im new to this forum thing so please forgive me if you spot anything wrong please
accept my appologies.
this is my problem : im in the process of moving caravan storage and have a dilema.
the van on my new pitch needs moving and has a reich caravan mover on it, now the
van is owned by a 78 year old chap that suffers from alziemers . he tried to move it
on monday and has forgotton how to use it .
Now he has left a fully charged battery and the remote and has asked the owner of
the site to ask me if i can do it??????? never owned one!!! im told it is approx 9
months old. dont know the model not even sure if it locks onto the wheels automatically,although the wheels are engaged at the moment, there is a 19mm nut on either side but thats all i can see as the vans are tight together.
has any one either got any manuals i could have a copy of or be able to give me any
pointers so i dont end up looking like a right berk!!! any help and advice would be
Easy enough - it will almost certainly have 'cross actuation', which means that you can wind both of the rollers on/off from either side. I just use a socket and ratchet drive.
Remote control has self-explanatory symbols - also has 'soft start' which should avoid any sudden lurching forward/backward.
One important note - you say that the rollers are currently engaged? Leaving them locked on for any length of time can damage the tyre - I'd certainly get the old gent to have tthe tyres checked before towing the van again.
------------- 'If it ain't broke, don't worry - it soon will be'
Quote: Originally posted by Returnee on 03/12/2008
Easy enough - it will almost certainly have 'cross actuation', which means that you can wind both of the rollers on/off from either side. I just use a socket and ratchet drive.
Remote control has self-explanatory symbols - also has 'soft start' which should avoid any sudden lurching forward/backward.
One important note - you say that the rollers are currently engaged? Leaving them locked on for any length of time can damage the tyre - I'd certainly get the old gent to have tthe tyres checked before towing the van again.
Should also have mentioned -
You may need to turn on the 'master' switch - usually a red key in a socket somewhere near the battery. I tend to leave mine on all the time - but good practice is to turn it off when you've finished using the mover, presumably in case someone else's Reich is on the same frequency and you start moving accidentally ;)
Also - the handset on/off switch requires a double press to activate it, and it will switch itself off (handset) if not used for 30 seconds or so.
------------- 'If it ain't broke, don't worry - it soon will be'
thanks so far guys am i to assume the its clockwise to lock and anticlockwise to dis engage? and should i feel some resistance has a quick try on sunday just gone but cause i felt a little resistance i didnt want to break it! is there anything to look for regarding it having electric engaging and dis engaging, i would have thought if a man of that age would buy a mover he wouldnt want to have to start winding anything? any body know which buttons on the remote would run that function?
Can't help with the auto-engage function (too luxurious for a poor man like me;) but I know that it's operated by a solenoid and am investigation of the buttons will soon reveal if it's fitted.
Winding by hand is simple enough - you won't break it ;), just keep on going until the roll;er is tigh against the tyre. The Reich has a green 'indicator' that comes into view when you're winding, at which point you stop..
Don't worry about resistance - these are just tyres, not New Labour, and resistance is not something that they fear ;) The rollers ned to grip those tyres in order to work.
In fact, the slogan (for both Reich and New Labour) should be, 'No resistance, no progress' ;)
------------- 'If it ain't broke, don't worry - it soon will be'
thanks so far guys am i to assume the its clockwise to lock and anticlockwise to dis engage? and should i feel some resistance has a quick try on sunday just gone but cause i felt a little resistance i didnt want to break it! is there anything to look for regarding it having electric engaging and dis engaging, i would have thought if a man of that age would buy a mover he wouldnt want to have to start winding anything? any body know which buttons on the remote would run that function?
I have a Reich with the electric activation you are referring to. It is operated via a separate hand control, and requires you to hold the ON button until the rollers are engaged (approx. 1 minute), when the motors will automatically stop. To disengage, you need to hold the OFF button for approx. the same length of time, until the motor, again, automatically stops.
Regarding the main hand control. There will probably be a red Master switch inside the battery-box which must be turned on, and in order to operate the handset, you have to press the ON button twice, quite rapidly, and a small light should appear on the handset. The hand-set will automatically switch itself off if not used for approx. 10 seconds. The movement buttons are self explanatory, and to switch the set OFF when you are finished, you can either press the ON button once, or just let it close itself down after the 10 secs. without use. From your explanation, I would imagine the Master Switch in the battery-box may have been left on, particularly if the 'vans are parked close together, but whenever you are finished, make sure you retract the rollers off the wheels, just in case the owner eventually decides to send you a Bill for two new tyres.
From reading your original post again, because the rollers are already engaged on the wheels and the 'vans are parked close together, I would imagine that the Master switch is also ON (if it's not, you wont be able to move the 'van at all), so all you have to do is power-up the hand-set (two quick presses of the ON button), and the small power light will light up - you can practise this in your own house, or anywhere for that matter, as it wont affect the mover until you are up close to it.If the light doesn't show up, you're either not doing it right, or the battery in the hand-set needs replacing. Providing the light shows, you've got power, so, as long as the Master switch is on, it's just a matter of releasing the handbrake, and away you go.
We have a reich mover fitted to our caravan and all you have to do is wind the roller onto the wheel until the display goes from red to green then use the remote to control it. I have a User manual that I can forward to you on Monday if you wish
please if you will anne my email address is keithtatejoinery at hotmail.co.uk and i'd to thank all of you for responding its been as big help especially you eddie12 you were spot on, ive just been down to storage tonight to see remotes yes both of them as i guessed the old boy has electronic roller engagement as well, tried remotes and they lit up a treat so going to try and move the old van tom afternoon will see what happens regards keith.
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