Can anyone help us - we're relatively new to caravanning and after a year with our trusted 'starter van' have just bought a fab new sterling Europa 495 which we're absolutely delighted with, except, we're having some problems with the jockey wheel the shaft keeps collapsing when we're manovering the caravan - I'm not sure if it's something we're not doing right as we've had a mobile caravan mechanic out to the site we're staying on for 6 weeks and he's said it's ok but we're frightened of moving it in case it does it again - it doesnt seem to sit correctly in the hole on the A frame and seems to be on a slant so when we move the caravan no matter how tight we clamp it it slips down and the A frame falls onto the actual wheel - has anyone else had this problem if so please let me know if it's something we're not doing right, as is probably the case, as we've got to move the caravan back into the storage area tomorrow and are stressing out over it - thanks
Possibly threads in clamp have been stripped due to cross threading or maybe shaft bent when you dropped it before.
With caravan stood on steadies, loosen clamp screw a bit, shaft should slide smoothly up & down & then clamp should tighten hard ok. Or has wrong diameter shaft has been fitted 42mm instead of 48mm, but if the mechanic said its ok that is unlikely. Or has some rotter swapped your new jockey wheel for a busted one while you were away?
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It suggests to me that the clamp which holds the jockey wheel in place has become skewed. Difficult to show you in writing but imagine your first and second finger of each hand is the clamp. First finger of left hand over first finger of right, second finger of left hand under those and finally the second finger of right hand under second finger of left hand. Now try it with first and second finger of left hand in the middle of the first and second finger of right hand. Right hand fingers streatched. That is what can happen with the jockey wheel clamp if you undo it too much and it fully opens. When you put it back together the wrong part overlaps the other when it shoud go in between and it is streatched such that it cannot clamp the jockey wheel sufficiently and the wheel shaft just slips through the clamp.
Have a good look at the clamp and then have a look at a clamp on another van just to see if they are placed together in the same way. If you have what I suggest then you will need to put the front corners down and remove the jockey wheel and, with some rather strong pliers, bend the clamp parts back to their original position so that they join together correctly.
Phil
------------- If you're not on a fell your wasting your feet and for 2014 it's.......Feb Castleton Mar North Yors Moors; Apr Sutton on Sea; May Thirsk; Jun Clapham/Riverside (Lakes); July Wharfedale; August Crakehall; Sept Knaresborough; Oct Wirral Park/Clitheroe
Just found this. See the left hand part at the back which overlaps the right hand part. Well if yours has skewed the left hand part could be under the right hand part and that could create a loose fitting
Phil
------------- If you're not on a fell your wasting your feet and for 2014 it's.......Feb Castleton Mar North Yors Moors; Apr Sutton on Sea; May Thirsk; Jun Clapham/Riverside (Lakes); July Wharfedale; August Crakehall; Sept Knaresborough; Oct Wirral Park/Clitheroe
thanks for the advice guys - we managed to move the caravan yesterday (albeit somewhat dubiously)still not 100% about it though (the mechanic who 'fixed' the problem said if it were to happen again we would need and whole new jockey wheel and hitch head) fingers crossed if we do it'll be whilst it's still under warranty !
Hi Caz, enjoy the van ! would sugest you replace the clamp, thats the bit that Phil shows in his post, the hitch head has certainly no bearing on the matter and neither has the jockey wheel unless it's bent. The clamps arereadily available in any of the caravan shops or dealers. Bought one a couple of years ago and think it cost about a fiver.....Mick