Trailer tugger power requirements

[TimC]

Asking for my sister. She has a Scamp and at 70 something is tired of manually tugging her Scamp out of the garage and making a very quick 90 degree turn into a narrow alley. I am looking at and possibly recommending this...

https://www.vevor.com/trailer-dolly-c_11310/vevor-electric-trailer-dolly-5000lbs-towing-capacity-350w-12v-trailer-jockey-wheel-with-22-ft-min-moving-speed-12-24-8-adjustable-clamp-height-8-rubber-tire-for-moving-trailer-caravan-boat-p_010914370195

My concern is that it pulls 350 watts, which at 12 volts is just shy of 30 amps. I'm assuming the power cable is large enough to manage that current. However, I am concerned that the draw on the battery will cause problems. There is one review (isn't there always at least one review?) that mentioned he fried his LiFePo4 battery using the tugger. When this reviewer attached to an AGM it worked fine. Sis doesn't have LiFePo4. Just a deep cycle. Should I check on the CCA rating on her battery? Is that the key number to assure it will handle this short draw? She will be tugging the trailer about 10 yards at most.

[bdosborn]

It's the motor starting current that's the problem. The motor will pull 5-7 times the running current for a half a second or so until it's completely up to speed. I doubt he fried the LiFePO4 battery, my guess is the BMS couldn't handle the in-rush and shut off the battery. Most of the time you have to connect a charger to the LiFePO4 battery to reset the BMS, which a lot of people don't know about. Anyways, I doubt you'd fry a lead-acid battery in that way, the only question would be if it had sufficient capacity to start and run the motor. Checking the battery specs is a good first step.
Bruce

[TimC]

Thanks Bruce.

My sis's battery has 688 MCA @ 80F and 475 CCA @ 0 F. I think it will be capable of driving a Scamp across her garage floor and turn 90 degrees on the paved alley. Looking closer at the Q&A section for that tugger it states several times that the unit is not weatherproof. That's odd to me for something that they design to be mounted and left installed. I suggested that if she uses one of those that she should pull it off during towing and camping. Not ideal. It weighs 32# making it possible to remove regularly. That does not consider that it might become a PITA for her.

[Pmullen503]

Looking at that tugger, it doesn't look like it folds up very easily. If you could remove the handle entirely, that would make it much easier to travel with.

I wonder if it would be better to use it as the basis for a powered trailer dolly.

[TimC]

...
I wonder if it would be better to use it as the basis for a powered trailer dolly.

Correct, it doesnt fold or swing out of the way. In additiin, in the Q&A section of the web page there are several mentions by Vevor that this unit is not weatherproof. That's odd for a unit made to attach and leave installed. Probably a deal breaker for sis since i doubt she wants to pull it off every time she tows the Scamp.

I actually gave modification some thought. I thought about getting one to use with my new foamie. If I can figure out a way to mount a ball to the tugger (1 7/8 in my case) and possibly a second tongue attachment point to stabilize it while pulling/pushing it just might work as a ball mount tugger for my 750# ish trailer.

[Pmullen503]

Looking at it some more, you could probably add a connector on the handle for the switch. That way you could remove the handle. I can see that handle as a problem when bouncing down the road.

If it's really not weatherproof (nor easily removable), that's a fatal flaw. Imagine towing it a rainstorm. I'm sure water would find it's way into every nook and cranny.

It's so inexpensive though, it might be worth buying it to take a look.

[TimC]

...
It's so inexpensive though, it might be worth buying it to take a look.

The price went down about eight bucks since I posted this question. Is it because it is crap and they are having trouble selling them? I have purchased a few tools and other items from Vevor in the past and they have proven to be, #1 cheaply priced, and #2 fairly well designed and built. I hope this one isn't an outlier!

I'm springing for one as an experiment. $135 now. I'll first figure out if I can remove the thing fairly easily when installed as designed. If that proves to be a pain I might look at repurposing the motor and controls and build a frame with outboard wheels or casters and a hitch ball. It'll probably be a hardwood frame prototype since I don't weld. If that works I might have my talented brother-in-law weld up a steel frame.

I'm picturing removing the raise/lower tube and crank handle and replacing them with a 1 7/8" ball mount. I'll have to experiment with different outrigger designs to give it some stability while pulling and pushing the trailer. I'll give a review here if it is a worthy project.

[TimC]

I pulled the trigger on the trailer tugger. So far I am pleased with its performance. It clearly is advertised for use on fairly flat, paved surfaces but I was able to move across my yard with a small number of spots where the wheel just turned and didn't grip. I attached a small rope to the tongue and when the wheel would spin I would pull a bit on the rope and it would grab and continue to pull my 750 lb foamie. It is not going to work on loose gravel, sand or soft grass. I had an ammeter in line and the tugger used just over one aHr of juice in under ten minutes of testing.

I paid $135 shipped. A pretty good deal to help get the trailer out of my back yard. The web page says it moves about 22' per minute. Slow but not terribly so. For my sister I think this would pull her Scamp out of her garage, into a paved alley, and turn it 90 degrees to hook up to her car. I am not going to tear it apart and repurpose the motor and controls as I mentioned earlier. I will not be hauling it around on the road. The web page says it is not weatherproof. It is going to be for the sole purpose of getting in and out of my backyard.

On my driveway, which has a considerable slope, the tugger failed to pull the trailer up the concrete drive. Going down was not a problem and as soon as I released the switch the brakes held firm.

I don't have any connection to this company and if interested there are a few other models that look identical under a different brand name. Since I purchased this the price has increased to $226.

[Pmullen503]

How easy it to get on and off? With it fully retracted, how high is the hitch? Does it hang too low to tow with it attached?

[TimC]

How easy it to get on and off? With it fully retracted, how high is the hitch? Does it hang too low to tow with it attached?

Pat, one bolt holds the tugger to the bracket. When I am removing the tugger I make sure the wheel is on the ground so when the clamp is removed it doesn't fall. Then unplug the power cable from the battery. Very easy.

This is not something I need right now but to help figure out if it will help my sister move her Scamp I decided to spring for one. A couple years down the road and I will definitely be retiring my old manual trailer dolly. It is a struggle with that thing.

I wouldn't tow the trailer with this thing attached. It is not weatherproof and it is likely to swing around going down the road. It is not meant to be a permanent fixture. The steering/control handle does remove easily as well. Loosen one knob and unplug the control wire.

I'm going to go out on a limb and say that a large number of people will judge this thing as a peice of crap. Just read the reviews and you will get the sense that people have just spent a small fortune and are disappointed. It fills my future needs as long as the motor lasts.

I'll have to get back on the heights. I'm towing with a VW ID.4 or Ford Edge. No problems with the range of motion.