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Power Wheel USA, LLC
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1. How are Power Wheel USA products powered? Power Wheel USA products are powered by 12 volt DC electric motors and are run off a battery that is almost identical in appearance to an automobile battery. However, because of the particular requirements of these powerful motors, we recommend a deep cycle battery (such as a trolling motor battery) as you will achieve much longer battery life, better performance and running time and not damage an auto battery by completely draining it. Deep cycle batteries are designed for the type of demand these motors require and are available for as low as $50.00 in numerous national chain stores found across America. We can direct you to a source of supply. 2. How does a 12 volt motor manage to move a large boat or RV trailer? All of the motors used in Power Wheel USA products run at 4,000 RPM and are typically geared down to 10 RPM on the drive wheel speed. This is a 400 to 1 gear reduction and provides tremendous torque to the drive wheels. 3. How do I mount Power Wheel USA products to my RV or boat trailer? (For the jockey wheel mounted Powrwheel) If your RV or boat trailer is equipped with an existing jockey wheel compression type clamp that is 48mm in diameter (approximately 1 7/8th inches) the Powrwheel can be mounted using this bracket. Many pop-up or tent RV trailers come with a jockey wheel held on with a compression clamp. However, you must provide some means of removing your Powrwheel when you park it; either in your storage area or when you are underway. When underway, your trailer is attached to the trailer ball and removing your Powrwheel presents no problem. The Powrwheel must be removed prior to towing your trailer. When parking your trailer, some means must be used to elevate the tongue of the trailer so that the Powrwheel can be removed. This can be accomplished by extending the front levelers of your RV or cranking down a second jockey wheel on your boat. Most RV trailers in the USA come equipped with a jacking post for raising or lowering the height of the trailer tongue. Therefore, we recommend that you install a separate compression clamp onto the side of the trailer tongue frame strictly for use with the Powrwheel. This clamp, provided by Power Wheel USA with your purchase of the Powrwheel, can be bolted to the trailer tongue however drilling two holes in the frame "may be" required. On many trailer models, we can supply you with a compression clamp assembly that bolts over and under the trailer tongue frame thereby eliminating the need for drilling. Some choose to have this compression clamp permanently welded to the side of the trailer tongue frame. The choice of installation methods is yours. We are glad to discuss this with you to find the best solution for your particular circumstance. Here are some typical Powrwheel connection methods.
(For the Powrhitch) The Powrhitch connects directly to the trailer ball mounted on the top of the machine. Connect the two as you would to the car tow ball. To lock the Powrhitch in position the adjustable collar must be sufficiently tightened to ensure the polycarbonate hitch plate is securely locked to the underside of the hitch in a 90 degree relationship. The Powrhitch MUST be removed prior to towing your RV or boat trailer. It can be left at your place of permanent storage or taken with you on a camping or fishing trip. Here are some Powrhitch Model 2 movers attached to trailers.
(For the Powrtouch) The Powrtouch is mounted to the frame of your RV trailer allowing you to move your RV with a handheld remote control no larger than a TV remote. The mounting is semi-permanent in that it can be un-installed should you decide to sell your RV and then re-installed on another RV. For those gifted with the handling “do it yourself projects”, we provide a clear and concise instruction so that you can conduct the installation yourself. Because this product is so new to the United States, we only provide distributor installation in and around the greater metropolitan Atlanta area for the time being. In the future, we hope to provide a means for installation in other parts of the country. Most RV trailers, up to 2 tons (single and tandem axle) can be fitted with the Powrtouch providing you with unimaginable flexibility in maneuvering your RV trailer. However close consultation with our office and your providing numerous measurements and photographs of your particular RV chassis is necessary to determine if a Powrtouch is right and will work for you. Here is a typical Powrtouch installation using sideplates which are generally required on USA and Canadian manufactured RVs. This installation was on a UK manufactured RV.
4. How can I see down both sides of the trailer when maneuvering? For the Powrwheel and Powrhitch models, the handle tilts 45 degrees left or right enabling you to see clearly down either side of the trailer while still remaining in total control. For the Powrtouch model, you can walk around the RV while operating the remote control handset. 5. Can a trailer mover push my trailer up a raised concrete lip at my garage entrance? The answer to this question is “yes” in some circumstances and “no” in many circumstances. In fact, this is probably one of the least understood areas of using a trailer mover, such as those sold by Power Wheel USA or for that matter, most any mover sold in the market today. Think back. At one time or the other you have either intentionally or accidentally put your car or truck in the position of having to climb over or back up a street curb. Typically, these curbs are about 5” high but remember how much you had to step on the accelerator before you could climb over the curb? And, when you finally made it you had to immediately slow up before the next set of wheels made it to the curb and then do it all over again. It put quite a strain on your vehicle. That’s with perhaps a 150 – 200 horsepower engine dealing with a 5” curb. So if we accept 200 horsepower, that’s about 40 horsepower per inch of height working for you. Most electric trailer movers marketed today are in the range of ¼ - ½ horsepower yet you are moving something weighing nearly as much or exceeding the weight of your truck or car. At one time or the other, perhaps you have used a piece of two by four lumber as a temporary wheel chock. The short side of a two by four is, as most of us know, 1 ½ inches. Though not recommended, it can provide a rather effective wheel chock in an emergency The truth of the matter is if you have a raised concrete lip of say 1”, this can possibly pose a formidable challenge to your trailer mover. To understand this, you need to consider the following. Think about how your trailer mover moves your boat or RV. It’s really at a very slow steady speed; typically at about 10 – 15 RPM on the drive wheel. What you get is controlled movement but you never get the buildup in inertia, ( the mass of the load moving at speed ) so that this inertia alone can overcome this obstacle rather than relying on sheer power of the machine to force the trailer up and over this “curb”. If machines were built to do this, the average consumer could not afford them. Let’s look at the physics involved. This innocent little 1” raised lip is actually a significant change in grade. Perhaps this drawing will explain. Here it is an effective 45 degree grade change from level.
This is why at the beginning of the answer to this question, it was stated "sometimes yes" and "many times no". OK . . . How do I deal with this situation when it arises? Unfortunately, there is no standard quick answer to immediately solve this problem. The answer can take many forms. However there are several things that will not readily change. a. The speed at which your
powered trailer mover moves your trailer. The smaller the radius, the greater perceived angle you encounter. So, that having been said there are several steps you can take. a. Oddly enough, the solution may be as simple as not approaching the obstacle directly head on but angle your trailer so that one tire hits and climbs onto the obstacle before the other tire. However, if for instance you are attempting to back your trailer through a garage door you may not have the maneuvering room to do this. b. If you are unable to do this and must approach straight on, you might consider building a small set of ramps. Yes, we said ramps for even a 1 " raised concrete lip. Go to your local building supply store and purchase enough ¼” plywood so that you can build a set of ramps that looks like this. Small tacks or adhesive will be enough to hold this assembly together. You may even find that a single ramp provides just enough help to get the trailer moving. Build one and give it a try. If it does not work, go ahead and build the other.
Cut the plywood into pieces about twice the width of your trailer tire so you have a nice large target to shoot for. Lay the ramps in the path of your tires and give it a try. What you have done is to reduce the 1" obstruction to a series of 1/4" obstructions spaced out in 10" lengths. If this fails, modify one ramp so that it is longer, by ½ the radius of your trailer tire, than the other ramp and lengthen each layer accordingly. This lets one tire get started up and onto the ramp before the other tire begins to climb. You must determine the height of the obstruction and make the necessary adjustments. The higher the obstruction (for instance) the longer your ramps need to be and the more spaced out each layer of plywood much be. There is no set formula for this. As stated previously, the variations are endless. c. Lastly, if you are attempting to use a trailer mover to go up and over a normal street curb, say 5" in height, we recommend purchasing apiece of l' X 12" or 2" X 12" lumber a minimum of 8' in length. 10' or 12' would be even better depending on your particular circumstances. Cut a numerous 2" X 4" blocks and build them up in a series of supports you nail to the underside of the board. Toward the street end of this ramp, use thinner lumber and perhaps go so far as to taper the underside of the board where it meets the street. This is a total process of experimentation which you must do until you find a working combination. 6. How do I evaluate the difference between various trailer movers and is price the only consideration? Torque rating is the only accurate method by which to compare various trailer movers to really determine what you are buying and make an honest comparison between price and capacity. Torque is the tendency of a force to cause a rotation. It is the product of the force and the distance from the center of rotation to the point where the force is applied. Think of the center of a drive axle to the outside radius of a tire on your automobile. Torque is the force applied to the edge of the tire and is the only thing that counts when evaluating a trailer mover’s ability to move a load. It can be measured in pounds of force times feet of distance with the most common term being used in the United States “foot pounds of torque”. The scientific community rates torque in terms of Newton Meters of torque. For you science buffs, One (1) Newton Meter of Torque is equal to .73756 Foot Pound of Torque. There is no difference between inch pounds of torque and foot pounds of torque other than the fact that inch pounds look and sound a lot larger than foot pounds. But simply divide inch pounds of torque by 12 and you are back to foot pounds. 400 inch pounds of torque is equal to 33.33 foot pounds of torque. Or take foot pounds and multiply by 12. The important thing to remember is to be sure you are making your comparison equally or as the old saying goes, “compare apples to apples”. So to evaluate what you are buying, divide the foot pounds of torque (or inch pounds) into the cost of the product to arrive at your cost per foot pound of torque purchased. This is what counts. If a trailer mover costs $900.00 and has 24 foot pounds of torque, your cost per foot pound of torque purchased is $900 divided by 24 or $37.50 per foot pound of torque. 7. My RV weighs 4,000 pounds. If I purchase a trailer mover rated at 4,000 pounds will I be OK? This is another one of those sometimes difficult questions like getting over a 1” concrete lip (see question 5). There are many answers to this question and the quick answer would be “in a perfect world . . .yes” and in the real world “absolutely not!”. So what do we mean by the phrase “in a perfect world”. Let’s try and explain it this way. If you store your RV in your garage for instance, and if you have an absolutely flat driveway at your garage entrance, if you have exactly the correct tire pressure in your RV tires, if you have unloaded everything that did not come with the RV originally (groceries, water, kid’s toy’s, etc.) you will in all likelihood be able to use a 4,000 pound capacity machine to move your 4,000 pound RV into your garage. That would be a perfect world. But why take the risk to save a few dollars? Ok, we admit that was a simplistic answer because none of us live in a perfect world. Now, let’s look at the real world. The real world is a world filled with variables, unknowns, curve balls being thrown at us all of the time and many other things we never expected to happen but they did. A Murphy’s Law paradise. Obviously, with a 4,000 pound RV and a 4,000 pound rated trailer mover, you have no margin for any variables in the equation, either planned or unplanned. Let’s go to another nemesis, ranked right up there with the evil 1” concrete curb. The next most common nemesis would be the slope or grade over which you travel. It has a great impact over your decision of how much capacity to purchase to be safe. Of course you know that when you encounter a hill in your automobile, you have to press on the accelerator, apply more power, to make the car climb the hill. Why? Because the car moving on a flat surface, at a steady rate of speed, has more apparent weight or meets with more resistance on a grade because of gravity. Not only are you moving the load, you are both moving and lifting the load. You can readily see that the 4,000 pound trailer mover and the 4,000 pound RV scenario is doomed to fail if you factor a grade into the equation. Power Wheel USA recommends that you purchase a machine with sufficient capacity which will provide the needed extra margin for the variables you encounter. There is no set formula for this but we will work with you on a one on one basis to determine which machine will best handle your particular situation. That is why on our customer inquiry form, a primary question we ask concerns the grade over which you plan to move your trailer. As a general rule of thumb, we will always advise you to purchase a mover where the weight of the trailer being moved represents approximately 70% - 75% of the rated capacity of the machine. That way you have capacity to spare. We have now added a new feature in our "Trailer Tips" section that let's you, with reasonable accuracy, compute the effect of a grade on your particular trailer, to assist you in determining which machine is right for you. We've designed an on-line computer for this purpose which is easy to use. CLICK HERE 8. What if I find the Powrwheel or Powrhitch too heavy to lift to and from its storage? Both the Powrwheel and Powrhitch come with taxi wheels enabling you to easily move the machine from its place of storage to your trailer by simply pressing down on the handle. 9. What direction can I move my RV or boat trailer when any of your trailer movers are fitted to it? For all three types, The Powrwheel, The Powrhitch and The Powrtouch can be moved in forward, reverse and also spin on its axis if required if you have a single axle. If you have a tandem axle trailer, changes in direction can be accomplished by a series of back and forth moves of approximately 30 degrees each. It is virtually impossible to turn a tandem axle trailer on its axis using a trailer mover. Only one axle can act as the pivot point. 10. How do Power Wheel products stop? For the Powrwheel and Powrhitch models, when your release the operating switch the electronic brake will stop your trailer mover even on a slope but it is advisable to immediately use a set of quality wheel chocks for extra safety in conjunction with the Powrwheel and Powrwheel brake. The Powrtouch stops when you lift your finger from any control button on the remote control handset, or if a button is not pressed within a predetermined period of time the Powrtouch shuts down and will need to be switched on again. If on a grade, we strongly recommend immediately setting a pair of quality wheel chocks in place for extra safety margin. 11. How are Power Wheel products connected to the battery and what sort of battery do I need? The Powrwheel and Powrhitch products are supplied with quick release battery clamps which take only seconds to attach to the terminals of your battery. We recommend, in all cases that you use a deep cycle battery, such as a trolling motor battery. However if you prefer the Powrhitch model is available with an optional onboard battery. If you order the Powrhitch 2 or HD, and plan on using the internally mounted battery charger, you must use a totally sealed battery. This eliminates the need to remove the battery box cover each time you recharge the battery. Otherwise, potentially dangerous hydrogen gas can build up during the recharging process. Here is an example of some totally sealed batteries. Note the absence of any typical "battery caps". Completely sealed batteries are either GEL or AGM composition. The Powrhitch 2 12 volt machine uses BCI Group 24 size batteries.
12. Why don't you have point, click and purchase on your website? Our products, as well as all powered trailer movers in general have a range of applicability in which they perform and will accomplish the required task. When a customer's intended use of the equipment falls outside that range or performance envelope, the results can be either poor performance or no performance of the task at all. In some instances, a customer's intended use can be dangerous. An example of this would be a prospective customer having a 4,000 pound trailer. This is well within the capacity of our 12 volt Powrhitch Model 2. However, they have a 10° slope leading up to the garage where they wish to park the trailer. In this instance, the effective weight of their trailer being pushed up this slope is going to exceed the machine's capacity. We would advise the customer to not purchase our equipment. Or, we may advise purchasing our 24 volt Heavy Duty model. It's all in what the numbers show. This can only be done if the customer clearly presents their particular situation. Our inquiry form is an attempt to do this. Our response to your inquiry through the Customer Inquiry Form is an effort on our part to determine your expectations for our equipment and advise you if the equipment is going to meet those expectations. In a point, click and purchase environment, this interaction would not occur. We want no disappointed customers as this can be time consuming and expensive for both us and you. You are considering making a significant investment and we want to be sure we both get it right the first time.
13.
If I purchase a machine, how long does it take to get to me and how much
does it cost?
How much does it cost? We can give you some general examples of
estimated shipment costs to several major
cities for our various products. This information is solely for the
purpose of giving you an estimate of shipping charges. Your actual total
shipping charges will vary from these examples depending on your specific
location and the final configuration of your particular machine. For
example, foam filled solid core tires add to the weight of your shipment
as does the optional internal battery charger. SHIPMENTS TO RESIDENTIAL ADDRESSES FROM MARIETTA, GA 30066 ESTIMATED UPS CHARGE INCLUDING CRATING SURCHARGE and INSURANCE
(*) Both the Powrwheel and Powrhitch
trailer movers require a handle which is shipped in a cardboard box
together with the plywood crate containing the machine. This box measures
36” long, 24” high and 4” thick. Though the actual weight is either 8
pounds if not including a power cable or 13 pounds including a power
cable, it is rated as an oversized package and is assessed at a minimum
billable weight of 30 pounds regardless of the actual weight. The charge
for this handle box is added to the UPS charges for the shipping crate in
determining the above sample shipment charges. 17.
Will I have a problem attaching the Powrhitch trailer mover to my trailer
coupling?
In the United Kingdom and Europe, where this
equipment is manufactured and used extensively, 95% of all trailers use
one of three basic trailer couplings and almost all utilize a 50mm trailer
ball. However, in the United States and Canada, there are literally
hundreds of different trailer couplings and we use three size trailer
balls; 1 7/8th", 2", and 2 5/16th". We have found that the same trailer
coupling manufacturer will vary designs from year to year.
This in no way means that your trailer
coupling is defective or is not operating properly. Many times this is
simply part of the coupling locking mechanism that holds your trailer
tongue securely to your trailer ball. What we need to do is make a
modification to the polycarbonate ring to allow for sufficient clearance
and this is a very easy process if you follow these simple steps.
Upon receipt, Power Wheel USA will then make
a modification to your polycarbonate ring by milling out an area
sufficient enough for this to clear. 18. My trailer is
light and has a tongue weight of about 100 pounds. Will I have a problem
using a trailer mover?
19. How will you ship my equipment to me
if I purchase one and how is it packed for shipment?
Next, we thoroughly wrap your machine beginning first
with bubble wrap over all surfaces and then finishing up with multiple
layers of stretch wrap until it is completely protected and encased. Here
are before and after pictures of a Powrhitch Model 2 being prepared for
shipment. Expanding foam packets are placed around the machine to hold it
in place
The handle of your Powrhitch Model 2 receives equal care in preparation for shipment. Note the serial number written on the packaging. Each handle is custom fitted to the machine, then triple wrapped and the serial number noted on the wrapping. This assures that not only will you receive it in perfect condition, when you attach the handle, it will fit first time every time guaranteed.
We next load the crate with the machine and then pack it to the top with cushioned shipping material to assure safe transit to you.
20. How do you properly hook up the Powrhitch Models 1 and 2 to the trailer coupling? When hooking up the Powrhitch Models 1 and 2 to your trailer, it is very important to follow the instructions exactly when you receive your equipment.
With the cut-away removed, you can see that a gap sometimes exists between the surface of the polycarbonate ring and the underside of the trailer coupling. (see blue arrow). If you attempt to move your trailer at this point, a rotational effect ( see yellow arrow) will occur not allowing the Powrhitch to move the trailer. The machine will attempt to move out from under the coupling. There is a very quick but important step to be followed next and should not be omitted during the hook up process. The locking collar is turned using the long end of a 8mm Allen Wrench. However, you cannot generate enough force to overcome the tongue weight which is pressing down on the trailer tongue in order to take up the gap. Tongue weight at this point can range in the 350 - 750 pound range. For that reason, it is now necessary to crank down the jack post or jockey wheel of your trailer so that the drive wheels of the Powrhitch are slightly raised (1" - 2") off the ground and the downward pressure of the tongue weight is no longer on the machine. The final tightening of the locking collar is done at this time using the 8mm Allen wrench. What this accomplishes is to pull the trailer ball down from the dome of the coupling housing and tightly against the bottom of the coupling locking mechanism.
The goal in hooking your trailer to the Powrhitch is to
establish a firm 90 degree locked relationship (see yellow line) between
the horizontal plain of the tongue of the trailer and the threaded shaft
that comes from the chassis. This process prevents unwanted rotation of
the machine and provides sure and positive control when moving your
trailer.
21. Are there some trailer couplings that cannot be made to work with the Powrhitch Model 2 and Heavy Duty trailer movers?
Yes, we have found a few types of trailer couplings where some difficulty
arises because of the design of the coupling itself. These are generally
known as "surge brake" type couplings and are rather easily identified by
a hydraulic or brake fluid reservoir sitting on top of the coupling. These
couplings apply force to an internal activation mechanism when the brakes
of your towing vehicle are applied. This force then activates the trailer
brakes.
Couplings of this nature are easily identified by the
rotational slot where we have placed the yellow arrow. Some of our
customers have overcome this problem by drilling a 5/16th inch hole
through one side of the outer portion (shell) of the coupling housing and
into the inner portion. Then, a 5/16th pull ring type locking pin is
inserted which will deactivate this rotational effect when using our
mover.
Regarding the subject of electric brakes. This question comes up many times and there is an easy remedy for this problem in most circumstances. The Powrhitch 2 and HD are not equipped with a differential type transmission. Both wheels operate in unison with each other as there is no limited slip differential type mechanism. This feature is very expensive and only found on trailer movers costing $3,500 and above. With all of the tongue weight pressing down on the machine, combined with the weight of the machine itself, there is a strong amount of friction between the tire tread surface and the pavement. This is what causes difficulty in turning. But as critical as tongue weight is to the process of moving your trailer, the good news is that you probably do not need nearly as much tongue weight as you have. It's not a case where more is better. It's a case of where just enough tongue weight to get the job is all the tongue weight you need. OK . . . . How do you lessen the amount of tongue weight? If your trailer is already equipped with a crank up and down jockey wheel, as opposed to a rectangular jack drop leg pad, simply crank down the jockey wheel and let it support a portion of the tongue weight pressing down on the Powrhitch. How much you crank down on the jockey wheel is a matter of finding that point where you maintain adequate tongue weight for purposes of traction and not more than that. The formula will be different if you are operating on gravel, grass or dirt. It's a matter of experimentation. If your trailer is equipped with a rectangular metal jack drop leg pad, it is usually clipped and pinned inside or outside the jockey post tube and easily removed. You can contact your RV dealer and they in all likelihood will have a jockey wheel end piece which will fit your jockey post. Most RVs come with the rectangular jack drop leg pad whereas most boats come with a jockey wheel. You can find these on the internet. One good source of supply is Northern Tool and Equipment. Here is an example of what we're talking about.
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