That sinking feeling

[makem]

Hi all,

one of our favourite sites we visit every year in the south of France has very sandy pitches. When we pull on to the pitch the jockey wheel sinks into the sand and stops our movement, we have a mover but that does help, anyone having the same problem will know hope the jockey wheel also turns from side to side making it impossible to control. It usually ends up my husband has to hold up the jockey wheel which is becomming too much for him.

 

[Pat_374304630]

Colleen,

If it's going to be an ongoing problem, I would consider another site rather than risk anything happening, health wise, to either of you.

 

[Sproket]

How about two pieces of ply wood about 2 foot square or 3 foot long by 1 foot wide x 6mm thick.....? place the Jockey wheel on one then as you move roll on to the next one, and then carry on till you feel your there....

 

[MikeJE]

This was one of my reasons for converting to a pneumatic jockey wheel. If this is an ongoing problem at that site maybe they keep a couple of boards - as suggested by Sproket - or could be persuaded to do so. A rather muddy site I stayed at had some short scaffolding planks on hand for that very purpose.

 

[makem]

How about two pieces of ply wood about 2 foot square or 3 foot long by 1 foot wide x 6mm thick.....? place the Jockey wheel on one then as you move roll on to the next one, and then carry on till you feel your there....

I had thought of something similar but I thought anything strong enough would be a bit heavy.

 

[SteveW77]

In the past I have used a couple of rush mats, ( The type you sunbathe on ) I do have a pneumatic tyre fitted and this seemed to work well.

Steve W

 

[JimF]

When we have this problem, I lessen the weight on the jockey wheel by asking herself to sit on the loo!!

JimF

 

[JimC1]

We had sandy pitches on our first trip to France in 1994 and our jockey wheel dug in as well, we had a pneumatic one for the 1995 trip to the same site and it floated across the sand, needless to say it's been a permanent fixture since. It makes manual manoevering a piece of cake.

 

[makem]

Thanks for all your advice.

WE will go for purchasing a pneumatic wheel. Would it be a big job to remove the one already on and install the new? Your advice is again very much appreciated.

 

[MikeJE]

Colleen,

The pneumatic wheel and tyre is broader than a solid wheel and needs a wider fork so generally the entire jockey wheel, upright tube and winding handle is replaced as a complete unit. A simple job. Lower steadies, remove existing jockey wheel unit and replace with new. The inner tube of the pneumatic wheel may well have been made down to a price, deflate and need replacing - a fifteen minute job at my local tyre fitter but my new tube had a cranked valve stem which rubbed against the fork eventually wearing the dust cap away. No problem - just collect a few the tyre fitter throws away when replacing inner tubes. Given the actual distance and the low speed a jockey wheel covers on the ground this is not a frequent event. One point to watch out for. Should you forget to lift the jockey wheel fully up to the A-frame before driving off the noise of a solid wheel contacting the road will alert you. A pneumatic tyre tends to muffle the sound. Of course no one drives off without fully raising the jockey wheel. Do they? ?

 

[makem]

Thanks again looks like I've got Sunday sorted,hope the weather is fine it makes life easier if the ground is dry.

 

[Rodone]

When I recently changed my van,I was tempted to transfer the pneaumatic jockey whel from old to new van. I did not for three reasons. Over the years I have found that the tyres on the pneaumatic type last only a couple of seasons due to perishing,presumably due to sun damage. ( I did try to remember to cover them) I then found that on the new van, the solid jockey wheel was wider than some that I had seen, and probably has the same area in ground contact as the pump up ones. I was also a bit concerned that , with the central mounted jockey wheel, it may be harder to get the pneaumatic jockey wheel right up into the travel position. I know people that have had no problems with degrading of the jockey wheel tyre - but the above has certainly been my experience.

 

[Sproket]

Rod

I fitted one of these ALKO jockey wheel when I'm coupled up i lift the jockey wheel just off the floor, and remove the wheel, ( 2min job ) then fully raise the wheel, mine is inboard of the A frame, & this type gives you extra room

 

[DerekBrad]

I too decided not to fit my pneumatic jockey wheel to my new van as the new wheel is wider and therefore rides over the gravel on the storage site. I had also found it impossible to fully raise the jockey wheel on hitching up if the wheel was not in a dead straight line front to back (in any other position the wheel would foul the fairing)On the question of inner tubes etc., a solution that has been suggested to me was to have the tube filled with foam (a local firm have their wheelbarrow wheels done!)Just a thought!

Derek