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We have just bought our first caravan, a Luna solar eclipse (we have been tenting for years).  It is currently stored on our driveway (with two wheel clamps, a bulldog hitch lock and ball, padlocked chain, fiamma door lock and two traffic posts)

My question is, when its stored on my drive between holidays, should the jockey wheel be down on the ground, or wound up off the ground, or doesn't it matter either way?

Thanks

Hi welcome to the site.

 We always have ours down.

  We never take our wheels off because the van never stands still long enough.

If you remove the jockey wheel completly and store it elsewhere it may make it a bit more tricky and a bit less attractive for a thief.

By the way, Michael, have you tried lowering your jockey wheel with a racket spanner or socket.

Simon

How stupid is that..........try lowering your corner steady with a socket etc etc.

Simon

- It doesn't really matter either way.

The Caravan Club recommend lifting it and leaving the handbrake off (so that it doesn't bind).

We usually leave ours down and the handbrake off.

There is no sane company would ever tell you to leave the jockey wheel up.  The steadies at the rear of a caravan (any caravan) are fixed to the chassis whilst the front ones are only screwed to the floor and leaving the jockey wheel up puts far too much stress on the floor.  Unless you want a de-laminated floor the only time that jockey wheel should ever be up is during transit.  Hope this gets to you before any damage is done.

Good Luck

Les Wilson.

Thanks to all for answering my query, we did leave the jockey wheel down once we had got it onto the drive, the questions was actually my husbands, but I have put him straight!

thanks again, I now know where to come if I have any more questions. 

We are taking our first trip over the Easter holidays, wish us luck!!

xx

Quote: Originally posted by elliecrookes on 30/3/2007

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We have just bought our first caravan, a Luna solar eclipse (we have been tenting for years).  It is currently stored on our driveway (with two wheel clamps, a bulldog hitch lock and ball, padlocked chain, fiamma door lock and two traffic posts)

My question is, when its stored on my drive between holidays, should the jockey wheel be down on the ground, or wound up off the ground, or doesn't it matter either way?

Thanks

 

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I always leave the jockey wheel down during the period e use the van. Because our van is not used during the cold months I "normally" relace the jockey wheel with a length of scaffold tube, I feel this wil make life harder for those who may attempt to take the van. I lso "normally" jack the van up & place a large piece of RSJ under the axle right behind the wheel back plate, I do this to lift the weight off of the suspension units.

However, this year, for reasons I've yet to think of, I did neither of the above & some rotten bunch of diddies had my van off the drive on 01-03-07 at 0445.

The van had leg locks on the rear legs. This was because the holes in the skirt at the front weren't big enoug to get the body of te leg locks through. When the van comes back, it'll have the holes made biger & 4 leglocks fitted.

Having only rear locks on the legs allowed them to wind up the front legs, lower the jockey wheel & then because all the weight was off the rear legs, all they had to do was reach under te van & turn the threaded bar holding the rear legs down leaving the leg locks in place.

It had a Mileno wheel clamp on it & this was twisted off & thown in the hedge lke a wire coathanger.

It also had an Al-ko hitch loch with the hitch ball in place, they broke the casting of the hitch to remove this lock.

I've kicked mysel for not doing my normal security jobs this winter but it's too late now. The van is having the axle adapted to take the new Al-ko wheel lock & I'm  also having an RSJ concreted in with a hitch on it, couled with 4 leglocks & an additional Bull dog Titan wheel clamp it'll make life hard for it to go again. They had two vans away & tried to get two others around here that night, make certain they don't get yours.

Sorry for over answering your question but losing mine sickened me.

BB    

Hi BB

Sorry to hear about your troubles, I hope you manage to get it sorted out. my husband has installed two posts on the drive and as well as two wheel clamps and a bulldog hitch lock he has also wrapped a heavy plastic covered bike chain around the hitch handle (it's a winterhoff hitch). As the van is quite long, we have had to put it width ways on the drive so my car is usually parked along side it, but I think we may look at removing the wheels over the winter months.  As my husband says, you could lock it up like fort knox, but if the little blighters want it, they will find a way of getting it. Sounds like they might have been "nicking to order".

Ellie

Quote: Originally posted by Millies dad on 30/3/2007

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If you're leaving the 'van static for a prolonged period (months rather than weeks) between trips, it would be a good idea to raise it on axle stands and remove the wheels. This is an added security measure but more importantly save the tyres. After to you've replaced them make sure the wheel n uts are tightened to the correct torque and recheck after you have towed for 20 mins or so.

Good luck and enjoy!

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Quote: Originally posted by MickeyM on 30/3/2007

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Mine is always down. This is because one side of the van is tight to the wall of my neighbours and I can't get at the steady to wind it down

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I used to have this problem.  Our hardstanding at home is level, so with the van clear of the wall I partly lowered the unreachable leg, until it settled on a large block of wood.  I then measured the actual drop of the leg.

For parking at home, I then lowered the leg to this measurement, and then moved the van into position.  When in position, I placed the wood under the leg, and lowered the jockey wheel until the leg rested on the wood.  I then lowered the three remaining legs.  Job done.

Bertie.