Help needed - broken jockey wheel tightening nut

[Jonathan_374308129]

I was just placing my Abbey Stafford 1988 back into storage after a great weekend away in {pipe delimiter}Rutland and the handle to tighten the jockey wheel back into position sheered off. It's the small nut that you tighten/loosen to pull the jockey wheel up when towing. Half of the nut remaining in the clamp - and the rest of the handle just fell off. We managed to lift the caravan up and get it back to it's position, but it is currently left with no jockey wheel on the front and just the legs for support. My first thoughts were to try and drill the piece of metal out that has been left behind - but i don't want to cut out the threat as the clamp is welded on. Would it be easier just to buy a new clamp and position it next to the old one? Any of your thoughts would be most welcome. It's a great van that has been really well looked after. it was given to us by a friend and we have already had three fantastic trips away in the last month. The kids (6+2) love it. I hope that this won't curtail our fun! Hope you can help.

Jon

 

[MikeP]

Given that you were returning the caravan to storage, am I safe in assuming that the clamp was able to move fairly freely in the threaded part of the clamp?

If so, then the solution is fairly simple. You drill a hole in the centre of the sheared bolt and use something called an easi-out. It has a reverse thread, so as you screw it in, it tries to unscrew the sheared bolt.

But if the clamp thread is very tight or seized, then the best solution may be to drill out and re-tap the thread.

 

[Neil_5041165]

When this happened to our caravan only a few weeks ago i was fortunate enough to be taking away from the dealer after having it serviced, so fortunately i had help to get it fixed. The dealer Crowland Caravans near Peterborough managed to turn the sheared section by tapping it with a screw driver and out it came. The comment from the dealer was that i was repeatedly over tightening the clamp causing it to shear eventually. Try this before using an easy out and if you do use an easy out becare to make sure your don't get that to shear off as you will be in trouble then !!!

 

[Jonathan_374308129]

When this happened to our caravan only a few weeks ago i was fortunate enough to be taking away from the dealer after having it serviced, so fortunately i had help to get it fixed. The dealer Crowland Caravans near Peterborough managed to turn the sheared section by tapping it with a screw driver and out it came. The comment from the dealer was that i was repeatedly over tightening the clamp causing it to shear eventually. Try this before using an easy out and if you do use an easy out becare to make sure your don't get that to shear off as you will be in trouble then !!!

Just been to the storage place armed with a selection of screwdrivers, a can of wd40 and a big hammer. Great news - after 30 minutes of swearing and rasping out popped the nut. And the threat looks inact so no halm done. Just got to get hold of a handle now. Are they standard size? Thanks very much for your help Mipe P and Neil!

 

[MikeJE]

Jonathan,

Had the same problem, used the easy out method, no problem. I bought a replacement - available at accessory shops - AND a spare which I keep in the 'van. On the principle that if you always carry a brolly it will never rain I have never sheared the clamp since !

Well not yet anyway !

Mike E

 

[harry_374244037]

Yes it happened to me also , being an engineer i made a new one fron titanium .. material probably cost more tan the whole unit,

lol

Regards Harry

 

[MikeJE]

Harry,

Seeing that these things are readily available makes me wonder if they are a common breakage. If so are they a deliberate weakpoint to prevent overtightening and possibly distorting something ?

Mike E

 

[harry_374244037]

Hi Mike ,

When i took the old one out (or what was left of it ) it was absolute crap , how the hell they withstand the pressure from the turning of the jockey wheel handle i will never know .

I can make these things in stronger material , all i need is a drawing or pattern and i shall do my best (pm me) if anyone is stuck for a part.

Only thing i will not make is axle nuts or wheelnuts as these are already made from tensile steel in which safety is paramount and i would not wat to be responsible for an accident.

Harry

 

[Jonathan_374308129]

Picked up a replacement handle for