Fitting new jockey wheel to boat trailer

[Windway]

I have just bought a Sunstar 18 with a 2 wheel braked trailer. The jockey wheel has rusted solid, so I want to fit a new one before I collect the boat. The boat weighs 775Kg and the trailer at a guess another 300Kg. Would anyone know what I should look for in a jockey wheel? I see Amazon and Ebay are full of these and would think a heavy duty model is what I need. Perhaps someone has needed one of these and could suggest the way to go?

 

[ProDave]

I would start with measuring the spacing between the mounting bolts and try to find one the same so it will just bolt on in place of the old one.

Alternatively if the existing bracket is okay and you just want to change the actual jockey wheel, then you need to know the diameter of the old one and get one to match that diameter.

 

[VicS]

I have just bought a Sunstar 18 with a 2 wheel braked trailer. The jockey wheel has rusted solid, so I want to fit a new one before I collect the boat. The boat weighs 775Kg and the trailer at a guess another 300Kg. Would anyone know what I should look for in a jockey wheel? I see Amazon and Ebay are full of these and would think a heavy duty model is what I need. Perhaps someone has needed one of these and could suggest the way to go?

Look at a specialist trailer parts website, if only to get some idea of what is available and suitable for your needs, before buying blindly from elsewhere.

eg https://www.trailertek.com/trailer-parts/jockey-wheels-spares , http://www.indespension.co.uk/149-jockey-wheels or https://www.autow.com/products/trailer-parts/jockeys-props/jockey-wheels

 

[JumbleDuck]

I have just bought a Sunstar 18 with a 2 wheel braked trailer. The jockey wheel has rusted solid, so I want to fit a new one before I collect the boat. The boat weighs 775Kg and the trailer at a guess another 300Kg. Would anyone know what I should look for in a jockey wheel? I see Amazon and Ebay are full of these and would think a heavy duty model is what I need. Perhaps someone has needed one of these and could suggest the way to go?

You don't need to handle any more substantial a load than the nose weight on the trailer, which I expect will be 50 - 70kg or so. Caravanners often have to deal with heavier loads, but that's because they are, by and large, idiots who grossly overload their caravans, as the squatting rear suspension and high noses of most cars towing caravans testify.

The tubes of jockey wheels are standard sizes - 34mm, 42mm, 48mm and maybe larger - so if you can or must reuse the clamp, just buy one of the same diameter. If you need a new clamp, it's easiest, as has been suggested, to get one with the same hole spacing.

After that it's really just a matter of how substantial you want to get. You'll find plastic wheels, steel wheels and, for the larger diameter ones, pneumatic wheels, and handles from flimsy to substantial.

Overall, though, I'd just buy a bog standard one from your local trailer place, slobber a bit of extra grease on the screw and expect to replace it in a few years. That's what I did with both my Hunter 490 (no reasonable offer refused) and my Drascombe Longboat (mine, mine, all mine) and it's working out fine.

 

[Windway]

All good ideas thank you. Ifor Williams are just up the road from here, I will pop into the shop and see what they have got for their 1 ton trailers.

 

[VicS]

An additional thought.

If it is likely to come in contact with salt water you might like to consider one with a plastic wheel rim which won't rust like a pressed steel one will.

OTOH if you immerse your road trailer in salt water a rusty jockey wheel will likely be the least of your troubles.

 

[vyv_cox]

Or if Ifor Williams don't sell small items I can recommend Chester Trailers (or similar name) off Sealand Road.

 

[JumbleDuck]

If it is likely to come in contact with salt water you might like to consider one with a plastic wheel rim which won't rust like a pressed steel one will.

Good point. They rust like the devil. My two both have plastic wheels.

Or if Ifor Williams don't sell small items I can recommend Chester Trailers (or similar name) off Sealand Road.

And if mail order is needed, I can recommend Leisure Mart in Pershore, who are very fast and very cheap.

 

[davidpbo]

We've just brought brought Juniper back from Largs, self launched at Largs Yacht Haven. I remembered last time we took her up there we trashed the jockey wheel pulling out and paid for a tractor pull out (£39) but worth it as we had two good guys for 1/2 an hour or so and a jet wash down.

The slip at Largs is concrete squares about 300mm filed with stones/sand. We have to launch and retrieve with a 10m strop. On launching I don't think the jockey wheel turned when I pulled the empty trailer out. No damage done but made me think about retrieving in a way that did not rely on the jockey wheel.

It has made me consider replacing the jockey wheel which is a relatively small diameter solid rubber on steel arrangement with maybe a pneumatic one.

Only trouble is I do think the nose weight is sometimes quite high. It was better with more stuff towards the back of the boat and the boat 100mm back the trailer (4 wheel)