Handles on back n front of van

the rocket · Guru

Handles on back n front of van

vanman · Senior Member

the rocket wrote:
can anyone tell me what these handles are used for?

Don't know myself what their function is but after my plastic ones started to deteriorate I removed them and put stainless steel self tappers in the holes. I threw the handles in the bin.

Regards Chris

Hey Jim · Guru

the rocket wrote:
can anyone tell me what these handles are used for?

Hi Rocket,

Makes you think two 60kg ladies can move the van around on my behalf with those handles at a wim. biggrin biggrin biggrin God blimie me dead. No wonder my back is, the way it is.

I need my tow truck to turn the van sideways. smile

They are a joke me lady. confuse All SHOW and no go. A fat waste of money. Yet you see them on 90% of vans. hmm hmm hmm

Regards Jim

PS: It just hit me like a lighting bolt. They might have put them there to hold onto, to do your warmup exercises before doing your 10km jog each morning. wink wink wink

-- Edited by Hey Jim on Tuesday 29th of November 2016 02:40:15 PM

Radar · Guru

I often find it funny, like t's on a bull.

Then looking at it positive my lovely other half generally holds on to the handle while I connect up including letting the hand brake off.

It could be a secured thing.

The Belmont Bear · Guru

I asked the guy doing the handover on our new van that question last week and he said to move the van around. He was only a small guy and as the Tare is 2280kg I asked him to show me - to my surprise he moved it easily. This was on a dead flat concrete floor in the workshop I doubt he could have a done it on a softer surface because I struggle to budge it and I'm 110kgs.

aussietraveller · Guru

They are definately for the benifit of those on skate boards and bikes who need a tow up hill

kiwijims · Guru

The Handles were placed there to move caravans around, as the salesman told Belmont Bear,

But when they first appeared on vans, some 50 odd years ago, caravans were a lot lighter, smaller, and mainly single axle ,

which made them a lot easier to handle.

The good thing about them today is that, they are the strongest part of a Caravan to push on , should it have to be moved by hand one manually .

K.J.

oldbloke · Guru

Vans are way too heavy to move manually using those handles. (Jockey wheels are a bit of a joke too) But they are great if you have had a couple too many beers.

KFT · Guru

I would use mine to tie a tarp to if the roof ever got damaged

Bruce and Bev · Guru

KJ is right - theyre a hangover from years past and serve no useful purpose other than as tiedowns as Frank suggests.

Reckon they would snap off on the tandem vans when loaded - even on tarseal or concrete

JackieP · Senior Member

i found the best use for those handles is to tie a rope from one to the other across the front and hang the beach towels on there to dry

The Belmont Bear · Guru

I was thinking seeing as there are 2 handles at both the front and back if you got 4 people you could pick up the van and carry it to wherever you wanted to park it - good for those really tight areas.

meetoo · Guru

The Belmont Bear wrote:
I was thinking seeing as there are 2 handles at both the front and back if you got 4 people you could pick up the van and carry it to wherever you wanted to park it - good for those really tight areas.

There is 'smart' everything these days. Won't be long till there are smart caravans that will park themselves.

Yep, another job (pushing vans around by their handles) lost to technology. What next?

Cheers, John.

vince56 · Senior Member

HI meetoo,

Just thought I would put this link about VW technology, pretty close to your "smart" caravan I reckon........ trailer assist!........
www.youtube.com/watch

Cheers

vince56 · Senior Member

Actually, this one is a better demonstration:
www.youtube.com/watch

meetoo · Guru

Thanks for that Vince. Things have gone a long way from handles. Great technology - amazing as it is, I reckon it looks harder than backing it in myself. (old dinosaur)

Cheers, John

PeterD · Guru

As said above, the handles are there to manoeuvre vans around the agents yards. I have seen it done a few times.

Hey Jim wrote:
I need my tow truck to turn the van sideways.

That only applies when you want to spin the van on its axis. This is what leads people to think that dual axle vans are more stable than single axles. You don't have to move the van forward of back very fast for that theory to run out the door. On one occasion I was the steersman. I was surprised how little effort was required to turn the van when it was travelling at a slow walking speed. When the two pushers got up a bit of speed it did not take much more effort than a single axle van to spin it around. When you increase that speed to road speed the difference between single and dual axles is imperceptible.