Fitting a Caravan motor mover
These instructions are for fitting a standard Truma motor mover with grit rollers, other models slight variations will be explained lower down the guide.
The caravan can be raised on blocks of wood to get more ground clearance, but it is not advisable to use bricks or concrete blocks etc as they could break resulting in crush injuries or worse.
The van can then be tilted up at the front as far as you need, axle stands can be used on the chassis to keep it up or more blocks of wood placed under the front corner steadies (or both) then the legs lowered onto them, you can now go to the back of the van & lower the rear corner steadies, this will lock the van in place securely.
Place the motor units at the correct wheels, then push the cross member into 1 motor unit, then slide it under the van, go to the other side & fit the other motor onto it, Next put each sides mounting clamps beside the wheels, there should be 2 U bolts per side with 13mm nuts plus an L shaped bracket & a thick retaining plate, there will also be at least 1 chassis anti slide block with 17mm bolt & locknut.
The unit can now be lifted up to the chassis, I used to use a trolley jack in the centre of the unit to do this but I now use wooden blocks of various heights that I made, I now just lift up one side & push a block under the mover, then go to the other side & do the same.
Fit the L shaped bracket between the chassis & mover, make sure it’s under the chassis & not sitting on it, and then place the thick plate onto the chassis so that the chassis is sandwiched between the 2. Then slide the U bolts up against the sides of the mover & through the plates holes so that when the nuts are fitted the mover is pulled towards the chassis, tighten up the nuts until the mover will hang free without the blocks under it but will just slide along the chassis, You now need to set the gaps between the mover & the tyres, most movers require a 20mm gap at the centre of the tyre, the easiest way to do this is cut 2, 20mm pieces of wood to fit in the gaps, there also needs to be clearance on the inside wall of the tyre, 20mm is usually sufficient, but once all the bolts are tightened up it needs to be rechecked for clearance, get it too tight & you will wear out the tyre as it scrubs on the motor unit.
Tip;- as you finally tighten the nuts up you will probably find that the gap between the tread & the roller decreases, you will need to loosen the nuts & move the mover back along the chassis allowing a slacker gap when u retighten the nuts, it may take a couple of attempts, do not over tighten the nuts if they are the smaller 13mm on the Truma & Reich older models, you will be in danger of stripping the thread, if this happens leave the nut in place then fit another nut over the top of it. Once tightened up the anti slide blocks can be fitted onto the chassis, fit the one behind the mover first, tight up against the mounting plates so that the mover cannot slide away from the tyre, if it’s possible fit the rear ones in place, but to be honest they really are not needed & you usually cannot fit them because the 2 chassis members overlap at that point.
That’s the mechanical part done, you can now engage the rollers onto the tyres, those of you that are fitting a new Truma standard mover can now start crying because you have just realised that the motors are delivered in the closed position so they are already extended towards the tyres, you will now have to disengage them then remove the anti slide block, loosen the mover & regap it, sorry.
Everyone else should of course check that the mover is in the off position before fitting it.
If theres a cross actuation bar you can now fit that if you wish, I tend to leave it until the cables are fastened as it always seems to be in the way.
Now the cables, first determine where you want the cables to enter the van, it will in most cases be within 1 metre of the leisure battery.
On modern vans with external entry battery boxes it will be in a front seat box, if you drill a hole large enough to fit the cable through first you will have something to aim for when laying the cables, just double check that there’s nothing to hit when you drill your hole.
As you’ve got your drill in your hand you may as well drill the 2 smaller holes through the battery box rear wall top left or right corner, I always drill next to the vans own cable then as soon as the new cables come through the wall they can be taped to the vans cables.
It’s a good idea to tape together the 2 cables from the motors with different colour insulating tape for each side, it keeps them together while running them & it identifies them when your inside the van, I always use red for the nearside & black for the offside, that way I never get confused.
The cables are fixed to the underside of the van with plastic clips called P clips, stainless steel screws are usually supplied, take both cables from both motors to the middle of the van clipping them at about 10 to 12 inch intervals, then head for the new hole, this is to keep both cables the same length so that there isn’t extra wire resistance from a longer cable causing the mover to veer off to one side in use, it might seem a bit of a waste of time but its less than a 5 minute job to do it & if you change your van in future your sure to have at least 1 side that’s long enough & probably both.
Push the cables through the hole, go inside the van decide where the control panel is going,
(Tip:- the control panel rear needs to point inward so the cables should be nearest the wall, this is because the warning lights & reset button is on the back edge of the control panel,) then measure up the cables & cut them to length, fix the terminal connectors to the cable with crimping pliers, fit the power cables to battery through the holes in the box but don’t connect them to the battery, check that the lengths are ok, fit them to the + & - connections on the control panel, next fit the motor cables keeping them in sequence red black red etc.
Then fix the cables to the floor, inc battery cables, then tape the power cables to the vans cables, next connect them all into the battery terminals & fit them to the battery.
Warning:- the + & - motor cables can be reversed & will need to be reversed if you fit behind the wheels, but on no account can the power cables from the battery be reversed, if they are it will be instantaneous & irrepairable death to the control panel, so be warned.
Double click the red button on the handset, a series of clicks should be heard & the panel should start up, press the forward button, if you hear the motors turn go outside the van & check that the right motor is turning in the right direction by pressing the left or right buttons.
If the left motor turns when you press the right button disconnect the battery & swop the 2 left cables with the 2 right ones but keep them in the same red black configuration & try again, providing your checks prove its all correct, disconnect the battery terminals, go into the van & fix down the control panel then fill the holes with silicone to weather proof them, job done...
These instructions can be used to fit all models that I know about with some various little differences.
Powrtouch now use 17mm U bolts so they are not easily stripped, the handset has 2 red buttons that you have to push at the same time to turn it on & you cannot turn it off, it turns itself off after 30 seconds of inactivity.
But from August 2009 a new control panel & handset has now been introduced & you can switch it off manually, also the wiring side which is the front of the panel needs to be away from the wall as the remote cable can be plugged into it to run a handset with a flat battery.
Please view pictures page to see how a powrtouch mounts to the chassis.
Also it uses an isolator switch between the battery & control panel on the positive cable, if possible mount the switch in the battery box just below the 240v mains input plug, then route the battery cable to one side of the switch, then from the other side to the panel.
The new Truma S, SE & TE don’t use U bolts they have alloy brackets with a steel U shaped clamp it uses 4 17mm bolts torque to 40nm & 2 13mm bolts at an angle to the chassis these have to be tightened first but not too tight.
They are a bit of a pain to get the 20mm gap right it’s unlikely you will get it right first time.
They don’t use chassis anti slide blocks like all other models
The handset has a slide button to turn it on.
The SE & TE have a safety socket that needs to be fitted on the A frame cover in reach of the 12n black plug, it has a twin cable fitted to pins 3 & 6 of the socket & then 1 cable connects to the negative cable at the control panel, the other cable fits onto a connection on the panels circuit board.
If you don’t plug the 12n socket into the plug then the panel won’t start up, it’s to stop accidental engagement of the rollers while on the move etc.
They also have an isolator switch.
Purpleline Enduro;- the gap between tyre & roller is 30 mm.
They also have an isolator switch that can be fitted the same as above but it also comes with its own little box with lid so a large hole can be drilled in the side of the van & the box fitted, but I wouldn’t advise it if you have a standard battery box, but it is handy if you don’t.
Please note fitting a motor mover under a caravan can be dangerous if not done properly & severe crush injuries can occur so please be very careful & take your time setting up the caravan, its far better to have at least 2 methods of propping up the van at the same time, rather than relying on 1
Cuts off the chassis are common & some people are allergic to the Zinc plating on the chassis, septicemia is not uncommon with chassis cuts, then there's the knocks when the spanner slips or cracking your head or knee off the chassis, so take care.
In no way does this guide suggest or recommend that you should do this job yourself, its just a guide to how it is usually done by a competent fitter.
Written by keith on behalf of N.E. Leisure Products
www.neleisureproducts.co.uk
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These instructions are for fitting a standard Truma motor mover with grit rollers, other models slight variations will be explained lower down the guide.
The caravan can be raised on blocks of wood to get more ground clearance, but it is not advisable to use bricks or concrete blocks etc as they could break resulting in crush injuries or worse.
The van can then be tilted up at the front as far as you need, axle stands can be used on the chassis to keep it up or more blocks of wood placed under the front corner steadies (or both) then the legs lowered onto them, you can now go to the back of the van & lower the rear corner steadies, this will lock the van in place securely.
Place the motor units at the correct wheels, then push the cross member into 1 motor unit, then slide it under the van, go to the other side & fit the other motor onto it, Next put each sides mounting clamps beside the wheels, there should be 2 U bolts per side with 13mm nuts plus an L shaped bracket & a thick retaining plate, there will also be at least 1 chassis anti slide block with 17mm bolt & locknut.
The unit can now be lifted up to the chassis, I used to use a trolley jack in the centre of the unit to do this but I now use wooden blocks of various heights that I made, I now just lift up one side & push a block under the mover, then go to the other side & do the same.
Fit the L shaped bracket between the chassis & mover, make sure it’s under the chassis & not sitting on it, and then place the thick plate onto the chassis so that the chassis is sandwiched between the 2. Then slide the U bolts up against the sides of the mover & through the plates holes so that when the nuts are fitted the mover is pulled towards the chassis, tighten up the nuts until the mover will hang free without the blocks under it but will just slide along the chassis, You now need to set the gaps between the mover & the tyres, most movers require a 20mm gap at the centre of the tyre, the easiest way to do this is cut 2, 20mm pieces of wood to fit in the gaps, there also needs to be clearance on the inside wall of the tyre, 20mm is usually sufficient, but once all the bolts are tightened up it needs to be rechecked for clearance, get it too tight & you will wear out the tyre as it scrubs on the motor unit.
Tip;- as you finally tighten the nuts up you will probably find that the gap between the tread & the roller decreases, you will need to loosen the nuts & move the mover back along the chassis allowing a slacker gap when u retighten the nuts, it may take a couple of attempts, do not over tighten the nuts if they are the smaller 13mm on the Truma & Reich older models, you will be in danger of stripping the thread, if this happens leave the nut in place then fit another nut over the top of it. Once tightened up the anti slide blocks can be fitted onto the chassis, fit the one behind the mover first, tight up against the mounting plates so that the mover cannot slide away from the tyre, if it’s possible fit the rear ones in place, but to be honest they really are not needed & you usually cannot fit them because the 2 chassis members overlap at that point.
That’s the mechanical part done, you can now engage the rollers onto the tyres, those of you that are fitting a new Truma standard mover can now start crying because you have just realised that the motors are delivered in the closed position so they are already extended towards the tyres, you will now have to disengage them then remove the anti slide block, loosen the mover & regap it, sorry.
Everyone else should of course check that the mover is in the off position before fitting it.
If theres a cross actuation bar you can now fit that if you wish, I tend to leave it until the cables are fastened as it always seems to be in the way.
Now the cables, first determine where you want the cables to enter the van, it will in most cases be within 1 metre of the leisure battery.
On modern vans with external entry battery boxes it will be in a front seat box, if you drill a hole large enough to fit the cable through first you will have something to aim for when laying the cables, just double check that there’s nothing to hit when you drill your hole.
As you’ve got your drill in your hand you may as well drill the 2 smaller holes through the battery box rear wall top left or right corner, I always drill next to the vans own cable then as soon as the new cables come through the wall they can be taped to the vans cables.
It’s a good idea to tape together the 2 cables from the motors with different colour insulating tape for each side, it keeps them together while running them & it identifies them when your inside the van, I always use red for the nearside & black for the offside, that way I never get confused.
The cables are fixed to the underside of the van with plastic clips called P clips, stainless steel screws are usually supplied, take both cables from both motors to the middle of the van clipping them at about 10 to 12 inch intervals, then head for the new hole, this is to keep both cables the same length so that there isn’t extra wire resistance from a longer cable causing the mover to veer off to one side in use, it might seem a bit of a waste of time but its less than a 5 minute job to do it & if you change your van in future your sure to have at least 1 side that’s long enough & probably both.
Push the cables through the hole, go inside the van decide where the control panel is going,
(Tip:- the control panel rear needs to point inward so the cables should be nearest the wall, this is because the warning lights & reset button is on the back edge of the control panel,) then measure up the cables & cut them to length, fix the terminal connectors to the cable with crimping pliers, fit the power cables to battery through the holes in the box but don’t connect them to the battery, check that the lengths are ok, fit them to the + & - connections on the control panel, next fit the motor cables keeping them in sequence red black red etc.
Then fix the cables to the floor, inc battery cables, then tape the power cables to the vans cables, next connect them all into the battery terminals & fit them to the battery.
Warning:- the + & - motor cables can be reversed & will need to be reversed if you fit behind the wheels, but on no account can the power cables from the battery be reversed, if they are it will be instantaneous & irrepairable death to the control panel, so be warned.
Double click the red button on the handset, a series of clicks should be heard & the panel should start up, press the forward button, if you hear the motors turn go outside the van & check that the right motor is turning in the right direction by pressing the left or right buttons.
If the left motor turns when you press the right button disconnect the battery & swop the 2 left cables with the 2 right ones but keep them in the same red black configuration & try again, providing your checks prove its all correct, disconnect the battery terminals, go into the van & fix down the control panel then fill the holes with silicone to weather proof them, job done...
These instructions can be used to fit all models that I know about with some various little differences.
Powrtouch now use 17mm U bolts so they are not easily stripped, the handset has 2 red buttons that you have to push at the same time to turn it on & you cannot turn it off, it turns itself off after 30 seconds of inactivity.
But from August 2009 a new control panel & handset has now been introduced & you can switch it off manually, also the wiring side which is the front of the panel needs to be away from the wall as the remote cable can be plugged into it to run a handset with a flat battery.
Please view pictures page to see how a powrtouch mounts to the chassis.
Also it uses an isolator switch between the battery & control panel on the positive cable, if possible mount the switch in the battery box just below the 240v mains input plug, then route the battery cable to one side of the switch, then from the other side to the panel.
The new Truma S, SE & TE don’t use U bolts they have alloy brackets with a steel U shaped clamp it uses 4 17mm bolts torque to 40nm & 2 13mm bolts at an angle to the chassis these have to be tightened first but not too tight.
They are a bit of a pain to get the 20mm gap right it’s unlikely you will get it right first time.
They don’t use chassis anti slide blocks like all other models
The handset has a slide button to turn it on.
The SE & TE have a safety socket that needs to be fitted on the A frame cover in reach of the 12n black plug, it has a twin cable fitted to pins 3 & 6 of the socket & then 1 cable connects to the negative cable at the control panel, the other cable fits onto a connection on the panels circuit board.
If you don’t plug the 12n socket into the plug then the panel won’t start up, it’s to stop accidental engagement of the rollers while on the move etc.
They also have an isolator switch.
Purpleline Enduro;- the gap between tyre & roller is 30 mm.
They also have an isolator switch that can be fitted the same as above but it also comes with its own little box with lid so a large hole can be drilled in the side of the van & the box fitted, but I wouldn’t advise it if you have a standard battery box, but it is handy if you don’t.
Please note fitting a motor mover under a caravan can be dangerous if not done properly & severe crush injuries can occur so please be very careful & take your time setting up the caravan, its far better to have at least 2 methods of propping up the van at the same time, rather than relying on 1
Cuts off the chassis are common & some people are allergic to the Zinc plating on the chassis, septicemia is not uncommon with chassis cuts, then there's the knocks when the spanner slips or cracking your head or knee off the chassis, so take care.
In no way does this guide suggest or recommend that you should do this job yourself, its just a guide to how it is usually done by a competent fitter.
Written by keith on behalf of N.E. Leisure Products
www.neleisureproducts.co.uk