Jockey wheel clamp lever failure

[Hettasch]

Can't you just put a couple of washers on the lever's side?

Agree, now that one knows that it can happen, but (I think) most people wouldn't think of this when purchasing their new caravan.

[Hettasch]

If you cannot lift the tow hitch by hand the towball weight is too heavy. Should be at 100kg (and at most 140kg for offroad wagons)
Just saying.

I definitely cannot lift that weight by hand, and back and knees!

[JohnnoK]

Agree now that one knows that it can happen, but unfortunately (I think) the majority of owners would not think of doing that when purchasing their new caravan.

And, in all fairness, nor should they have to consider it.
That is fundamentally a weak design.

[rob wilson]

There cannot be too many of us old timers who have not lost a jockey wheel for one reason or other, normally due to it coming loose and dropping down, getting trashed on the road-then there was the time a guy passed me and tried to give me the my own jockey wheel through the passenger window! It flew past him and he stopped and picked it up. Nice guy.

At the end of the day it is a friction device so it's security depends on being clean, straight, properly tight and not overloaded. If it hangs below the A frame, it could hit the ground in a dip and either work loose or be bent, or both. When I am traveling on good roads, I secure it in the normal way (don't drill more holes in the A Frame! Shorten the threaded part or use washers as suggested elsewhere) but then I take a strip of rubber car tube about 1m long and tie it around the bottom of the jockey and over the A Frame- then it cannot drop down. On bad roads, I remove it and stow it in a sack.

I also carry a lightweight folding car stand and a bottle jack. Comes in handy if you have to change a wheel, but I always place the stand under the A Frame if I need to gain access underneath the caravan-I never trust a friction device that much.

[LCamper]

There cannot be too many of us old timers who have not lost a jockey wheel for one reason or other, normally due to it coming loose……………..

I recall your Marble camp episode! Hope you doing well, loved your setup.

[SStewartSA]

My inlaws had the exact thing happen earlier in the year on their Bushwakka Sundowner. Dropped to the ground/jockey wheel. Luckily all body parts were out of the way. At home we replaced the bracket and drilled the A-frame for this reason as well.

I suppose there are multiple causes for this to happen. I think the bolt might be about 5mm to long for the application, but as new clamp would work perfectly. However once worked and bit worn, the jockey wheel could have dented a bit and causing the 'over' tightening of the clamp leading to bolt snapping and deformation of clamp itself possibly.

Strange that not many have thought of this precaution when manufacturing the parts.

We had the same late last year on our “bucket list” 7-week trip through Zimbabwe late 2024. The jockey wheel tightening nut broke off in my hand, 10 days into the trip. It was repaired 3 times after that, the first twice not with high-tensile bolts. The last chap, a “hero” in Kariba, replaced it with a high-tensile bolt AND welded the strips on it to stop it slipping. I wish we’d seen this post before. As it turns out, we’ve done as all others have suggested.

[Amolkarnik]

On my new trailer, I asked for a stabiliser leg on the A frame. This is belt and braces. As soon as the jockey wheel starts to take the strain, I engage the stabiliser and then continue working on the jockey wheel. That way, any failure of the jockey wheel only results in a drop of 10-30mm.

I also store my jockey wheel in the nose cone while travelling at all times. There is no risk of it falling off or coming in contact with the ground.

[Gungets Tuft]

This mod saved me a few times when clamp was not properly tightend. Make a few welding spots on shaft so that it cannot slip.

Afrispoor put these welds on as standard practice now. They're useful but can also be irritating if you're just trying to hoist the jockey wheel higher, it forces you to almost have to completely loosen the fastening bolt. It's better than the alternative though.

The new double wheel jockey wheel is just too low, even in it's highest hold position, so my van is going in next week to figure out a way to fasten it to the drawbar when travelling. At the moment I put it into the back of the van, not ideal because it'll do damage there on very bad roads. Added problem.is the MTB rack on the drawbar as well, space wise. Might need to carry KY to help make everything fit

[franshorn]

Jockey wheel also slips on our Miskruier.

Woke up saterday morning, feeling a bit head down (might have been the Brannas as well), got out the van and realised the jockey wheel slipped down slightly again.

So had to pull out the bakkie's jack to raise up the nose to reallocate the jockey back to its correct position again. Just left the jack there for the second night.

Seems I need to install front stabilizers.

Where to find proper stabilizers now? I see Al-Ko is no longer available in SA or am I misinformed.

Cape Town suppliers?

[martin.oosthuyzen]

I put a Roadque lifting leg on the other side of the jockey wheel for more stability and support.

https://www.roadque.co.za/jockey-wheels-lifting-legs/

Not sure if you will find stockists in CPT area

[Oubie]

Seems I need to install front stabilizers.

Where to find proper stabilizers now? I see Al-Ko is no longer available in SA or am I misinformed.

Cape Town suppliers?

There's 2 for sale in the classifieds

https://www.4x4community.co.za/class...ing-legs/cat/5

[Amolkarnik]

You can see I have an ALKO stabilizer in the A frame in the bottom left corner of the film.

Works a treat