Motorsport trailer improvments, all 12Volt.

[911hillclimber]

Always something to be done, and this task has waited for many years until a turn of fortune.
A long time friend and 911 owner gave me a Powrmover system following a conversation at the recent DDK Swap-Meet.

Off his old caravan, this would allow me to manoeuvre the race car trailer in the paddock and at home so saving my torn knee further grief this year.
Winching the light car is another task that substitutes for 30 mins in the gym, so decided (wife's idea) to fit a nice new 3000Lb pull winch with remote controls.

This week saw lots of hours adapting the mover to the non caravan chassis, lots of heavy current wires, endless ebay purchases and a zillion big holes to get it all up tight.

Bit of 'memory-lane' here as I lead the team that introduced the very first Van Mover to the world, but that is a very long story.
Not a fan of wires and crimping and heat sleeving and such things, but despite this it all actually works.

full test drive on Sunday to load the car on and to move it about.
Thought this might be of some interest to those who battle with trailers.

[keith fellowes]

Been thinking about doing that to mine as fleabay has some 2ndhand ones that probably could be made to fit.
Like your ideas for protecting the electronics/battery

Used to have one on caravans, so easy to slot it down the side of the house

[jjeffries]

I had no idea such things existed. Just watched vids on google. "When I was a lad" and we had a 12' Bailey (which we towed with our horrible Maxi), it was me and my three brothers, plus Mum, who provided the oomph. What a clever design. John

[911hillclimber]

I used to be the Design Director for Carvers John, we made heaters for the whole UK caravan market for years.
The then owner had the idea here to move a caravan of 1.5 tons up a 1:4 slope at walking speed.
That was the brief. We did it in 6 months flat.
It was an instant success and we sold more than a 1000 each year.
My 7 year old daughter was the chief demonstrator at the huge caravan shows.

Went the family decided to sell the business to Truma in Germany the design rights were sold for an eye watering lay high amount.
The first Movers were our best salesmen.

It was a perfect example of design improving the lives of people, most satisfying to say the least.

We were very proud of the device and the effect it had on the caravanner of certain years where the young pushers like you had flow the nest!

It is now a big business across Europe.

[jjeffries]

Very cool indeed. As you note, the kind of thing engineering should be all about. Thanks for sharing! John

[911hillclimber]

Gave the new trailer a good workout on the front drive, brilliant.

You can turn the trailer round on one wheel and at a good slow pace, positioning at ease to a few mm even, so aiding hitching up to the ball on the Skoda.
Winched the race car on and did the same, so all good.

Charged the big leisure battery which was a challenge for my 1970's charger. That black box has done some work over 4 decades and more.
Must also have enhanced the value of the Brian James trailer!

So many thanks to my friend and DDK fellow member.

[rhd racer]

Same trailer as mine Graham.

As you say, always something to do. With the 964 away I can just fit my trailer in the garage end to end with the Boxster, with just enough standing room at the bench if I breath in! So, up on stands doing wheel bearings, brake shoes, handbrake cables and repacking everything with grease. 2 new tyres too.

It has a hard life, and I don't fancy a VOSA check without going over it from top to bottom, it's a bit overdue...

I don't have a caravan mover on it, but did fabricate a tow bar mount for my ride-on mower which will even move the trailer loaded at a push.....

Cheers

[911hillclimber]

It is a brilliant trailer, tows so well and is very robust. Now 10 years old maybe 12.
You have a big garage!
I hope the electrical changes will save damage to my knee when fooling about moving the trailer in the paddocks.

One day you will be a fossil like me!

[Nine One One]

For anybody interested ALDI are doing these Caravan movers for £499


https://www.aldi.co.uk/em203-emove-cara ... 0287962800