor/mower. There are lots about with knackered cutting decks but ideal for your purpose and not a lot of money. Often on ebay and regularly at our local auction clearance.

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If the rear steadies will ground at a certain point, is it possible you could avoid them grounding if you placed a couple of planks in the tyre track of you van just before & through the point it's at risk of grounding? This may lift the van just enough for you to be able to back it down your drive to its parking spot.

We used to use planks when loading machines if we wanted to gain ground clearance on the loading ramps, it does work all you may need to do is work out a way to stop the planks moving, a shovel of sand in front of the plank to ramp the tyres up onto the planks will do it.

Just a thought.

BB

Just an idea or two.

Could you use a spare flange tow ball to connect to the caravan hitch in the normal way. Then you could fix a tow rope or maybe a tow pole which would give more control to it and the cars front/rear towing eye.

Would a single axle mover work if it's just a case of moving the van a small amount  downhill. These start at around £500.

Attach a winch to the house and have the cable going round a pulley at the top of the drive and back to the caravan. As someone else said you'll need to check that you can winch out underload.

Mike

Thanks for the info.  As you can see in pic the van is on the drive but would be happier with it another couple of metres down.

The trouble with a single mover is that the van will have to come up the drive again to save grounding whilst hitched.  If I can find good points on the chassis for straps I think that would be a good idea as I can use low gear ratios in car.  A spare towball or towpole might be a weay around it.  The front towbar seems the way to go.  We probably won't be using it till the new year so it gives a bit of time to weigh up options.  The mower would certainly give the neighbours a giggle.

Its asking too much of Santa to bring me a twin axle mover but he might stretch to a front towbar.

Thanks everyone for the suggestions.

   could you not use a adjustable height tow coupling for 4x4 from towsure

The adjustable height tow coupling looks like it could be a good option.  I have contacted the company that do the front towbars to see if what height options there are.  If that fails then I will look into the adjustable tow coupling.

Thanks