Jockey up or down (from Dec magazine)
Comments
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Enough owners have problems reversing the existing arrangement with the axle in the middle. I shudder to think how most would cope with an arrangement like a farm trailer. ....
I could reverse one of them 40 yrs ago using a tractor ... not sure anymore
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I don't see any problem with putting "a strain" on the jockey wheel. Even the cheap ones are quite robust. Perhaps they are made that way for a reason. Certainly far more robust than the bit of screwed rod in a steady that usually has the load applied in
the middle.0 -
Jockey wheel up?
Some people like to make work for themselves.0 -
I use the Jockey wheel to level the van fore and aft and the steadies to - wait for it - steady the van; all as per the manufacturers instructions.
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I follow like to follow the instructions as well.
unhitch caravan. locate on pitch. Lower caravan, Nose down slightly with jockey wheel. Push button and let the van level itself. After two minutes, caravan perfectl level and rock solid, Jockey wheel is off the floor and I can enjoy holiday.
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I follow like to follow the instructions as well.
unhitch caravan. locate on pitch. .....
I locate on pitch before I unhitch ....
I also locate before unhitching because I can reverse I mean I haven't a motormover.
But did I mention, once jockey wheel is down it stays down.
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I leave the jockey wheel down.
And twice whilst towing.......
..both times on storage site.
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I leave the jockey wheel down.
And twice whilst towing.......
..both times on storage site.
Saves the effort of winding the handle. of winding the handle.
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Yes, of course, jockey wheel down. The caravan is nose heavy and the jockey wheel is far more substantial than the flimsy steadies. The only downside is that you have to remember to raise it before setting off! In 25 years of caravanning I managed to
pull away at least once with either - jockey wheel down, Alko wheel lock still in place, one or more steadies down.1 -
If the steadies are down the jockey wheel takes very little weight so there is no reason to lift it. In our case we have very little choice as due to poor design the gas locker lid will foul the jockey wheel unless the wheel is well down.
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Talking about jockey wheels a few years back i was returning south on the M6 from the lake district with the van.There must have been some sort of jet ski event that day as i had a succession of them passing us on trailers.Anyway as one approached in the
middle lane to pass me i heard this rumbling noise and as the veihicle and trailer drew level i looked across and there was a lad in the passenger seat fast asleep and a young girl driveing.Now they are passing me at around 65mph and low and behold the jockey
wheel on the trailer has dropped down and is bouncing on the road you can just imagine the rpm it was trying to turn at.We had
friends in front of us so i asked the O/H to tell them to beware of this passing menace.Just as it got passed me the jockey wheel snapped off at the neck and came bouncing out from under the trailer.It shot up over the bonnet of my car,across the hard shoulder and up
the banking.The car and jet ski carried on as if nothing had happened.How the hell they could,nt hear it on the road i dont know maybe they had the radio blasting.Had it hit my car or van the damage could have been conciderable.v9.
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Well, that was very interesting, thank you all for your comments, but I still think that it is a decision for the individual. I do agree that the corner steadies are not to take the full weight of the 'van, ie, raising a wheel off the ground to level it,
as there are wedges that can be used to raise a wheel, I often use mine on uneven pitches. For those that have front gas bottle storage I can understand that access is difficult with the jockey up, but as I have my gas bottles in the side I do not have that
problem. So the result is: jockey wheel down!!0 -
The steadys are NOT designed to take the weight, they could bend, the jocky wheel is heavy duty and will take the weight, try using the corner steadys to jack you van up and see what happens
keep your jocky wheel down
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This one comes up regularly and quite a while back I contacted Alko for their advice on the matter Here's the substance of their advice;
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Should the jockey wheel be raised or lowered while our caravan is parked and in use?
If we need to make a coarse adjustment of the jockey wheel shaft clamp. due to sloping ground, is it OK to raise, lower or support the front of the caravan with one corner steady leg while making the adjustment?
Thanks Jenny
Thank you for your enquiryStandard practise is to lower the jockey wheel but its by no means a rule. In regards to lowering one corner steady to help we would always recommend that they are lowered in pairs.
Kind regards
Phil Wiggins
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This one comes up regularly and quite a while back I contacted Alko for their advice on the matter Here's the substance of their advice;
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Should the jockey wheel be raised or lowered while our caravan is parked and in use?
If we need to make a coarse adjustment of the jockey wheel shaft clamp. due to sloping ground, is it OK to raise, lower or support the front of the caravan with one corner steady leg while making the adjustment?
Thanks Jenny
Thank you for your enquiryStandard practise is to lower the jockey wheel but its by no means a rule. In regards to lowering one corner steady to help we would always recommend that they are lowered in pairs.
Kind regards
Phil Wiggins
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Frankly, I think it makes not difference one way or another. The forces involved when either the jockey wheel is up or down are are not so much different that the steadies would be unable to cope. I have yet to hear of anybody that has had a steady collapse or deform because the jockey wheel was up, always assuming that the steadies weren't overstressed already before the jockey wheel was raised.
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I think the whole point is for me, if I wind the jockey wheel down to level fore and aft then it's a waste of time and unnecessary step in raising it after the steadies are positioned. Especially as I have to lower it again when un-pitching.
So down to level fore and aft, drop steadies, forget jockey wheel, make tea.
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I remember the time " Valentines night " there were 13 of us in a friends T.E.C. 545/4 caravan + disco ball and 4 of 'em were dancing.
That was a T.E.C. though with heavy steadies and a sturdy floor. As for not being able to open the gas lockers it is in my opinion a design fault, many UK vans are built with body too far forward.
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Well, if you are happy to waste your time raising the jockey wheel (for no advantage, and even if you think there is no disadvantage) then you do that.
For myself, I'll continue not to waste my time.
Oh, and I think Alko are wrong.......as they are in the design of so many of their products (spare wheel carriers, caravan jacks, security locks........)
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I would think that a caravan is built to take the weight on the A frame when travelling with all the movement and twisting and we never have problems with that, so I cannot see what harm it is going to do to anything with leaving the the jockey wheel down, we have always left the wheel down when on site and at home.
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If the caravan is pitched correctly most of the weight will be bearing on the axle. The corner steadies will support a small load - perhaps 100kg each. Dropping the jockey wheel and applying some pressure will make virtually no difference either way.
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If eight people are seated at one end of the caravan ( which most of ours have easily done ) I really would suggest using very big Big Feet & very strong steadies if raising the jockey wheel for no apparent reason. Would any one who insists on raising the jockey wheel whilst pitched please give a viable reason for doing so.
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