Caravan Motor Movers
Printed From: R-pod Owners Forum
Category: R-pod Discussion Forums
Forum Name: Wish List
Forum Discription: Tell Forest River what you would like to see in the r-pod
URL: http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=12820
Printed Date: 19 Apr 2024 at 5:52pm
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 9.64 - http://www.webwizforums.com
Topic: Caravan Motor Movers
Posted By: dfmillard
Subject: Caravan Motor Movers
Date Posted: 04 May 2019 at 11:51pm
Why doesn’t the US have or use motor movers on our campers?
The UK have had them for over 20 years.
I think every camper built should have them installed at the factory.
|
Replies:
Posted By: Grandpa Hiker
Date Posted: 05 May 2019 at 4:13am
I have one on my 179. I go it a couple of years ago from Purple Line. The only place that I can park my Pod at home involves backing down a steep hill while making a 90 degree turn then across the back yard, then another 90 degree turn & then close beside a tall privacy fence. This is necessary to keep the HOA satisfied. With the caravan mover I can drive forward down the hill, etc. to near the Pod parking spot, disconnect from my TV, then use the caravan mover to put the Pod precisely where I want it. Easy - Peasy!!
-------------
Rob & Becky
2014 Ford Explorer 3.5 SOHC V6
2015 R-179 Pod aka Piddle Pod
"Life is not about waiting for the storms to pass, it is about learning to dance in the rain!!"
|
Posted By: GlueGuy
Date Posted: 05 May 2019 at 10:16am
|
We also have a Purpleline, but we have not installed it yet. At the time we got it, we were storing our RP-179 in a facility that had very tight quarters. The space between parking stalls was almost exactly the length of our tow vehicle. In order to park the R-pod, we had to unhitch, reposition, and re-hitch usually about twice to get the R-pod into the space. It took over an hour each time. That's when we made the decision to get the Purpleline.
Before we installed it, we got a different place to park the R-pod, which is a bit challenging, but not nearly as much as that storage facility. I can now back the R-pod into position pretty much in one go, and the incentive is less to get the Purpleline installed. We will probably get it installed this summer, as we have envisioned going to a few places where getting the R-pod into some of the spots we've seen could be a bit more challenging. We think it is a good investment.
-------------
bp
2017 R-Pod 179 Hood River
2015 Ford F150 SuperCrew 4WD 3.5L Ecoboost
|
Posted By: dfmillard
Date Posted: 05 May 2019 at 11:30am
Thank you for your response to my question.
May I ask where you made your purchase and where the installation
Was done.
I have not found anywhere in the US that sells and installs the movers.
Since I have bad knees I am unable to do the install myself.
Any help or info to this issue would be helpful.
Thank you all.
|
Posted By: GlueGuy
Date Posted: 05 May 2019 at 12:02pm
|
We bought ours directly from Purpleline. As it happens, they have their headquarters not far from here. We were going to get their low-end model, but when I talked to the guy on the phone, he offered the higher end model for a pretty steep discount. We plan to install ours ourselves, but I would imagine that your RV dealer could do it for you. With a couple people it should not take very long.
If you look at the http://www.purplelineusa.com/gallery.php - Purpleline gallery , there are several pictures of them on R-pods.
-------------
bp
2017 R-Pod 179 Hood River
2015 Ford F150 SuperCrew 4WD 3.5L Ecoboost
|
Posted By: dfmillard
Date Posted: 05 May 2019 at 4:44pm
Thank you, I have looked at that brand, but did not know of a dealer headquarters in the states.
I will look into them for my purchase then all I need is someone for the install.
Thank you much
Rev Dennis F Millard
610-587-5984
Penna.
|
Posted By: GlueGuy
Date Posted: 05 May 2019 at 6:30pm
I will add that part of the reason I have procrastinated on the install is that it will require that I drop the black water tank in order to install the brackets that bolt to the frame. I have not really looked forward to that little challenge. It doesn't look "too" bad, as there is mainly just the one bar going across the front of the tank that is holding it up. That plus a couple of pipe connections and the sensor wires.
-------------
bp
2017 R-Pod 179 Hood River
2015 Ford F150 SuperCrew 4WD 3.5L Ecoboost
|
Posted By: offgrid
Date Posted: 06 May 2019 at 4:35am
Just curious, as I have no direct knowledge of the caravan movers, but would not adding a front receiver to your tow vehicle accomplish a similar purpose in most cases? I've seen folks at boatyards make some pretty impressive maneuvers that way.
-------------
1994 Chinook Concourse
1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft
2015 Rpod 179 - sold
|
Posted By: GlueGuy
Date Posted: 06 May 2019 at 9:36am
Maybe in some cases, but the caravan mover allows maneuvers that are literally impossible with anything bigger than a lawn mower. The e-go, in particular allows you to spin the trailer on its axis. In addition, it allows you to walk around the trailer as you move it, so you can inspect all the potential obstacles. You can even park the trailer "tongue in" if you are in a place where the best view and/or the hookups are on the wrong side.
-------------
bp
2017 R-Pod 179 Hood River
2015 Ford F150 SuperCrew 4WD 3.5L Ecoboost
|
Posted By: Grandpa Hiker
Date Posted: 06 May 2019 at 1:52pm
+ what GlueGuy said. Also if you park the trailer "tongue in" close to your house, etc. it is very difficult for someone to steal it.
-------------
Rob & Becky
2014 Ford Explorer 3.5 SOHC V6
2015 R-179 Pod aka Piddle Pod
"Life is not about waiting for the storms to pass, it is about learning to dance in the rain!!"
|
Posted By: texman
Date Posted: 06 May 2019 at 2:04pm
i use a trailer dolly. it is not the easiest solution, but gets it done.
-------------
TexMan 2015 182g
2018 Sequoia
http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=9122&title=texman-182g-mods - TexManMods
|
Posted By: dfmillard
Date Posted: 06 May 2019 at 2:21pm
Hi Grandpa,
May I ask where you purchased your mover and where you had it installed?
Rev Dennis F Millard
|
Posted By: Grandpa Hiker
Date Posted: 06 May 2019 at 2:27pm
|
I got mine from Purple Line http://www.purplelineusa.com/ - http://www.purplelineusa.com/ . I dealt with Paul Liner & got great service.
I installed it my self. It came with very detailed & easy to follow instructions.
-------------
Rob & Becky
2014 Ford Explorer 3.5 SOHC V6
2015 R-179 Pod aka Piddle Pod
"Life is not about waiting for the storms to pass, it is about learning to dance in the rain!!"
|
Posted By: David and Danette
Date Posted: 06 May 2019 at 2:32pm
We have a old Power Caster that belonged to my father, was only used a few years. It has been in storage ever since about 25 years. I plugged it in a couple of years ago and it worked fine forward and backwards. If someone wants to buy it I will sell it, but they would need to pick it up at our home, it is very heavy.
-------------
2018 Vista Cruiser 19BFD (2018-
2012 Vibe 6503 (2014-2019)
2009 r-pod 171 (2009-2014)
Middle Tn
2014 Ram 1500 Quad cab
|
Posted By: mcarter
Date Posted: 06 May 2019 at 4:57pm
David, do you know what model it is?
-------------
Mike Carter
2015 178
" I had the right to remain silent, I just didn't have the ability."
|
Posted By: David and Danette
Date Posted: 06 May 2019 at 5:37pm
It is a PC-3 1,200 Lb
-------------
2018 Vista Cruiser 19BFD (2018-
2012 Vibe 6503 (2014-2019)
2009 r-pod 171 (2009-2014)
Middle Tn
2014 Ram 1500 Quad cab
|
Posted By: mcarter
Date Posted: 06 May 2019 at 5:58pm
That's the big boy. What do you want for it?
-------------
Mike Carter
2015 178
" I had the right to remain silent, I just didn't have the ability."
|
Posted By: David and Danette
Date Posted: 06 May 2019 at 7:52pm
$300.00 The large electric motor may be worth that much.
-------------
2018 Vista Cruiser 19BFD (2018-
2012 Vibe 6503 (2014-2019)
2009 r-pod 171 (2009-2014)
Middle Tn
2014 Ram 1500 Quad cab
|
Posted By: offgrid
Date Posted: 07 May 2019 at 5:00am
Originally posted by GlueGuy
Maybe in some cases, but the caravan mover allows maneuvers that are literally impossible with anything bigger than a lawn mower. The e-go, in particular allows you to spin the trailer on its axis. In addition, it allows you to walk around the trailer as you move it, so you can inspect all the potential obstacles. You can even park the trailer "tongue in" if you are in a place where the best view and/or the hookups are on the wrong side. |
I get that, I can see the value if you have a really tight storage location, for sure. Probably why these are more popular in Europe where most everything is more tightly spaced. You don't see a lot of folks diving around in full size vehicles there either. But for most parking spots in North America I would think that either towing from the rear or pushing from the front would be adequate.
One of the nice things about rpods is the narrow width. You still have to leave room for the wheel track but you can turn the corner into or out of a pretty small parking slot without as much stress as you have with an 8 ft wide trailer.
-------------
1994 Chinook Concourse
1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft
2015 Rpod 179 - sold
|
Posted By: StephenH
Date Posted: 07 May 2019 at 8:02am
|
[QUOTE=David and Danette]$300.00 I would be willing to pay that and come and get it. I wouldn't be able to come and pick it up right away though.
-------------
StephenH
Happy is the man that findeth wisdom,...
http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=7712 - ouR escaPOD mods
Former RPod 179
Current Cherokee Grey Wolf 24 JS
|
Posted By: GlueGuy
Date Posted: 07 May 2019 at 9:39am
Originally posted by texman
i use a trailer dolly. it is not the easiest solution, but gets it done.
|
We tried a couple of dollies, but they could not move the R-pod on the simplest of obstructions (like a rock > .5" diameter).
-------------
bp
2017 R-Pod 179 Hood River
2015 Ford F150 SuperCrew 4WD 3.5L Ecoboost
|
Posted By: texman
Date Posted: 07 May 2019 at 9:46am
trailer dolly- wife has to help push (full disclosure) it isnt the easiest. i added solid tires to it, which helped a lot. i really want one of those electric dollies, but they are pricey. anybody have an idea to fab one from some old wheels and a 12 volt motor? i am gonna poke around for a way to make one.
-------------
TexMan 2015 182g
2018 Sequoia
http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=9122&title=texman-182g-mods - TexManMods
|
Posted By: dfmillard
Date Posted: 07 May 2019 at 10:25am
The dolly’s are heavy to carry with you and take out of truck and put back in.
The motor movers are the answer to many problems. Yes, they are expensive, but so nice to have on
Your camper when needed.
Great way to meet your camping neighbors, too.
We in the US need to push the RV Dealers here to see the advantage of selling and installing the movers.
|
Posted By: texman
Date Posted: 07 May 2019 at 11:40am
i just need to dolly to get the trailer inside the barn where i want for storage. i have never needed one when camping. it would stay in the barn and get used seldomly. 2-4 times a year.
-------------
TexMan 2015 182g
2018 Sequoia
http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=9122&title=texman-182g-mods - TexManMods
|
|