'Trailer Mates' solve that problem, they are a pump up system but heavy if you are trying to keep weight down. 'BOS' have a ratchet wind up system and would be what I get when need be. I changed from a wheel to a stand.
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Live Life On Your Terms
DOUGChief One Feather (Losing feathers with age)
TUG.......2014 Holden LT Colorado Twin Cab Ute with Canopy
DEN....... 2014 "Chief" Arrow CV (with some changes)
Be good if you could get one that can be operated by a battery drill.
Had a look at the BOS web site. The video shows it being wound up with ... guess what..... a Battery Drill.
And it has a base plate option too.
That's the one I'll be looking at when its time to replace mine. $275 + P&H sounds a bit steep for a skinflint like me though. Might just have to drink cask wine for a bit to save some money, or even go on the dry if I need to do it quickly.
The original no-name jockey wheel which was supplied with my, new, van was terrible! But as this was my first van (for 30 years) I didn't realise how bad it was; it was very hard work to wind up, it made noises so loud they were worrying and encouraged people to comment.
Then I bought an Al-Ko jockey wheel.
Now all is easy, simple and noise free.
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"I beseech you in the bowels of Christ think it possible you may be mistaken"
Oliver Cromwell, 3rd August 1650 - in a letter to the General Assembly of the Kirk of Scotland
We have fitted the jockey stand, one bit of advice I was given was, get rid of the jockey wheel, with the tow ball weight you have got, you're pushing that van nowhere. Interestingly, we have no problems winding the jockey stand up, even the wife can wind it up no problems. I think the problems come from the off-set strain put on the winding mechanism by the off set of the jockey wheel.
I am often amused seeing fellows out there pumping away at their "Trail-A-mate" units, seeing how much mucking about they go through.
Not sure what mucking about you seeing Iana , my trail a mate lives on the a frame as does the handle . simple crack the valve ,drop the leg and pump it up ,,, simples
I use a Trail A Mate and wonder what you mean by "mucking about"?
Certainly no more effort or messing about than a normal jockey wheel or stand, and easier to pump up and wind up the jockey wheel that came with our van.
We are very pleased with it, and as with your wife, Kathy is able to pump the Trail A Mate if necessary. I would recommend them to anyone, especially as it doubles as the jack, which we have used a couple of times.
-- Edited by TheHeaths on Wednesday 19th of February 2020 07:18:41 AM
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Regards Ian
Chaos, mayhem, confusion. Good my job here is done
To be honest, I don't know what they are up to (never been game to go over and ask!). I couldn't justify the price, or weight penalty, as I would need the higher capacity one. I guess the reason for getting one would be the ease of the pumping as opposed to the rotating on the shoulder. As I have said, with our ball weight in the region of 280kg plus, we don't have a problem using a "stand".
As for changing a wheel or working on the wheel assembly, I use a bottle jack, blocks and an axle stand all under the suspension. Using the "Trail-A-Mate", would depend on the suspension type, and the range of the suspension travel.
I have noticed a lot of thread on the other forum about trailermate leaking oil and needing a seal kit all to often, along with not being able to raise the van. Then it's car jack /blocks of wood time, for my next jockey wheel it will be the BOS and santa's wish list a set of BOS stabilizers, which are capable of lifting one side of the van to replace a flat.
https://www.bos370.com.au/jockey-wheels.html
-- Edited by Kebbin on Wednesday 19th of February 2020 09:59:57 AM
Often if you dismantle the "jockey wheel" (unwind it until the centre drops out ) and lubricate (with oil , not WD40 ) the main thread and nut, the ball bearing in the top (near the handle ) and also the knob on the handle you will find that the whole thing will operate much easier.
Good idea to lubricate the thread on the clamp as well - makes it much nicer to use and lets it clamp correctly instead of seizing before it is tight.
Well so far guys it looks like the Trail a Mate has the added advantage of doubling as a jack but the Bos 370 certainly has a weight advantage and no seals to replace . I like those Bos stabilisers that Kebbin mentioned.
I recently pensioned off my Trailamate in favour of a BOS 470. OMG, why didn?t I do it sooner? Because if it?s light weight I leave it permanently in its clamp ready to deploy. It can simply be wound with its supplied handle or, as I have done, bought a dedicated drill for it. BOS are very soon providing a lifting hook, similar to the trailamate that will enable it to be used to lift the side of the van for wheel changing. I have the one from my old TM and it works fine if your drill has sufficient torque. I bought a (without going out in the dark to check exactly) 60nm one. As a bonus, because I have the drill in my hand to raise/lower the drawbar, I then use it to spin the stabilisers down. I do this on Drill setting with appropriate clutch setting so not to damage the legs.
-- Edited by Delta18 on Thursday 20th of February 2020 04:22:44 AM
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Neil & Lynne
Pinjarra
Western Australia
MY23.5 Ford Wildtrak V6 Dual Cab / 21' Silverline 21-65.3
I don't think the drill idea, although sounds good, would work for me as my tow hitch on the aluminium teepee always gets caught on the tow ball for some reason and it won't release until the jockey wheel has been wound up quite a bit and then it releases. The higher it goes up the harder it is to wind.
__________________
Live Life On Your Terms
DOUGChief One Feather (Losing feathers with age)
TUG.......2014 Holden LT Colorado Twin Cab Ute with Canopy
DEN....... 2014 "Chief" Arrow CV (with some changes)
I don't think the drill idea, although sounds good, would work for me as my tow hitch on the aluminium teepee always gets caught on the tow ball for some reason and it won't release until the jockey wheel has been wound up quite a bit and then it releases. The higher it goes up the harder it is to wind.
Doug do you have an adjustable HR type hitch? I wonder if tilting the ball Up (forward) one cam lobe may help with disconnection?
By lifting the back of the car before it releases is effectively doing the same thing, changing the angle.
Cheers Neil
-- Edited by Delta18 on Thursday 20th of February 2020 10:47:31 AM
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Neil & Lynne
Pinjarra
Western Australia
MY23.5 Ford Wildtrak V6 Dual Cab / 21' Silverline 21-65.3
I did at one stage think of getting a McHitch but have been with people that have one and a few have had problems if not lined up properly so am more likely to get a DO35 now. I have seen many now and I like them. They seem to twist here and turn (technical Terms) there just like a McHitch. They also seem to be about the same overhang as the normal tow ball hitch. Struth! I'm starting to sound like someone
__________________
Live Life On Your Terms
DOUGChief One Feather (Losing feathers with age)
TUG.......2014 Holden LT Colorado Twin Cab Ute with Canopy
DEN....... 2014 "Chief" Arrow CV (with some changes)
Whilst you are off topic Doug, the same used to happen to me with the hitch not releasing the towball. I was given this brilliant advice and it works, or it does in my case.
Put van hand brake on. Release the car hand brake and have car in neutral. Start the engine. The vibration centres the towball in the hitch and voila.
Just don't do it if you are on a slope or car may roll away.
Solid plate is no good to me, unless on perfectly level concrete for both tug and tuggee. Had wafull trouble to get unhitched at home after using plate at service centre. Put the wheel back on quick smart. Std Alko 50mm hitch and ball.
There is a little trick with the McHitch Doug that I learnt early on and when you think about it it makes sense.
You have to get the height of the van lined up with the car so the male section of the hitch is the same height as the female receiver. Everything else is not critical. If the height is out you can end up pushing the van around the paddock.
I reverse up to within about 200mm and then check and adjust van height. Goes straight on every time.
