The ultimate guide to caravan motor movers

Discover the convenience of a motor mover – an innovative electronic device designed to transform your caravan manoeuvring.

Easily fitted to your caravan, this device, equipped with two or four motor units based on your caravan type, empowers you to navigate your caravan remotely.

What are caravan motor movers?

Motor movers for caravans are mechanical devices that enable a caravan to be manoeuvred by means of power from the caravan’s 12V leisure battery.

Since the invention of motor movers, the concept has quite simply revolutionised caravanning. This is because, without a motor mover, caravans either have to be manoeuvred by a car or manually. There are obvious restrictions to both.

Why use a motor mover?

Manoeuvring a caravan by means of the car, for example onto a pitch with tight-turn restricted access, or onto a storage plot, means that there has to be sufficient length available for the car and the caravan to turn.

Manoeuvring manually requires strength, especially on gravel surfaces, and can be impossible on even slight inclines. So, enter the motor mover, as an alternative to both. Motor movers quite simply do away with the need to push or pull a caravan. They manoeuvre with great accuracy. And they are super-easy to operate.

Motor movers have a role to play in hitching up your caravan to your car. Unless you have a reversing camera fitted to your car (in which case you will use it to position the car’s towball under the caravan’s hitch), you will find that using a motor mover makes an enormous difference to the task of hitching up.

You can move the caravan towards the car with 100% accuracy, positioning it so that the hitch cup is over the car’s towball.

How does a motor mover work?

Motor movers are fixed to the caravan's chassis and have rollers that clamp against the tyres. When you activate the motor mover (by means of a remote control), the motor mover roller applies pressure (torque) to the tyre, thus moving the caravan.

You can, from the remote control handset, control the speed and the direction of movement.

Motor movers take their power from the caravan battery.

Some have a manual engagement system for the rollers (by means of a lever); most haver powered engagements; you press a button on the handset and the rollers move towards the tyres, engaging the mover.

How to fit a caravan motor mover

While it is possible to DIY-fit a caravan mover, in practice most caravan purchasers have them fitted by their caravan retailer, and that is what we would advise. There are several movers on the market.

The one that you choose has to be suitable for your caravan. For example, it must not obstruct the spare wheel carrier that is fitted to many caravans just behind the nearside wheel (or wheels, on a twin-axle caravan).

And it must not obstruct the caravan’s jacking points. Above all, it must be designed for the number of axles that your caravan has; movers are designed for either a single-axle or twin-axle caravan.

Find out more

Caravan motor mover problems

Bear in mind that the weight that a mover adds to your caravan has to be considered as part of the caravan’s payload.

Most motor mover systems weigh around 30kg. Also bear in mind that, because motor movers sit below the chassis line, they reduce ground clearance; something that has to be kept in mind when manoeuvring around kerbs.

Also take extra care to drive very slowly over caravan park speed bumps.

Things to consider when using a motor mover

Motor movers are very powerful, so watch out for any obstruction, for example, a rock, that could cause damage.

Another thing to consider is your caravan’s battery; standard advice is to have a leisure battery of at least 85Ah.

Which motor mover to choose?

Taking the two extremes, if your caravan is small and light in weight, you can go for a smaller, less powerful mover than one that is made for larger, much heavier, twin-axle caravans.

Motor movers

For example, the major motor mover manufacturer, Powrtouch, makes a motor mover called Freedom, which the company describes as a low-cost option with a manual engagement system. It is suitable for caravans with an MTPLM of up to 1,500kg.

In the Powrtouch range, there are three options for larger caravans. The Evolution (single axle) is available with either manual or automatic (powered) engagement. It is designed for caravans with an MTPLM of up to 2,000kg and will move caravans of up to this weight on a 25% gradient.

Twin-axle

For twin-axle caravans there are two motor movers in the Powrtouch range. The Evolution twin axle, two-motor mover and the Evolution twin-axle, four-motor model.

This one has four rollers, so offers enhanced capability over the model that has two motors. It is designed to manoeuvre caravans of up to 2,800kg MTPLM, and has enhanced turning capability compared with the two-motor model.

Other motor movers

There are several other motor mover manufacturers and brands on the market.

These include Quattro. There are three in the range. The Quattro Titanium is a single-roller mover and is designed to move a caravan of up to 2,300kg MTPLM on a 15% incline. The Quattro Rhodium has two rollers on each mover, so offers more torque.

The Quattro Diamond also has two rollers on each mover and has a manual engagement system.

Both the Rhodium and the Diamond are designed to move a caravan with an MTPLM of up to 2,500kg on a 15% incline. The Diamond has an automatic engagement system.

Leisurewize offers a range of four motor movers called Emove. The Emove 203 and 303 are described as budget caravan movers. They are designed to move a 1,500kg (MTPLM) caravan on a gradient of up to 18%.

The 303A has automatic engagement. It is designed to propel a caravan with an MTPLM of 1,600kg on an incline of up to 18%. The 305 has a greater weight capacity; up to 1,750kg on an 18% gradient.

Al-Ko introduced the Mammut manoeuvring system some years ago. Designed for gradients of up to 28% and to cope with obstacles up to four centimetres high, this is a robust unit which is integrated into the chassis.

Al-Ko says it is, “The most precise manoeuvring system on the market with maximum ground clearance.”

Adam Betteridge, the UK Aftermarket Sales Manager for Al-Ko, explained to outandaboutlive,

We have a UK network of dealers who have access to training and accreditations from us and can install when required.
We are creating a new aftermarket dealer network in the UK.

Adam Betteridge

FAQ

How much is a motor mover for a caravan?

It obviously depends on the make, type and capability for which each mover is designed. A major factor on price is whether you are buying a mover for a single-axle caravan or a twin-axle model.
Fitted prices range from around £800 up to more than £2,500 for the highest-spec ones.
How much warranty do you get with a motor mover?

Generally, motor movers come with a five-year warranty; check with the manufacturer.
When was the first motor mover introduced?

In 1996 Carver (the company later became part of Truma) unveiled the first motor mover that clamped to a caravan chassis. Reich entered the market in 2001.
In the same year, Powrwheel launched its first mover, called Powrtouch.
What are quad movers?

Quad movers were developed for twin-axle caravans.
There is a mover on each of the four wheels. Increased traction is an obvious advantage. Ease and accuracy of manoeuvring is another advantage.
How do I look after the mover?

Maintenance is quite simple on most movers on the market – keep the mover clean and every six months grease the mover (follow appropriate instructions).
Successful operation is dependent on a good battery. Keep the caravan leisure battery topped up.
The mover can operate at voltages below 12V, but it does have an automatic cut-out when the voltage drops to 11V. Keep the battery above 12V.
When not in use for long periods, consider taking the caravan battery out of the caravan and top up occasionally with a bench charger.
Also, remember to take the battery out of the remote control.
Can I fit my motor mover or swap my existing one onto my new caravan?

Yes, you can do both. It’s relatively easy for anyone who’s handy with a spanner.
What are the latest mover developments?

Soft-start technology: Given that motor movers are located next to the wheel with all the associated grime and dirt, the very best materials must be used to ensure longevity.
For example, Powrtouch uses an aircraft-grade aluminium alloy, diamond-cut precision-machined castings, Alocrom treatment post-machining, durable powder coating, heat-treated high-strength steel gears, hi-torque four-pole motor and a super-grip aluminium roller.
All combined with British design and manufacture.
Light and durable alloys and clever gearbox designs are making the latest movers much lighter than their predecessors.
Advanced mover technology is also making new units much lighter. The e-go range is 28% lighter than comparable units, giving you greater usable payload.
The latest movers, like some of those from Truma, feature three-phase brushless motors which give feedback to the control circuitry, so that it always knows what the motors are doing.
The result is an efficient and super-sensitive mover that can even trap an egg without breaking it and one that will manoeuvre straight, even if one or more wheels is going over obstacles.
Reich has some of the strongest movers on the market. You can control some via a smartphone app, just in case you can't find the remote control.
Brushless DC motors used in some movers create far more torque than traditional motors with carbon brushes. Truma’s XT is one unit that uses this technology.
You can upgrade some e-go units retrospectively, eg, transform a two-unit system into an all-wheel drive four-unit system, thus future-proofing it should you get a bigger caravan.
One way of getting more power out of a given DC motor is to fit four poles instead of the normal two. In essence, this means an extra pair of stationary windings and brushes.
This type of motor consumes more current but produces much more power. Powrtouch and others incorporate this design into their latest units.
Anything else I need to know about motor movers?
Yes, don’t use the mover while you’re plugged into the mains recharging your leisure battery, as you’re likely to blow part of the circuitry.
Motor movers are incredibly powerful, so ensure that there's nothing in the way of the caravan, and don't forget to take the handbrake off, before you activate it.
Always put the handbrake on before disengaging the rollers, unless you have chocked the wheels.
Manoeuvring a caravan using a remote control is so simple that it’s easy to overlook small ground features that could cause issues.
For example, a jockey wheel that’s bogged down in soft sand or shingle, or an impact with a kerbstone can cause significant stress and potential damage to a caravan chassis or, at best, a bent jockey wheel.
Consider using a heavy-duty jockey wheel with your motor mover, preferably with a pneumatic tyre.
Have you ever tried...
- Hitching up: reversing your car to line up the towball with your caravan?
- Pitching your caravan on a tight and awkward pitch?
- Levelling your caravan onto levelling ramps?
- Moving your caravan into a difficult parking spot?
- Lining up the wheels of your caravan with your security hitch lock?
Manoeuvring the caravan is not always possible with the car. Certain surfaces, inclines and tight spots make your caravan difficult to manhandle.
With a motor mover, all of this is made so much easier. Powrtouch has designed a millimetre by millimetre mover range capable of climbing a 25% slope with 2,000kg.
Which mover should I choose?

Single, twin or AWD
Powrtouch has designed a range to suit every caravan; single or twin-axle with an automatic or manual feature.
Turning is the main point to consider. The Powrtouch Freedom range is for single-axle caravans up to a weight of 1,500kg on a 25% slope.
The Evolution range is recommended for the heavier caravan either for single, twin-axle or all-wheel drive with manual or automatic engagement feature.
An AWD has superior turning ability for tight spots. You might want to consider future-proofing in case you want to upgrade your caravan later down the line.
Automatic or manual
Engagement to the tyres can be manual using a wrench, or automatic using a remote handset.
A mover with manual engagement can engage both sides of the caravan from one side. It is easy to use for most caravan owners, with just a single movement.
An automatic mover has actuator motors to move the rollers on and off the wheels.
It is simple to use – pressing two buttons, no effort required if the manual mover is impractical due to health issues.
Weight
Powrtouch movers weigh from 35kg, they add just 3-4kg to the noseweight.
Energy source
The mover takes its power from a leisure battery, which you should already have fitted to your caravan.
New motor movers from Powrtouch

With over 20 years experience in creating caravan movers, Powrtouch has a great pedigree.
Its latest updated versions of the Evolution and Freedom motor movers are designed to make manoeuvring caravans simple and safe, including a professional installation as standard and a five-year warranty.
Its Freedom model is an entry-level caravan mover that still offers a guarantee of quality, while the Evolution is a premier product for single and twin-axle caravans.