Moving a trailer by itself...

[Daniël Bos]

Hi all, I'm trying to solve the following conundrum for a project I'm working on for a customer.

 

I want to move a trailer by itself.

It'll be three wheeled, two weight bearing wheels and a third steering wheel up front with the drawbar attached. The trailer must be towable by vehicle or team of horses (hence the front wheel+drawbar).

It must also be moving under it's own steam, 50m max at a time, once daily.

It'll weigh 1500 kgs, but needs to drive through fields (pasture)

It will have an on-board 24 volt battery pack, and a 1600w max inverter.

 

I thought of the following options:

Winch: run out cable, attach to anchor, winch along, remove/reposition anchor. £750

Pro's- Cheap, rugged, quiet

Con- cumbersome, slow, one direction only, no turning.

 

Caravan movers, push remote ctrl buttons £1750

pro- easy to use, quiet, ultimate manoeuvrability

con- expensive (would need to use two units per wheel because of weight/terrain) delicate electronics (?)

 

Capstan winch on front wheel. Permanently attached winch with a looped rope around an additional bollard that's chain-driving the wheel. A levered pully would tension the rope, functioning as a clutch £1250

Pro- rugged, reliable, simple to use

Con- needs fuel, noisy, can only move forward (and turn obv, but no reverse).

 

 

So far I like the capstan winch idea most myself.

Any other thoughts, options available to me?

[Justme]

Use a vehicle not a trailer?

 

Hydraulic motors on each wheel powered by bats or small engine?

 

Hydraulic friction drive on to tyre tread?

[Daniël Bos]

A vehicle is a no.

It would make the whole thing too heavy to tow with the horses.

 

Electro-Hydraulics could work, I'll get researching and costing up.

[openspaceman]

It must also be moving under it's own steam, 50m max at a time, once daily.

It'll weigh 1500 kgs, but needs to drive through fields (pasture)

It will have an on-board 24 volt battery pack, and a 1600w max inverter.

 

We had much the same problem with our heath burner, it moved about 100 metres/hour.

 

I got fed up with the tirfor so decided on a wheel motor from an invalid carriage, gearing via a camshaft belt. Never did get it finished as funding disappeared when English Nature was emasculated.

 

I wouldn't mind betting that with suitable gearing one of the 400W 36V Lion drills would do the job.

[Haironyourchest]

Site generator strapped to the drawbar running an electric motor?

[IRE David H]

can we have a steel box section with removable drawbar and front wheel, held with bolts or pins, that solves the horse/ vehicle pull. if an axle could be fitted to the top powered by a with a brake mechanism similer to childrens dino carts it might work. so there is a rotating shaft going down to wheels via chains

[scbk]

Can it not be pulled by a two wheel tractor, old mower etc?

 

 

Or you do get caravan movers that go on the hitch, them seem painfully slow though

 

Mr Shifta 2 / Shifter Caravan / Boat / Trailer Mover | eBay

 

Caravan Mover - Camper Trolley CT1500 | eBay

[Daniël Bos]

We had much the same problem with our heath burner, it moved about 100 metres/hour.

 

I got fed up with the tirfor so decided on a wheel motor from an invalid carriage, gearing via a camshaft belt. Never did get it finished as funding disappeared when English Nature was emasculated.

 

I wouldn't mind betting that with suitable gearing one of the 400W 36V Lion drills would do the job.

 

A decent drill might do it, but wouldn't last long. They burn out fairly quickly if only used under full power.

 

Site generator strapped to the drawbar running an electric motor?

 

Could work, but it would be more expensive and hassle than the petrol capstan?

 

can we have a steel box section with removable drawbar and front wheel, held with bolts or pins, that solves the horse/ vehicle pull. if an axle could be fitted to the top powered by a with a brake mechanism similer to childrens dino carts it might work. so there is a rotating shaft going down to wheels via chains

 

Can't quite imagine what you mean tbh?

Removing sections is not ideal, it's for a customer and needs moving daily without needing much muscle or faff.

 

Can it not be pulled by a two wheel tractor, old mower etc?

 

 

Or you do get caravan movers that go on the hitch, them seem painfully slow though

 

Mr Shifta 2 / Shifter Caravan / Boat / Trailer Mover | eBay

 

Caravan Mover - Camper Trolley CT1500 | eBay

 

There's a tractor available that could move it, but.... it's not ideal. It needs to move by itself, daily and without hassle,

 

Those wheeled movers are no good unless you're on concrete, we're out in the field.

 

That tracked thingie looks more promising, but I doubt it would be man enough. Maybe if I get two working together it might work?

[waterbuoy]

They do larger versions of the tracked unit - look good too!

 

Trailer Mover | Camper Trailer Mover

[Daniël Bos]

They do larger versions of the tracked unit - look good too!

 

Trailer Mover | Camper Trailer Mover

 

Looks good! I'd need a 24v version, so I could hardwire it into the existing batteries.

 

But.... $3600 american pounds! plus postage, plus import taxes, plus mounting hardware etc, will be well over £4.5K!