Newbie with a hitching issue

[BooBooBird]

All,
I have a Avante 462 and a Skoda Octavia (both of which I love) and have been out twice!
The first time I was on a lovely CL site and the owner helped me to get sorted. However when I collected the van from storage last week I couldn't lower the A-frame enough to engage the two bar. After a frustrating hour and phone calls to a friend I did managed to get it engaged and headed off ok. The same thing happened when i left the site we were on (quite sloping) and although I manged through lowering the steadies and mucking around with the height of the jockey wheel it took time.
Is there a definitive (step by step preferably!!!) way of doing this.
Any advice would be much appreciated.
Thanks in advance

 

[Damian]

The jockey wheel assembly consists of two parts.

The outer tube which clamps to the A frame and the inner tube with the wheel attached and screws up and down.

With the corner steadies down, raise the wheel right up with the handle, then raise the whole assembly up so that the wheel is in the A frame as far as it will go.

Lock the outer tube in place with the clamp.

Lower the wheel to the ground and wind up the steadies.

Then just use the handle to raise and lower the wheel as required,,,,,,,,,,,,simple.

 

[Anseo]

That would only work if the travel distance of the inner tube was greater than the distance between the lower part of the wheel and the ground. Not always the case on a sloping pitch.

The jockey wheel is a 2 part adjustment system, the innner tube on the winder and the outer tube adjustment using the clamp.

Lowering the inner tube approximately 125mm before lowering the outer tube until the wheel meets the ground will usually provide sufficient raisinglowering adjustment.

 

[CustardAvenger]

When unhitching the caravan I un-clamp the jockey wheel and lower it so the wheel (in its fully retracted position) is about 10-15cm above the ground. Lock it off, then wind down the wheel. This gives some leeway when levelling and hitching up again.

 

[Hutch]

Also remember to "release"the Pressure on the tow hitch, front to back otherwise especially on removing the caravan from the car.

 

[Anseo]

When unhitching the caravan I un-clamp the jockey wheel and lower it so the wheel (in its fully retracted position) is about 10-15cm above the ground. Lock it off, then wind down the wheel. This gives some leeway when levelling and hitching up again.

GMTA Mr Custard :cheer:

 

[Anseo]

Also remember to "release"the Pressure on the tow hitch, front to back otherwise especially on removing the caravan from the car.

Good point Hutch, I have heard of some people forgetting to do just that, only heard about it though, it's not as if it was anyone that I would know :whistle

 

[Dustydog]

Hopefully the OP has understood the workings of his jockey wheel from Damian’s script. Us old dogs take these things for granted

 

[Thingy]

At first I thought this was a wind up, sorry, couldnt resist that one.

I always undo the clamp and lower the tube somewhat, then when I start to wind, I have both up and down travel, just like Anseo.

 

[BooBooBird]

All - thank you so much for the answers. Hopefully practice will make it all come together. :woohoo:

 

[Anseo]

Hopefully the OP has understood the workings of his jockey wheel from Damian’s script. Us old dogs take these things for granted

In most cases the method that Damian described won't work as the outer tube is clamped too high on the A frame.