Other options for front trailer jockey wheel?

[gavinwibrow]

Has anyone seen a hydraulic or similar front "jockey" wheel that can be used in the vertical position, then stored in situ horizontally for travel?
Doesn't even have to be a wheel at the bottom, a plate would suffice.

REASON - I have to take off my jockey wheel every time I want to drop the front van section which folds down/out to make a veranda, because the poor design of the jockey wheel location interferes with the floor, and the wheel is replaced by one of those fold down expandable struts used at the back of the van.

I guess I could use a folding trolley wheel fixed to the outside near front of the A frame, but I'm trying to look at all options - to ease my back which seems to be aging quicker than the rest of me and I'm limited to 25 kg "lifting" on my 180 kg downforce towbar.

[Pedro_The_Swift]

are we hitched or unhitched when using the front verandah?
I use a chassis stand up near the coupling after unhitching, same as your support legs.
no lifting involved??

[Pedro_The_Swift]

http://www.aulro.com/afvb/attachments/discovery-2/104745d1453644801-do-i-need-replacement-performance-radiator-van3.jpg

[Pedro_The_Swift]

not much to play with there:o
I reckon my jockey wheel brackets would hit,,:p

you realise Gavin, an SLS remote would be ideal for you,,
lift rear, lower legs, drop bags, drive away...:angel:

[gavinwibrow]

you realise Gavin, an SLS remote would be ideal for you,,
lift rear, lower legs, drop bags, drive away...:angel:
Hi Pedro. thanks for posting the pic. Your comment is one reason why I want to try the LSE with EAS - once I'm satisfied it could be used reliably (still a way to go for that peace/piece of mind).

[Blknight.aus]

ID get one of the small high pressure airbag jacks like they use in some tyre shops and a jack stand then make a couple of brackets for them to sit in when the van was in its travelling configuration.

pull up, slide the jack on its plate under the nose and jack it up, push the jack stand under (which should be at its normal pre adjusted height) and lower the airbag jack.

gives you the added bonus of you now have a jack thats a lot easier to use than your normal one...

for proof of concept you could trial it with a normal exhaust air bag jack (Im sure someone would have one you could borrow for a couple of days)

[Pedro_The_Swift]

could double as caravan wheel jack :o:cool:

[gavinwibrow]

UMMMMM! Worth pursuing Dave (and i just noticed the new avatar). I have one of those balloon 4WD exhaust jacks but not too sure about them, even though with tandem wheels i would not be looking at any significant sideways movement. More research I think, and off to the tyre shop.

[Blknight.aus]

The balloon type jack I was talking about was only for proof of concept work, not a permanent solution although the most use my exhaust bag jack has go has been lifting up the noses of vans that have sunk into soft ground.

http://www.xh-autoservice.com/imageRepository/96dc94e2-04fa-4fa1-bb00-2e4321b6f01e.jpg

these are the type of jacks I was intending for a permanant solutions

although

the little 4/8t versions of one of these
Blackhawk Automotive Air Jack ? 50-Ton, Model# BH2500 | Bottle Jacks| Northern Tool + Equipment (http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200311805_200311805)

would work just as well.

[Narangga]

Referring to your original question - do you mean like on my Kimberley?

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2016/07/75.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/JnAWqC)

[gavinwibrow]

Yep! I suspect at the end of the day, I will end up with something like that (which I already have on my small garden trailer, but if there were a hydraulic version, that would be the ants pants.
I don't know if the long ram versions in Dave's link could be used side on and upside down to get the same outcome, but?
Some good ideas to consider/pursue. Cheers

[Chops]

There's no reason why you couldn't have a little hydrolic folding leg on the drawbar, similar to those used on some Utes etc with light cranes on them.
All they are are stabiliser bars as seen on the large mobile cranes. A small hydrolic motor mounted somewhere on the trailer connected to the pivoting leg. Easy.
I'll see if I can find some info on them when I get home on the comp, shouldn't be hard.

[Blknight.aus]

if you want to go completely hydraulic all you need is a small double acting ram and some cleverness in the way you mount it up..

build it up so that it pushes the body of the ram downwards and make the cradle for it such that as it lifts itself up off and comes to full close a pair of pins engage on ramps that then lift the body of the ram up as it continues to close up a quick loop strap at the front to stop it from drooping when you take the pressure off and its done.

OR

use a double acting ram to push down and retract a skid plate in a similar way that the dump trucks using a center mounted ram that lays flatish along and between the chasssis rails.

one small reservior or accumulator a hand pump or a small 12v pump would have you set.

[gavinwibrow]

Many thanks for the continuing suggestions.

Should have posted this pic in the first place, but didn't realise I had it.
If you look at the stabiliser bar (front LHS), the base is strong enough to just about lift the whole van, even with a couple of extra holes drilled.

It would make an ideal mounting point for a downward acting ram (with appropriate base plate) as it is forward enough of the dropped veranda floor, and given 3.3T and tandem wheels are a bit much to push around by hand would allow me to remove the existing jockey wheel (which does foul the dropping floor) for virtually almost all scenarios.

So Dave, when you run out of things to do:p, a simple diagram for a simple person?
Cheers Gavin

[LandyAndy]

Gavin,would something like this work???
12 Volt Remote Control Electric Jockey Wheel Jack Suit Caravan Boat RV Trailer | eBay (http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/12-Volt-Remote-Control-Electric-Jockey-Wheel-Jack-Suit-Caravan-Boat-Rv-Trailer-/122057892069?hash=item1c6b37a0e5:g:y6YAAOSwzJ5XVFt c)
Andrew

[Blknight.aus]

Many thanks for the continuing suggestions.

Should have posted this pic in the first place, but didn't realise I had it.
If you look at the stabiliser bar (front LHS), the base is strong enough to just about lift the whole van, even with a couple of extra holes drilled.

It would make an ideal mounting point for a downward acting ram (with appropriate base plate) as it is forward enough of the dropped veranda floor, and given 3.3T and tandem wheels are a bit much to push around by hand would allow me to remove the existing jockey wheel (which does foul the dropping floor) for virtually almost all scenarios.

So Dave, when you run out of things to do:p, a simple diagram for a simple person?
Cheers Gavin

rough and ready but something like this
111987


If you pivot it so the leg that does the lifting pivots at the tow ball it will lift the trailer up and away from the vehicles tow point.

then you just need a simple jack stand to lower it onto OR, if you know the ground will always be the same level you just make up a U section that slides over the piston of the ram and then lower down onto that and that will lock the ram out from lowering any further, same as the safety lockout for back hoes and the like when you have to work on the main boom.

Chuck in a couple of base plates to give you an inch or 2 of play either way and then just use a single strap or chain lock to keep it up while travelling.

[gavinwibrow]

Thanks Andy & Dave - 2 real options to consider.
Andy, although this unit is expensive, it might even be possible to fit it to a swivelling jockey wheel connector. I'll do some more research on heavier duty swivels - the one on my single axle garden trailer has developed quite a bit of play at the swivel point, but can be easily strengthened.
I like the idea of electric and manual. I could connect either to the van or car via my Anderson plugs. Cheers Guys

[gavinwibrow]

And geting back to real basics, then there is this!
Trailer Caravan Jack Stand Swivel 1500kg Rated Heavy Duty Jockey Wheel | eBay (http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/trailer-caravan-jack-stand-swivel-1500kg-rated-heavy-duty-jockey-wheel/191504388039?_trksid=p2047675.c100009.m1982&_trkparms=aid%3D222007%26algo%3DSIC.MBE%26ao%3D1%2 6asc%3D20140117125611%26meid%3D652f442c133d4470995 92936863555b1%26pid%3D100009%26rk%3D6%26rkt%3D10%2 6mehot%3Dpp%26sd%3D122057892069)

[Chops]

Something in the portable hand-pump selection could be the go maybe. Enerpac type systems could be done quite simply to suit a folding leg.
25 TON 100mm Stroke BVA Hydraulic Rams NOT Enerpac | eBay (http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/25-TON-100mm-STROKE-BVA-HYDRAULIC-RAMS-not-ENERPAC-/182210530208?hash=item2a6c980ba0:g:KCQAAOSw~oFXFx9 d)


Or perhaps something similar but air based. You've probably already got an air comp in your car or van, hook it up to a small reservoir tank matched up with the right cylinder. Possibilities are endless.