Jockey wheel tyre - solid or air filled?

[Netti_374307085]

I'm hoping to be able to replace my jockey wheel before we go away, or at the very least, the tyre. It's a solid plastic one that's on it just now with chunks missing out of it. I need some advice on what to replace it with.

My drive has some uneven paving and sections of gravel to negotiate, not to mention most pitches I've booked being on grass, so I thought a pneaumatic wheel may be preferable as I read these work better on such surfaces. Am I correct? My concern is that the only ones I have seen come mounted on a plastic wheel, which seems like an area of weakness to me. Are there any problems with these?

The solid tyres I have seen are all mounted on metal wheels which to my novice eyes, look stronger.

Any advice appreciated.

 

[JTQ]

I prefer the pneumatic as they seem to cope better with minor obstructions, however they are too large to stow on the current van.

Here the jockey is inboard of the "A" frame, not outboard as some are, so that is a point to check before purchase.

 

[MikeyW]

Hi Netti

Do you have a motor mover? Our dealer recommended a, wider than standard, solid wheel because he said the tyre has been known to come off a pneumatic wheel when using the mover. Took his word for it and bought one and we haven't had any problems over small obstacles, kerbs etc... or gravel.

Regards

Mike

 

[Dustydog]

Hi Netti

My dealer told us to avoid pneumatic tyred jockey wheels. Too many punctures and never store correctly on the chassis. Our caravan came with a fairly large diameter solid rubber tyred wheel. Never been a problem with the mover.

Cheers

Alan

 

[Del_374232870]

When we had the mover fitted to the last van we left the old solid tyre jockey wheel on , all was fine until we were on a CL using a gravel pitch. Went to move the the van and the jockey wheel just kept digging in. Changed it for a budget phumatic jockey wheel and all was well. Unfortunatley the housing was not strong enough and after a year the forks bent. We then got an Alko Phemutic heavy duty model and 4 years later it is still going strong after being transferred to our current t/a van. Never had a puncture onit (touch wood) and only have to add some air at the start of the season. Not the cheapest Jockey wheel but for us worth every penny. The phematic wheel makes the van a lot easier to manouver over soft and un even ground.

 

[Netti_374307085]

Thanks for all the comments folks. Certainly food for thought. I don't have a mover fitted and the van doesn't justify the expense but I do need to make it as easy to manouevre as possible. I may get a mover that connects to the hitch when funds allow but I don't know how successful it would be on a sloping drive. That's our biggest problem is controlling it running away when it hits the slope.

Is there any way to tell whether the jockey wheel will stow away on the A frame OK? Any where I can measure? The jockey wheel is mounted in the middle of my A frame, not at the side. Not sure if that makes a differece.

 

[JTQ]

Netti,

"The jockey wheel is mounted in the middle of my A frame, not at the side. Not sure if that makes a difference."

That arrangement is where I found the problem.

Easiest way to find out is to "borrow" a fellow campers for the ten minutes it will take to try it out.

 

[Netti_374307085]

Just looking at some for sale and it seems the diameter is 10 ins. That's quite large compared to a standard jockey wheel. Is the problem you can't pull it up far enough into the A frame for ground clearance?

 

[Del_374232870]

Netti

Ours is mounted in the centre of the A frame, and the Alco Heavy duty retracts fully within the A frame, as I said earlier though not the cheapest, if I remember it was around

 

[Royston]

Netti, After having qty 2 blow up jockey wheels , first one had a plastic rim which disintegrated whilst reversing the van from the road onto my drive causing the tyre to be badly damaged,Second wheel was a alko with a steel rim which suddenly deflated whilst sitting on my drive, after removing the tyre from the rim discovered that when it had been assembled part of the inner tube has been caught under the rim .

I found them very diificult to maintain their correct tyre pressure of 30 psi,only sucessfull way was to pump them up with a cycle pump fitted with a high pressure adaptor.

The tyres themselves are quite a lot bigger than the solid tyres, weigh a bit more as well, if you have problems keeping your nose weight down.

As you can probably guess that I have reverted back to the alko solid wheel , I to have a motor mover never had any problem with gravel, waste of space as far as i am concerned.

Royston

 

[Sproket]

Hi Netti

our van is very heavy on the nose, even when empty, I have had a mover fitted, and was also advised to get a different jockey wheel, as mine is a solid one, anyway I have just found this one and it might be of interest to you ?

JW 0027 AL-KO Jockey Wheel with Load Indicator

AL-KO 48 mm dia, Quality jockey wheel with NOSE LOAD indicator, is ideally suited for use with motor-movers due to its strength, intergrated suspension and large removable rubber wheel, industrial thrust bearing give smooth operation at all times, removable crank handle, a perfect replacement for any 48 mm dia assembly, all go to make this a unique quality product.

http://www.banburytrailers.co.uk/index.php?cPath=63_89
banburytrailers.co.uk

it has got a load indicator built in ( so you can see how much nose weight you have got )

its not cheap !

 

[Rodone]

I have used an inflatable jockey wheel - with a Powrtouch mover - for around six years, and always found the mobility excellent, with no punctures or tyre coming off the rim etc.. My quibble with them is that the rubber that the tyre is made from, perishes in no time at all and so you have to be prepared to fork out at regular intervals. If only someone could come up with a decent quality tyre...

 

[mistermac]

Blimey!

Didn't realise how much jockey wheels were!

Thought they were ten-a-penny!

Well....'ish'

Mac

 

[Colinn]

I changed from hard rubber to pneumatic and while it was in tip-top condition was probably better. Trouble is there are significant problems with pressures, rapid deterioration, inflating, the plastic mounting, risk of running off the rim, and securing when raised. None of that to worry about with a good quality, good sized solid wheel, which I now use...

 

[CameronBurns]

we have a jockey wheel with an air filled tyre, it is quiet on gravel, doesn't dig into the grass (unlike a plastic one) our model had a noseweight measuring device at tho top. it is convinient, high quality and has lasted a long time and many holidays, however it cost around

 

[VonRyan]

Hi Netti,

I recently went over to a BPW jocky wheel with a nose weight gauge built in and a pneaumatic tyre, which at first I was not keen on, but the dealer and also a friend said they were far better with motor movers but can puncture easily and suggusted I bought a spare! The van moves a lot easier with the pneaumatic tyre and does not dig in on gravel, but I did not want to carry a spare but deflated the tyre and put in some leak seal and reinflated the tyre to 30 PSI. This stuff seals minor puncture's up to 3mm, but is frouned upon on main tyres on the van as it may mask a possible disaster but on a jocky wheel will be fine.

The jocky wheel is mounted to the N/S outer of the A frame so there is no clearance problems and the nose weight gauge is a boon for quick checking of the nose weight which has been calibrated.

Hope this helps and not too long winded

Rob

 

[MikeJE]

The inner tubes - made down to a price - tend to perish rather rapidly. It might be worth while getting a good quality inner fitted as sooner rather than later. Better safe than sorry.