I was having a yarn with some people where I am presently camped and heard some rather conflicting opinions on jockey wheels. On the shaft of the jockey wheel are two raised rings about 6 inches apart and on the clamp on the draw bar there is a gap or groove in the clamp.One person told me that the raised ring should be under the clamp, another told me that the ring should be above the clamp whilst a third told me that the ring should be in the groove in the clamp and tightened accordingly.
I have always put the ring in the groove and then tightened the clamp. Is this the correct way?
I have also had a jockey wheel collapse as the clamp has undone itself. As Julius Sumner Miller would say, "why is it so?". I mean, how can it undo itself?
My Jayco 16 Ft Poptop van has a cheap & nasty jockey wheel. Two rings forged in the outer casing. I looked at it and I normally use the rings inside the clamp , but it is possible to mount the shaft between the two rings, using the upper ring as a stopped should the shaft slide down during use.
Because my drawbar is very low, I fond that in certain circumstances, I needed a lower mounting again, so I welded a ring right on the bottom of the casing, and also another ring mid way between the two original forged rings. I can now mount the jockey wheel so low that the wheel cannot fully turn because it wedges itself under the chassis. Now I have a choice as to where to mount the casing on the chassis. I also inserted (and carefully welded) a shim inside the casing because when the shaft is well extended out from the casing, it tended to rock over at quite and angle and I was worried that it might jam on the thread. The shim minimised the ability of the shaft to lean over within the casing.
The two rings give you a little flexibility on the length of your jockey wheel. The slot in the clamp can be around the top ring ,between the two or on the bottom ring. When the clamp is tight the extra diameter stops the clamp sliding up under load. That's why it is designed that way.
Saying that Dougwe is right an axle stand is a damn good idea. We are all getting older and our strength is not as good as it once was so clamping up the jockey wheel is not as strong as it once was. Aussie_Paul has also made mention of vibration and clamps and bolts will undo.
I changed over to the swing type jockey wheel with auto locking for those reasons. Pretty much the same price as a clamp type jockey wheel.
Thanks for your replies. I invested in an axle stand after the last little mishap as I just don't trust the jockey wheel.
I have a Trailer Mate that I am now going to use and also use the axle stand. Unfortunately, the draw bar is not long enough on my Windsor to accommodate the WDH fittings and a swing jockey wheel otherwise I would have gone that way.
I was having a yarn with some people where I am presently camped and heard some rather conflicting opinions on jockey wheels. On the shaft of the jockey wheel are two raised rings about 6 inches apart and on the clamp on the draw bar there is a gap or groove in the clamp.One person told me that the raised ring should be under the clamp, another told me that the ring should be above the clamp whilst a third told me that the ring should be in the groove in the clamp and tightened accordingly.
The two ring jockey wheels are the cheapest. Many of the vans come with three rings on the shaft. The 3 ring ones have the rings 4" apart. It does not matter whether the supporting ring is in the groove or under the clamp. However, it is best if you make sure you lift the shaft up so that the ring touches the clamp as you tighten the clamp. That will ensure that the shaft will not slide in the clamp. I don't know the mechanical ability of those who advised thet the groove should be at the top of the clamp, I don't think it would be very good.
Having 3 rings means that you can position the clamp at 2" increments. If you feel inclined, as I did, get a 4 ring leg with a foot plate instead of the wheel. This gives a better range of adjustment and when you have very little of the inner tube showing below the outer tube the stability is nearly as good as using a body stand.
The importat thing is to have one of the rings touching up under the clamp whether the ring is in the groove or below the clamp.
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PeterD Nissan Navara D23 diesel auto, Spaceland pop-top Retired radio and electronics technician. NSW Central Coast.
The way I attach the jockey stand is to wind the lamp screw in until I can just slide the leg up and down in the clamp. I then pull the leg up as far as I can and then finish tightening the clamp. The ring must be within the clamp groove or below the clamp. If it is inside the clamp then the ring is useless, the ring is there to stop the leg sliding up under weight.
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PeterD Nissan Navara D23 diesel auto, Spaceland pop-top Retired radio and electronics technician. NSW Central Coast.
The way I attach the jockey stand is to wind the lamp screw in until I can just slide the leg up and down in the clamp. I then pull the leg up as far as I can and then finish tightening the clamp. The ring must be within the clamp groove or below the clamp. If it is inside the clamp then the ring is useless, the ring is there to stop the leg sliding up under weight.
Gday...
Am I mis-reading your comment, Peter?
Surely if the 'ring' is within the 'clamp' it cannot move either up OR down.
Thanks for all the advice. There is nothing worse than having to wind the insides out of the wheel to get sufficient clearance to either unhitch or hook up with the thought of the whole show collapsing at any minute.
I have seen different length Jockey Wheels, with different size wheels, and different number of rings
I will assume that we can purchase a Jockey Wheel, to suit different caravans
I am with Rockylizard, in respect that a ring of the Jockey Wheel, should go into the slot of the clamp
One reason for a tightened clamp coming loose, is that the Jockey Wheel was not straight when the clamp was originally tightened
Eventually if the caravan stabilisers are only just touching the ground, the "A Frame" may move
When the Jockey Wheel straightens, the clamp then becomes loose
The way I attach the jockey stand is to wind the lamp screw in until I can just slide the leg up and down in the clamp. I then pull the leg up as far as I can and then finish tightening the clamp. The ring must be within the clamp groove or below the clamp. If it is inside the clamp then the ring is useless, the ring is there to stop the leg sliding up under weight.
Gday...
Am I mis-reading your comment, Peter?
Surely if the 'ring' is within the 'clamp' it cannot move either up OR down.
Cheers - John
Yes you are misreading my message. Before the piece that is confusing you I said The ring must be within the clamp groove or below the clamp. It it is within the clamp then it is not in the groove. It is between the two pieces of the clamp, if it is there it is likely to slide up when the ball weight is being carried bu the jockey wheel.
Jockey wheel assemblies do not slide both up and down in the clamp. They will only slide up through the clamp if not clamped properly with the ring in the groove or just below the clamp.. If the rings are in good order, they only slide if you clamp the leg in with the ring within the clamp.
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PeterD Nissan Navara D23 diesel auto, Spaceland pop-top Retired radio and electronics technician. NSW Central Coast.
