Jockey wheels are the humble that is the faithful friend of the caravan, to help it navigate its way. That’s exactly the ideal scenario However, from time times things go off the rails. Wheels on caravan jockeys can become damaged and broken for various reasons. But, even if your jockey wheel has not been damaged but is it functioning as you’d like it to? Based on the conditions of the ground, certain wheels for caravan jockeys can drag rather than roll. This could be extremely frustrating due to two reasons. When a wheel of a jockey starts to move, either sooner or later, it will result in damage and replacement. Additionally, a dragging wheel makes it more difficult to direct the caravan where you’d like it.
Many times I’ve travelled to greet our guests as they were setting up their caravan and have expressed frustration about how their caravan’s jockey wheel. So I thought I’d write an article about wheels for caravan jockeys based on my own experiences, as well as the observations that our visitors have made.
There’s a wide variety in caravan wheels available to pick from. They can be made of solid plastic, air (pneumatic) rubber or even motorized. They are produced to various specifications and are sold at different prices.
I’ll also talk about changing the wheel of the caravan jockey. If you’re interested in a specific kind of wheel for your caravan, please refer to the table of contents below to jump to the appropriate section.
Caravan Jockey Wheels The Factors That Impact the Performance
Before I talk about the different kinds of caravan jockey wheels I believe it is important to consider the many aspects that influence their performance. It is easy to overlook (until they fall off) the crucial role the jockey wheel has in maneuvering the caravan.
In this instance, for example, on Horton Common, our road is directly ahead of pitches. This means that caravans need to be reversed to the pitches. Based on my experiences, the majority of people who own a caravan find it extremely difficult. Many are also worried about damage to the clutch.
Thus, the majority of our guests disconnect their caravans and use a motormovers to place the caravan on the pitch.
If you are using a motor-mover for reversing a caravan on the pitch, you will require your jockey wheel to work.
To utilize a motor mover to direct and steer a caravan , you must have the jockey wheel which can provide a good amount of support and rotate. Our hardstanding is very sturdy with a slight gravel dressing.
But, I’ve seen the wheels of our jockeys on guest’s caravans getting buried. This is not just making it difficult for the motor to move but it also puts a heavier burden on the motor as well as the leisure battery.
Jockey Wheels and Ground Conditions
Common ground conditions that you’ll be trying to maneuver your vehicle will include gravel, tarmac and grass. Before we got our hardstanding and road put into Horton Common, the site was available for two seasons and had only grass pitches.
It was a wet British winters and clay subsoil made evident to us that long-term sustainability of our site was dependent on hard standing. However, what it did give me was observations of the performance of the wheels of the caravan jockey wheel on grass.
The first and most important thing to remember is that in the event that the ground is saturated, then every jockey wheel is likely to perform quite poor. However, some wheels perform better than others.
A narrow set of solid wheels work as ploughs, which makes the job of maintaining your caravan on hard ground more difficult. Inflatable wheels for jockeys can work better on soft terrain. They give a larger distance of contact with ground that can help displace the caravan noseweight.
The effectiveness of the pneumatic jockey wheel on the ground is also dependent on the pressure at which they’re inflating to. When they are inflated lower they will have a larger footprint that can displace the weight.
But, with low inflation, when the jockey wheel is trying to rotate the tyre, it could fall off the wheel. This is why the capability for an inflatable jockey wheel that can displace weight becomes essentially useless.
The solution that works for Jockey Wheels on Soft Ground
In simple terms basically, every wheel for a caravan jockey you purchase is not going to work well on rough ground. It’s just too much weight in such a an area of a tiny size for it to turn and roll correctly.
One of the most effective solutions I have seen among our guest’s using prior to the time we got our own road was using grip mats that fit under and over the wheel of the jockey.
They’d probably had this problem before, and they had set the problem before they attempted moving their camper by using their motor-mover. Grip mats are commonly employed by motorhomes in order to get off the ground spongy surface, but they are equally useful for caravanners.
After I’ve reviewed the effects of ground conditions, let’s discuss the different options for wheel bearings for caravans. This article isn’t meant to be a comprehensive overview of all available products or even a comprehensive review of the products. This is simply a brief summation of my personal thoughts and observations, as well as the opinions of our guests in Horton Common.
Wheels made of plastic Wheels
The most popular jockey wheel I have seen on the caravans of our guests is the black plastic model as shown in the picture below. A lot of caravan dealers and manufacturers are using this particular model.
As for their performance has an enlarged and wider rim than the ones I have seen on a number more older models of caravans. As mentioned above that a wider and larger wheel can help to displace the burden of the caravan, allowing it to perform better when on soft terrain.
If you accidentally crash into the speed bump, for instance, using this wheel made of plastic as I was told from one of our visitors be prepared for it to break. Although it appears solid however the plastic inside the rim is quite thin. So, any impact can break the rim.
The good thing is that wheel replacements are fairly inexpensive. So if you have one with the rim that is made of plastic, I recommend that you have a spare wheels in your caravan’s locker. This type of wheel also requires maintenance that is best done at your service centre during your regular visit.
This kind of jockey wheel made of plastic over time is susceptible to UV-induced damage. Every type of plastic denatures with time however UV radiation speeds up the process. With time, the plastic becomes more fragile and more prone to being damaged.
With these wheels that are that are exposed to sun throughout the year don’t think you’ll get more than five years of these wheels. I have an identical wheel on the drive gate. Recently, I had to replace the wheels because one day I opened the gate and heard a clunk. It was like the wheel was breaking up as it turned.
Air Wheels that can be inflated (Pneumatic) air Wheels
As I have mentioned previously that on hard ground, inflatable jockey wheels may perform better than other types on hard ground. But, I’d say the rubber or plastic jockey wheel fitted with a mat for grip underneath is actually more efficient.
Another thing you’ll be able to see using an inflatable wheel for a caravan jockey is the bob. When you stop pushing the caravan , or using a motor mover that has an inflatable tyre, you will be able to see the caravan move upwards and downwards. I’ve seen this happen on a caravan of a guest that was a very heavy Vanmaster and it appeared as if the caravan was bouncing!
As you can see in the photo above, you could buy twin pneumatic jockeys wheels. This is a strategy to shift more weight on the nose of the caravan in order to prevent them from sinking.
I’ve never actually observed one of our visitors wearing an inflatable twin jockey wheel. Therefore, I am unable to comment on their performance. There is a certain issue that every inflatable tyre is vulnerable to and that’s punctures.
Punctures for Jockey Wheels Inflatable
The average weight of motorhomes that are sold in the UK ranges from 80 to 100kg. This is an enormous amount of weight to carry in one wheel (obviously it is heavier when displaced by two wheels).).
If there were a tiny nail or a small piece of wood, it’s unlikely to be too difficult to get through the small rubber in these tyres. There was one guest who attempted using the foam tyre product that they use to make automobile tyres. But, they couldn’t determine if the product to be a suitable solution.
