pneumatic jockey wheel

[catherine2]

We have a standard jockey wheel on our bailey ranger. If we got a pneumatic jockey wheel would it be easier to push the van over uneven ground? - our current wheel tends to stick when there is a small hump in the ground

Our jockey wheel pulls up at the side of the A frame.

 

[geoffh]

Just fitted one on mine and now i can move it on gravel without any trouble before the wheel just dug in( i am using a mover though)

 

[davedee]

Reich actually recommend fitting a pneumatic tyre for use with their movers. And it really does make a difference.

Dave

 

[JTS]

Hi Catherine, yes they do help, especially if you have a mover, but if you do buy one make sure you get one with a metal hub. Two years ago in the south of France mine was exposed to the hot sun and exploded. The plastic hub was blown to bits as was the tyre. I was lucky as the campsite had recenly taken delivery of some new mobile homes and there was a number of Alko jockey wheels lying around and the manager gave me one.

Warning to all those with inflatable jockey wheels - PROTECT THEM FROM THE SUN. Good luck JTS.

 

[Royston]

I had two pneumatic tyres first with a plastic hub that suddenly deflated whilst reversing causing the wheel to jam,managed with the help other campers to get the van in the correct position on site.

Local caravan shop only had complete assy so I had to buy a alco with metal hub, this lasted about 1 year, before it to went bang as i was reversing over the curb onto my drive.Since then I have used the normal alco solid wheel, you can buy quite broad width solid tyre which i have no problem going over gravel.

The pneumatic tyre assy tends to be broader and heavier than the solid wheel assy, if you have the centre positioned jockey wheel assy make sure that you have enough width to lift the wheel clear of the road.

 

[Royston]

I had two pneumatic tyres first with a plastic hub that suddenly deflated whilst reversing causing the wheel to jam,managed with the help other campers to get the van in the correct position on site.

Local caravan shop only had complete assy so I had to buy a alco with metal hub, this lasted about 1 year, before it to went bang as i was reversing over the curb onto my drive.Since then I have used the normal alco solid wheel, you can buy quite broad width solid tyre which i have no problem going over gravel.

The pneumatic tyre assy tends to be broader and heavier than the solid wheel assy, if you have the centre positioned jockey wheel assy make sure that you have enough width to lift the wheel clear of the road.

Re-read your query, I to have a Ranger which comes thankgoodness with the of set jockey wheel assy so you should have no problem with a pneumatic wheel assy when you lift up to clear the road.

We have a series 5 460/4 Ranger find it a great van with all round comfort .Plan to travel again to Scotland from Essex in June.

Royston

 

[MikeJE]

My pneumatic deflated over time due to the inner tube being made down to a price. It simply rotted. The better quality replacement has an off-set valve which rubbed against the fork between which the wheel sits. However the slow speed it moves at and the minimal distance it covers has presented no problem so far added to which I fitted a thick washer on the valve side of the axle to give a little more clearance. To save any deflation problems at an inconvenient time I would fit a better quality inner tube from the word go.

 

[GrahamSouthBrum]

Where do you get a better quality inner tube from ?

 

[Geist]

I thought a pneumatic wheel would be a good idea - bought one, pumped it up as hard as a rock, fitted the who jockey assembly, lowered the van down from the steadies - and the inner tube promptly burst.

The tube had split on a seam, couldn't find another one and ended up putting the rigid wheel back. Another waste of money

I'd certainly advise trying a wider solid wheel - my mishap was on the drive, had it happened on site we'd have been up that well known creek without any means of propulsion

 

[JTS]

I forgot to mention that last year I changed my jockey wheel for the one at the link below. I used to wince when I was using my mover over rough or sandy ground and the jocky wheel was straining to stay straight (TIP - wind the jockey wheel down to as low as practicle to save whip and srain). The PREMIUM JOCKEY is a heavy duty one designed to be used with movers, it sports a very handy noseload indicator and a large grooved wheel which can be removed by a simple pin if it will not go up into your chassi.If you do not have Adobe reader go to AL-KO. Good luck JTS.

http://217.199.167.226/pdfs/Jockeywhelnoseloadgauge.pdf

 

[Royston]

Hi Geist,

Glad that i am not the only one who has had problems with pneumatic tyres, their max pressure is 30psi, found the only way i could pump them up was with a cycle pump fitted with high pressure connection.My last one had a twisted innertube whole thing ended up in the local tip.

 

[MikeJE]

F.A.O. Graham South Brum

My inner tube came from a local independent tyre dealer ( Derek Campbell on Teesside ) about

 

[Steven_374224300]

I decided to fit a pnumatic jockey wheel to our outfit after having the mover fitted.

What a waste of time.

It kept going down, so I had it swapped. That did the same, had it swapped again.

Lasted for a month untill I collected the caravan from storage to go away in it. Guess what? That too had gone down.

Got my money back and re-fitted the old extra wide Alko wheel that came with the outfit.

No problems since.

Steven.

 

[vernon]

Alko give the max. tyre pressure as 30 psi

http://www.al-ko.co.uk/faqs_detail.asp?id=1477

 

[Geist]

Royston wrote:

Hi Geist,

Glad that i am not the only one who has had problems with pneumatic tyres⇦br/>

Hi Royston. Can't actually remember how I pumped it up - but I *think* it had a car type valve.

I think the noseweight was too much for it - just wound up the steadies after fitting the whole assembly and as soon as it took the weight of the van it popped (had quite a lot of faffing about because I had to buy a new central column in order to get a wide enough space between the hub flanges)

The 'tyre' (if one can dignify it with such a title!) and the tube were both made in China (presumably at the Happy Sunshine Wheel Company and both seemed to be more 'plastic' than 'rubber' I couldn't get another tube!! - it was a case of buying another complete wheel - so, naturally, the old solid one went back on.

It was a good idea (though tit would help the mover) and it certainly looked impressive with its fat rugged 4x4 type tread - it just didn't seem to care much for actually being used

Having said that, we do tend to end up with a stupendous noseweight (particularly so with that particular van as it had a fixed double bed at the front and all the camping stuff went underneath it via the outside locker. Someone with more common sense might find the pneumatic tyres OK

 

[MikeJE]

Royston wrote:

Hi Geist,

Glad that i am not the only one who has had problems with pneumatic tyres⇦br/>

Hi Royston. Can't actually remember how I pumped it up - but I *think* it had a car type valve.

I think the noseweight was too much for it - just wound up the steadies after fitting the whole assembly and as soon as it took the weight of the van it popped (had quite a lot of faffing about because I had to buy a new central column in order to get a wide enough space between the hub flanges)

The 'tyre' (if one can dignify it with such a title!) and the tube were both made in China (presumably at the Happy Sunshine Wheel Company and both seemed to be more 'plastic' than 'rubber' I couldn't get another tube!! - it was a case of buying another complete wheel - so, naturally, the old solid one went back on.

It was a good idea (though tit would help the mover) and it certainly looked impressive with its fat rugged 4x4 type tread - it just didn't seem to care much for actually being used

Having said that, we do tend to end up with a stupendous noseweight (particularly so with that particular van as it had a fixed double bed at the front and all the camping stuff went underneath it via the outside locker. Someone with more common sense might find the pneumatic tyres OK

My tyre and inner tube were made in China too - seems to be a problem with them.

 

[BarryfromPooleDorset]

why not keep the original and carry a piece of plywood to use under the jockey wheel?. it works well on my van with a mover over grass and gravel!