Jockey Wheels

[Little Rascal]

I need to replace the jockey wheel on my trailer. It gets immersed in salt water about 4 times a year.
Do I need anything special or will a standard caravan one do?
Is there anything maintenance-wise I can do to prolong its life?

 

[VicS]

I need to replace the jockey wheel on my trailer. It gets immersed in salt water about 4 times a year.
Do I need anything special or will a standard caravan one do?
Is there anything maintenance-wise I can do to prolong its life?

Make sure the moving parts are well greased.

The pressed steel ones will probably rust fairly quickly so keep an eye on the condition of the wheel rim and replace just before it collapses.

 

[Nigel_Ward]

I suggest unscrewing it completely to remove the threaded part, then grease well with waterproof grease.

The problem is most cheap ones are electroplated and do not last so try to get a galvanised one.

 

[pvb]

Al-Ko make a galvanised jockey wheel with a plastic wheel. Standard 150kg static load.

 

[mlines]

When I replaced mine I went for a fatter wheel version (not pneumatic, still plastic but described as a gravel/soft surface model) this was in anticipation of launching on softer surfaces although it also helped on the grass surface in the marina where I kept it (other trailers "sank" when stored there)

 

[mlines]

http://www.caravanparts.co.uk/product_popup.php?cPath=63_89&products_id=154

 

[JumbleDuck]

My 490 trailer came with a non-telescopic swivelling jockey wheel, which was great. No moving parts except the swivel to rust (and that had a grease nipple) and since it didn't have the extending gubbins inside, the 34mm tube was much sturdier than that size normally is.

Unfortunately it was a bit knackered when I got it - it swivelled with great reluctance and the wheel collapsed a couple of years ago. I have replaced it with a piece of cheap rubbish extendable one (a tenner at a boat jumble) but hope one day to find something like the original. Fatter ones are much stronger, but my hitch has a 34mm hole cast into it, so it's convenient to use that.

Sorry, rambling. By a cheap one and replace it every so often. £2.50 per annum is unlikely to be your biggest boating expense.

 

[William_H]

If you disconnect the trailer from the car to allow the lot to be rolled down into the water and if you have a decent draw bar load as you should then the jockey wheel can be badly punished as you drag the boat out on a rope. Ramps around here have a serious non skid surface and I have seen plastic jockey wheels desroyed in seconds. Under these conditions you need a serious fat pneumatic jockey wheel tire. In my case the trailer is not disconnected for launch & rerieval so jockey wheel is only used at home for small movement around the yard. So no problems with the cheapest sort. Some trailers here have a jockey wheel that folds back onto the draw bar so is always attached. This might be convenient. Beware of just winding the jockey wheel up off the road as inevitably you will meet a hump where the jockey wheel hits the road and is damaged. good luck olewill

 

[Little Rascal]

Ok thanks chaps.

I need to replace the clamp as well - the reason for this whole debacle was the clamp handle was 'removed' by launch tractor driver. What grade of bolts would I need to avoid corrosion?

 

[ghostlymoron]

I think I've got a spare clamp in the shed. Send me a pm if you want it.

 

[JumbleDuck]

I need to replace the clamp as well - the reason for this whole debacle was the clamp handle was 'removed' by launch tractor driver. What grade of bolts would I need to avoid corrosion?

If you are replacing teh clamp, get a good big 'un and then you can use a more beefy jockey wheel - 42mm or 48mm. The 34mm ones (in case you have one of them) are all rubbish.