Towing advice new caravanner
Discussion
Following this thread as I'm close to buying my first caravan.
Some tips I already knew of, some I didn't.
My Dad towed a caravan on holiday all over the country when I was younger, so he's been a good help.
Manouvering and reversing does not bother me at all, as luckily I've been shunting 40 foot artic trailers in very tight spaces for the last 20 years at work.
I'm looking forward to the challenge
Some tips I already knew of, some I didn't.
My Dad towed a caravan on holiday all over the country when I was younger, so he's been a good help.
Manouvering and reversing does not bother me at all, as luckily I've been shunting 40 foot artic trailers in very tight spaces for the last 20 years at work.
I'm looking forward to the challenge
Good luck. With a 400 mile round trip on the Easter weekend now under my belt I'm feeling a bit more at ease with the whole towing thing and realise that the van really does just follow you around 
Few things I've worked out so far: RWD BMWs are cr*p on muddy fields. Motor movers are ace, so glad we opted for one on ours.
Few things I've worked out so far: RWD BMWs are cr*p on muddy fields. Motor movers are ace, so glad we opted for one on ours.
Motor movers, fairisle sweaters and Crocs are for caravanners over a certain age.
Personally, I think a motor mover is a total waste of weight. If you are able and confident enough to tow a van, you should also be able and confident enough to be able to reverse it onto a pitch. It might take a couple of shunts, but you really should be competent enough to do it.
Personally, I think a motor mover is a total waste of weight. If you are able and confident enough to tow a van, you should also be able and confident enough to be able to reverse it onto a pitch. It might take a couple of shunts, but you really should be competent enough to do it.
Tyre Smoke said:
Motor movers, fairisle sweaters and Crocs are for caravanners over a certain age.
Personally, I think a motor mover is a total waste of weight. If you are able and confident enough to tow a van, you should also be able and confident enough to be able to reverse it onto a pitch. It might take a couple of shunts, but you really should be competent enough to do it.
I'm ambivalent on fair isle sweaters but crocs are horrible disgusting objects that should be wiped from existence.Personally, I think a motor mover is a total waste of weight. If you are able and confident enough to tow a van, you should also be able and confident enough to be able to reverse it onto a pitch. It might take a couple of shunts, but you really should be competent enough to do it.
Motor movers OTOH are invaluable for getting the van level side-to-side.
Don't become reliant on a mover though, if for some reason you cannot use it you could look a bit daft if your skills are lacking!
I'm probably not going to get one simply to avoid the extra weight.
If my plans go to plan, I will be living in it full time for a while, so could do with the capacity
I'm probably not going to get one simply to avoid the extra weight.
If my plans go to plan, I will be living in it full time for a while, so could do with the capacity
There is nothing as amusing as watching someone reverse who has relied upon a mover...
Came across a chap a year ago... A very simple reverse, but he had given up and was trying to drive on to a pitch forward where it was not going to happen... Clutch was smoking... I go him parked properly in 30 seconds.
Having said that I would like to get ours working. We've had to move storage bays, and we are now stuffed awkwardly in a corner with a dog leg reverse. Would be handy not having to take a second person to watch my back.
Came across a chap a year ago... A very simple reverse, but he had given up and was trying to drive on to a pitch forward where it was not going to happen... Clutch was smoking... I go him parked properly in 30 seconds.
Having said that I would like to get ours working. We've had to move storage bays, and we are now stuffed awkwardly in a corner with a dog leg reverse. Would be handy not having to take a second person to watch my back.
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