moving the Mac with out a vehicle-uphill-tight quarters.

[Sea Wind]

A guy moved my boat into a tight space with one of these at a RV park.
http://www.etrailer.com/Hitch-Accessori ... /RA20.html

[seahouse]

A guy moved my boat into a tight space with one of these at a RV park.
http://www.etrailer.com/Hitch-Accessori ... /RA20.html

I have one almost identical to that, and they are very handy, especially for smaller trailers, but with a larger load they are pretty well confined to smooth and level terrain. Unless you are thinking for steering when winching from the back of the trailer like RobertB suggested; it could be good for that.

[RobertB]

Looks like an aircraft hand towbar - and would be ideal to assist with winching.

[Devocean]

G,day Kev , front towbar with removable tounge hitch prob your best option and you can use it infuture if you need it at other sites. I move my mac in a an area of similar dimentions as you described . With a front hitch you can punch a mac threw a hole in the length of the rig its self . Infact people who visit look at the boat and ask how the hull did you get that thing in there ? Oh by the way a good scout at the rear to keep watch while you move , pref some one you can yell at who wont be offended . Ha .

[Stevenhigbee]

I'm scheming of how to back a travel trailer up into a tight space. My plan is to put anchors into concrete post-holes at points such as to use a come-along for each short pull.

[PecosBill]

Get the local cheerleaders to help you or, make one of these.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C_OEzuKOoFE

Good luck!!
Dan

[BOAT]

Get the local cheerleaders to help you or, make one of these.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C_OEzuKOoFE

Good luck!!
Dan

That is a bad design, I can tell you it will collapse as soon as you need to make a turn or get up a climb or driveway. First off, you do NOT want to use any dolly that connects to the ball hitch - there is not enough weight there - you need a dolly that connects to a NON PIVOTING Heavy pin connection - it's the kind of hitch that allows 360 degree rotation but ZERO pivot. If the dolly pivots under the load you will not be able to keep the wheels under it. It will just keep tipping over and probably ruin your ball hitch lock. Those ball hitch dolly's are great for very flat hard surfaces but no good for anything else.

[Jeff]

However you end up moving your Mac, make sure you have a good spotter, not like this guy:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KzMQwd5YcfI

Even if the scratches do buff out

[seahouse]

Get the local cheerleaders to help you or, make one of these.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C_OEzuKOoFE

Good luck!!
Dan

That is a bad design, I can tell you it will collapse as soon as you need to make a turn or get up a climb or driveway. First off, you do NOT want to use any dolly that connects to the ball hitch - there is not enough weight there - you need a dolly that connects to a NON PIVOTING Heavy pin connection - it's the kind of hitch that allows 360 degree rotation but ZERO pivot. If the dolly pivots under the load you will not be able to keep the wheels under it. It will just keep tipping over and probably ruin your ball hitch lock. Those ball hitch dolly's are great for very flat hard surfaces but no good for anything else.

Good assessment BOAT. Every guy that worked on that thing that wasn't a naysayer shouldn't quit his day job.

Another solution is to add two more castering tires/wheels, one in front of, and one behind the unit, both to stabilize it, and to absorb the torque that the drive wheels will be delivering to it. As it is, if it sank into soft ground or a small pothole etc, or even with a heavy tongue, and you tried to start it you could get your teeth knocked out by the handlebar flying upward. A brake of some sort looks to be missing too. Brakes are always handy to have. (Yes, sarcasm )

Maybe this machine will, in the end, have these things done to it, but the direct route is shorter!

[BOAT]

Yes seahouse, you list many of the issues that happen with these things. The way the hitch ball is supported in the picture is all wrong - is has all the support on the left and right sides but all the pressure on the unit is on the front and the back when hauling and pushing a load. That single bar going across left to right holding the ball will collapse as soon as any real pulling or pushing load is put on it.

Battery units are fine but really the best tractors just plug into the wall. Powermovers and other builders makes them with batteries and without. It's a lot cheaper to go with the corded unit and more powerful. Also a battery unit is very heavy and a lot bigger and harder to store because you can't lift it up or tip it on end for storage. If the guy that made the original post here wants the cheapest way to move his boat in really tight places a corded dolly is the way to go. It's a steel cage designed to take the FULL WEIGHT of the boat, then it has a 3 inch solid steel pin hitch that you bolt to the bottom of your trailer not under the ball receiver but way further back near the bow of the boat so you get maximum weight on the tractor dolly. On 'boat' the pin receiver is permanently bolted to the trailer so I just hitch up an go. The reason a pin hitch is used instead of casters is to give the most possible maneuvering and because the pin hitch removes all need for extra casters (again, less expense). Casters get stuck on rocks and cracks in cement too.

I could not store 'boat' here without my tractor dolly. I have to get between my cinder block fence on one side and my 30 foot garage on the other side. That's thirty feet I must clear going up an incline with only 1-1/2 inch to spare on each side. With the dolly I do it every time no problem the first time and have never hit either side. I tow frontwards up the drive to get in and backwards down the drive to get out. It works perfect every time.

I will need to post pictures next time.

[tvanbeck]

I had the same issue at my last house. I sunk a 4x6 in concrete up the hill to where the back would be parked. Then I bolted a winch to it close to the ground. I would hook the strap to the trailer from the back center and slowly crank it into place. I had a trailer dolly on the front that I would adjust when needed to steer it into place. Low cost and worked well.

[kevinnem]

So I was looking in to it. The cost of the battery units is usually pretty high $1000.00+ plus, non local, (the ONE company that had them discontinued them like 4 months ago). with shipping, . it just isn't going to happen. I wish I could weld, cause I think I could build one. but again, little time, and no skills.

I never considered a corded option, that would totally work for me. Is there any links you guys have for stuff like this, maybe in Canada?

[BOAT]

Is there any links you guys have for stuff like this, maybe in Canada?

I have the AC-5 - it's the only one I know of that is less than 1000 dollars:

http://www.powerdolly.co/product/model- ... 250-pounds

When I bought mine I offered Brady cash and he took 100 dollars off the price. If you can weld you can make one for about 100 dollars but the motor and gear box will cost 500. Add to that the tires and the axle - another 100 bucks and your getting pretty close to 700 dollars without an extension cord or pin hitch. Not really sure it would be worth it to make one with that kind of material cost and you need to be a master welder to get that 3 inch pin hitch welded on top - the construction is pretty impressive. The dolly is stronger than the trailer.