jockey wheels

CC14
CC14 Forum Participant Posts: 1
edited February 2016 in Caravans #1

Hi, Could anybody please tell me the advantages of using an inflatable jockey tyre over a solid one on my shingle hard standing. At the moment I have to use a couple of old cupboard doors under the j/wheel (with motor movers) or it just digs itself a big
hole and gets stuck. 

Thanks.

Steve

Comments

  • ADP1963
    ADP1963 Forum Participant Posts: 1,280
    1000 Comments
    edited February 2016 #2

    Not wishing to be rude but you have answered your own question.....It will not dig in. However you are open too punctures,it is much easier in my opinion to move the van with a pnuematic tyre.

  • dave the rave
    dave the rave Forum Participant Posts: 806
    500 Comments
    edited February 2016 #3

    but.........when,not if, the tyre perishes(about 18 months) then you effectively have no jockey wheel!!!Alko do a large soft wheel which is just as effective but without deflation issues!!!!

  • ChemicalJasper
    ChemicalJasper Forum Participant Posts: 437
    edited February 2016 #4

    They also have a big wheel with built in scales - good but very heavy if you are tight on nose weight.

    http://www.al-ko.com/shop/uk_vt/premium-jockey-wheel.html?gclid=Cj0KEQiAr8W2BRD2qbCOv8_H7qEBEiQA1ErTBnb3vrOCWrV_PMMT7LKMKU8IVIegexhYVpYxsklcSWUaAk0L8P8HAQ

  • Trini
    Trini Forum Participant Posts: 429
    edited February 2016 #5

    We bought an Alko pneumatic wheel that runs at 50psi and with our mover it works well on our gravel driveway and on hardstandings & grass without digging in.

    We did use cheaper pneumatics tyres but they did tend to be rather 'soft' as they were only around 30 psi.

    We carry one of these as a back up but so far after 5 years weve never had any problems with the Alko fitted to our Winterhoff jackey wheel

  • SteveL
    SteveL Club Member Posts: 12,311 ✭✭✭
    5,000 Likes 1000 Comments Name Dropper
    edited February 2016 #6

    We did use inflatable jockey wheels on our last van, as the hard plastic one supplied, was always digging into the gravel. We did have problems with punctures and perishing and carried the old hard one as a back up. The main problem was they were slightly
    larger and could ground on road humps, if you were not careful. Our new van came with a wider hard plastic wheel and this is much better. It still digs in a bit but I bought a couple of plastic mats, for getting you out of the mud, and these work well under
    the jockey in deep gravel.

  • ADP1963
    ADP1963 Forum Participant Posts: 1,280
    1000 Comments
    edited February 2016 #7

    They also have a big wheel with built in scales - good but very heavy if you are tight on nose weight.

    http://www.al-ko.com/shop/uk_vt/premium-jockey-wheel.html?gclid=Cj0KEQiAr8W2BRD2qbCOv8_H7qEBEiQA1ErTBnb3vrOCWrV_PMMT7LKMKU8IVIegexhYVpYxsklcSWUaAk0L8P8HAQ

    Write your comments here...Always sensible information CJ

  • Nuggy
    Nuggy Forum Participant Posts: 512
    edited February 2016 #8

    I was in a caravan dealership ages ago, cann't remember where and they were selling a solid plastic wheel which was much wider than the majority. Worth considering if you can find one, measure the width of your own wheel first.

  • MartinL
    MartinL Forum Participant Posts: 23
    edited March 2016 #9

    I find a pneumatic wheel performs significantly better on soft ground.  To reduce perishing and stress I always place a brick under the metal vertical section of the jockey wheel stem to take the weight and ensure the wheel faces the rear of the caravan
    and thus is shaded from most of the sun.  (When the caravan is backed into a storage space the jockey wheel is commonly left facing forward and gets maximum light).

  • PITCHTOCLOSE
    PITCHTOCLOSE Forum Participant Posts: 658
    500 Comments
    edited March 2016 #10

    Alko with the weight scale,superb piece of kit, beats the pneumatic wheel and as a bonus tell you the nose weight

    Ps just checked it is an extra 4.8 kilos,over the standard on

  • Pippah45
    Pippah45 Forum Participant Posts: 2,452
    1000 Comments
    edited March 2016 #11

    I had punctures with pneumatics but they do work better on gravel.  I might have to return to pneumatic as my sons gravel killed the old motor mover ( or was it just old age?). but I think I will try the new mover first while it's still under warranty.  I expect it to be better than the ancient one.

  • chrisn7
    chrisn7 Forum Participant Posts: 72
    edited March 2016 #12

    They contain very little air, so quickly look and are flat due to even a small loss of air . The small diameter of the hub means that the yoke frequently obscures the tyre valve, making checking/inflating awkward. Then the sidewalls crack and its scrap.
    Still got one from my old Bucanneer in teh garage, but it won't be seeing the light of day again

  • martindf3
    martindf3 Forum Participant Posts: 65
    edited March 2016 #13

    They contain very little air, so quickly look and are flat due to even a small loss of air . The small diameter of the hub means that the yoke frequently obscures the tyre valve, making checking/inflating awkward. Then the sidewalls crack and its scrap.
    Still got one from my old Bucanneer in teh garage, but it won't be seeing the light of day again

    I have a small light weight trooley jack whick is invaluable for jacking up nose wheel to spin it round to inflate it ,they do lose pressure . I'm going to fill it with tyre inflation goo next time it goes down see if that stops it losing pressure . The
    cheap Jockey wheels ,which i use need shimmimg up on the shaft and I dont inflate past 30 PSI ,they start coming off the rim any higher . My mate got his upto 60 PSI when it blew off the rim with a bang ,that was funny . When we got our van the jockey wheel
    was badly under inflated , went to pump it up and No valve it had spun in the tyre ,had to puncture it to get the tyre off . So ,if possible dont move caravan with a jockey wheel that is nearly flat . Or get you wife or a sack of potatoes in the Van to unload
    the hitch weight .

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