Jockey wheel too difficult to wind

[AnkaS]

HI all

My old trailer had a tongue weight about 90kg and I was able to wind down the jockey wheel and lift it off the ball using one hand on the handle. I have a brand new trailer with a tongue weight of about 135kg and after a few easy spins, I have to use both hands and all my weight to jerk the handle around bit by bit. It's really difficult!

I disassembled the jockey wheel and put white lithium spray grease on, and it made no difference. The trailer seller/manufacturer can't give any suggestions.

Can you guys help? It really shouldn't be this difficult - should it?

thanks!

 

[Hutch]

Not to be daft, but what is the Nose weight of your caravan, / trailer. . Have you checked it.

Do you have a new Alko hitch that clamps onto the hitch, if you don't raise the big handle then it would be almost impossible to get it off from the hitch. Just a thought.

 

[otherclive]

I assume that your tongue weight is what we would call nose weight. Is the figure that you quote the maximum for the trailer chassis or one that you have measured? I suspect that as you have changed the trailer one problem could be that the trailers hitch isn't coming off the cars towball. And that the extra resistance could be due to you effectively trying to lift the trailer nose weight and cars weight too. Servicing of the trailer hitch could be an answer.

 

[chrisn7]

Is the tube bent?

 

[AnkaS]

Tongue weight = nose weight, sorry.

I have not checked the tongue weight - how can I do that?

The jockey wheel is hard to lift even when the trailer is not hitched up, so it's not the weight of the truck too.... tho I did think of that!

I don't think it's an Alko hitch based on the photos I have seen of them online. It looks just like this, and actually I don't understand what the "- + x" on the side with the three positions is all about? Anyone?

Is the tube bent? I don't THINK so....I'm not sure how bent it would need ot be to affect this - perhaps not much at all - but the only way to find out will be jacking it up again and disassembling it, I expect!

 

[Craigyoung]

That's not an Alko hitch , its the same as my twin axle trailer i have (for DIY) household stuff , mine just lifts and pulls off , sometimes put the jockey wheel down and wind the jockey up to assist it in coming off.

 

[Anseo]

My guess is a bent inner tube or the screwed section rod that drives it.

I have a small trailer and I 'bottomed out' the jockey wheel on a speed bump, I can wind it up and down but it is harder work than it should be, will have to find time to strip it down and see if it is possible to straighten things out

 

[chrisn7]

Its all too easy to bend the tube on even a seeming small obstacle. The momentum of a moving van acting on a small tube at right angle to the ground....pothole, low kerb etc
Take it apart, then put a known flat surface under the tube, and roll it - you'll soon see if it bent...

 

[otherclive]

Its all too easy to bend the tube on even a seeming small obstacle. The momentum of a moving van acting on a small tube at right angle to the ground....pothole, low kerb etc
Take it apart, then put a known flat surface under the tube, and roll it - you'll soon see if it bent...

Agree they can be damaged if moving the van using a mover particularly on gravel or muddy/rough surface. Best then to wind the jockey wheel back and keep the stem short.

 

[Dustydog]

The only thing I can think off is a partially seized or damaged thrust bearing/ washer.

 

[Craigyoung]

That's what mine looks like.