Jockey wheel became unclamped

[BigTim]

Hi
Last Saturday we travelled back from our break in the 'van at Keswick CCC to our home in St Helens - just over 100 miles.
Before leaving I DEFINITELY remember that the jockey wheel was wound into it's shaft, the shaft raised to the top and the clamp tightened to hold it in place. I particularly remember this because my wife did this and I tightened the clamp a bit more to be sure it was secure. My jockey wheel is the type that has the socket running through the A-frames centre, not type that clamps on the side.
On arriving home I was horrified to discover that the jockey wheel shaft had become UNCLAMPED, fallen through the socket in the A frame and was dragging on the floor. The only thing that prevented it falling all the way through was the bend in the winding handle and the fact that it was too long.
It was EXTREMELY difficult to get the jockey wheel shaft back into the A frame to unhitch the caravan from the car. I had to remove the jockey wheel from its mount and even then I had to pull the 'van up onto the kerb to give enough height to pull the shaft back into the A frame.
I just can't understand how the jockey wheel shaft became loose. I'm sure that the jockey wheel could have only become detached near the end of the journey. The only possilbe cause that I can think of is that the diesel ran low and I had to stop off at a Tesco filling station only about a mile from my home to fill up. It was tight getting the car into the service station with the 'van on tow and I had to mount the kerb with the 'van to get in. I can only think that the jockey wheel caught on the kerb and this loosened it.
I've never known this happen before in 10+ years of caravanning.
Tim

 

[Lutz]

It happened to me once, too. After having driven quite a few miles I heard a rumbling noise occasionally, but thought no more about it at first as everything seemed to be quite normal. As the noise was gradually to be heard more often I decided I ought to stop to see what the cause might be. By the time I had come to a stop I saw that the jockey wheel had dropped and was running on the ground, obviously only once in a while at first as one drove over bumps (hence the only occasional rumbling noise), later continually as it had dropped further and had constant contact with the ground. It had got so hot from all this that it had completely melted (it was a plastic wheel).
I can only put this down to not having secured the jockey wheel adequately before moving off.

 

[JTQ]

I had a van where the jockey wheel had a habit of "un-winding" down. Too much TLC keeping it lubricated?
I cured this by loading the winding handle with a bungee cord back to the towbar.
If that happed in your case then that in turn might give the tube securing clamp a good shaking and possibly loosen it.
In your case however like Lutz I suspect the reality is that the tube was despite your efforts not clamped up correctly. I can see possibilities for this if in the coupling operation you had cause to have eased the clamp and move the tube, as is so often the case in stowing it or gaining clearance for the wheel. Then on retightening the clamp the tube was side loaded and not fully seated.
I always shake the tube as I reclamp it to ensure it is seating back correctly because if it’s not “free” it will not necessarily seat back correctly.