Prep the Camper for Summer Fun with a Jockey Wheel

With warm weather just around the corner, and families putting the finishing touches on their holiday plans, now’s the time that caravans and all kinds of recreational trailers are being brought out of winter storage and prepped for the summer service.

If you’re a trailer owner, then you undoubtedly have your own springtime checklist for every part of your running gear from axles to air springs. But, how often do you check your jockey wheel? In fact, if you have a heavier trailer and normally winterize it on a jockey wheel instead of a landing leg, it should probably be the first item whose serviceable condition you confirm when you start doing your checks.

A well-made, heavy-duty jockey wheel only needs periodic preventive maintenance in order to keep giving you years of reliable service. If yours is damaged or worn out though, upgrading to a new, heavier duty replacement before you hit the road for the holidays needs to be near the top of your priority list.

The new generation of jockey wheels

They may be easy to forget about, but they’re hard to ignore when there’s a problem. If you can imagine how much of a headache it would be to have to line up your towing vehicle with your trailer’s drawbar perfectly every time before you hook up, then you already know just how important a high-quality camper jockey wheel is for safety as well as manoeuvrability. Hooking up is only the tip of the iceberg, however, because these wheels are typically also tasked with:

· Providing trailer mobility whenever they’re not hooked to a tow vehicle;

· Levelling a caravan or trailer when they’re parked at a campsite; and,

· Inclining a trailer to allow items like boats to be loaded and unloaded easily.

You never want to forget that your wheel is supporting the full nose weight of the trailer. It means that trying to perform any of these tasks manually or without the benefit a jockey wheel wouldn’t just be impractical: it would be an invitation to serious spinal injury. Today’s new generation of motorized and ratchet-powered jockey wheels are designed to eliminate that risk, though. So, if your wheel is leaving you with back pain, now’s the time to consider investing in a new one.

Jockey wheel troubleshooting

There aren’t a lot of parts that go into a trailer jockey wheel. That’s why basic troubleshooting is more than enough to determine if, or how badly, one might be damaged. Pay attention to:

· The wheel. A wheel that’s cracked, dried out, or has developed a flat spot from sitting too long is going to be ineffective in most cases, and a source of sheer aggravation in loose ground.

· Problems pivoting. If you’ve attempted to tow or drag your trailer while the trailer jockey wheels were grounded, you may have severely compromised the yoke to the point of not pivoting, or the wheel not rotating freely.

· Damaged shaft. Hard knocks, ground strikes, and dangerous overloading can bend and weaken a jockey wheel’s shaft to the point where dangerous failure is imminent.

Most jockey wheel problems can be avoided. With cautious operation, and regularly repacking and lubricating components, like bearings and the shaft, jockey wheels can last for years. Replacement jockey wheel parts aren’t expensive. But when the damage goes beyond parts replacement, a new jockey wheel is the alternative.

Why you need a new jockey wheel

Sometimes the condition of your existing jockey wheel, or a change in your towing routine makes buying a new caravan jockey wheel unavoidable. Ordinarily, those would be times when:

· The shaft of your current jockey wheel is severely damaged, or isn’t weight rated for what you’re hauling;

· You need a swivel-type jockey wheel that swings up and away when not in use;

· You’re spending more time camping in areas where ground conditions require a different jockey wheel tyre;

· A taller jockey wheel shaft or more manoeuvrable yoke is needed; and,

· You require a valet-type jockey wheel that can move trailers and caravans under power.

Make no mistake, there’s no shortage of valid, and potentially urgent reasons for replacing your trailer or caravan’s jockey wheel. Even switching to a larger tyre on your tow vehicle can raise your hitch height enough to necessitate this kind of upgrade. Whatever your reasons though, you can feel confident that there’s a caravan jockey wheel replacement to fit your precise need.

The best jockey wheel options

When it comes to shopping for new caravan jockey wheels, one of the most important things you can do is understand the criteria behind your buying decision. Not accurately considering all your towing criteria will very likely lead to overloading and damaging your jockey wheel.

Instead, take the time to look at the full range of available jockey wheel options first, and then contemplate what you need.

· Heavy lifting capacities

With static weight ratings for new jockey wheels ranging from a moderate 400kg to a massive 4,500kg, you can find a jockey wheel for sale that’s suitable for any type of towed vehicle, from a tiny pantech to a dual axle caravan. With a new, heavy-duty unit, you don’t have to worry about a nose-heavy trailer or caravan collapsing the jockey’s shaft and leaving you sitting with a trailer that you can’t lift.

· Broad wheel selections

You can buy jockey wheel outfitted with solid rubber or pneumatic tyres in single or dual wheel configurations, and with tyre sizes ranging from 200mm to 250mm. Wheel types are important because choosing between paved or off-road treads will make a significant difference in the types of terrain you’ll be able to ground your trailer on. As well as how successfully you’ll be able to recover from them.

· Battery powered convenience

While most jockey wheels are operated by hand cranks, DC-powered 12V camper jockey wheel and 18V drill-powered units can raise, lower, and even steer the heaviest trailers effortless. With built in braking, these high end, paved surface trailer movers are ideal for turning and manoeuvring large trailers in tight spaces using only a battery power. It’s a level of convenience that you’ll immediately appreciate.

· Adjustable hitch heights

With extended lift ranges between 300mm and 600mm, new jockey wheels can be raised to accommodate the height of any towing vehicle’s hitch. You can also choose hydraulic caravan jockey wheel jack units that can also be attached to most caravan cross-member brackets in an emergency and perform double-duty for changing tyres. These combination jockey-jacks are rated for caravans with an Aggregate Trailer Mass (ATM) of up to 2,900kg, and add a completely new dimension of flexibility to jockey wheels.

· Swivel mounts

Apart from standard U-bolt or clamp-mounted jockey wheels, swivel-mounted units are also available in most wheel sizes, lift heights and capacities. Swivel-mounted units also make up the group of jockey wheels for sale that include both top- and side-winding handles, allowing them to be securely fixed in a horizontal position along the trailer’s drawbar without interfering with any other accessories.

The final word

At the end of the day, prepping your trailer or caravan for the summer months is about ensuring that it can safely do what it was designed to do, both on the road and at the campsite. And once you’re there, you don’t want any surprises when it’s time to unhook and get levelled.

By investing in a new, high-quality wheel, you can be confident that there won’t be any last-minute surprises when you’re ready to relax. Your caravan’s going to be solidly supported for years to come, and that’s the peace of mind you need to feel good when starting your holidays.