IMG_0827.JPG - Bild entfernt (keine Rechte)IMG_1508.JPG - Bild entfernt (keine Rechte)
We bought our Eriba 430 Future last year and had 3 short breaks in her and have thoroughly enjoyed it without any problems moving her around on the sites. Our only problem is the incline and ridge between the road and our driveway and with this in mind thought we would get a mover put on. At the end of last year we popped into the Eriba "Dorset branch" to discuss this and which mover etc we would have. They told us they had not done a Future before (actually never seen one before ours) and it would very much be a 'suck it and see' due to the sealed base. In March we phoned and arranged a date for Wed 25 March and was told they would only need the van for a couple of days. We duly took the van in on the Tuesday late afternoon and was told they would phone us Thursday/Friday for collection. We were getting quite excited about the ease now of moving the van up the driveway and across the ridge and no more shouting 'this way, no that way' etc etc. Well, Thursday/Friday came and went and still no call, so thought we would give them another day. Monday came around...no call. So last Tuesday Keith decided to call them. Not the news we needed. We were told they couldn't fit it and anyway it wasn't an Eriba!!!!!!!!!!!! not sure what that word is on the back of our van then (1st pic)......... Yes, we know they were only made for 2 years and it was a prototype design and build which ended up far too expensive for the market. We also knew due to the sealed base (2nd pic) there could be a problem but not hearing you presume all is well. At the moment we are fit enough to move the van and still love her, but there may come a time when we will have to trade her in for a model that can have a mover fitted. Chris

Whilst they admitted that they had no experience of your Eriba it is not good customer service to leave you hanging. A phone call doesn't cost much and a disgruntled customer tends to make more noise than a happy one.

So what had they been doing while they had it? Not drilling holes in the floor and compromising the seal, I hope!

The model's rarity, and the fact of its sealed underside, must have been known to them in their status as "The Authorised distributor" when they agreed to suck it and see.

I bet there are other Future owners, somewhere in Europe, who have felt the need for some moving assistance. Someone here will have a link for you. Good luck!

Oh, that s a good idea. I used to use a Tirfor winch for getting cars and cows out of ditches (Deeps will know of these, too), but if you look online for "Winch In A Bag" you'll find one easily capable of moving your Eriba.

Well that's bad luck and also bad service. I hope it goeswell for you. We were quite happy manuevering our Puck about but since my leg probs we went for mover and have yet to use it on a site. Stratford first then a hash party before I have surgery

Hi - Have had a week to calm down and we have moved on from it now (already spent the money saved towards another holiday!!). I think we always knew there was going to be a problem, but as Julie said, it only takes a phone call. Randa... had thought of the winch but not sure how to attach it and to what. We had some similar system on a dive RIB many years ago, but can't remember how it worked with the trailer. Chris

These are fine unless you have a bend to negotiate! In which case you will either need a change of direction pulley (which causes other problems) or just winch it so far then re-attach to change direction (you may need to do this more than once, even for a fairly small change). Good, if you know how to use them though

don't forget there is the powr mover, looks like a tank but fits to a bracket on the hitch, a lot of money but may help keep eriba for longer :grin:

Yes we had a Campertrolly the same sort of thing at first thinking it was a good idea!!!! But it weighed a ton you have to have lots nose weight ( ie better half sitting on the A frame). And we were fed up of being the site entertainment when pitching the van. Plus if the ground is soft all they do is dig themselves into a hole. STAY WELL CLEAR!!!! We took ours back to supplier and got a refund.

I would give Sandy at Jandi a call as he's the most experienced Eriba engineer in the UK and he'll know if it can be done.
You could if Sandy can do the mover installation have a holiday in Scotland as well.

David

I have pulled trailer tents and my Puck L and Troll. with a 12v winch,
until I had a mover fitted.
I sank a post into the ground for about a 2ft and gave it a concrete
collar. U-bolts hold a plate on with an eye for the winch cable.
The power came from the caravan battery via big crocodile clips
(previously a proper fitted connector) dragging the caravan about
twice its own length over a kerb and slightly rising pavement took
about 30 seconds and the 85 amp battery coped well.
I have two winches which I no longer use but both need new cables
as I managed to flatten them in places when the caravans ran forward
and the cables collected a lot of slack. My fault it could have been avoided.

Hi, Thanks for all the replies. I think we will contact Jandi first to see if it can be done. At least then we will know one way or the other. We will also hope our health stays good for manoeuvring the van by hand. It may also mean arriving and leaving our property late or early in the day when our road is not being used as a free car park for the office & shop workers who then walk into town. We can then get the angle to use the car to pull the van over the pavement ridge, unhitch the van and push the van up the driveway on the flat. Chris and Keith

There is always the http://www.watling-towbars.co.uk/front_towbars.html