The humble jockey wheel is one of the simplest mechanisms fitted on any caravan, but it's also one of the most highly valued - break one and you'll soon discover why.
That innocent-looking wheel is as important now as it's ever been. Fitted at the front of every van or trailer, it provides the much needed steering for manoeuvring the unhitched tourer into position. Damage or break this sort of jockey and it's a dead cert you'll start having the holiday from hell.
Because the jockey wheel is so anonymous, many enthusiasts ignore it, even during routine maintenance. And yet all the jockey wheel demands is a little care and attention once a year. In return it will last perhaps the life of the van, or at least your ownership period.
Start at the actual wheel. Most types still use a solid tyre, which although it doesn't cover that much ground still wears out. More commonly it becomes damaged, usually because the wheel 'slipped' on to the ground during towing.
With prices around the £6 mark and simple to fit, a new tyre makes a world of difference to how a van handles on the campsite. You can upgrade to a pneumatic tyre, which can give a lighter, smoother tiller action, and this is especially recommended for those who use a powered caravan mover.
The actual jockey wheel unit functions on a simple sliding spindle design - and has done so for yonks. Once a year it pays to strip it down, thoroughly clean (remember, the device is right at the front of the van and thus takes the brunt of any road muck thrown up) and re-lubricate the thread with fresh grease.
Check also that the unit slides and lowers freely and that the assembly hasn't suffered physical damage, become corroded (not unknown) or is simply broken due to misuse. Any good caravan manual will tell you the details on how to remove the wheel from individual trailer designs.
Jockey wheels are inadvertently damaged by owners manoeuvring their vans into position by using the wheel both to steer the van and as an aid to push it, when all the effort should be placed on the tourer's body (that's why there are built-in handles for this task).
If you believe that your jockey assembly is in the slightest bit suspect, then consider replacing it now, as they aren't that expensive plus are easy enough to fit. A straight replacement assembly costs in the region of £20-25, although for an extra £10 or so you might like to upgrade to Al-Ko's heavier duty alternative that features a stouter fork for the wheel.
Incidentally, there's also a useful braked version from Al-Ko that's highly popular because it provides a welcome degree of safety and convenience to manoeuvring.
Al-Ko also recently launched an interesting variation on the jockey wheel theme with its unique swivelling jockey wheel head that swings the assembly out of the way when not in use. This not only neatly avoids the problem of the wheel inadvertently dropping on to the ground at speed (one of the chief causes of damage), but also helps ground clearance problems.
That said, this device is aimed mainly at industrial trailers or those that are used off-road. It features a stouter 60mm diameter spindle assembly instead of the usual 48mm issue.
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