The ultimate guide to caravan motor movers

What sort of warranty will I get?

Most manufacturers confidently offer five-year warranties on their products. Some of these may be extended warranties with a fee attached. As these tend to be insurance-backed warranties, read the small print before signing.

Always ask what service is available, should you have a problem away from home and check what the warranty covers.

Do they last long?

A good-quality, well-maintained motor mover could easily last a decade or longer.

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, Alocrome 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.