Jockey Wheel

[BillD.]

Took our new Swift Coastline out for the first time last week and had a problem never encountered before.

On the way up the M5 a vibration developed which I thought may be a puncture. Pulled over to hard shoulder and found it was the jockey wheel running on the road. Assumed I had not tightened it properly so pulled it up and locked it securely.

On return trip (having made sure when we packed up that the locking lever was done up tightly) same problem on the way home.

Investigation this time revealed that it was not the outer tube slipping down but it was the inner tube that carries the wheel had actually unwound. Never had this before, assume the vibration and/or wind had caused the winding handle to unwind, anyone else experienced this? In future I will secure with bungee.

Bill D.

 

[dixie1]

Hello Bill D.

This happened to us once, the jockey wheel fell down for reasons unknown, it was also tightly secured etc.. we lost a fair bit of rubber off the tyre, when it bounced/dragged along the road. We now after hitching up remove the jockey wheel and it travels in the back of the car until we get on site.. (could also be an added security measure if you have to stop somewhere- services etc).

Carmen

 

[marlot]

I had this problem when towing with a Mondeo, but it hasn't happened since I switched to a 4x4 - I think the softer suspension helps.

Horse boxes often have a way of locking the wheel up so it doesn't unwind, but caravans don't for some reason.

 

[xtrailman]

Bill

The key word is NEW.

When our Bailey was new in 2004, i had the jockey wheel drop down, and on another occasion the dam thing unwound!

I got to the stage where i was tightening the clamp and winder that tight it was near shearing!

Any way all the problem was TOO MUCH GREASE!

Strip it down and took the excess grease off, never had a problem since.

 

[Ray R]

We saw a Landrover towing a van up the M5 2 or 3 weeks ago with the jockey wheel bouncing off the road, did try and attract the drivers attention to it and noticed he pulled over not long after, whether that was because he saw us or just heard or felt it I don't know.