Jockey wheel up with steadies down

[monce100]

Hi everyone,
New to the forum and just read about someone having a problem with his pneumatic jockey wheel going flat over the winter. I have had the same problem with cheap imports so you need to buy a good quality one. It would appear that whilst laying up his van for the winter he lowered the the steadies and then raised the jockey wheel. The physics of caravan design require the weight of the van to be supported across the A frame. The steadies are there for (as the name suggests) steadying the van from movement, not taking the whole weight of the van.
It never ceases to amaze me how many people we see on sites with the jockey wheel up and steadies down. I've even seen one person pitch next to me on a sloping site and he raised his van on the steadies to level it and had one wheel off the ground with the whole side of the vans weight on the steadies.
If you don't want your van to detach from the chassis and put too much strain on the caravan structure keep the jockey wheel on the floor and use the steadies to stop the van moving, not take its weight. Rant over.

Mince 100

 

[Damian]

Quote " It would appear that whilst laying up his van for the winter he lowered the the steadies and then raised the jockey wheel. The physics of caravan design require the weight of the van to be supported across the A frame."

With both wheels on the ground the weight of the van is on the axle and wheels, so it does not matter if the jockey wheel is up or down in storage, they are simply steadying the van, as they are designed to do.

Levelling on site using the steadies as jacks is NOT a good idea, neither should they be used instead of a jack when changing a wheel.

 

[chrisbee1]

With both wheels on the ground the weight of the van is on the axle and wheels, so it does not matter if the jockey wheel is up or down in storage, they are simply steadying the van, as they are designed to do.

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I can't help thinking the weight is taken at three points, albeit only a small percentage is taken by the jockey wheel. As I have a nose weight approaching 100Kgs I always use the jockey wheel in storage.

 

[Damian]

Corner steadies are designed to take a minimum of 25% of the van total weight on each one.