Collapsed jockey wheel

[Transporter]

I was manoeuvring my caravan to turn it around 180¯ this afternoon with the motor-mover -- first time I've ever done it -- when the jockey wheel just seemed to give up. I mean the front end dropped, and the jockey lifter ended up loose and sticking out of the top of the tow-frame at an angle. Luckily the corner steadies were half-way down, so nothing hit the ground except them.

As a novice, I'm prepared to believe that I made a blunder, but if so I need to know what it was.

The jockey was clamped down and the handbrake was off.

Any ideas (before I call the dealer tomorrow)?

 

[Transporter]

I called the dealer.

 

[Guest]

probably too much weight on the wheel, easily don, and those wheels are not very robust for the task required - I use a motor mover and I've also noticed the wheels looking decidedly 'poorly'

I made a mental note last time I ran it off the drive to get a spare wheel ready for when it collapsed - but, as is usually the case with me, promptly forgot.

Thanks for reminding me

 

[Transporter]

I should point out that the jockey wheel assembly was not damaged in any way. It just seemed to slip and separate. As far as I know I hadn't done anything wrong, and I've managed to get it back together exactly as it was. But now I'll always be a bit nervous. C'est la vie.

[Incidentally, the dealer just rang to check progress. I suppose I should be happy, but the word "smarmy" just keeps popping up. It's a British thing, I guess.]

 

[Transporter]

I should point out that the jockey wheel assembly was not damaged in any way. It just seemed to slip and separate. As far as I know I hadn't done anything wrong, and I've managed to get it back together exactly as it was. But now I'll always be a bit nervous. C'est la vie.

[Incidentally, the dealer just rang to check progress. I suppose I should be happy, but the word "smarmy" just keeps popping up. It's a British thing, I guess.]

And the caravan was completely empty, as bought.

 

[WatsonJohnG]

If it slipped and separated it was probably because you had it wound down a bit too far so that the internal screw attached to the winding handle was loose

The force of gravity would have held it together until overcome by the sideways forces

The easy(?) way to reassemble is to lift the front of the van as high as possible with a jack and then feed in from top or bottom

Hope that helps

 

[WatsonJohnG]

If it slipped and separated it was probably because you had it wound down a bit too far so that the internal screw attached to the winding handle was loose

The force of gravity would have held it together until overcome by the sideways forces

The easy(?) way to reassemble is to lift the front of the van as high as possible with a jack and then feed in from top or bottom

Hope that helps

Shoul read top and bottom

 

[Gumbo]

Welcome to my world Transporter.

Been there done that, as John points out you probably wound the wheel down to far. We invested in a alko heavy duty jockey wheel, which seems to move the van better when it's on loose chippings etc.

 

[Transporter]

Yes, JohnG & Gumbo, I think that's the problem -- wound down too far. My excuse is that that was the very first time I'd ever tried to move it.

I did jack it up high, and eventually got it together, but the main problem was holding the clamp shoe out of the way so that the winder could slip through. Bad design, I'd say. Would the Alko heavy-duty version be any easier, I wonder?

Not that I'll ever do such a thing again, of course.