why why do swift sell caravans with spare wheel and al-ko wheel security BUT DO NOT SUPPLY A JACK .IS THIS PENNYPINCHING OR NOT ???? Careavan in question challenger 520 .i feel that this is dangerous .Have been quoted £70 for one ??
missing jack
- Thread starter william_5128039
- Start date
I agree that jacks and batteries (and waste containers and water carriers) should be part of the kit that comes as essential .
I don't agree that its dealer lead though although they do get the business for spares and fitting.
Bailey supply all the above except the battery and water carrier including fridge vent covers (on the Senator)and our dealer sells Bailey and Swift.
The lack of the equipment on the Swift(and others) is manufacturer lead as it makes the Swift seem more competitive price wise.
AS Bailey are now supplying the kit other manufacturers will have to follow to compete with like for like.
Its like the motor trade with more and more kit being supplied as standard to keep up with the competition.
I don't agree that its dealer lead though although they do get the business for spares and fitting.
Bailey supply all the above except the battery and water carrier including fridge vent covers (on the Senator)and our dealer sells Bailey and Swift.
The lack of the equipment on the Swift(and others) is manufacturer lead as it makes the Swift seem more competitive price wise.
AS Bailey are now supplying the kit other manufacturers will have to follow to compete with like for like.
Its like the motor trade with more and more kit being supplied as standard to keep up with the competition.
Hi does the van already have the jacking brackets fitted.I believe the conqueror is supplied with a jack.Have a look on Ebay they always have alko side jacks for sale and you may get one much cheaper failing that alko's website is around
As an old wise caravanner, let me give you the best advice you'll ever get.
BUY A SMALL TROLLEY JACK.
It will fit in the boot of any car, or under a locker in your caravan. It will be worth it's weight in gold if you get a puncture on either your car or caravan. It will be extremely useful if your jockey wheel gets completely bogged down, and you need to get something firm under it.
I entirely agree with you that manufacturers should supply a jack.
The fact is though, that most 'supplied' jacks, are cheap, nasty little affairs that are not very safe to use, and are a complete fiddle to mess around with.
Imagine the scene.
You've just had a puncture on your caravan.
The offside wheel. Motorway traffic thundering past you at crazy speeds despite the rain, wind and impending darkness.
And you want to mess about with some "Made in China" jack that could collapse, or suddenly slide away when the gust from a big lorry rocks your caravan?
Not me!! No way. Not ever.
We take our small trolley jack on EVERY trip, and it's been worth it's weight in gold. Cost about
BUY A SMALL TROLLEY JACK.
It will fit in the boot of any car, or under a locker in your caravan. It will be worth it's weight in gold if you get a puncture on either your car or caravan. It will be extremely useful if your jockey wheel gets completely bogged down, and you need to get something firm under it.
I entirely agree with you that manufacturers should supply a jack.
The fact is though, that most 'supplied' jacks, are cheap, nasty little affairs that are not very safe to use, and are a complete fiddle to mess around with.
Imagine the scene.
You've just had a puncture on your caravan.
The offside wheel. Motorway traffic thundering past you at crazy speeds despite the rain, wind and impending darkness.
And you want to mess about with some "Made in China" jack that could collapse, or suddenly slide away when the gust from a big lorry rocks your caravan?
Not me!! No way. Not ever.
We take our small trolley jack on EVERY trip, and it's been worth it's weight in gold. Cost about
Here's some light reading for you about jacks.
http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/carreviews/producttests/62030/trolley_jacks.html
http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/carreviews/producttests/62030/trolley_jacks.html
BUY A SMALL TROLLEY JACK
Good advice. I struggled an a Spanish services to wind up the Alko jack.
MUCH easier with the trolley jack I used to carry
Good advice. I struggled an a Spanish services to wind up the Alko jack.
MUCH easier with the trolley jack I used to carry
Carrying a Trolley jack is very good advice; I've changed more than enough car van and truck tyres and a fixed jack has more than a few issues. The main thing is that there could be a pot hole, puddle or other obstruction right where you want deploy you jack.
A Trolley jack will allow you to use a different part of the vans chassis or running gear (at your discretion) and very often will get you out of the line of traffic.
MH
A Trolley jack will allow you to use a different part of the vans chassis or running gear (at your discretion) and very often will get you out of the line of traffic.
MH
If you want the safest and easier jack in the world you need a Trail-A-Mate. The only jack that fixes to a lifting point on the side of your caravan or trailer where you do not have to go underneath the caravan to position it.....hence why it is so safe and easy.
This definately will not slide away from your caravan as you could rock your van and it stays attached. The only one in Australia that passes their standards for caravans jacks and where they have legistration to govern jacks and which type are used for which jobs.
We have no standards or rules to determine which jack is suitable for which task. Only standrads to govern dead weight lift.
Trail-A-Mate is not cheap but then it does double up as a jockey wheel as well. Can be used to leveller as well if you have wheel trouble.
Would only cost a small amount to have brackets already fitted by the manifacturer.
But then most of you pay more for your barbeque or water carrier or other items and these are not picking up your expensive caravan or putting you in danger when you have to go under the van to use them, but you seem to want to buy the cheapest you can whatever danger you may be putting your self in.
Not saying you have not been able to use the trolley jacks successfully up to now, but as someone pointed out if the ground is not level you can have a problem with a trolley jack. It is actually really a garage jack for use on a hard flat surface and although recovery use them they are possibly heavier and bigger than the ones caravanners would like to carry around.
You need to know exactly how and where to put these to be safe and the head does not attach itself enough to the caravn to make is 100% safe.
If enough of us demand suitable jacks from the dealers then the manufacturer would have to do something. How do you think we got stabilises fitted as standard? and other features.
This definately will not slide away from your caravan as you could rock your van and it stays attached. The only one in Australia that passes their standards for caravans jacks and where they have legistration to govern jacks and which type are used for which jobs.
We have no standards or rules to determine which jack is suitable for which task. Only standrads to govern dead weight lift.
Trail-A-Mate is not cheap but then it does double up as a jockey wheel as well. Can be used to leveller as well if you have wheel trouble.
Would only cost a small amount to have brackets already fitted by the manifacturer.
But then most of you pay more for your barbeque or water carrier or other items and these are not picking up your expensive caravan or putting you in danger when you have to go under the van to use them, but you seem to want to buy the cheapest you can whatever danger you may be putting your self in.
Not saying you have not been able to use the trolley jacks successfully up to now, but as someone pointed out if the ground is not level you can have a problem with a trolley jack. It is actually really a garage jack for use on a hard flat surface and although recovery use them they are possibly heavier and bigger than the ones caravanners would like to carry around.
You need to know exactly how and where to put these to be safe and the head does not attach itself enough to the caravn to make is 100% safe.
If enough of us demand suitable jacks from the dealers then the manufacturer would have to do something. How do you think we got stabilises fitted as standard? and other features.
When we trade our van in again we know what will transfer to the new van and things such as battery, jack and spare wheel will be part of the deal or the dealer gets short shrift.
We try and sell privately and do a cash deal for new, but ontrad in we fix the best deal before we agree what exactly we are buying, then in the negotiations we drop in what will be included in the deal. Its not hard just what you need to make the van work and keep rolling.
We try and sell privately and do a cash deal for new, but ontrad in we fix the best deal before we agree what exactly we are buying, then in the negotiations we drop in what will be included in the deal. Its not hard just what you need to make the van work and keep rolling.
Further to jacking problems, I have a Bailey Ranger and purchased the Alko side lift jack. I also had fitted the Alko spare wheel carrier which slides through the chassis. If you get a flat on the near side, its impossible to get the spare because the side lift jack won't allow you to slide the spare out far enough to get it off the carrier, try it, bet you havn't noticed this one Well done ALKO!!!!!
Brian
Brian
Alko will probably say that its easier to use like the jockey wheel inside the A-Frame.
What you do is drive the punctured wheel up onto the spare wheel and this gives plenty of clearance to get the spare wheel out of the carrier or you could carry your own speed hump to pull up onto !?!?
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