Motorised Jockey wheel

Paulfromderby
Paulfromderby Forum Participant Posts: 3
edited August 2023 in Caravans #1

Just wondering if anyone has used a motorised jockey wheel to move their Van onto a driveway, rather than a conventional fixed mover? My drive at home is a bit tight if cars are parked opposite but I don't have need of  mover otherwise when on sites and don't want the additional weight. My Van is fairly lightweight 1050kg and it goes up a slight incline, nothing too bad 2 people can push it up. Was looking at the Vevor 350W but any experience of particular models or general advice would be appreciated, thank you.

Comments

  • peedee
    peedee Club Member Posts: 9,383 ✭
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    edited August 2023 #2

    I never had one but by accounts they did have problems with grip especially on loose surfaces. I suppose if you left them on when travelling (risky I would have thought) they will add to your nose weight?

    peedee

  • Randomcamper
    Randomcamper Club Member Posts: 1,062 ✭✭
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    edited August 2023 #3

    I looked at these a while ago to move an ifor williams car trailer around. The make wasn't the same but the design was, I suspect it's all the same piece of kit with a different brand sticker on it....?

    I don't think they replace your actual jockey wheel, you bolt the included bracket to the trailer (caravan) draw bar.

    A lot of the reviews I read said the bracket was flimsy and it all bent out of shape easily. I didn't bother buying one in the end, because of the poor reviews.

    Looking at the prices on a google search it is suspiciously cheap. I would personally be surprised if you were going to get anything worth having for that sort of money.....

    I looked around for a Mr Shifta, but decent  second hand ones are expensive and I don't think they make them anymore....

     

  • Paulfromderby
    Paulfromderby Forum Participant Posts: 3
    edited August 2023 #4

    Was this an unloaded trailer? Can't take that much moving surely?

  • Paulfromderby
    Paulfromderby Forum Participant Posts: 3
    edited August 2023 #5

    It's for moving at home why would I be worrying about nose weight??? 

  • peedee
    peedee Club Member Posts: 9,383 ✭
    1000 Comments Name Dropper
    edited August 2023 #6

    The ones I was aware of took the place of the jockey wheel. If you remove it when done with and put the original jockey wheel back then obviously the nose weight would not change for towing to site.

    peedee

  • Lutz
    Lutz Forum Participant Posts: 1,564 ✭✭✭✭
    edited August 2023 #7

    From what I've heard, they're pretty useless on anything but level and smooth ground. They don't grip well on gravel or other loose surface. Basically they are only relatively effective for shifting a caravan around a workshop floor or a level forecourt.

  • Tammygirl
    Tammygirl Club Member Posts: 7,958 ✭✭✭
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    edited August 2023 #8

    We had one of these many years ago, it was rubbish on gravel, not to bad on a flat smooth surface. OH soon got rid of it. 

  • eribaMotters
    eribaMotters Club Member Posts: 1,193 ✭✭✭✭
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    edited August 2023 #9

    I used a motorised jockey wheel mover for a couple of years. I had a slight incline and it was across gravel. My van was a very light 900kg but I needed assistance as the gap into the garage was tight. I had to sit the mover battery on the caravan drawbar/A-frame and lean down heavily on it to get an adequate grip. It was far from ideal.

    I moved up to a 1300kg van and resorted to a winch bolted to a length of angle-iron fixed to the garage floor. This proved to be a very cost effective answer to my problem, until I ripped the teeth of the winch. It is however the route I would investigate.

     

    Colin

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